Ben Webster - See You At The Fair

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:01
Size: 112.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1964/2009
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:24] 2. In A Mellow Tone
[4:40] 3. Over The Rainbow
[2:46] 4. Love Is Here To Stay
[3:20] 5. The Single Petal Of A Rose
[6:12] 6. See You At The Fair
[2:24] 7. Stardust
[2:44] 8. Fall Of Love
[2:46] 9. While We're Dancing
[3:01] 10. Lullaby Of Jazzland
[4:03] 11. Midnight Blue
[8:09] 12. Blues For Mr. Broadway

Ben Webster's final American recording was one of his greatest. At 55, the tenor saxophonist was still very much in his prime but considered out of style in the U.S. He would soon permanently move to Europe where he was better appreciated. This CD has the nine selections originally included on the LP of the same name, a quartet set with either Hank Jones or Roger Kellaway on piano, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Osie Johnson. Webster's tone has rarely sounded more beautiful than on "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "Our Love Is Here to Stay." In addition, one song from the same session (but originally released on a sampler) and two tunes featuring Webster on an Oliver Nelson date (More Blues and the Abstract Truth) wrap up this definitive CD. ~Scott Yanow

See You At The Fair

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Michael Brecker - Tales From The Hudson

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:26
Size: 142,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:20)  1. Slings And Arrows
(7:18)  2. Midnight Voyage
(5:45)  3. Song For Bilbao
(7:38)  4. Beau Rivage
(8:13)  5. African Skies
(1:13)  6. Introduction To Naked Soul
(8:45)  7. Naked Soul
(8:13)  8. Willie T.
(6:59)  9. Cabin Fever

In the crowded field of excellent tenor players, Michael Brecker rises to the top of my list. I think the thing that gives Brecker an edge over the others is the fact that he is a master of so many genres of jazz. Many people are no doubt familiar with the electric, funky side of Michael Brecker as the co-leader of the Brecker Brothers and former member of Steps Ahead. He has done significant pop dates with Paul Simon, Carly Simon, and Joni Mitchell. One could easily fill a CD collection with albums on which he has performed as a sideman in many jazz contexts. Yet this is only his fourth CD as a leader. All of them have been in the modern, progressive, straight-ahead jazz vein. This one is, to my ears, his most successful outing yet. I think the difference is that this one is a little less "progressive" or "outside." The melodies here are a little more accessible and memorable, yet the soloing is just as creative and adventuresome as we have come to expect from Brecker and the other jazz luminaries on this CD. 

The top-notch team of sidemen here are Pat Metheny on guitar, Jack DeJohnette on drums, Dave Holland on bass, and Joey Calderazzo on piano. Pianist McCoy Tyner and percussionist Don Alias are added on two tunes. Six of the nine compositions are Brecker's. They are varied, thoughtful, and provide great vehicles for improvisation. Metheny contributes "Bilbao" from his Travels album, Calderazzo contributes a medium tempo swinger, and "Willie T." comes from the late pianist Don Grolnick, who produced Brecker's first two solo albums and performed with Brecker frequently. I would especially recommend this album to those who have come to jazz through the "new adult comtemporary" door and are ready to take the next step towards discovering what real jazz is all about. ~ Dave Hugles https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tales-from-the-hudson-michael-brecker-impulse-review-by-dave-hughes.php?width=1920

Personnel: Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Joey Calderazzo, McCoy Tyner (piano); Pat Metheny (guitar, synthesizer); Dave Holland (bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums); Don Alias (percussion).

Tales From The Hudson

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Marcela Mangabeira - Simples

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova 
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:54
Size: 102,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. Rio
(3:41)  2. Love Dance
(3:17)  3. Para Ti
(3:06)  4. Os Grilos (Crickets Sing For Ana Maria)
(4:06)  5. Insensatez
(3:00)  6. Só Quis Você
(3:32)  7. Pro Menesca (P'ru Ze)
(4:27)  8. Eu E A Brisa
(2:45)  9. Pro Tom
(3:21) 10. A Rã
(5:32) 11. Vôo Sobre O Horizonte
(2:33) 12. Só Danço Samba

Marcela Mangabeira (born August 31, 1981) is a Brazilian singer from the state of Mato Grosso. She began her singing career in 1998 and after winning numerous local singing contests, Marcela toured through Spain, Denmark, Germany, France and the UK as a guest singer with BossaCucaNova. In 2003, she moved to Rio de Janeiro and recorded her first album Simples a year later. http://www.last.fm/music/Marcela+Mangabeira/+wiki

Personnel: Márcio Menescal (various instruments, programming); Roberto Menescal (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Dum Dum, Sérgio Galvao (flute); Guta Menezes (harmonica); Adriano Souza (keyboards).

Simples

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Acker Bilk - The Very Best Of Mr. Acker Bilk

Styles: Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:35
Size: 85,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:40)  1. Summer Set
(3:36)  2. Buona Sera (long version)
(3:18)  3. That's My Home
(2:56)  4. Stranger On The Shore
(2:45)  5. Above The Stars
(2:59)  6. Lonely
(3:05)  7. Limelight
(2:58)  8. A Taste Of Honey
(2:18)  9. Only You (And You Alone)
(2:48) 10. Stranger On The Shore (with Bent Fabric)
(2:34) 11. Alley Cat (with Bent Fabric)
(3:32) 12. Aria

Acker Bilk is best remembered for his crossover pop hit "Stranger on the Shore," a middle-of-the-road smoothie that featured his honeyed clarinet well to the fore. This 12-song best-of reprises that along with other similar fare. 

Two selections find him working with pianist Bent Fabric, first on a duet version of "Stranger," then on Fabric's big elevator music hit "Alley Cat." But the biggest surprise here is the inclusion of the "long version" of "Buono Sera," done up in a style that's equal parts Louis Prima wedded to full-blown Dixieland trad and definitely the most un-pop-like selection on here. ~ Cub Koda http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-best-of-acker-bilk-mw0000047128

The Very Best Of Mr. Acker Bilk

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Paul Bley - Nothing To Declare

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 57:00
Size: 105,0 MB
Art: Front

(18:32)  1. Nothing To Declare
(15:51)  2. Breakdown
(14:00)  3. Blues Waltz
( 8:35)  4. 8th Avenue

While pianist Paul Bley is renowned as a free player with an almost allergic aversion to music on the printed page, that doesn't mean that he doesn't have roots, or is afraid to show them. On Nothing to Declare , his fifth solo recording for the Canadian Justin Time label, his background in blues and standards is in deep evidence even as he takes these influences and twists them back and forth, up and down, until they manage to be recognizable yet completely him. Bold yet completely accessible, this is a recording that stands in sharp contrast to more outer-reaching recordings including his ECM recordings with Evan Parker and Barre Phillips. Yet for all its lyrical bent, Nothing to Declare is no less artistically pure. Bley has never been known as one to compromise, and he isn't about to start now. Bley's spontaneous improvisational style was inarguably a strong influence on Keith Jarrett in his formative years. But whereas Jarrett's solo excursions have often been inspired but occasionally meandering, Bley is sharply focused, with a sense of economy and attention that makes for absolutely no waste. He has the ability to create harmonic and/or rhythmic motifs with as simple an inspiration as a standard like "All the Things You Are," the foundation of the eighteen-minute title track. Periodically reiterating a simple but insistent rhythmic figure before heading off again into more impressionistic territory, Bley creates an homage that is all the more meaningful for its refusal to be constricted by the simple bounds of the source. 

The three other pieces on Nothing to Declare demonstrate Bley's roots in the blues. While nothing resembling a standard blues form ever emerges, at least for long, Bley's heartfelt "Blues Waltz," "Breakdown," and "8th Avenue," which loosely references Fats Waller's "Black and Blue," all point to an artist for whom the blues has had significant meaning in his life and work.  For an artist who has over seventy recordings as a leader, and countless others as a guest, each recording by Bley manages to be a new experience, shedding light on an artist who, even in his eighth decade, is as fresh and revealing as he ever was. For those who think that purely improvised solo piano recitals start and finish with Keith Jarrett, Nothing to Declare offers firm evidence that one of Jarrett's primary influences is still hard at work, creating adventurous music that continues to define both the terms "in the moment" and "spontaneous composition." 

~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/nothing-to-declare-paul-bley-justin-time-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Paul Bley (piano)

Nothing To Declare

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Anita Wardell - Why Do You Cry

Size: 109,7 MB
Time: 47:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I've Never Been In Love Before (6:55)
02. September In The Rain (4:22)
03. Why Do You Cry (4:34)
04. Twisted (4:15)
05. In Love In Vain (3:03)
06. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (7:07)
07. Bye Bye Blackbird (4:24)
08. Oh What A Beautiful Morning (3:48)
09. Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love (4:22)
10. Deep Purple (4:13)

Jazz vocalist Anita Wardell has been acclaimed for the unique artistry she brings to scat and be-bop singing. Raves from peers and critics alike have cemented her reputation as one of Britain 's finest vocalists.

b. 1961, Guildford, Surrey, England. When Wardell was 12 years old, she and her family emigrated to Australia, where in due time she completed a four-year performance course in jazz and improvised music at Adelaide University. She began singing professionally and appeared at jazz festivals with Richie Cole and with James Morrison and Don Burrows, with whom she later sang on tracks on two albums. In 1989 she returned to the UK where she studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. While there she was heard by Norma Winstone who declared, ‘She sings without affectation, and with clarity of voice, which I love.’ In the early 90s Wardell worked extensively in Europe and also visited the USA, singing at festivals at San José, Edinburgh and in Finland. She formed a close working relationship with John Stevens, performing drums/voice duos and they recorded together in 1994. Her debut album under her own name, in 1995, was an exceptional set of duets with pianist Liam Noble.

A rich, expressive and agile voice allows Wardell to excel not only with the great ballad standards, which she sings with remarkable expressiveness, but also with bop classics. The guru of contemporary jazz singers, Mark Murphy, has extolled the quality of her bop singing, stating that it is ‘always so clear and accurate in its linearism’. Wardell also makes considerable use of scat singing in her programming and while many young singers launch into scat with only a faint notion of its strengths and limitations, she is an exceptionally gifted user of the form.

Why Do You Cry

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Dan Pratt Organ Quartet - Springloaded

Size: 132,8 MB
Time: 57:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Jazz: Mainstream Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Grapple With The Apple (6:34)
02. 20-20 (4:43)
03. Did You See What I Saw (7:04)
04. Still Steamin' (7:32)
05. House Of Cards (6:34)
06. Blues With A Limp (5:38)
07. The Other End (5:11)
08. Moraga (7:26)
09. Who Knew (6:26)

DPOQ, as it's named on the cover of Springloaded, stands for the Dan Pratt Organ Quartet, a smokin' band led by tenor saxophonist Dan Pratt. DPOQ draws upon the foundations of organ jazz as set by Jimmy Smith and Larry Young, using modern compositional forms to create up-to-the-minute jazz that combines invention and swing. The members of DPOQ are young and they take no prisoners.

Pratt exemplifies the approach of DPOQ. He composed most of the tunes on Springloaded , using challenging and unorthodox formal devices. Yet the tunes are accessible and melodic, and some of them, such as the up-tempo burner "Who Knew," have the potential to become jazz standards. On tenor sax, Pratt has a huge, warm sound, and he improvises creatively and aggressively. He might play against the rhythm, and more often, he digs in and swings, as on "Blues With A Limp."

Organist Jared Gold demonstrates firm footwork, maintaining solid bass lines even as he negotiates the intricate forms of the tunes, such as the odd-meter funk that's part of "Still Steamin." He seems to be developing a personal style based in Larry Young, including Young's lighter touch, and he solos effectively throughout. Alan and Mark Ferber happen to be identical twins, and they're also excellent musicians. Alan can go outside, blare, riff, or bop like J.J. Johnson. Mark keeps swinging time even through the most complex situations.

But DPOQ's strongest asset might be its unity, its band sound. This is a working band, with deep interplay, and when Pratt and Alan Ferber improvise collectively, their lines intertwine with remarkable clarity.The result is Springloaded, a fine debut by a band to watch. ~AAJ Staff

Personnel: Dan Pratt, tenor saxophone; Alan Ferber, trombone; Jared Gold, organ; Mark Ferber, drums.

MC
Ziddu

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Wanda Sa - The Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim

Size: 100,3 MB
Time: 37:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Bossa Nova, Samba
Art: Front

01. One Note Samba (English Version) (2:36)
02. Corcovado (English Version) (3:25)
03. Desafinado (English Version) (3:21)
04. Insensatez (English Version) (3:14)
05. Photograph (English Version) (3:24)
06. Agua De Beber (3:37)
07. Bonita (English Version) (3:43)
08. O Amor Em Paz (English Version) (3:17)
09. Triste (English Version) (2:46)
10. Dindi (English Version) (4:18)
11. Inutil Paisagem (English Version) (3:21)

When at 13 she enrolled at Roberto Menescal's guitar academy, Wanda Sá (also known as Wanda de Sah), a successful bossa nova artist, was spotted by Ronaldo Bôscoli and invited to appear on the programs Dois no Balanço (TV Excelsior) and O Fino da Bossa (TV Record). Starting her professional career at 19 with Wanda Vagamente (1964), one of the earliest arranging assignments by Eumir Deodato, Sá launched "Inútil Paisagem" (Tom Jobim/Aloysio de Oliveira) and the earliest compositions by Edú Lobo, Francis Hime, and Marcos Valle. The album, launched at the Fino da Bossa show (at the Paramount Theater in São Paulo), was a success (having been reissued in Japan in the decade of the 2000s) and had a hit with "Vagamente" (Roberto Menescal/Ronaldo Bôscoli). By the end of the same year, she joined Sérgio Mendes' Brasil '65 (with Rosinha de Valença and Jorge Ben Jor), realizing successful shows in Brazil and the U.S., where Brasil '65 was recorded (with the participation of Bud Shank and the Sérgio Mendes Trio). She also recorded in the U.S. the solo Softly and performed both in Brazil and the U.S. with the Sérgio Mendes Trio. In 1966, she returned to Brazil where she did shows with Baden Powell, Vinícius de Moraes, Mièle, Luís Carlos Vinhas, and the Bossa 3. In 1969, Sá participated in Paul Desmond's Hot Summer. Married to Edú Lobo from 1969 to 1982, a period in which she left the scene, Sá returned in the late '80s, performing shows with Roberto Menescal and Mièle, recording Brasileiras in 1994 with Célia Vaz. In 2000, she recorded with Luís Carlos Vinhas, Tião Neto, and João Cortez the CD Wanda Sá & Bossa Três with bossa nova classics and new compositions. Four successful seasons at the Sabbata Tokyo turned the CD Wanda Vagamente into a hit, having reached second place on the top charts. In 2001, she participated with Roberto Menescal, Marcos Valle, and Danilo Caymmi in the Fare Festival (Pavia, Italy). ~by Alvaro Neder

The Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim

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Eric Hargett Trio - Steppin' Up (Feat. Joey DeFrancesco & Gerry Gibbs)

Size: 132,2 MB
Time: 56:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Hard Bop, Hammond Organ
Art: Front & Back

01. Steppin' Up (3:59)
02. West (6:02)
03. Hackensack (Feat. Hamilton Price) (3:39)
04. Woody's Dream (4:13)
05. Baretta (6:12)
06. You Don't Know What Love Is (7:18)
07. Brunswick Avenue (5:04)
08. Pacific Voyage (5:43)
09. Myra's Song (6:39)
10. Sunday Fog (8:02)

There's certainly something about the baritone sax that gets your attention. The sounds are commanding; they grab and don't let go. They can throttle. They can lurk. They can dominate the soundscape. In the right hands, it's devastating. Eric Hargett has just those hands.

On Steppin' Up, Hargett's remarkable debut as a bandleader, the upstart leader manages to avoid opening night jitters, thanks to a diverse and tasty ten-spot of tunes and the incredible support of Joey DeFrancesco on the B3 and piano, and drummer Gerry Gibbs. Of course, when you've got that kind of seasoned experience behind you, one can only imagine how it'd soothe the nerves.

Right out of the gate, Hargett, DeFrancesco and Gibbs really bring it. There's the raw and sizzling funk of the title track that kicks things off. There's the hard bop of "Woody's Dream, " which starts in high gear and then shifts into overdrive, led by Hargett's charging bari, and the nifty interplay of his rhythm-mates lifting things to a higher elevation. "Baretta" is an homage to '70s TV theme song funk, with Hargett doing some seriously heavy lifting. There is even a handful of tunes—"West, " "Hackensack, " and "Pacific Voyage, " in particular—in which Hargett puts down the bari and picks up the tenor, with excellent results.

On the flip side (not literally), Hargett is not averse to taking it down a notch, smoothing the edges, as he does on his super-tender cover of "You Don't Know What Love Is, " with the B3 laying down a comfortable bed of chord changes and Gibbs urging Hargett with nothing more than sexy brushes. The result is heart-felt, deeply moving … and just the kind of break listeners need in order to jump back into the dirty bari that Hargett serves up for much of the session. The same poignance emerges on the lovely "Myra." Lucky girl, that Myra, to have such a sweet ode written to her. But lest you start thinking Hargett is hopelessly romantic, check out the closer, "Sunday Fog, " a nasty, virtuosic, locomotive of a piece that will leave you breathless and satisfied.

Hargett hails from Houston, got schooled in Austin, and has since moved to LA. He met up with Gibbs after an invite to play in his Thrasher Big Band back in 2006. Hargett later teamed up with Gibbs' father, the vibist and composer Terry Gibbs, in the master's own Terry Gibbs Dream Band. He has clearly gained some savvy and some sophistication along the way, and it shows up grandly on Steppin' Up. From ballads to burning funk, Hargett proves he can do it all, and this, his first real crack at leadership. He's had some good apprenticeships during his brief career thus far, and he's got A-list support to bring it all home, which is why Steppin' Up is an incredible step in the right direction. ~Republic Of Jazz

MC
Ziddu

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Fay Claassen & Trio Peter Beets - Live At The Amsterdam Concertgebouw

Size: 117,9 MB
Time: 50:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Just One Of Those Things (2:56)
02. I'm Old Fashioned (3:08)
03. When Sunny Gets Blue (6:28)
04. The Song Is You (4:04)
05. Poor Butterfly (4:15)
06. 'S Wonderful (2:33)
07. Zon In Scheveningen (4:19)
08. I've Got The World On A String (4:05)
09. Meditation (5:32)
10. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (4:06)
11. Detour Ahead (3:40)
12. Summertime (5:16)

When asked who would be the successor to her throne, the world renowned jazz vocalist Rita Reys always pointed out Fay Claassen as the only Dutch vocalist who would be able to fill her elegantly swinging shoes. Those who know that Rita Reys was once honoured with the title ‘Europe’s First Lady of Jazz’ at the prestigious 1960 Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival will realise just how important Reys’ kind words have been to a young singer like Fay Claassen. So it was only logical that after Reys’ sad demise in 2013, it was Fay Claassen who teamed up with Rita’s last working band, The Peter Beets Trio, featuring guitarist Martijn van Iterson, bass player Ruud Jacobs and, of course, the swinging virtuoso pianist Peter Beets himself. Their first gig together took place in 2014 at the famous Amsterdam Concertgebouw, a date that was recorded live to capture the spontaneous, pure and thrilling vibe that filled this sacred building of music with the spirit of Holland’s greatest jazz singer ever. For all of those who missed this very special occasion, there is the album Fay Claassen & The Peter Beets Trio live at the Concertgebouw. Claassen and the Trio combine their improvisational skills resulting in an unsurpassed synergy and musicality. From the first note on it is evident that Beets and his men have paid their dues playing superb renditions of the standard jazz repertoire for many years.

MC
Ziddu

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Don Friedman - Hot House

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:04
Size: 171.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[7:52] 1. 35 West 4th Street
[7:29] 2. Hot House
[8:33] 3. My Funny Valentine
[5:32] 4. But Beautiful
[5:53] 5. Blues In A Hurry
[7:29] 6. Ana Maria
[7:53] 7. Soul Eyes
[8:15] 8. Sail Away
[6:09] 9. Waltz For Marilyn
[9:55] 10. You Go To My Head

During his long career, Don Friedman has recorded many memorable dates as a leader, though the veteran pianist remains a talent worthy of greater recognition. With seasoned bassist Ron McClure, drummer Tony Jefferson, and tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost, Friedman's adventurous set shows the obvious influence of Bill Evans while also exploring a wide range of material. His harmonically advanced arrangement of "My Funny Valentine" features Armacost on soprano sax. He puts a fresh stamp on "You Go to My Head" in a sparkling duet with McClure. Friedman's lush solo interpretation of "But Beautiful" is also not to be missed. The driving performance of Tadd Dameron's "Hot House" finds the pianist initially taking a backseat to Armacost's blazing tenor before he and McClure make their individual statements with authority. Mal Waldron's well-known "Soul Eyes" is a marvelous duet matching McClure's warm arco bass with Friedman's lush chords. The leader also brought a trio of originals to the sessions, including the upbeat "35 West 4th Street," the frenetic "Blues in a Hurry," and "Waltz for Marilyn," the latter played unaccompanied. ~Ken Dryden

Hot House

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Remi Bolduc, Kenny Werner - Tchat

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:22
Size: 151.9 MB
Styles: Cool jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[7:20] 1. I Concentrate On You
[6:25] 2. Trio Imitation
[3:26] 3. You And The Night And The Music
[2:17] 4. Corrosion
[8:52] 5. Amitie Avec Un Grand A
[5:43] 6. In Tune
[9:44] 7. A La Memoire De Michel
[5:23] 8. In Love Like Someone
[6:35] 9. In Voice
[6:41] 10. Samuel
[3:50] 11. Lumiere D'etoiles

Remi Bolduc : Alto sax, Kenny Werner : Piano.

Of the many benefits borne out of the age of information, the existence of Internet chatrooms and e-mail has created unparalleled opportunities for communication. Such has been the experience of the musicians paired on this disc, but their story goes well beyond mere online exchanges.

On the one hand, Kenny Werner is simply one of the boss piano players around on the international jazz scene, and notwithstanding his extensive sideman duties with many of the greats, his own list of credits only confirms the fact that he is one of them himself. On the other hand, alto saxophonist Rémi Bolduc has earned his stripes on the Montreal scene over the last 15 years, and this recording clearly shows his abilities to work with the best. Now in his early forties, he spent some time in the Apple back in the early 90’s, honing his skills with Steve Coleman while hanging out with the likes of Larry Grenadier, Adam Rogers and Ben Monder. About three years ago, Rémi decided to approach the pianist for a lesson, having transcribed and studied his music beforehand, but within 15 minutes, Werner let his visitor know that the best way to learn was to just go for it and play together rather than expect any formal instruction. A nice vote of confidence indeed. Since then, their musical relationship has been cemented onstage (a performance at the Montreal International Jazz Festival), pursued via the Net and now finally documented on disc.

Always fresh and spontaneous in its exchanges, the duo of Rémi Bolduc and Kenny Werner breaks down the usual barriers separating solo and accompanying instruments. Not only are these kindred spirits able enough to re-harmonize tunes at will, but they can also turn on a dime and launch into mellifluous cadenzas that are rhythmically fluid yet never out of bounds. With such prime ingredients, it’s not surprising that these top-notch performers have succeeded in producing more than run-of-the-mill ‘tchats’ but a wide range of engaging musical conversations. Hear them out! ~Marc Chénard

Tchat

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Carol Sloane - Sophisticated Lady

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:25
Size: 92.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1977/2016
Art: Front

[2:11] 1. Take The 'a' Train
[3:40] 2. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[4:44] 3. Solitude
[3:21] 4. Satin Doll
[5:12] 5. In A Sentimental Mood
[1:41] 6. It Don't Mean A Thing
[3:12] 7. Sophisticated Lady
[4:30] 8. Mood Indigo
[5:06] 9. Prelude To A Kiss
[2:12] 10. Jump For Joy
[2:25] 11. Come Sunday
[2:05] 12. Take The 'a' Train (Refrain)

Bass – George Mraz; Drums – Richie Pratt; Piano – Roland Hanna; Vocals – Carol Sloane. Recorded October 16, 1977 at Media Studio, Tokyo, Japan.

After recording an impressive set for Columbia in 1961, a lesser-known album in 1962, and a live date in 1964 that came out many years later, Carol Sloane did not lead another record session until this 1977 effort, which was made originally for the Japanese Trio label and released domestically by Audiophile. Sloane, who spent years working outside of music as a secretary, was finally rediscovered, first by the Japanese (the majority of her recordings in the 1970s and '80s were for Japanese labels). This particular set finds Sloane (who is joined by pianist Roland Hanna, bassist George Mraz and drummer Richie Pratt) performing 11 of Duke Ellington's more familiar songs, plus two versions of Billy Strayhorn's "Take The 'A' Train." Despite virtually all of the tunes (which include such warhorses as "Satin Doll," "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Sophisticated Lady" and "Mood Indigo") having been recorded a countless number of times through the decades, Carol Sloane's beautiful voice and strong sense of swing makes the material seem fresher than expected. ~Scott Yanow

Sophisticated Lady

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The Dick Hyman Trio - Swingin' Double Date

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:04
Size: 75.7 MB
Styles: Keyboard, Easy Listening
Year: 1958/2009
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. The Way You Look Tonight
[1:48] 2. The Moon Was Yellow
[2:17] 3. Sleep
[2:32] 4. If I Had You
[2:15] 5. Look For The Silver Lining
[2:41] 6. Pleasure
[1:57] 7. Marv
[2:33] 8. (Lookie Lookie Lookie) Here Cdomes Cookie
[2:43] 9. All Too Soon
[2:53] 10. Topsy
[8:15] 11. Early Autumn

Bass – Ed Safranski; Drums – Don Lamond; Organ, Piano – Dick Hyman.

A very versatile virtuoso, Dick Hyman once recorded an album on which he played "A Child Is Born" in the styles of 11 different pianists, from Scott Joplin to Cecil Taylor. Hyman can clearly play anything he wants to, and since the '70s, he has mostly concentrated on pre-bop swing and stride styles. Hyman worked with Red Norvo (1949-1950) and Benny Goodman (1950), and then spent much of the 1950s and '60s as a studio musician. He appears on the one known sound film of Charlie Parker (Hot House from 1952); recorded honky tonk under pseudonyms; played organ and early synthesizers in addition to piano; was Arthur Godfrey's music director (1959-1962); collaborated with Leonard Feather on some History of Jazz concerts (doubling on clarinet), and even performed rock and free jazz; but all of this was a prelude to his later work. In the 1970s, Hyman played with the New York Jazz Repertory Company, formed the Perfect Jazz Repertory Quintet (1976), and started writing soundtracks for Woody Allen films. He has recorded frequently during the past several decades (sometimes in duets with Ruby Braff) for Concord, Music Masters, and Reference, among other labels, and ranks at the top of the classic jazz field. In 2013, Hyman teamed up with vocalist Heather Masse for a set of standards on the Red House label called Lock My Heart. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Swingin' Double Date 

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Slide Hampton - Mellow-Dy

Styles: Trombone Jazz

Year: 1968

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 55:02

Size: 127,0 MB

Art: Front

( 4:15)  1. Lament

( 7:11)  2. Impossible Waltz

(12:15)  3. Chop Suey

( 5:16)  4. Mellow- Dy

(18:32)  5. The Thing

( 7:30)  6. Us Six

Trombonist Slide Hampton's writing ability has long overshadowed his skills as a player. This CD reissue sets the record straight by putting the focus on Hampton's boppish and consistently creative trombone. The first three selections (a couple of originals and J.J. Johnson's "Lament") showcase Hampton really stretching out with a quartet also including pianist Martial Solal, bassist Henri Texler and drummer Daniel Humair. The second half of the CD has Hampton joined by tenor saxophonist Nathan Davis, vibraphonist Dave Pike, pianist Hampton Hawes (sounding quite modern), Texler, and Humair for a couple more originals and Hawes' "Us Six." Overall, the advanced straight-ahead music on this CD comprises one of Hampton's best showcases as a trombonist, and the release is easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/mellow-dy-mw0000234931

Personnel: Slide Hampton (trombone); Nathan Davis (tenor saxophone); Dave Pike (vibraphone); Martin Solal, Hampton Hawes (piano); Henri Texier (bass); Daniel Humair (drums).

Mellow-Dy

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Jon Mayer - My Romance

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:17
Size: 108,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Dream Dancing
(5:06)  2. Yours Is My Heart Alone
(4:09)  3. I Have Dream
(3:16)  4. But Beautiful
(4:51)  5. Be My Love
(5:59)  6. I'm Gonna Laugh You Out Of My Life
(4:11)  7. Yesterdays
(4:50)  8. My Romance
(4:57)  9. If You Never Come To Me
(4:43) 10. Everything I Love

Jon Mayer got a rather belated start on his solo career, but he seems to be making up for lost time with his series of CDs for Reservoir. His third date for the label is a trio session with bassist Rufus Reid once again on hand, along with drummer Dick Berk, with whom he last played nearly a half-century earlier. The ten selections should be familiar to seasoned jazz fans, though Mayer's buoyant take of "Yours Is My Heart Alone," his upbeat arrangement of "I Have Dreamed" (from The King and I), and his brisk setting of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "If You Never Come to Me" make one wonder why these songs are performed so infrequently by jazz musicians. 

Mayer's fleet bop arrangement of Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays" and dreamy take of "But Beautiful" demonstrate that he can find something fresh within time tested standards as well. The rhythm section provides strong support throughout the disc. While this release may seem a little brief by CD standards at 47 minutes, it is an absolute delight from start to finish, without a hint of filler material. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-romance-mw0000345767

Personnel:  Jon Mayer (piano);  Rufus Reid (bass instrument);  Dick Berk (drums)

My Romance

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Lucy Woodward - Til They Bang On The Door

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:44
Size: 117,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. Ladykiller
(3:31)  2. Kiss Me Mister Histrionics
(3:43)  3. Be My Husband (feat. Everett Bradley)
(4:01)  4. I Don’t Know
(0:18)  5. Interlude: Hush
(4:13)  6. Too Hot to Last
(3:29)  7. Never Enough
(3:38)  8. Live Live Live
(3:55)  9. Free Spirit
(0:24) 10. Interlude: Afterglow
(4:02) 11. If This Were a Movie
(3:23) 12. The World We Knew (Over and Over)
(6:32) 13. I Don’t Know (feat. Snarky Puppy) [Live in Holland]
(6:05) 14. Be My Husband (feat. Snarky Puppy) [Live in Holland]

Award-winning songwriter and vocalist Lucy Woodward returns to the Adult Pop spotlight with her long-awaited fourth album and debut for GroundUP Music/Universal Music Classics, Til They Bang On The Door. The 12-song albums emotional depth, electric energy and personally-charged song craft frame Lucys indomitable voice, described by Marie Claire as brassy, ticklish, and one that will have you hitting Repeat. 

Sandwiched in-between originals are a classic from the Nina Simone archive (Be My Husband), and tracks made famous by the likes of Ruth Brown (I Dont Know) and Frank Sinatra (The World We Knew (Over and Over). Jazz Weekly best described Lucys whole oeuvre, by saying Her voice … is a pleasant mix of wide-eyed charm and in-the-know playfulness, Like a piece of clove gum, shes got a good kick, and the flavor lingers pretty well afterwards. Seeing Lucy live in concert, Billboard summed it up best: a performance that fosters an image of the vocalist clinging to the mic stand with one hand, glass of champagne in the other and a faraway look in her eyes, toying sensuously with her audience. 

Lucys a ball, equally appreciable for fans of melodic sing-along baubles and highbrow aficionados of finely honed musical composition. Til They Bang On The Door features first single, Kiss Me Mister Histrionics. ~ Edtorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/They-Bang-Door-Lucy-Woodward/dp/B01F3OUZK2

Til They Bang On The Door

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Various - Cuban All Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:59
Size: 171.6 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Salsa
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[7:33] 1. Juan Pablo Torres - Moonlight Serenade
[6:46] 2. Michael Philip Mossman - Mambanita
[5:53] 3. Julio Barreto Cuban Quartet - Latineo
[5:52] 4. Tony Perez - Encanto
[6:36] 5. Frank Chastenier - Habana
[5:43] 6. Humberto Ramírez - El Ministro
[6:21] 7. Paoli Mejias - Asora
[6:55] 8. Humberto Ramírez - A Puerto Rico
[3:35] 9. Juan Pablo Torres - Ensalada De Mambo
[4:20] 10. Julio Barreto - Caravan
[8:50] 11. Jane Bunnett - Spirits Of Havana
[6:30] 12. Sebastian Schunke - Mi Sueño (My Spanish Dream)

The first compilation "CUBAN ALL JAZZ," took care of young gifted artists as Michael Philipp MOSSMAN, Jane BUNNETT, Sebastian SCHUNKE, Julio BARRETO and Humberto RAMIREZ. But don't forget the already established stars of Latin Music, as Paquito D'RIVERA, Chucho VALDES, Arturo SANDOVAL, Juan Pablo TORRES or Patato VALDES, who were a fixed component in any Cuban music repertoire.

Cuban All Jazz

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Ahmad Jamal - In Search Of Momentum

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:57
Size: 132.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[6:19] 1. In Search Of
[5:25] 2. Should I
[3:06] 3. Excerpts From I'll Take The 20
[6:34] 4. Whisperings
[4:37] 5. Island Fever
[6:12] 6. I've Never Been In Love Before
[7:00] 7. Where Are You
[6:55] 8. Where Are You Now
[6:46] 9. You Can See
[4:58] 10. I'll Always Be With You

A guy who Miles Davis called his favorite piano player, Ahmad Jamal has always earned respect among other musicians and critics for his consistent and innovative five-decade career, but the general public has never celebrated him. Why is anybody's guess, except that he's never been one for self-promotion; he's always been too busy making music to talk about it much. This trio date, featuring the greatest soul-jazz drummer of all time -- Idris Muhammad -- and bassist James Cammack, is one of the most fiery and inspired of Jamal's career. Kicking it off with "In Search Of," Jamal's more percussive style is in evidence, kicking it with ninths and even elevenths in shifting time signatures in a modern version of something that unites McCoy Tyner's Coltrane period with the barrelhouse. Jamal's trademark dissonances are juxtaposed against his whimsical lyric side in "Should I," a tune he has played live for decades. His right-hand legato phrasing and a near Monk-ish sense of harmony highlight his cascading arpeggios and enormous chord voicings. And harmony is the central motif of this album. Jamal's sense of melodic and harmonic development is under-recognized, even as he has used both Ellington and Oscar Peterson for starting points and built upon them via Monk's engagement with rhythm and "wrong" notes. His chords are unique among jazz pianists in that they can be incorporated wholesale as part of a rhythmic attack or in single- or double-note clusters to swing the tune into its lyric.

As a rhythm section, Muhammad and Cammack are perfectly suited to Jamal because the seemingly teetering shifts in time and pulse are never taken for granted and never merely followed, but executed according to the pianist's penchant for making his compositions swing in a songlike manner. A wonderful surprise here is the vocal of soul singer O.C. Smith on the Jamal/Aziza Miller tune "Whispering." Smith is best known as the singer of the soul hit "Little Green Apples," but his talent is far more diverse than that. Here are traces of Big Joe Williams, Lou Rawls, and Charles Brown caressed by the trio's shimmering accompaniment. His performance is flawless. While Jamal's compositions are the album's high points, there are no dead-dog tracks here at all: A reading of the Frank Loesser nugget "I've Never Been in Love Before" reflects in the trio's playing the vocal stylings of both Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald. Also, Monty Alexander's "You Can See" is reinvented by the Jamal trio and comes off as a splashy, singing number suited for the stage as much as a jazz band. Jamal's ostinato and glissandi theatricality are dramatic but never showy. He punches the melodic invention in his solos and keeps the rhythm section moving, but never overshadows the body of the tune. This is a beautiful offering by one of the true jazz masters of our time. At 72, Jamal is even more of a pianistic enigma than he was as a young man. Highly recommended. ~Thom Jurek

In Search Of Momentum

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Tessa Souter - Nights Of Key Largo

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:05
Size: 144.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:56] 1. The Island
[7:13] 2. Close Enough For Love
[4:15] 3. Moondance
[4:21] 4. So Many Stars
[4:01] 5. The Look Of Love
[4:47] 6. You Only Live Twice
[3:57] 7. Key Largo
[4:35] 8. Slow Hot Wind
[4:25] 9. Moon And Sand
[5:16] 10. I'm Glad There Is You
[4:50] 11. All Or Nothing At All
[4:42] 12. Morning Of The Carnival
[4:40] 13. Imagine

Since arriving in New York City, Tessa Souter has built a dedicated following. She was a relative latecomer to jazz, taking time out to raise a family at a young age and work as a journalist before studying at the Manhattan School of music and privately with vocal great Mark Murphy, though she has developed into a formidable singer in a relatively short time. Souter's gorgeous, natural vocals never show pretension or gimmickry, while her taste in songs is amazingly wide-ranging and occasionally risk-taking. For these 2008 sessions, her accompanists include the brilliant pianist Kenny Werner (who works especially well with vocalists), saxophonist Joel Frahm, Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, veteran first-call bassist Jay Leonhart, and the in-demand drummer Billy Drummond. Souter's lush treatment of "Close Enough for Love" captures the essence of this beautiful standard (a favorite of the late Shirley Horn and many others). The haunting setting of "Morning of the Carnaval" opens with Werner's elegant piano and Leonhart's mournful arco bass, while Souter's spacious, lovely performance is also complemented by Frahm's moving soprano sax. The vocalist uncovered a gem in Benny Carter's neglected "Key Largo," which she casts in a setting that suggests a midnight stroll along the beach with her lover. But Souter is at her most stunning when she tackles songs that one doesn't normally hear in a jazz setting. Her infectious, slinky take of Van Morrison's "Moondance" opens with her sexy vocals over Leonhart's walking bass, with judicious use of reverb that is never overdone. John Lennon's "Imagine" has long been a pop standard, though jazz arrangements have been few and mostly disappointing, but Souter is buoyed by her imaginative rhythm section, though she takes few liberties with it until she is well into the song. Tessa Souter will win you over, as well, if you give her the opportunity. ~Ken Dryden

Nights Of Key Largo

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