Laurie Wheeler & Nash De Ville - Things Ain't What They Used To Be

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:03
Size: 98.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz vocals
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:36] 1. Jeanie
[5:02] 2. Lil' Darlin
[2:35] 3. The Glow Worm
[2:55] 4. I Like To Riff
[3:30] 5. Centerpiece
[3:18] 6. You Can Depend On Me
[4:03] 7. Down For The Count
[2:52] 8. That Cat Is High
[3:54] 9. Tuxedo Junction
[2:35] 10. Gone
[6:19] 11. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[2:18] 12. Choo Choo Ch'boogie

Laurie, with her jazz vocal trio Nash deVille, recreate Big Band swing classics, with an edge. Her professional jazz colleagues commonly refer to Laurie Wheeler as an instrumentalist whose instrument happens to be her voice. Laurie has been ranked one of the World's Top 10 Female Jazz Vocalists 2 years in a row by the DownBeat Readers poll. She has performed with such notables as Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Michael McDonald, Louis Bellson, Steve Winwood, Buddy DeFranco, Charlie Byrd, and Bobby Peterson.

A veteran of jazz for over 20 years, Laurie has released 4 CD's – From the Land of Dreams, Twisted, Laurie Wheeler and Nash deVille, and Twilight. Her albums showcase tight vocal harmonies, be-bop scats, impressive arrangements, original song style, and her love and expertise of the art of vocalese. Laurie currently calls Nashville home, and aside from touring and writing songs for her next project, she dedicates much of her time helping young, aspiring musicians develop their talents.

Things Ain't What They Used To Be

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Sam Butera - La Vie En Rose

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:47
Size: 59.0 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:25] 1. La Vie En Rose
[2:35] 2. All The Way
[2:04] 3. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
[2:34] 4. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
[2:06] 5. Too Young
[1:55] 6. Around The World
[2:09] 7. Three Coins In The Fountain
[2:28] 8. I Love Paris
[2:12] 9. On The Street Where You Live
[2:54] 10. Hey There
[2:19] 11. Moulin Rouge

Sam Butera spent much of his career leading Louis Prima's band, but his career continued long after Prima's death, coming to include sounds and styles far beyond Prima's brand of New Orleans jazz. A rock, R&B, and jazz legend, Butera is a towering crossover figure at the saxophone and as a bandleader. He was born in New Orleans to Italian-American parents. His father Joseph owned a butcher shop in a black section of the city, and played the guitar and the concertina in his spare time. At a wedding he was taken to at age seven, Sam Butera first saw and heard a saxophone, and, with his father's blessings, asked to take lessons. He studied the clarinet at school but eventually returned to the sax, and at age 18 was featured in Look magazine (Life's major competitor) as one of the top young jazzmen in the country. He got a gig with Ray MicKinley right out of high school, and also played with the bands of Tommy Dorsey and Joe Reichman. His major influences in those years included Charlie Ventura, Lester Young, Gene Ammons, Charlie Parker, and Big Jay McNeely; he seemed to gravitate naturally to swing and bebop. Ultimately, however, the biggest influence on his playing was Lee Allen, a member of Paul Gayten's band, with which he frequently played. Butera formed his own group -- inspired by Gayten's band -- after returning to New Orleans, and they quickly began a four-year engagement at the 500 Club, which was owned by Louis Prima's brother. His sound reflected a vast range of influences, including modern jazz and R&B, and in 1951 Butera cut a pair of raunchy R&B instrumental sides that might have figured in the early history of white rock & roll if only they'd gotten out at the time. He also had a featured spot in a Woody Herman concert that yielded both a chance for a new tour and a recording contract with RCA. The resulting sessions in the fall of 1953 gave Butera a chance to rock out in an alternately soft and sweet, or hard and playful manner. There weren't any significant sales, but RCA had him back in early 1954 for a series of sessions of its R&B-oriented Groove label (home of Piano Red, amongst others), and his version of "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" was a modest regional hit. He played some R&B shows, including a celebrated tour as part of Alan Freed's first East Coast rock & roll showcase, and Butera's loud, wild sax sound won him an enthusiastic following. By 1955, however, he was back doing jazz with Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Bellson. He finally hooked up with Louis Prima and spent the next 20 years leading his band, the Witnesses. Butera's own record releases were cut short, with only a handful of his Groove sides (including a vocal performance, "Giddyap Baby") ever issued at the time. Butera achieved financial security over the next 20 years working for Prima, and only then, in the mid-'70s, began re-emerging as a performer in his own right. ~bio by Bruce Eder

La Vie En Rose

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Simone Kopmajer - Moonlight Serenade

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:10
Size: 164,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. Tea For Two
(4:55)  2. Fragile
(3:43)  3. L-O-V-E
(3:47)  4. For No One
(5:08)  5. Save Your Love For Me
(6:05)  6. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
(4:04)  7. I'm Through With Love
(4:19)  8. Autumn Leaves
(4:19)  9. What A Diff'rence A Day Made
(5:31) 10. The Nearness Of You
(5:08) 11. Besame Mucho
(4:12) 12. Like Someone In Love
(4:23) 13. Peace
(6:07) 14. Moonlight Serenade
(3:26) 15. Stompin' At The Savoy

A cool-toned Austrian jazz vocalist, Simone Kopmajer sings in flawless English. She had classical piano lessons starting at the age of eight and at 12 began playing saxophone. She performed in a youth big band and sang regularly in her father's band as a teenager. At 17 she studied with Sheila Jordan, who encouraged her. Kopmajer also studied with Mark Murphy, Jay Clayton, and Michele Hendricks. Since earning a Masters from the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria, Kopmajer has toured the Netherlands twice with the Euro Big Band, appeared at European jazz festivals, and recorded three CDs: Moonlight Serenade (for the Japanese Venus label), her best-known set Romance (for Zoho), and her privately released Taking a Chance on Love. Each CD emphasizes her own fresh versions of standards. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/simone-kopmajer-mn0001897290/biography

Personnel:  John Di Martino (piano);  Hans Glawischnig (bass);  Philipp Kopmajer (drums);  Simone (vocals).

Moonlight Serenade

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Slim Gaillard - Laughing in Rhythm Disc 1, Disc 2, Disc 3 And Disc 4

The Proper label's irresistible trawl through the cumulative vaults of American jazz, country, and rhythm & blues arrived at the discography of Slim Gaillard with an easy task at hand: improve upon what was previously available of the jive king's recorded work. The four-disc box Laughing in Rhythm accomplishes that mission by a large margin, including over 100 performances from his 15-year heyday ranging from his recorded debut with the Slim & Slam duo in 1937, to his final sides for the Verve-associated labels in 1952. That debut, the syncopated silliness of "The Flat Foot Floogie," earned the group their first hit, and will always be the number most associated with Gaillard. Not a single one of his career landmarks is missing, whether they're early hits ("Tutti Frutti," "Laughin' in Rhythm") or later pieces ("Down by the Station," "Yep Roc Heresay"). As happens nearly every time an R&B pioneer is anthologized, however, this lengthy collection does prove that Gaillard recorded many soundalikes and only rarely departed from his trademark jive/vocalese workouts. Still, a parade of talented musicians Gaillard and Slam Stewart obviously, but also Ben Webster, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Teddy Edwards  makes the proceedings relatively easy to wade through without exhaustion, and the cheap price for any Proper box set makes it comfortable to splurge. ~ John Bush http://www.allmusic.com/album/laughing-in-rhythm-mw0000315521

Album: Laughing in Rhythm - The Flat Foot Floogie Disc 1

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:57
Size: 172,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. There's No Two Ways About It
(2:43)  2. 'Cause My Baby Says It's So
(2:52)  3. The Flat Foot Floogie
(2:39)  4. Chinatown, My Chinatown
(2:42)  5. 8, 9 and 10
(2:55)  6. Ferdinand The Bull
(2:39)  7. Tutti Frutti
(2:16)  8. Look-A-There
(2:36)  9. Jump Session
(2:38) 10. Laughin' in Rhythm
(2:45) 11. Vol Vist du Gaily Star
(2:05) 12. Dopey Joe
(2:12) 13. Sweet Safronia
(2:32) 14. It's Gettin' Kinda Chilly
(2:39) 15. Buck Dance Rhythm
(3:00) 16. That's a Bringer
(3:04) 17. A-Well-A-Take-Em Joe (Crapshooter's Jive)
(2:53) 18. Chicken Rhythm
(2:51) 19. Swingin' in the Key of C
(3:30) 20. Boot-Ta-La-Za
(3:14) 21. It's You, Only You
(3:05) 22. Beatin' the Board
(2:53) 23. Look Out
(2:38) 24. Matzoh Balls
(2:37) 25. Early in the Morning
(2:54) 26. Chittlin' Switch Blues
(2:54) 27. Huh! Uh-Huh!

Laughing in Rhythm - The Flat Foot Floogie Disc 1

Album: Laughing in Rhythm - Groove Juice Special Disc 2

Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:57
Size: 177,0 MB

(2:46)  1. Windy City Hop
(2:54)  2. Baby Be Mine
(2:35)  3. Sploghm
(2:53)  4. Fitzwater Street
(3:02)  5. Don't Let Us Say Goodbye
(2:51)  6. Rhythm Mad
(3:01)  7. Bongo
(2:54)  8. Broadway Jump
(2:58)  9. Put Your Arms Around Me, Baby
(3:03) 10. Lookin' for a Place to Park
(2:41) 11. Hit That Mess
(2:40) 12. Hey! Chef
(3:00) 13. Ah Now
(3:09) 14. A Tip on the Numbers
(2:34) 15. Slim Slam Boogie
(2:44) 16. Bassology
(2:54) 17. Bingie-Bingie-Scootie
(3:04) 18. B-19
(2:38) 19. African Jive
(2:39) 20. Palm Springs Jump
(2:39) 21. Ra-Da-Da-Da
(2:43) 22. Groove Juice Special
(3:05) 23. Vout Oreenee
(2:32) 24. Please Wait for Me
(2:54) 25. Sighing Boogie
(2:56) 26. Queen's Boogie
(2:55) 27. Vout Boogie

Laughing in Rhythm - Groove Juice Special Disc 2

Album: Laughing in Rhythm - Cement Mixer (Put-Ti, Put-Ti) Disc 3

Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:34
Size: 173,8 MB

(2:47)  1. Slim Gaillard's Boogie
(2:44)  2. Harlem Hunch
(2:48)  3. Tutti-Frutti
(3:04)  4. Travelin' Blues
(2:48)  5. Sightseeing Boogie
(2:45)  6. Central Avenue Boogie
(2:43)  7. Slim's Cement Boogie
(2:44)  8. Laguna
(2:49)  9. Dunkin' Bagel
(2:52) 10. Boogin' at Berg's
(3:16) 11. Cement Mixer
(2:57) 12. Novachord Boogie
(2:49) 13. Tee Say Malee
(2:41) 14. Atomic Cocktail
(3:05) 15. Yep-Roc-Heresay
(3:09) 16. Jumpin' at the Record Shop
(2:41) 17. Drei Six Cent
(3:03) 18. Dizzy Boogie
(2:42) 19. Flat Foot Floogie
(2:52) 20. Popity Pop
(3:09) 21. Slim's Jam
(2:55) 22. Early Mornin' Boogie
(2:53) 23. Riff City
(2:54) 24. Mean Mama Blues
(3:07) 25. Chicken Rhythm
(3:05) 26. Santa Monica Jump

Laughing in Rhythm - Cement Mixer (Put-Ti, Put-Ti) Disc 3

Album: Laughing in Rhythm - Opera in Vout Disc 4

Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:09
Size: 161,3 MB

( 3:04)  1. Mean Pretty Mama
( 2:59)  2. School Kid's Hop
(11:54)  3. Opera in Vout Parts 1-4
( 2:52)  4. Boip! Boip!
( 2:52)  5. The Bartender's Just Like a Mother
( 2:49)  6. Arabian Boogie
( 2:53)  7. Tip Light
( 2:40)  8. Momma's in the Kitchen
( 3:05)  9. A Ghost of a Chance
( 2:57) 10. Little Red Riding Woods
( 2:40) 11. Puerto Vootie
( 2:18) 12. Serenade to a Poodle
( 2:23) 13. Down by the Station
( 2:52) 14. When Banana Skins Are Falling
( 2:46) 15. Bongo City
( 2:33) 16. Sabroso
( 2:30) 17. Taxpayers Blues
( 2:31) 18. Eatin' with the Boogie
( 2:53) 19. Make It Do
( 2:47) 20. You Goofed
( 2:35) 21. Gomen Nasai (Forgive Me)
( 3:07) 22. Potatoe Chips

Laughing in Rhythm - Opera in Vout Disc 4

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Brad Shepik - Top Down

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 117,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:12)  1. Friday
(5:55)  2. Sweet Suzy
(5:11)  3. Vampa
(5:49)  4. Hall
(8:28)  5. Top In The Middle
(5:03)  6. Major Major
(6:14)  7. Aeolia
(6:05)  8. Stumma Cake

Guitarist, composer, educator Brad Shepik has recorded 9 albums with his groups Brad Shepik Organ Trio, Brad Shepik Quartet, Brad Shepik Trio, Human Activity Quintet, Brad Shepik and the Commuters. Since 1995 his ensembles have performed at major festivals and clubs across Europe and North America including The North Sea Jazz Festival, Garda Jazz Festival, Cologne Biennale Jazz Festival, Toulouse Jazz Festival, Bell Atlantic Festival, Verizon, Earshot, Caramoor Jazz Festival, Langnau Jazz Festival, Groningen, Salzburg, Jerez, Cadiz, Sevilla, American Guitar Festival, Leeds, Rochester Jazz Festival, Cork, Brussels, Edgefest and others. He currently performs solo concerts and with Brad Shepik Organ Trio, The Brad Shepik Quartet, Rambler, Combo Nuvo, Tom Beckham/Brad Shepik Duo, Balkan Peppers, Jamie Baum Septet, Matt Darriau's Paradox Trio, George Schuller's Circle Wide, Arthur Kell and others. He teaches Theory, Improvisation, World Ensemble, Jazz Combo, Chicago Blues, Balkan Music and private guitar at New York University and private guitar at New England Conservatory and City College of New York. As a sideman Brad appears on more than 70 recordings and has performed and recorded with Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band, Dave Douglas' Tiny Belll Trio, Combo Nuvo, Yuri Yunakov's Bulgarian Wedding Band, Pachora, Paradox Trio, Jay Clayton and others. He has also performed with Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, Carla Bley's Escalator Over the Hill, Bob Brookmeyer, Simon Shaheen, and was a a member of Joey Baron's Killer Joey from 2000-2009.

Born in Walla Walla, Washington and raised in Seattle, Brad Shepik began playing guitar at age 10, when he picked up his father's instrument. He continued to play both guitar and saxophone in school bands and studied guitar with Al Galante, Dave Petersen, Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie. He earned a B.F.A from Cornish College of the Arts and a Masters in Jazz Performance/Composition from New York University. Shepik moved to New York in 1990, subsequently joining several bands including Dave Douglas' Tiny Bell Trio, Matt Darriau's Paradox Trio, Pachora w/Chris Speed, Jim Black and Skuli Sverrisson, and BABKAS. He has also performed with Carla Bley's Escalator Over the Hill and Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra in the US and Europe. Shepik toured Europe and recorded two albums with Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band over 5 years. Concurrently, the guitarist deepened his interest in world music, performing and recording with Yuri Yunakov's Bulgarian Wedding Band and Simon Shaheen’s Quantara. Shepik’s first two records as a leader, The Loan and The Well, explored music of the Balkans and featured Shepik on Turkish saz and Bulgarian tambura as well as electric and acoustic guitars. “The Loan" and “The Well" received critical praise for their marriage of world music styles and jazz. Shepik also co-led two world music tinged trios; Triduga with accordionist Yuri Lemeshev and Tony Scherr on bass balalaika and Lingua Franca with alto saxophonist Peter Epstein and percussionist Matt Kilmer. In 2000 Shepik began re-examining the guitar trio format with drummer Tom Rainey and bassist Scott Colley. They recorded two cd’s,"Drip" and "Short Trip", both of which were critically acclaimed and featured on NPR. He also began touring with Joey Baron's two guitar group "Killer Joey" which performed extensively in Europe and the US for 9 years. His next group was an organ trio featuring Gary Versace and Tom Rainey. The trio performed at festivals across Europe and North America. Their CD “Places You Go" received a 4 star review in Downbeat and appeared on several “Best CD’s of 2007" lists.

From 2004-9 Shepik continued to tour with drummer Joey Baron’s Killer Joey, udist/violinist Simon Shaheen, George Schuller's Circle Wide, Matt Darriau’s Paradox Trio, Pachora, Alexis Cuadrado Puzzles Quartet, Arthur Kell Quartet, Combo Nuvo, Bob Brookmeyer’s Quartet East and others. In 2007 Shepik received a New Works Commission from Chamber Music America to write a suite of music on the subject of climate change for jazz quintet. The resulting CD "Human Activity Suite" was a 10 movement- work on the subject of climate change. The CD was released in February 2009 on Songlines Recordings. It features Shepik on electric and acoustic guitars, electric sax and Bulgarian tamboura. Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Gary Versace (piano, organ, accordion), Drew Gress (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums). In February 2011 Brad Shepik Quartet with Tom Beckham (vibes), Jorge Roeder (bass) and Mark Guiliana (drums) released it's acclaimed recording "Across the Way" on Songlines records. All About Jazz noted that the recording "..pushes Shepik into the fast lane of musicians communicating something both universally vital and intensely personal." In 2013 Shepik began performing solo concerts in the US and Europe. The UK's Jazzwise Magazine called his solo performances "exemplary in their fluidity and lyricism. He delights in showcasing his guitar mastery before an audience". 

A solo recording is planned for 2016. In 2014 he traveled to Mongolia with Combo Nuvo where he participated in a residency with the Morinn Khurr Ensemble, performing in the historic State Opera and Ballet Theater of Ulan Bataar which was documented in the video "Combo Nuvo in Mongolia". In 2015 his composition “Aquarians’" was recorded by the prog rock/jam band “Consider the Source" on their album “World War Trio Pt. ll &lll. 2015 saw the release of "Flower Starter", the debut recording by the Tom Beckham/Brad Shepik Duo which highlights the rich sonorities inherent in the pairing of vibraphone and electric guitar. In March 2016 the Brad Shepik Organ Trio with Gary Versace (organ) and Mark Ferber (drums) will release their debut recording "Top Down" on JLC Records. Shepik also leads Rambler- a quartet with Chris Cheek (saxophones), Ben Monder Fender Bass VI and Diego Voglino (drums). Shepik's newest project is the Balkan Peppers, a group that he co-leads with Macedonian drummer Seido Salifoski, a longtime collaborator in the Paradox Trio and The Commuters. B.F.A, Cornish College of the Arts. Masters in Jazz Performance/Composition, New York University; Studies with Gil Goldstein, George Garzone, Marc Consoli, Jerry Granelli, Julian Priester, Dave Petersen, Dave Peck, James Knapp, Ralph Towner, John Abercrombie. Currently teaching at The School for Improvisational Music, New York University, New England Conservatory, City College of New York, also previously taught at The New School and Long Island University. http://www.bradshepik.com/about.php?psi=31

Personnel:  Brad Shepik (guitar), Gary Versace (organ) and Mark Ferber (drums).

Top Down

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Ruthie Foster - Promise Of A Brand New Day

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:46
Size: 100.2 MB
Styles: R&B, Blues vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:43] 1. Singing The Blues
[4:01] 2. Let Me Know
[3:26] 3. My Kinda Lover
[3:56] 4. The Ghetto
[4:47] 5. Outlaw
[2:49] 6. Second Coming
[3:22] 7. It Might Not Be Right
[3:25] 8. Learning To Fly
[4:57] 9. Believe
[2:13] 10. Brand New Day
[3:51] 11. Complicated Love
[3:10] 12. New

There is optimism within the title of Ruthie Foster's Promise of a Brand New Day, an optimism that's reflected in the music itself. Some of this brightness may be due to Foster's decision to have Meshell Ndegeocello produce this 2014 album, giving the neo-soul singer free rein to hire musicians and choose final takes, but Ndegeocello is hardly imposing her own attitude on Foster. Instead, she focuses on the soulful, kind vibe emanating from Foster, a feeling that infuses the message tunes and songs of love that comprise Promise. Often, the record veers ever so slightly to soul over gospel or blues -- something that's perhaps inevitable when William Bell collaborates on "It Might Not Be Right," a song that harks back to the classic Memphis sound. A few other songs on Promise of a Brand New Day touch upon that groove, including the opening "Singing the Blues," while other cuts get a little bit harder and grittier ("Let Me Know," "Believe"), and Foster also has a bit of fun twisting old Dylan lyrics on "Outlaw." That playfulness is subtle, as are the stylistic hybrids, and that might be the best thing about this thoroughly winning record: Foster is wearing her open heart on her sleeve but she's never pushing too hard, never overselling her message; she's charming with her warmth and sly skill. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Promise Of A Brand New Day

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Dennis Chambers - Groove And More

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:20
Size: 124.4 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, Smooth jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[5:24] 1. Aircraft (Feat.Brian Auger)
[4:43] 2. Past & Future (Feat. Stanley Jordan)
[0:46] 3. Drums Solo Pt. 1
[4:56] 4. We Don't Know ( Feat. Dora Nicolosi)
[7:18] 5. Virtual Life (Feat. Scott Henderson)
[6:40] 6. Fall Out ( Feat. Gregg Kofi Brown)
[4:50] 7. Practice What You Preaching (Feat. Patti Austin)
[6:30] 8. Running On Line (Feat. Brian Auger)
[1:14] 9. Drum Solo Pt. 2
[7:29] 10. Time To Time (Feat. Scott Henderson)
[4:24] 11. Fall Out, Radio Edit (Feat. Gregg Kofi Brown)

Bass – Rossana Nicolosi; Drums – Dennis Chambers; Guitar, Percussion – Lino Nicolosi; Keyboards, Organ, Electric Piano – Pino Nicolosi.

A drummer whose propulsive style and versatility have enabled him to play in combos or large groups, and work with fusion and hard bop bandleaders, Dennis Chambers has also released two sessions as a leader. He's also recorded and played with Bob Berg, Bill Evans (sax), Victor Bailey, Bob Belden, Kevin Eubanks and Mike Stern among others. All these musicians currently have sessions including Chambers available on CD. ~ Ron Wynn

Groove And More

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Tower Of Power - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:28
Size: 90.4 MB
Styles: Soul/Funk/R&B
Year: 1973/1990
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. What Is Hip
[2:52] 2. Clever Girl
[2:49] 3. This Time It's Real
[3:48] 4. Will I Ever Find A Love
[4:53] 5. Get Yo' Feet Back On The Ground
[3:37] 6. So Very Hard To Go
[5:10] 7. Soul Vaccination
[3:21] 8. Both Sorry Over Nothin'
[3:18] 9. Clean Slate
[4:32] 10. Just Another Day

Lenny Williams - Lead vocals; Chester Thompson - Organ, Vocals; Bruce Conte - Guitar, Vocals; Francis Rocco Prestia - Bass; Brent Byars - Congas Drums, Bongos; David Garibaldi - Drums; Lenny Pickett - 1st Tenor Sax, Flute, Clarinet, Vocals; Emilio Castillo - 2nd Tenor Sax, Vocals; Stephen Kupka - Bari Sax, Oboe, Vocals; Mic Gillette - Trumpet, Trombone, Flugelhorn, Baritone Horn, Vocals; Greg Adams - Trumpet, Flugelhorn (Solo On "So Very Hard To Go"), Vocals.

For close to 50 years, Tower of Power has been creating their own kind of soul music. Since 1968, Tower of Power has delivered their unique brand of music to their fans, appearing before sold out crowds as they tour the world each year. Tower’s sound can be hard to categorize, but the band's leader and founding member, Emilio Castillo, has labeled their sound as "Urban Soul Music."

Tower's rhythm section lays down a groove like no other band. The band’s horn driven sound is unique, and the way they approach everything, from writing and arranging to mixing and performing, is totally their own. Combine all of that with an outstanding lead vocalist and you have one of the most dynamic groups of musicians to ever hit the stage.

Tower Of Power

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Freddie Hubbard - On The Real Side

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:09
Size: 119.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[8:41] 1. Lifeflight
[7:04] 2. Up Jumped Spring
[6:32] 3. Theme For Kareem
[6:22] 4. On The Real Side
[7:35] 5. Take It To The Ozone
[9:33] 6. Skydive
[6:19] 7. Gibraltar

Like its predecessor, 2001's New Colors, On the Real Side, which again pairs Freddie Hubbard with the New Jazz Composers Octet (David Weiss, trumpet; Myron Walden, alto sax; Jimmy Greene, tenor and soprano sax; Steve Davis, trombone; Norbert Stachel, baritone sax and flute; Xavier Davis, piano; Dwayne Burno, bass; and E.J. Strickland, drums, plus guests Craig Handy, tenor sax on two tracks and flute on a third, and Russell Malone, guitar on the title tune), is in essence a victory lap for the veteran horn player, whose chops are admittedly diminished as he reaches age 70. Annotator Bill Milkowski makes no bones about that and even quotes Hubbard to the effect that "I gotta resolve myself to be happy with what I can do now...play a couple of choruses and get out." As such, this album -- with the exception of the newly written title track -- consists of re-recordings of Hubbard favorites, functioning as a tribute disc on which the honoree sits in. In that sense, it might be compared to the latter day recordings of Brian Wilson in the pop realm, in which a group of technically proficient Beach Boys fans efficiently plays the composer's music around him as he pitches in. At that, the result is not unpleasant, and Hubbard even manages some good solos, or at least parts of solos, before giving way to his acolytes. It is notable that he only plays flugelhorn, especially since he is glimpsed holding a trumpet on the album cover. ~William Ruhlmann

On The Real Side

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Harry Allen - Tenors Any One ?

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 128,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. It Was Just One Of Those Things
(4:04)  2. Blue And Sentimental
(6:01)  3. Flying Home
(4:27)  4. My Favorite Things
(4:07)  5. Lester Leaps In
(4:38)  6. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
(4:05)  7. America, The Beautiful
(5:20)  8. The Peacocks
(6:03)  9. Tea For Two
(3:03) 10. If I'm Lucky
(6:12) 11. Cool Man Chu
(3:18) 12. Four Brothers

Gene Lees writes, “Stan Getz was once asked his idea of the perfect tenor saxophone soloist. His answer was, 'My technique, Al Cohn's ideas, and Zoot's time.' The fulfillment of that ideal may well be embodied in thirty-year-old Harry Allen.” BMG recording artist Harry Allen has over twenty recordings to his name. Three of Harry's CDs have won Gold Disc Awards from Japan's Swing Journal Magazine, and his CD Tenors Anyone? won both the Gold Disc Award and the New Star Award. His recordings have made the top ten list for favorite new releases in Swing Journal Magazine's reader's poll and Jazz Journal International's critic's poll for 1997, and Eu Nao Quero Dancar (I Won't Dance), the third Gold Disc Award winner, was voted second for album of the year for 1998 by Swing Journal Magazine‚s reader‚s poll. Harry has performed at jazz festivals and clubs worldwide, frequently touring the United States, Europe, and the Far East. He has performed with Rosemary Clooney, Ray Brown, Hank Jones, Frank Wess, Flip Phillips, Scott Hamilton, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis, John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, Gus Johnson, Jeff Hamilton, Terry Gibbs, Warren Vache, and has recorded with Tony Bennett, Johnny Mandel, Ray Brown, Tommy Flanagan, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Kenny Barron, Dave McKenna, Dori Caymmi, Larry Goldings, George Mraz, Jake Hanna, and Al Foster, among others. Harry is featured on many of John Pizzarelli's recordings including the soundtrack and an on-screen cameo in the feature film The Out of Towners starring Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. He has also done a series of commercials for ESPN starring Robert Goulet. Harry was born in Washington D.C. in 1966, and was raised in Los Angeles, CA and Burrillville, RI. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music in 1988 from Rutgers University in New Jersey, and currently resides in New York City. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/harryallen

Personnel:  Harry Allen - tenor saxophone;  John Pizzarelli – guitar;  Ray Kennedy – piano;  Martin Pizzarelli - bass

Tenors Any One ?

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Jackie Allen - My Favorite Color

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:07
Size: 125,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. Sleepin' Bee
(3:54)  2. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
(6:45)  3. My Man's Gone Now
(7:33)  4. Blame It In My Youth
(7:06)  5. Manic Depression
(4:08)  6. Stuck In the Middle With You
(4:17)  7. A House Is Not A Home
(4:33)  8. Diana
(6:03)  9. Born To Be Blue
(4:04) 10. Call Me Winter

Eight years’ absence from the recording studio has done nothing to diminish Jackie Allen’s allure. The voice dusky, mellow and wise is as spellbinding as ever, now shot through with a captivating world-weariness, her folk-rock roots clearly showing. Though My Favorite Color’s inclusive playlist includes a tender, bruised “Born to Be Blue,” the album’s title is to be taken figuratively, Allen exploring various musical hues and shades that intrigue her. There are jazz standards: a lithe “A Sleepin’ Bee” that seems plucked fresh from an antebellum plantation; a gorgeous, near-baroque rendering, alone with guitarist John Moulder, of “Blame It on My Youth”; and an extraordinary “My Man’s Gone Now” that progresses from woe to rage before it settles into resigned gloom. There’s a delightfully curious assortment of rock and pop hits, stretching from the depths of Jimi Hendrix’s “Manic Depression” and dejection of Bacharach and David’s “A House Is Not a Home” to the sass and slither of Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle With You,” its funk gloriously reimagined by a collective that includes keyboardist Ben Lewis, drummer Dane Richeson, bassist Hans Sturm, trumpeter Tito Carillo and saxophonist Steve Eisen. Finally there are Allen originals, two exquisite pieces: the lilting “Diana,” a cautionary tale of abandoning bohemian freedom for fenced-in security; and the icebound “Call Me Winter,” a labyrinthine voyage of self-discovery co-crafted with Illinois Poet Laureate GE Murray. ~ Christopher Loudon http://jazztimes.com/articles/132339-my-favorite-color-jackie-allen

Personnel: Jackie Allen (vocals); John Moulder (guitar); Ben Lewis (keyboards); Hans Sturm (double bass); Dane Richeson (drums, percussion).

My Favorite Color

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The Horace Silver Quintet - Serenade To A Soul Sister

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1968

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 38:17

Size: 102,9 MB

Art: Front

(7:18)  1. Psychedelic Sally

(6:22)  2. Serenade To A Soul Sister

(6:25)  3. Rain Dance

(6:51)  4. Jungle Juice

(5:58)  5. Kindred Spirits

(5:22)  6. Next Time I Fall In Love

One of the last great Horace Silver albums for Blue Note, Serenade to a Soul Sister is also one of the pianist's most infectiously cheerful, good-humored outings. It was recorded at two separate early-1968 sessions with two mostly different quintets, both featuring trumpeter Charles Tolliver and alternating tenor saxophonists Stanley Turrentine and Bennie Maupin, bassists Bob Cranshaw and John Williams, and drummers Mickey Roker and Billy Cobham. (Williams and Cobham were making some of their first recorded appearances since exiting the military.) Silver's economical, rhythmic piano style had often been described as funky, but the fantastic opener "Psychedelic Sally" makes that connection more explicit and contemporary, featuring a jubilant horn theme and a funky bass riff that both smack of Memphis soul. (In fact, it's kind of a shame he didn't pursue this idea more.) Keeping the album's playful spirit going, "Rain Dance" is a campy American Indian-style theme, and "Jungle Juice" has a mysterious sort of exotic, tribal flavor. "Kindred Spirits" has a different, more ethereal sort of mystery, and "Serenade to a Soul Sister" is a warm, loose-swinging tribute. You'd never know this album was recorded in one of the most tumultuous years in American history, but as Silver says in the liner notes' indirect jab at the avant-garde, he simply didn't believe in allowing "politics, hatred, or anger" into his music. Whether you agree with that philosophy or not, it's hard to argue with musical results as joyous and tightly performed as Serenade to a Soul Sister. ~ Steve Huey http://www.allmusic.com/album/serenade-to-a-soul-sister-mw0000203356

Personnel: Horace Silver (piano); Stanley Turrentine, Bennie Maupin (tenor saxophone); Charles Tolliver (trumpet); Bob Cranshaw (piano); Mickey Roker, Billy Cobham (drums).

Serenade To A Soul Sister

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Kenny Garrett - Do Your Dance!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 130,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:06)  1. Philly
(6:56)  2. Backyard Groove
(4:43)  3. Wheatgrass Shot (Straight to the Head)
(6:22)  4. Bossa
(4:58)  5. Do Your Dance!
(4:37)  6. Calypso Chant
(7:23)  7. Waltz (3 Sisters)
(8:08)  8. Persian Steps
(5:30)  9. Chasing the Wind

On Kenny Garrett's fourth Mack Avenue release, 2016's Do Your Dance!, the Detroit-born saxophonist dives headlong into a set of original songs that exploit dance rhythms in subtle, unexpected ways. Conceptually speaking, while there are dance beats from swing, funk, Latin, and more throughout Do Your Dance!, the idea of doing your dance could also simply refer to the idea of doing your own thing and expressing yourself in your own unique way. That seems to be the deeper notion running through much of Garrett's music, which is often explosive, harmonically challenging, and highly engaging here. Joining Garrett are several collaborators from his other Mack Avenue releases, including pianist Vernell Brown, Jr., bassist Corcoran Holt, drummers Ronald Bruner, Jr. and McClenty Hunter, and percussionist Rudy Bird. Together, they have a lively, organic ensemble sound that lends itself to group interplay even during solos. Everybody sounds alert and focused with all ears on Garrett. Bookended by two fiery post-bop swingers in "Philly" and "Chasing the Wind," both of which bring to mind mid-'60s John Coltrane, Do Your Dance! finds Garrett in an eclectic mood. His roiling "Backyard Groove" picks up on the angular circularity of Miles Davis' "Freedom Jazz Dance," while the aptly titled "Bossa" is a fluid, minor-key-tinged exploration the Brazilian sound. Elsewhere, Garrett displays his knack for combining disparate sounds, as on the classically inflected "Wheatgrass Shot (Straight to the Head)" featuring rapper Donald "Mista Enz" Brown, Jr., which sounds delightfully like the Roots making an ECM album. Also unexpected are the ruminative "Waltz (3 Sisters)" and the exotic "Persian Steps," which features Garrett on sax, flute, and the droney, traditional Indian Shruti Box. More expected, but no less impressive, is the buoyant "Calypso Chant," in which Garrett summons the titanic energy and island-inspired hard bop of Sonny Rollins. Ultimately, with Do Your Dance! Garrett has crafted an album that will get your blood flowing to your brain and your feet. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/do-your-dance!-mw0002945796

Personnel: Kenny Garrett: alto saxophone (1 – 6, 9, soprano saxophone (7), percussion, vocal (6), piano, flute, shruti box (8);  Vernell Brown Jr: piano (1 – 7, 9), chant (8);  Corcoran Holt: bass (1 – 7, 9);  Ronald Brunner: drums (1, 2, 8, 9);  McClenty Hunter: drums (3 – 7);  Rudy Bird: percussion (3 – 6); Donald ‘Mista Enz’ Brown: rap (3, 5).

Do Your Dance!

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The Al Cohn Quintet - The Al Cohn Quintet Featuring Bob Brookmeyer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:43

Size: 90.9 MB

Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1956/2005

Art: Front

[3:21] 1. The Lady Is A Tramp

[3:33] 2. Good Spirits

[4:19] 3. A Blues Serenade

[2:53] 4. Lazy Man Stomp

[2:46] 5. Ill Wind (You're Blowin' Me No Good)

[3:36] 6. Chloe

[3:43] 7. S-H-I-N-E

[2:33] 8. Back To Back

[3:46] 9. So Far So Good

[3:51] 10. Winter

[2:38] 11. I Should Care

[2:37] 12. Bunny Hunch

Al Cohn and Bob Brookmeyer appeared on a number of record dates together, each appearing as a sideman with the other, in addition to joint appearances on a number of Manny Albam-led sessions, among others. But this disc, initially issued by Coral on LP in 1957, was one of the hardest to acquire until its 2005 reissue as a limited-edition CD. With the assistance of pianist Mose Allison, bassist Teddy Kotick, and drummer Nick Stabulas in the rhythm section, Cohn and Brookmeyer inspire one another throughout the sessions. Brookmeyer contributed the upbeat "Good Spirits" and breezy "Lazy Man Stomp." Cohn's strong originals include the cool ballad "Winter" and the swinging "Back to Back." They also update a number of standards from earlier decades, including Brookmeyer's exotic setting of "Ill Wind" (a terrific feature for Cohn) and Cohn's surprisingly uptempo setting of the usually hackneyed "Chloe." Since this CD reissue will no longer be available after March 2008, cool jazz fans are advised not to miss this edition. ~Ken Dryden

Featuring Bobby Brookmeyer

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Roxy Heartfelt & The Heart Throbs - Let's Face The Music And Dance EP

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 17:54
Size: 41.0 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues vocals
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:39] 1. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[3:13] 2. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[3:18] 3. You Don't Move Me No More
[3:43] 4. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[4:59] 5. Love For Sale

Roxy Heartfelt play Jazz, and Blues, Swing and Latin. The band has developed over the past 4 years to become a cohesive and solid rhythmic unit. All of us enjoy playing together immensely. There is space and room to solo, great melodies, and excellent musicianship.

Ex Jive Bomber Roz Hatfield becomes Roxy Heartfelt, a sultry singing sensation who really knows how to party. The Throbs provide sophisticated 3 part vocal backing and drive a house rockin’ rhythm all the way home from Memphis, Tennessee, via New York, Chicago and LA. Collectively, The Throbs boast a wealth of musical experience having run the gamut of the entertainment industry from concert halls to pubs and clubs, as well as live theatre, television to radio broadcasting.

Let's Face The Music And Dance

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Eddie Money - Playlist: The Very Best Of Eddie Money

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:57
Size: 118.9 MB
Styles: Album Rock
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Baby Hold On
[3:29] 2. Take Me Home Tonight Be My Baby
[4:37] 3. Walk On Water
[4:07] 4. The Love In Your Eyes
[3:51] 5. I Wanna Go Back
[3:09] 6. Think I'm In Love
[3:08] 7. Two Tickets To Paradise [single Version]
[3:04] 8. Maybe I'm A Fool
[3:07] 9. Shakin'
[4:20] 10. Fall In Love Again
[3:37] 11. The Big Crash
[3:22] 12. Endless Nights
[4:59] 13. Peace In Our Time
[3:30] 14. I'll Get By

Playlist: The Very Best of Eddie Money features 14 tracks defined on the back jacket as "the life-changing songs, the out-of-print tracks, the hits, the fan favorites everyone loves, and the songs that make the artists who they are." Money is no stranger to "greatest-hits" collections, most of which cover all of the pop/rock legend's biggest radio hits like "Shakin'," "Two Tickets to Paradise," "Think I'm in Love," "I Wanna Go Back," "Take Me Home Tonight/Be My Baby," and "Baby Hold On," all of which appear here. Listeners looking for a little more than just gravy may be disappointed, but this Playlist doesn't miss a beat. ~James Christopher Monger

Playlist: The Very Best Of Eddie Money

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Kenny Rankin - A Song For You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:57
Size: 100.6 MB
Styles: Standards, Adult Contemporary
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[6:08] 1. When The Sun Comes Out
[3:24] 2. Where Do You Start
[3:45] 3. 'round Midnight
[4:10] 4. She Was Too Good To Me
[4:26] 5. Spanish Harlem
[5:23] 6. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
[3:28] 7. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:16] 8. I've Just Seen A Face
[3:57] 9. Love Walked In
[5:55] 10. A Song For You

The great Kenny Rankin makes a subtle shift in stylistic focus on this label debut, titled A Song for You. The recording shows just how rewarding the marriage of songs from the Great American Songbook with the smooth jazz style can be when played by a talent of Rankin's stature. His singing explores new musical trails on such great compositions as Harold Arlen's "When the Sun Comes Out," the Lorenz Hart favorite "She Was Too Good to Me," and "Love Walked In" by George & Ira Gershwin. Rankin also reprises his vocal version of "'Round Midnight," the Thelonious Monk standard previously released on his 2001 CD Haven't We Met?. This vocal version is performed with harmonically viable guitar strumming, with Rankin making it a much easier task than one who may be trying to de-emphasize the difficult piano stylings associated with Monk. Other songs deserving noteworthy mention are the subtle sensuality of "Spanish Harlem" and "I've Just Seen a Face" by Lennon/McCartney. The results of this great variety of musical planning are distinctly even and make for nearly an hour of great smooth jazz fused with excellent material from the songbooks of some of the world's greatest composers. ~Paula Edelstein

A Song For You

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Marilyn Scott - Nightcap

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:06
Size: 93,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. I Wished On A Moon
(4:00)  2. Smile
(4:59)  3. Here's That Rainy Day
(5:28)  4. Stardust
(4:04)  5. Isn't This A Lovely Day
(5:16)  6. Here's To Life
(5:04)  7. Yesterdays
(6:10)  8. If It's The Last Thing I Do

Over the course of seven previous recordings, while establishing herself as a premier adult contemporary singer/songwriter, Marilyn Scott has carried on a quiet but steady love affair with the Great American Songbook. Her rendition of "The Look of Love" (from 1998's Avenues of Love) earned producer George Duke a Grammy nomination for Best Arrangement with vocals. Earlier recordings feature stunning versions of the classics "Let Me Be the One," "The Summer Knows," and "You Don't Know Me." On this much too short but still very satisfying collection, Scott's flirtation with pop standards evolves beautifully into a life-changing romance with the help of some of Los Angeles' most acclaimed studio musicians and jazz performers Brandon Fields (sax), Rick Baptist (trumpet), Ray Fuller (guitar), Brian Bromberg (upright bass), Dan Higgins (flute), Brazilian guitarist Dori Caymmi, and Vinnie Colaiuta (drums). Nightcap also marks the first time that frequent collaborator Duke has produced and arranged an entire Scott recording. The choices are inspired, from the coolly swinging Brazilian romance of "I Wished on the Moon" (from the Billie Holiday catalog) to the tender trio arrangement of "Smile" and understated poetry of "Stardust" (featuring Duke on piano and Rhodes). Scott skips through a nice variety of moods the heartfelt melancholy of "Here's that Rainy Day" balancing the optimistic "Isn't This a Lovely Day," with her bright vocal cruising gracefully over Bromberg's throbbing bass. The soulful big-band brass textures on "If It's the Last Thing I Do" adds a classy closing touch. ~ Jonathan Widran http://www.allmusic.com/album/nightcap-mw0000166040

Personnel: Dori Caymmi (vocals, guitar); Dean Parks, Ray Fuller (guitar); Dan Higgins (flute, tenor saxophone); Brandon Fields (alto saxophone); Rick Baptist (trumpet); George Duke (keyboards); Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion).

Nightcap

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Earl Klugh - Ballads

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:31
Size: 196,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. This Time
(4:58)  2. Waltz For Debby
(2:40)  3. If You're Still In Love With Me
(3:45)  4. The April Fools
(5:13)  5. Rayna
(2:59)  6. Natural Thing
(2:49)  7. Waiting For Cathy
(4:34)  8. Julie
(3:50)  9. Nature Boy
(3:36) 10. Dream Come True
(5:09) 11. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(4:12) 12. Christina

While this collection of ballads from past Klugh releases has many pleasant moments, it's so pastoral and calming that each song fades into another one without making much impression. As background music, they're effective. Klugh's solos are well constructed, marvelously articulated, and his lines and phrasing sublime. The material covers an impressive range of genres, from jazz to pop, originals and standards. Those who enjoy untaxing material should find this another delightful Klugh collection; others seeking visceral fare should look elsewhere. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/ballads-mw0000105266

Personnel:  Earl Klugh (guitar), Greg Phillinganes (electric piano, keyboards); Dave Grusin (keyboards); Lee Ritenour (electric & 12 string guitars); Paul Jackson (electric guitar); Charles Meeks, Anthony Jackson, David Saltman (bass); James Bradley Jr., Victor Lewis, Harvey Mason, Raymond Pounds (drums), Ralph MacDonald, Paulinho Da Costa, Dr. Gibbs (percussion).

Ballads

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Joe Beck & John Abercrombie - Coincidence

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:04
Size: 157,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Beautiful Love
(4:57)  2. Vingt-six
(5:43)  3. I Should Care
(4:40)  4. Israel
(4:48)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(5:49)  6. Mikey Likes It
(5:09)  7. Ma Funny Valentine
(4:47)  8. All Blues
(7:23)  9. My Romance
(5:58) 10. The Turnaround
(5:59) 11. Just A Waltz
(8:01) 12. Things Ain't What They Used To Be

His ECM albums may be more overtly modern and left-of-center but, based on a 2004 AAJ interview, when John Abercrombie is at home practicing, it's usually in the context of jazz standards. For those who feel such well-trodden material has little left to offer in the way of either challenge or modern interpretation, the guitarist's duet with Joe Beck, Coincidence, will go a long way to encouraging naysayers to reconsider. Like Abercrombie, Beck is a guitarist with a sizable discography as a sideman. His discography as a leader is smaller, however, and hasn't received the same attention as Abercrombie's 35-year association with ECM. But what the public doesn't know is the public's loss, as this program of standards and originals makes clear that these two guitarists are ideally matched. This pairing doesn't have the same eclecticism as Abercrombie's duet albums with Ralph Towner, but there's the same deep level of communication, with both players' ears wide open. There's also no mistaking Abercrombie's generally softer attack and Beck's slightly sharper, more often effected sound, but Abercrombie can be heard in the left channel, while Beck is in the right.

Traditionalists will be happy to hear an ambling version of "Beautiful Love" open the set, but it's a signal of things to come that the theme doesn't appear until both guitarists have taken solos and the tune is winding down. Nine of the twelve tunes may be standards, but the duo's approach is not always what one might expect. There may be no rhythm section, but with a 4/4 reinvention of Miles Davis' classic "All Blues" featuring Beck's funky rhythm playing behind Abercrombie's overdriven solo, one can almost feel the backbeat. Beck's bluesy "Mikey Likes It" might be screaming out for a shuffle, but it's to both guitarists' credit that, while their arrangements could be done with full group, they don't need to be; between them, Beck and Abercrombie provide all the rhythm, harmony, color and melody required. Abercrombie's impressionistic, rubato ballad "Vingt-six," first heard on The Third Quartet (ECM, 2007) takes more liberties with time. That the two guitarists feel so in touch with its inherent elasticity speaks volumes on a tune that's closer in aesthetic to the Abercrombie/Towner discs, though Beck's more percussive and cascading solo approach is a clear differentiator. Abercrombie's "Just a Waltz," from his duet DVD with pianist Andy LaVerne, The Art of the Duo (Mel Bay, 2006), is more straightforward at least, at first. Where it ultimately leads is further proof that it's possible to combine the traditional with the modern, as both guitarists apply a more sophisticated harmonic approach and a lyricism that's undeniable but far from predictable.While guitar duos aren't uncommon, the empathic interplay and nothing-to-prove selflessness of Coincidence is a strong addition to that tradition. Reverential of things past, it makes no bones about being firmly rooted in the present, with an unmistakable eye on the future. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coincidence-joe-beck-whaling-city-sound-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Joe Beck: guitar; John Abercrombie: guitar.

Coincidence

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