Elvin Jones - Youngblood

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:23
Size: 145.1 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Not Yet
[7:39] 2. Have You Seen Elveen
[8:43] 3. Angel Eyes
[7:17] 4. Ding-A-Ling-A-Ding
[9:27] 5. Lady Luck
[3:56] 6. The Biscuit Man
[6:11] 7. Body And Soul
[4:12] 8. Strange
[6:12] 9. My Romance
[5:51] 10. Youngblood

Bass – George Mraz (tracks: 1 to 3,5 to 10); Drums – Elvin Jones; Tenor Saxophone – Javon Jackson (tracks: 1,2,5,6,8,10), Joshua Redman (tracks: 1 to 3,5,6,8,10); Trumpet – Nicholas Payton (tracks: 1,2,5 to 8,10). Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. on April 20&21, 1992.

Although this superior set features three of the top Young Lions (tenors Joshua Redman and Javon Jackson and trumpeter Nicholas Payton), along with the fine bassist George Mraz, drummer Elvin Jones, 64 at the time, sounds like the youngest member of the group. The well-rounded CD has individual features for Redman ("Angel Eyes"), Payton ("Body and Soul") and Mraz ("My Romance"), along with the leader (the unaccompanied drum solo "Ding-A-Ling-A-Ling"), and has consistently inspired playing from all of the musicians. An excellent effort. ~Scott Yanow

Youngblood

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McLemore Avenue - 926 East

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:50
Size: 114.1 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Soul
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Ham Slice
[3:25] 2. Fubar
[2:58] 3. About Face
[5:59] 4. The Indefatigable Jimmy Smits
[3:33] 5. Texas Toast
[5:28] 6. Me Gusta
[4:29] 7. Sad, But True
[3:44] 8. A Toy Robot!
[4:25] 9. Tree-Hug-Her
[5:58] 10. (The Last Of The) V-8 Interceptors
[5:25] 11. 926 East

McLemore Avenue--inspired by instrumental groups like Booker T. & the MGs, the Meters, and Medeski, Martin & Wood--blends elements of southern soul, groove, and jazz with an original sound that is unique to Austin, Texas.

926 East

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Terell Stafford - This Side Of Strayhorn

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:11
Size: 158.4 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:52] 1. Raincheck
[8:54] 2. Smada
[7:17] 3. My Little Brown Book
[7:39] 4. Lush Life
[8:38] 5. Multicolored Blue
[7:07] 6. U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group)
[8:14] 7. Lana Turner
[7:03] 8. Day Dream
[6:24] 9. Johnny Come Lately

Terell Stafford: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tim Warfield: tenor and soprano saxophones; Bruce Barth: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Dana Hall: drums.

Some music just stands out from the crowd, and certainly Billy Strayhorn's tunes do exactly that. What would the great composer/bandleader Duke Ellington have been without his collaborator? He still certainly would have been considered one of the America's greatest artists, but it's hard to imagine an Ellington "greatest hits" offering—if one could be achieved, considering the Duke's immense output—without Strayhorn's gorgeous and familiar "Lush Life," "Take the 'A' Train," "Lotus Blossom," or "Chelsea Bridge."

This Side of Strayhorn is trumpeter Terell Stafford's heartfelt tribute to Ellington's indispensable partner. The set is made up of a batch of familiar Strayhorn music, as well as some lesser-known gems that shine brightly in the hands of Stafford and his marvelous ensemble. Stafford's working quintet turns in a well-lubricated effort, burning down the house on the opener, "Raincheck." Stafford and saxophonist Tim Warfield trade stretched-out solos throughout, with the leader giving a sizzle to the melody, the sax relaxing into a snappy groove, on the bright and upbeat melody that rides high inside the rhythm section's fluid momentum, until pianist Bruce Barth—who arranged all the tunes—slips into a crisp Ellingtonian piano solo.

"Smada" has a more relaxed feeling. Warfield's solo is warm and laidback, a no-worries-in-the-world affair in front of a saucy backdrop. Then Stafford takes his turn, gliding in with a gorgeous tone and a velvet flow of notes. "Lush Life," one of Strayhorn's most distinctive and best-loved tunes, unfolds in a patient way, in the loveliest fashion, a familiar forlorn lament that sounds timeless in this spare arrangement. "Multiclored Blue" recalls 1940s Ellington, with Stafford blowing jungle cat sassy with his mute, while Warfield goes down low, as cool as can be, the way Ellington's star tenor man Ben Webster always did. "Lana Turner," a lesser-known composition, has a high class dynamic with a bit of slinkiness slipped in, and a jewel of a Warfield sax solo that is smoldering and a little gruff.

This Side of Strayhorn rides out on the upbeat and tangy "Johnny Come Lately," a swinging close to an excellent tribute one of America's finest tunesmiths. ~Dan McClenaghan

This Side Of Strayhorn

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Paul Williams - Here Comes Inspiration

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:55
Size: 89.1 MB
Styles: AM pop, Soft rock
Year: 1974/2014
Art: Front

[0:53] 1. Nilsson Sings Newman
[3:42] 2. You And Me Against The World
[3:31] 3. You Know Me
[3:01] 4. Driftwood
[3:54] 5. That's What Friends Are For
[3:34] 6. Rainy Days And Mondays
[3:06] 7. Inspiration
[2:59] 8. If We Could Still Be Friends
[2:38] 9. What Would They Say
[3:38] 10. Born To Fly
[3:32] 11. In The Beginning
[4:20] 12. Dream Away

Here Comes Inspiration is one of Williams' better albums. It revisits all of his strongest artistic points, and includes dreamy, whimsical high points like "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Driftwood," and "You and Me Against the World." His voice is certainly still a weak, bleating non-instrument, but here it's never dishonest or insincere. As usual, he's supported by the finest session musicians money can buy and an orchestra whose subtle arrangements never overpower the songs. Most of the material is written by Williams alone (with occasional co-writes from producer Ken Asher). Listeners may prefer the more professional performances of the Carpenters and Helen Reddy, who've recorded a number of the titles (Reddy recorded no less than four of them), but there's a more raw, affecting quality to these original renditions. ~Charles Donovan

Here Comes Inspiration

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Christian McBride Bid Band - The Good Feeling

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Big Band
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:32
Size: 162,1 MB
Art: Front + Back

( 7:21)  1. Shake 'n Blake
( 4:05)  2. Broadway
( 4:53)  3. Brother Mister
( 5:17)  4. When I Fall in Love
(11:46)  5. Science Fiction
( 8:17)  6. The Shade of the Cedar Tree
( 3:49)  7. The More I See You
( 5:45)  8. I Should Care
( 3:28)  9. A Taste of Honey
( 8:45) 10. Bluesin' in Alphabet City
( 7:01) 11. In a Hurry

The Good Feeling marks the debut of the Christian McBride Big Band, but the seeds for this album were sown in the mid-'90s. Jazz at Lincoln Center commissioned McBride to write and arrange his first major big band work "Bluesin' In Alphabet City" in 1995, and that experience really sparked his interest in composing for large groups. Now, sixteen years after the ink dried on that number, it appears in the penultimate position on his first big band recording. Over the course of eleven tracks, McBride manages to present music that's respectful of big band traditions, while also showcasing his own unique compositional voice. On one piece, the band might be playing over a pedal-to-the-metal swing pulse, with a string of strong soloists selling their wares over feisty backgrounds that come and go ("In A Hurry"), while another number might sound like a cross between "Maiden Voyage" and funky Freddie Hubbard-style fare ("Brother Mister"), as distilled through the mind of one of jazz's most talented, high profile bassists.

The instrumentalists rule the roost on this album, but McBride makes room for vocalist Melissa Walker on a few numbers, and she brings class to the proceedings. Walker's first feature, "When I Fall In Love," opens with McBride's elegant arco work, and contains some charming piano soloing from Xavier Davis, while the band cooks behind her vocals on the waltzing "A Taste Of Honey." "The More I See You" opens in a relatively calm state, with Walker singing the verse, but things really heat up later, when a Sonny Payne-style triplet build-up from drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. leads to some shouting brass. While the vocal standards tend to showcase McBride's more conservative, in-the-tradition arrangements, his own "Science Fiction" shows what he can do when he moves away from the norm. 

This number proves to be an episodic odyssey full of wonder and surprise. Suspense gives way to sounds of the bold and big variety, and Davis and McBride set things in motion with driving, hook-laden riffs. Seismic shifts take place in certain places, while more subtle adjustments are at play throughout the piece. McBride utilizes flutes and bass clarinet in expert fashion, and these instruments help to broaden the overall sound of the band. Featuring McBride at the top of his game, The Good Feeling, like its creator, is steeped in tradition while remaining tapped into what's current and exciting in jazz today. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-good-feeling-christian-mcbride-mack-avenue-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Christian McBride: bass; Steve Wilson: alto saxophone, flute; Todd Bashore: alto saxophone, flute; Ron Blake: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Todd Williams: tenor saxophone, flute; Loren Schoenberg: tenor saxophone (2, 8); Carl Maraghi: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Frank Greene: trumpet; Freddie Hendrix: trumpet; Nicholas Payton: trumpet; Nabati Isles: trumpet; Steve Davis: trombone; Michael Dease: trombone; James Burton: trombone; Douglas Purviance: bass trombone; Xavier Davis: piano; Ulysses Owens, Jr.: drums; Melissa Walker: vocals.

The Good Feeling

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John Coltrane - Stellar Regions

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:59
Size: 140,4 MB
Art: Front

(8:57)  1. Seraphic Light
(6:08)  2. Sun Star
(3:35)  3. Stellar Regions
(3:54)  4. Iris
(8:23)  5. Offering
(4:05)  6. Configuration
(6:01)  7. Jimmy's Mode
(4:18)  8. Tranesonic
(4:40)  9. Stellar Regions (Alternate Take)
(8:06) 10. Sun Star (Alternate Take)
(2:48) 11. Tranesonic (Alternate Take)

This is a major set, "new" music from John Coltrane that was recorded February 15, 1967 (five months before his death) but not released for the first time until 1995. One of several "lost" sessions that were stored by Alice Coltrane for decades, only one selection ("Offering" which was on Expression) among the eight numbers and three alternates was ever out before. The music, although well worth releasing, offers no real hints as to what Coltrane might have been playing had he lived into the 1970s. The performances by the quartet (the saxophonist joined by pianist Alice Coltrane, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Rashied Ali) are briefer (from two and a half to five-plus minutes) than Coltrane's recordings of the previous year, but that might have been due to the fact that this music was played in the studio (as opposed to the marathon live blowouts with Pharoah Sanders) or to Coltrane's worsening health. Actually Trane is as powerful as usual, showing no compromise in his intense flights, and indulging in sound explorations that are as free (but with purpose) as any he had ever done. Coltrane's true fans will want to go out of their way to acquire this intriguing CD. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/stellar-regions-mw0000176627

Personnel: John Coltrane (tenor saxophone); Alice Coltrane (piano); Jimmy Garrison (bass); Rashied Ali (drums).

Stellar Regions

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Al Jarreau - Tenderness

Styles: Jazz, vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:39
Size: 168,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Mas Que Nada
(7:36)  2. Try A Little Tenderness
(6:05)  3. Your Song
(5:21)  4. My Favorite Things (Feat. Kathleen Battle)
(7:39)  5. She's Leaving Home
(6:17)  6. Summertime
(6:04)  7. We Got By (Feat. David Sanborn)
(5:54)  8. Save Your Love For Me
(5:26)  9. You Don't See Me
(5:52) 10. Wait For The Magic
(5:24) 11. Dinosaur
(5:42) 12. Go Away Little Girl

Rather than do a strictly studio or strictly live album next, Jarreau recorded a "live in the studio" affair before an invited audience and this time he would not be bothered with the latest new mediocre R&B tunes. Spreading his net from the Gershwins through Lennon-McCartney to Jorge Ben, Elton John and himself, Jarreau assembled a core band that includes vets like Joe Sample, Steve Gadd, the late Eric Gale, and producer Marcus Miller and turned himself loose on the songs with a freedom that hasn't been heard extensively on his records since the '70s. As then, he transplants standards of whatever school into his own cross-genre idiom, squeezing his tone through the syllables and flashing his speed scatting. He produces some lovingly drawn-out reprises of "She's Leaving Home" and "We Got By," a semi-funk "Summertime" with echoes of Gil Evans in the horns, and fits into the rapid-fire "Mas Que Nada" in the Brazilian manner-born. Opera diva Kathleen Battle's breathless coloratura soprano makes for an odd, unsettling contrast with Jarreau's snake-like wanderings in "My Favorite Things" (the only track recorded at a separate session in New York; the others were cut in L.A.); Michael Brecker's tenor sax adds a third alien voice to the mix. Those who were first drawn to Jarreau from his live and recorded performances of the mid-'70s are going to like this CD and this time, the new material ("Wait for the Magic," "Dinosaur") is not only interesting and thought-provoking, it makes good use of Jarreau's voice. As with Live In London, a home video of the sessions is available, but contains only ten tracks. ~ Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/tenderness-mw0000624282

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn (tracks: 6; 7), Kenny Garrett (tracks: 8);  Backing Vocals – Jeff Ramsey, Sharon Young, Stacy Campbell;  Bass – Marcus Miller;  Drums – Steve Gadd;  Guitar – Eric Gale, Paul Jackson Jr. (tracks: 1);  Keyboards – Joe Sample, Neil Larsen; Percussion – Bashiri Johnson (tracks: 4), Don Alias (tracks: 11), Paulinho Da Costa;  Producer – Marcus Miller;  Synthesizer – Jason Miles (tracks: 4), Philippe Saisse;  Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker (tracks: 4);  Trumpet – Michael "Patches" Stewart;  Vocals – Al Jarreau, Kathleen Battle (tracks: 4)

Tenderness

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Gary Smulyan Quintet - The Lure Of Beauty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:48
Size: 168.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1990/2000
Art: Front

[ 7:35] 1. Boo's Blues
[10:49] 2. Canto Fiesta
[ 7:56] 3. Minor Conundrum
[10:05] 4. Moonlight On The Nile
[ 6:57] 5. Kiss And Run
[10:53] 6. Lost April
[ 8:41] 7. You Go To My Head
[ 5:08] 8. The Lure Of Beauty
[ 5:38] 9. Off To The Races

Gary Smulyan (Bs); Jimmy Knepper (Tb); Mulgrew Miller (P); Ray Drummond (B); Kenny Washington (D). Recorded December 7, 1990 in New York City, NY, USA

GARY SMULYAN was one of many aspiring alto saxophonists in the jazz world when a career-defining opportunity came along that required him to switch instruments, an immense gamble for a musician. Twenty-five years ago, after learning that the venerable bandleader Woody Herman needed a new baritone saxophonist for his Young Thundering Herd, a big band that was touring 50 weeks out of the year, Mr. Smulyan practiced on the bigger horn for a week and got the job. Giddy to have landed his first job as a professional musician, he spent the next two years in the band's saxophone section refining his technique and making lasting friendships.

''Taking on the baritone sax changed my life,'' said Mr. Smulyan. ''It was a quick decision to make at the time, but I'm grateful for what it has brought me.'' Generally regarded as being difficult to carry because of its big, looped crook and cumbersome size, the real problem with the baritone sax, said Mr. Smulyan, is its infrequent use as a front-line or solo instrument; because of that, its practitioners are few.

Mr. Smulyan, 47, stands today among the handful of first-call baritone players worldwide. Over the years he has worked with some of the biggest stars in popular music, including Diana Ross and B.B. King, not to mention jazz greats like Harry Edison known as Sweets, Joe Henderson, Frank Wess, James Moody and Freddie Hubbard. ''The baritone became Gary's voice practically overnight,'' said Joe Lovano, a tenor saxophonist and member of the Young Thundering Herd when Mr. Smulyan joined the ensemble. ''He has always been a strong improviser, and today you'd have to consider him to be one of the best saxophonists around.'' Mr. Lovano said he formed a nonet a few years ago partly so he would be able to play more often with Mr. Smulyan, and a recording the group made, ''52nd Street Themes,'' won a Grammy award in 2000.

The Lure Of Beauty

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Beth McKee - I'm That Way

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:05
Size: 91.8 MB
Styles: New Orleans blues-jazz vocals
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. I Spent All My Money Lovin You
[4:14] 2. But I Do
[3:50] 3. See You Later Alligator
[4:57] 4. Tennessee Blues
[4:00] 5. Small Town Talk
[3:25] 6. I'm That Way
[4:04] 7. Walking To New Orleans
[3:39] 8. I Don't Want To Know
[4:11] 9. Last Train To Memphis
[3:54] 10. I Don't See Me

Beth McKee, former member of gumbo rock band Evangeline, possesses a bold and irrepressible voice that sounds as richly textured as the Louisiana bayou. Her voice isn’t her only instrument. She’s also a whirlwind on the piano. Yet, the earthiness of her voice is unmistakable, and operates on I’m That Way as a supreme asset in taking on the material of the great southern United States songwriter Bobby Charles. Robert Charles Guidry passed away on January 14, 2010, and Ms. McKee’s selections from his songbook continue to honor him.

Standouts from the Bobby Charles legacy are here (“See You Later, Alligator”, “But I Do”, “Small Town Talk”), charged with vigor from Ms. McKee’s vocal chops and set ablaze with horns from her band. She succeeds in sidestepping the usual question that accompanies remakes and covers, which is, “What’s the point?” Here, the point is to connect with the spirit of the songwriter and to celebrate the New Orleans, Louisiana, heritage that informs the music. Sometimes she goes in heavier and harder than do the originals. Compare McKee’s “Walking to New Orleans” to Fats Domino’s version. At other times, she’s lighter and more open, as in her take on “But I Do” compared to Clarence “Frogman” Henry’s big band rendition that everyone heard on the Forrest Gump soundtrack. The album’s highlight, however, is the opener, “I Spent All My Money Lovin’ You”, an edgy bundle of raucous regret that McKee leans into with aplomb.

A couple of tracks are a tad sluggish, and then there is a feeling of sameness, in terms of sound and style, that pervades the sequencing. Although one listener’s “sameness” is another’s “cohesion”, there is a consistency of mood that feels immovable across a sequence of song lyrics that suggest variety. The sameness is due mostly to tempo and the inclusion of horns galore, despite how authentic the horn section is when it comes to evoking the feeling of being there. Beth McKee has been there, all right. What she does while she’s there is fun in the right spots and danceable to boot. A fitting tribute. ~Quentin B. Huff

I'm That Way

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Hot Club Roma - Swing From Rome

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:42
Size: 102.3 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Djangology
[2:51] 2. Stomping At Decca
[4:49] 3. All Of Me
[4:49] 4. Nuages
[4:23] 5. Troublant Bolero
[4:22] 6. Artillerie Lourde
[2:36] 7. Exactly Like You
[3:53] 8. Valzer Tradizionale
[2:07] 9. China Boy
[3:34] 10. Je Suis Seul Ce Soir
[4:06] 11. Les Yeux Noir
[3:56] 12. Que Rest'il De Nos Amours

L'Hot Club Roma nasce nel 2005 da un'idea di Gianfranco Malorgio e dall'incontro di alcuni musicisti innamorati della musica del grande compositore e interprete Belga "Django Reinhardt". Il gruppo lavora ad un primo progetto e si esibisce nei più prestigiosi locali di Roma e in vari Festival Italiani. Questo progetto li porta a realizzare il primo CD "Swing From Rome" pubblicato dalla "WIDE SOUND RECORD'S". 2007- Collaborazione con il chitarrista Italiano "Dario Pinelli", con lui la sezione ritmica dell'Hot Club Roma, Gianfranco Malorgio e Renato Gattone, collaborano in numerosi concerti in Italia e all'estero e insieme a lui partecipano alla realizzazione di un video clip "The Vamp" dell'"Italian Gypsy Jazz Trio". Edizioni TRJ records. Sempre con Dario Pinelli registrano per la Cinik Record due brani della colonna sonora del Film Italiano, "La Casa Sulle Nuvole" per la regia di Claudio Giovannesi, musiche Enrico Melozzi e Claudio Giovannesi edizioni Warner Chappell. "Le musiche del film vincono, nel 2009, il premio per la migliore colonna sonora Cinematografica Italiana dell'anno".

Nell'estate del 2008 Gianfranco Malorgio e Renato Gattone partecipano al Festival di Acri (Cs) dedicato alla musica Manouche, dove si esibiscono sul palco in due concerti, il primo con "Walter Clerici, Popy e Tucsi Basily" e nel secondo con il grande "Angelo Debarre" , sicuramente uno dei più grandi interpreti del Gypsy Jazz viventi e "Luca Mannutza" al pianoforte. Ad Agosto del 2009 Gianfranco Malorgio e Renato Gattone hanno l'onore di accompagnare uno de più grandi interpreti viventi del genere Manouche "DORADO SCHMITT" in un concerto realizzato a ROMA nella stupenda cornice di "Villacelimontana Jazz Festival" . Dorado Schmitt Quartet- Dorado Schmitt chitarra solista, violino e voce; Walter Clerici chtarra ritmica/solista; Gianfranco Malorgio chitarra ritmica; Renato Gattone contrabbasso". Il 18 gennaio l'HOT CLUB ROMA ha presentato al Teatro dei Satiri a Roma il suo nuovo progetto “Sur la Route de Django”. I musicisti che collaborano a questo progetto sono:Moreno Viglione chitarra solista, Emanuele Rastelli fisarmonica, Gianfranco Malorgio chitarra ritmica, Marco Loddo contrabbasso.

Swing From Rome

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Toots Thielemans, Kenny Werner - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 70:26

Size: 161.2 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz

Year: 2001

Art: Front

[7:03] 1. Dolphin Dance

[6:54] 2. The Dolphin

[5:51] 3. Sinatra Medley All The Way My Way

[3:29] 4. Tender Is The Night

[8:29] 5. Legrand Medley

[4:30] 6. Smile

[3:56] 7. Inspiration

[4:27] 8. Sicilienne

[3:32] 9. Windows

[7:05] 10. Bill Evans Medley Time Remembered Very Early

[6:00] 11. Autumn Leaves

[5:35] 12. Disney Medley When You Wish Upon A Star Someday My Prince Will Come

[3:30] 13. What A Wonderful World

The pairing of Toots Thielemans and Kenny Werner for several live duo concerts in mid-June of 2001 (although there is no audible audience response) is a dream come true for fans of ballads. Whether Werner sticks exclusively to piano or adds the lush strings from his synthesizer as well, he provides the perfect complement to the always lyrical harmonica of the veteran Thielemans. Although Thielemans was 79 at the time of this recording, he has lost none of the daredevil spirit he has demonstrated in the past on up-tempo romps such as those through an exciting "Autumn Leaves" or capturing the emotion within a gem such as Charlie Chaplin's bittersweet "Smile." The songs include beautiful interpretations of classic jazz compositions by Herbie Hancock ("Dolphin Dance"), Chick Corea ("Windows"), and Bill Evans (a medley of the moody "Time Remembered" and the upbeat "Very Early"). Medley salutes to Frank Sinatra, Michel Legrand, and music from Disney movies (a medley of "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Someday My Prince Will Come") also earn high marks. Too many releases of this nature turn to mush because of repeated overdubs and splicing in of additional keyboard parts; the live nature of the recordings and the inspiration provided by the various audiences (even if listeners never hear them clap, cough, sneeze, or talk) clearly brings out the best in both Thielemans and Werner's playing. This warrants a follow-up date. ~Ken Dryden

Toots Thielemans, Kenny Werner

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Dave Weckl Band - Transition

Styles: Jazz Fusion, Crossover Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:20
Size: 163,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:51)  1. Wake Up
(9:52)  2. Braziluba
(6:40)  3. Like That
(6:08)  4. Mild Hysteria
(6:51)  5. Group Therapy
(7:33)  6. Passion
(7:12)  7. Crossing Paths
(5:34)  8. Alegria
(5:05)  9. Just For The Record
(8:30) 10. Amanecer

Drum master Weckl continues to hawk the muscular brand of fusion that he began dealing with Chick Corea’s Elektric Band over a decade ago. This album seems a catharsis for Weckl, having just come off a divorce and other personal problems. He’s in better form drum-wise than we have heard in some time, and the music on this disc is more engaging than his prior efforts. It would be hard to find a better environment for Weckl’s style than this present quartet. Brandon Fields offers the ideal blend of soulful jazz sax tradition and contemporary flair. Keyboardist Steve Weingart accentuates the grooves without succumbing to tired synth cliches, and bassist Tom Kennedy’s unwavering, unobtrusive musicianship often carries the day. Weckl himself is a real treasure in the fickle ocean of contemporary jazz, conjuring exciting, unexpected polyrhythms on a consistent basis. 

Drummers who lead bands tend to run the risk of overpowering the general ensemble sound, but Weckl has a knack for navigating while keeping his ego in check.The compositions on Transition are uniformly well-built and suited to the band’s character. There are liberal doses of funk, offbeat rhythmic structures, and no small wealth of solo spots for each performer. If there’s a quibble to be had with the disc, it might be that the production is a little too glossy and sterile. The overall mix glazes the album with a rather generic contempo-jazz sense when the music deserves better. Still, that hardly detracts from the enjoyability of the disc, which is Weckl’s best yet and one of the best entries in the Stretch Records catalog. ~ Todd S.Jenkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/transition-dave-weckl-concord-music-group-review-by-todd-s-jenkins.php
 

Personnel: Dave Weckl, drums and percussion; Steve Weingart, keyboards; Brandon Fields, tenor and soprano saxes, alto flute; Tom Kennedy, electric bass.

Transition

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Chaka Khan - I Feel For You

Styles: Vocal, R&B
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:05
Size: 109,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. This Is My Night
(4:21)  2. Stronger Than Before
(4:42)  3. My Love Is Alive
(4:38)  4. Eye To Eye
(4:27)  5. La Flamme
(5:46)  6. I Feel For You
(5:16)  7. Hold Her
(4:47)  8. Through The Fire
(3:47)  9. Caught In The Act
(4:35) 10. Chinatown

When Chaka Khan recorded her fifth solo album, I Feel for You, in 1984, she knew that R&B had changed a lot since the 1970s. Horn-powered funk bands, strings-laden Philadelphia soul, and orchestral disco were out of vogue, and the urban contemporary audiences of 1984 were into a more high-tech, heavily electronic style of R&B. Many artists who had been huge in the 1970s found that they no longer appealed to black radio programmers, who had abandoned them and turned their attention to electro-funksters and Prince disciples. But Chaka Khan had no problem keeping up with the times; I Feel for You made it clear that she could easily be relevant to the urban contemporary scene of 1984. 

No one would mistake I Feel for You for a Rufus project from 1975 it's way too high-tech and yet, everything on the album is unmistakably Chaka Khan. That is true of up-tempo items like "Love Is Alive" (an interesting remake of Gary Wright's 1976 hit) and "La Flamme," as well as the ballad "Through the Fire," which was a big hit on urban radio but crossed over to adult contemporary stations in a major way. "This Is My Night" (which was written and produced by the System) also became an urban radio hit, but the album is best known for Khan's unlikely remake of Prince's "I Feel for You." When Prince first recorded "I Feel for You" in 1979, it wasn't a hit; Khan's version, however, soared to number one on Billboard's R&B singles chart. Khan had a very different take on the song than Prince; while his original version was subtle and restrained, Khan went for exuberance and added a strong hip-hop flavor. Excellent from start to finish, this album went down in history as both a creative and a commercial success. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-feel-for-you-mw0000650354

I Feel For You

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Grover Washington Jr. - All My Tomorrows

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:27
Size: 172,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:57)  1. É Preciso Perdoar
(6:19)  2. When I Fall In Love
(6:58)  3. I'm Glad There Is You
(4:56)  4. Happenstance
(6:18)  5. All My Tomorrows
(8:11)  6. Nature Boy
(4:03)  7. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(7:32)  8. Overjoyed
(5:01)  9. Flamingo
(7:15) 10. For Heaven's Sake
(8:55) 11. Estate ('Ess-Tah-Tay') (In Summer)

Eddie Henderson's lovely flugelhorn colors the opening track, "E Preciso Perdoar (One Must Forgive)," setting the mood for a very mellow set. Washington, accompanied by six pieces, plays the standards straighter than Johnny Mathis sings them; everything is ratcheted down '40s-ish/'50s-ish cozy nightclub style. Freddy Cole resembles his brother, Nat King Cole, on "Overjoyed," while "Happenstance" showcases Henderson's absolute trumpeting skills. But if you expected to exercise your fingers with a few impromptu snaps, these tracks won't take you there. 

Washington's Winelight album, one of his best, was laid-back also but Washington's M.O. was stamped all over it; here you need credits and liner notes for verification, and only the opening tune emits any sparks. An attempt to silence the die-hard jazz critics who considered him a lightweight, but a disappointment for his Mister Magic fans. ~ Andrew Hamilton http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-my-tomorrows-mw0000119244

Personnel: Grover Washington, Jr.(soprano, alto & tenor saxophones); Jeanie Bryson, Freddy Cole (vocals); Bobby Watson (alto saxophone); Bobby LaVell (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Cozier (baritone saxophone); Eddie Henderson, Earl Gardner (trumpet, flugelhorn); Robin Eubanks (trombone); Freddy Cole, Hank Jones (piano); Romero Lubambo (guitar); George Mraz (bass); Billy Hart, Lewis Nash (drums); Steve Berrios (percussion).

All My Tomorrows

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Rodney Jones - Articulation

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:36
Size: 101,3 MB
Art: Front

( 4:36)  1. Articulation
(13:17)  2. 1978
( 6:52)  3. Hard New York Swing
( 1:20)  4. Interlude 1
( 3:54)  5. Childville
( 8:17)  6. Blues For Wes
( 5:18)  7. Nereda

Rodney Jones was only 22 when, in 1978, he recorded Articulation, his first album as a leader. At the time, the guitarist was in Dizzy Gillespie's employ, and he was capable of playing both fusion and straight-ahead jazz. Jones favors acoustic-oriented post-bop on this self-produced effort, which Timeless reissued on CD in 1991. Although it falls short of exceptional, Articulation is definitely solid. The tunes (all of which are by either Jones or bassist Bruce Johnson) are worthwhile, and no one would accuse any of the musicians of not having chops (even if some of them still had some growing and developing to do in the late '70s). The participants range from alto sax great Arthur Blythe to up-and-coming players such as tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer, acoustic pianist Kenny Kirkland, and trumpeter Wallace Roney. In 1978, Mintzer, Kirkland, and the Miles Davis-minded Roney had yet to become major names in the jazz world; but in the 1980s and 1990s, all of them were quite visible. Blythe's passionate solos are a definite asset in 1978, he was the session's best-known player. Nonetheless, Jones is the man in the driver's seat, and one hears his potential on tracks that range from the hard-swinging "Blues for Wes" (which acknowledges fellow guitarist Wes Montgomery) and the driving "1978" to the mysterious "Nereda." The latter employs wordless background vocals by singer Bemshi Jones, who remains in the background. Articulation is very much an instrumental album, and it paints a likable picture of Jones at 22. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/articulation-mw0000366528

Personnel:  Bass – Benjamin Brown;  Drums – Kenwood Denard;  Flute – Bernadine Davis;  Guitar – Rodney Jones;  Piano – Kenny Kirkland;  Saxophone – Arthur Blythe, Bob Mintzer;  Trumpet – Wallace Rooney III;  Voice – Bemshi Jones

Articulation

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The Four Preps - How To Succeed In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:30
Size: 67.6 MB
Styles: Vocal group harmony
Year: 1964/2007
Art: Front

[2:46] 1. How To Succeed In Love
[2:07] 2. My Love, My Love
[2:41] 3. Pretend
[2:40] 4. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
[2:31] 5. Love Letters
[2:46] 6. Lollipops And Roses
[3:10] 7. My Special Angel
[2:39] 8. Put Your Head On My Should
[2:21] 9. French Song
[2:42] 10. The Object Of My Affection
[3:02] 11. Quiet Nights

The sound of any great vocal group is ultimately defined by the voice of its Lead Singer. In the case of THE FOUR PREPS, that voice belongs to BRUCE BELLAND who Co-founded the Preps in 1954 while still in high school and has been their front man ever since. Bruce is the only original member heard on every Four Preps track ever recorded. Over five decades he's become what one critic called "that rare creature - an Original Lead Singer from the Fab. 50's who can still bring audiences to their feet."

It all began in the Fall of 1954 when 35 girls and not one boy showed up to audition for the annual Hollywood High student talent show. The next day the school bulletin pleaded for "any guys out there who can do anything" and a show business tale of triumph began. Unable to resist such amorously appealing odds, four talented and highly motivated boys in the school choir, Lead Singer Bruce Belland, baritone Glen Larson, bass Ed Cobb and high tenor Marvin Ingram, literally formed a quartet overnight and stepped into the crinoline void as THE FOUR PREPS. After stealing the show with choice hits by their idols, The Crew Cuts and The Four Lads, they quickly found themselves in demand for every kind of event imaginable. "We didn't turn anything down", Bruce remembers. "We once performed on the back of a flatbed truck for the opening of a parking lot. They paid us $75.00; enough to buy gas and our first matching sport coats. We were totally stoked."

In 1956 legendary Capitol Records Producer Voyle Gilmore, who recorded stars like Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and Louie Prima & Keely Smith, heard a tape of a live performance by the Preps and signed them to a long term recording contract. At the time the Preps were the youngest act ever to sign with a major record label. (In an article about their signing, Variety dubbed them "Capitol's jolly juveniles".) They quickly became a favorite of the nation's disc jockeys and soon their voices blanketed the airwaves. As 1957 began, Cashbox honored them as "the most promising Newcomer of the Year." and critics began to praise their distinctive sound – and Bruce's Lead - as "fresh", "clean", "bracing", "warm" and "rich" which inspired Capitol to renew their contract for a second year while searching for that elusive hit record

How To Succeed In Love

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Billy May & His Orchestra - The Greatest Hits Of Billy May

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 94:40
Size: 216.8 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. All Of Me
[2:06] 2. Bali Ha'i
[2:23] 3. Recorded At 12 28
[1:59] 4. Bijou-Cha-Cha
[3:02] 5. Charmaine
[2:38] 6. Ebb Tide
[2:57] 7. Fat Man Boogie
[1:57] 8. Flamingo
[2:32] 9. Flyin' Home
[1:47] 10. Artistry In Rhythm-Cha-Cha
[2:21] 11. Forevermore
[1:30] 12. Goodbye-Cha-Cha
[2:44] 13. Humming Waters
[2:51] 14. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan
[1:52] 15. I Remember-Cha-Cha
[3:22] 16. If I Had You
[2:37] 17. In A Mellow Tone
[2:45] 18. In The Mood
[3:13] 19. Lean Baby
[1:59] 20. Leap Frog
[3:13] 21. Lulu's Back In Town
[2:43] 22. Man With The Golden Arm
[2:42] 23. Mayhem
[3:10] 24. My Silent Love
[2:25] 25. Poinciana
[2:38] 26. Shangri-La
[2:26] 27. Snowfall Cha Cha
[2:47] 28. Strange Enchantment
[2:40] 29. The Hawaiian Wedding Song
[2:15] 30. Moon Of Manakoora
[1:53] 31. The Poor People Of Paris-Cha-Cha
[2:33] 32. There Is No Greater Love
[2:47] 33. Tuxedo Junction
[2:26] 34. Twelfth Street Rag
[2:35] 35. Unforgettable
[2:45] 36. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
[2:36] 37. You're Lovable

The last of the great arrangers who wrote regularly for Frank Sinatra, Billy May had several varied careers in and out of jazz. His first notable gig was as an arranger/trumpeter with Charlie Barnet (1938-1940), for whom he wrote the wah-wah-ing hit arrangement of Ray Noble's "Cherokee." Later, he worked in the same capacities for Glenn Miller (1940-1942) and Les Brown (1942) before settling into staff jobs, first at NBC studios, then at Capitol Records, where he led his own studio big band from 1951 to 1954. His arrangements for Sinatra, beginning with Come Fly With Me (1957) and ending with Trilogy (1979), are often in a walloping, brassy, even taunting swing mode, generating some of the singer's most swaggering vocals. May also did extensive scoring for television, film, and commercials. Although May was largely inactive in the '80s and '90s , he unexpectedly surfaced in 1996 with some typically bright big band charts for comic Stan Freberg's The United States of America, Vol. 2 (Rhino), 25 years after his contributions to Vol. 1. The veteran arranger died quietly at home on January 22, 2004 at the age of 87. ~ Richard S. Ginell

The Greatest Hits Of Billy May

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Nicole Henry - Teach Me Tonight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:50
Size: 123.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:51] 1. Lover Come Back To Me
[3:24] 2. Blue Skies
[4:33] 3. Teach Me Tonight
[5:09] 4. Blame It On My Youth
[3:37] 5. I've Got You Under My Skin
[6:55] 6. Angel Eyes
[3:51] 7. Summer Wind
[5:57] 8. Cry Me A River
[3:45] 9. Night And Day
[5:36] 10. You Don't Know What Love It
[3:27] 11. 's Wonderful
[3:36] 12. Young At Heart

Nicole Henry gained attention in 2004 when she released her debut CD, The Nearness of You, on Banister Records. She started off singing in church and school choirs, and she studied cello for six years. Henry received a scholarship to study architecture in college but instead graduated with a degree in advertising and theater. In 2000 she toured as a background singer for Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, performing dance music. She has since worked as an actress, a spokesperson, an R&B singer, and more recently a jazz singer. She discovered jazz when she was singing in Miami Beach. Bassist Paul Shewchuk invited her to learn some jazz standards and gig with his trio. She found that she enjoyed the freedom of the music, and that has been her main direction ever since. Based in Florida, Nicole Henry has performed in Korea, Japan, Mexico, London, and throughout the U.S. In addition to The Nearness of You, she recorded the 2007 Japan-only release Teach Me Tonight and The Very Thought of You, the latter CD issued by Banister in 2008. Henry returned three years later with Embraceable. In 2012, Henry delivered the concert album So Good, So Right: Nicole Henry Live. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Teach Me Tonight

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Dee Dee Bridgewater - Prelude To A Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:13
Size: 121,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. Midnight Indigo
(5:02)  2. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(4:15)  3. Bli-Blip
(3:30)  4. Fleurette Africaine
(3:52)  5. Prelude To A Kiss
(4:29)  6. Caravan
(4:20)  7. Solitude
(4:27)  8. Mood Indigo
(4:16)  9. Night Creature: Fast
(7:28) 10. Night Creature: Andante Misterioso
(3:52) 11. Night Creature: Moderato - Faster Swing - Moderato
(4:11) 12. Come Sunday

This release is more properly identified as a various artists compilation, which includes the pop sounds of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Most of the orchestrations and arrangements are pleasant, even if they're not blatantly original. Alto saxophonist Bobby Watson is superb on "Mood Indigo" and the exotic "Fleurette Africaine." 

The orchestra does a fine job with the rarely heard suite "Night Creature." Singer Dee Dee Bridgewater shines frequently; backed by a superb quartet including Wynton Marsalis, she delivers a delightful cover of "I'm Beginning To See The Light." But it is her hypnotic, chanting introduction, backed by Middle Eastern percussion and Steve Turre's conch shells, that gives this release an occasional freshness usually lacking in similar Ellington tributes. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/prelude-to-a-kiss-the-duke-ellington-album-mw0000611119

Personnel: Dee Dee Bridgewater (vocals); The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; John Mauceri (conductor); Robert Sadin, Slide Hampton, Alan Broadbent, Henry Martin, Clare Fischer (arrangers); Hassan Hakmoun (vocals, gimbra, percussion); Charles McPherson, Bobby Watson (alto saxophone); Wynton Marsalis (trumpet); Steve Turre (shells); Bruce Dukov (concertmaster); Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Robert Sadin (organ); Vincent Nguini (guitar); Ira Coleman (bass, drums); Jeff Hamilton (drums); Cyro Baptista (percussion).

Prelude To A Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album

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Candy Dulfer - Girls Night Out Styles

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:16
Size: 133,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Girls Night Out
(4:44)  2. 2025
(4:26)  3. Fred's Joint
(4:05)  4. Mr. Slim
(4:56)  5. Island Lady
(3:13)  6. Nikki's Dream
(5:42)  7. So Cool
(5:10)  8. Dance 'till You Bop
(5:10)  9. No Problem
(3:50) 10. I'm The One
(4:08) 11. Soullala
(4:17) 12. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love For Me)
(5:03) 13. Cookie

Alto saxophonist Candy Dulfer was brought into the limelight by Prince, who introduced her to the world via his video for "Partyman." Raised in a family heavily involved in the Dutch jazz scene, Dulfer is the daughter of Hans Dulfer, a respected jazz tenor saxophonist. Thanks to him, she listened to and studied the recordings of Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, and Dexter Gordon. He also introduced her to the stage early in life. When she was 12, she began playing in a band with Rosa King, an American expatriate who lived in Holland. Her career began by playing with brass bands but soon she was fronting her own band, Funky Stuff, who were invited to backup Madonna for part of her European tour. 

She began leading the band at age 15. Her appearances with Prince led to session work with Eurythmics guitarist/producer Dave Stewart, who gave Dulfer a credit on "Lily Was Here," which reached number six in the U.K. and number one on the Dutch radio charts in 1990. Recording sessions for her debut album were followed by more guest star dates with Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin, and Pink Floyd. Her debut, Saxuality, released later in 1990 for RCA Records, was very successful in Europe and the U.S. While it was by no means a straight-ahead jazz album, her funky alto sax stylings caught on with fans of contemporary jazz at several recently launched "smooth jazz" radio stations around the U.S. Saxuality was nominated for a Grammy and certified gold for sales in excess of a half-million units worldwide. Her 1991 album Sax-a-Go-Go includes "Sunday Afternoon," a song by Prince, and also teams her up with some of her musical mentors, the JB's and the Tower of Power horns. Her other influences include Sonny Rollins and David Sanborn, and while Dulfer hasn't carved the niche for herself that Sanborn has in the jazz world, she does have a great career ahead of her as she continues to synthesize classic R&B, blues, pop, and jazz in her own unique, creative ways. In 1999, she released What Does It Take with Girls' Night Out and Right In My Soul following in 2001 and 2003 respectively. ~ Richard Skelly https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/candy-dulfer/id348671#fullText

Girls Night Out

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