Peggy Lee & George Shearing - Beauty and the Beat

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:04
Size: 108,6 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:01)  1. Do I Love You
(2:24)  2. I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake C
(2:17)  3. Dreams Come True
(2:33)  4. All Too Soon
(1:40)  5. Mambo in Miami
(2:52)  6. Isn't It Romantic
(2:03)  7. Blue Prelude
(2:48)  8. You Came a Long Way from St Lo
(1:55)  9. Always True to You in My Fashi
(2:21) 10. There'll Be Another Spring
(1:54) 11. Get Out of Town
(2:44) 12. Satin Doll
(2:29) 13. Nobody's Heart
(2:56) 14. Don't Ever Leave Me

Upon its first release Beauty and the Beat! was billed as a live recording from a Miami convention of disc jockeys. Though Peggy Lee and George Shearing did in fact perform there (and attempts were made to record them for later release), the songs heard on the subsequent LP were recorded in the studio and overdubbed with rather obvious canned applause, announcements, and even post-production echo. Lee and Shearing, who had never recorded before, conceived a set of completely new arrangements that played to their strengths: stately blues and effervescent swing. The best of the former comes on a pair of locale-referencing quasi-blues, "I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City" and "You Came a Long Way From St. Louis," both of which Lee and Shearing are able to transform into languorous, respectable torch songs. The usually downcast "Blue Prelude" is actually taken at a laissez faire tempo that Lee treats well, and the original set ends with "Get Out of Town" and "Satin Doll," a pair of bemused, affectionate performances that perfectly suit the pair. Lee and Shearing's only collaboration on record- though both would occasionally perform together thereafter is a supremely chilled session of late-night blues from two masters of the form. ~ John Bush  http://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beat!-mw0000611837

Personnel: Peggy Lee (vocals); George Shearing (piano); Toots Thielemans (guitar); Ray Alexander (vibraphone); Carl Pruitt (bass); Ray Mosca (drums); Armando Peraza (congas, percussion).

Beauty and the Beat

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Grover Washington, Jr. - Reed Seed

Styles: Flute and Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:45
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Do Dat
(6:15)  2. Step 'N' Thru
(4:54)  3. Reed Seed (Trio Tune)
(4:48)  4. Maracas Beach
(6:54)  5. Santa Cruzin
(4:46)  6. Just the Way You Are
(7:37)  7. Loran's Dance

Reed Seed was Grover Washington, Jr.'s final album for Kudu/Motown. It was also one of two recordings his issued in 1978 the other is the stone-killer live set Live at the Bijou. While the saxophonist had been experimenting with funk since 1971's Inner City Blues, by 1975's breakthrough recordings Mister Magic and Feels So Good, he'd perfected his groove. His appeal to fans of more radio-friendly material was ready: he had stellar grooves, very polished production, and accessible arrangements not too mention his stellar emotive attack on any saxophone he chose to play. Many straight-ahead jazz fans dug Washington's sound as well because of his technical facility on his instruments. Reed Seed, like its immediate studio predecessor Secret Place is a transition album from jazz-funk to what would become contemporary or, if you will, smooth jazz. That said, it is no less compelling than Mister Magic or Feels So Good. It follows those recordings in formula, beginning with the solidly funky "Do Dat," written by sidemen John Blake (keyboards and violin) and Leonard "Doc" Gibbs (percussion, vocals). Kicking it with a popping, repetitive bassline, Washington's tenor enters on the melody amid handclaps and the sounds of a backing chorus (provided by Rita & Lita Boggs). Containing a killer bass solo and bridge, it's a perfect length at 4:27 to be a single, and it was. This is followed by the uptown groover "Step "n" Thru," introduced by Blake's violin and synths, as well as nice guitar work from Richard Lee Steacker (the track's author). 

But the real prize is a smoking soprano solo from Washington as the tempo begins to move. The title track is a feature for Blake's violin to shine along with killer bass and percussion work, with Grover's soprano being intentionally restrained to providing its own sense of lyrical groove. There's a very fine cover of Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are," and "Santa Cruzin'" sets the template for the direction he would follow in the future. It's a midtempo stepper with lithe funk and lots of acoustic piano and a very simple, direct melody that focuses on atmosphere as much as lyricism. The album's final number, "Loran's Dance," is a nocturnal one with Washington overdubbing his saxophone lines (alto and tenor); it develops on a Spanish-tinged theme, and the Rhodes work by Blake is exceptional. When Washington begins to solo, the atmosphere and textures are abundant yet full of space and dimension. It's sexy as hell.  Reed Seed was a fitting way for Washington to leave the Kudu/Motown stable; it's a high-quality, wonderfully memorable set of mid- and uptempo funky jazz from a master. In addition, while the charts may not support this assertion, it is, along with his other records for these imprints and CTI before them, arguably the best and most consistent string of albums he ever recorded, as well as the platform that launched him into superstardom first with Elektra and then with Columbia. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/reed-seed-mw0000691813

Personnel:  Grover Washington, Jr. (flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone);  Richard Lee Steacker (vocals, electric guitar);  John E. Blake, Jr. (vocals, electric violin, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet);  Leonard "Doc" Gibbs (vocals, percussion);  Jeanine Otis, Rita Boggs, Lita Boggs (vocals);  James Sid Simmons (piano, electric piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet);  Tyrone Brown (acoustic bass, electric bass);  Milard "Pete" Vinann (drums).

Reed Seed

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Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra - The Chronological Classics 1929-1930

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:28
Size: 167,5 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:05)  1. That Certain Motion
(2:50)  2. It Won't Be Long
(2:52)  3. When Life Seems So Blue
(2:55)  4. Loose Like A Goose
(2:55)  5. Just Say It's Me
(2:41)  6. New Goofy Dust Rag
(2:50)  7. Rumba Negro (Spanish Stomp)
(3:08)  8. The Jones Law Blues
(2:31)  9. Band Box Shuffle
(3:18) 10. Small Black
(3:07) 11. Every Day Blues (Yo Yo Blues)
(3:16) 12. Boot It
(3:18) 13. Mary Lee
(2:49) 14. Rit-Dit-Ray
(2:59) 15. New Vine Street Blues
(2:40) 16. Sweetheart Of Yesterday
(3:14) 17. Won't You Be My Baby?
(3:13) 18. I Wish I Could Be Blue
(2:56) 19. Oh! Eddie
(3:21) 20. That Too, Do
(3:03) 21. Mack's Rhythm
(3:23) 22. You Made Be Happy
(2:55) 23. Here Comes Marjorie

From 1929-30, the Bennie Moten Orchestra could hold its own with fellow big bands like Fletcher Henderson, Paul Whiteman and McKinney's Cotton Pickers, although it was the least known nationally of the four. The third of four Classics CDs completely reissuing Moten's recordings finds the young Count Basie taking over the piano slot and such stars joining the band as singer Jimmy Rushing and (by 1930) trumpeter Hot Lips Page. With cornetist Ed Lewis, Eddie Durham on trombone and guitar, clarinetist Harlan Leonard and Buster Moten (on accordion) also heard from, this was a mighty orchestra, as displayed on such numbers as "New Goofy Dust Rag," "The Jones Law Blues" and "New Vine Street Blues." The four imported Classics sets are certainly more complete than the two CDs put out domestically by Bluebird. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1065137&style=music&fulldesc=T

The Chronological Classics   1929-1930

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Duke Pearson - Sweet Honey Bee

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:30
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Sweet Honey Bee
(5:43)  2. Sudel
(4:45)  3. After The Rain
(6:01)  4. Gaslight
(5:58)  5. Big Bertha
(6:00)  6. Empathy
(6:01)  7. Ready Rudy?

Pianist/composer Duke Pearson leads an all-star group on this run-through of seven of his compositions. The musicians trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, altoist James Spaulding, Joe Henderson on tenor, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Mickey Roker, and the pianist/leader are actually more impressive than many of the compositions, although the swinging minor-toned "Big Bertha" deserved to become a standard. The frameworks are quite intelligent, everyone doesn't solo on each selection, and the improvisations are concise and clearly related to each tune's melody and mood. Although not quite essential, this set has some rewarding music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/sweet-honey-bee-mw0000620441

Personnel: Duke Pearson (piano); James Spaulding (alto saxophone, flute); Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Ron Carter (bass); Mickey Roker (drums).

Sweet Honey Bee

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Kandace Springs - Kandace Springs EP

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 14:25
Size: 33,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. Love Got In The Way
(4:11)  2. West Coast
(3:41)  3. Meet Me In The Sky
(3:16)  4. Forbidden Fruit

Through her father, session vocalist Scat Springs, adult contemporary R&B artist Kandace Springs was able to get a demo recording heard by veteran producers Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken (Stephanie Mills, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna). The duo signed the Nashville native to their SRP Music Group, then shopped her material to labels, including Blue Note, who ultimately offered a recording contract that Springs signed. A singer, songwriter, and keyboardist who cites inspirations ranging from Billie Holiday to Lauryn Hill, Springs caught another break in July 2014 when Prince saw a clip of her performing Sam Smith's "Stay with Me." Prince contacted her and she flew to Minneapolis to perform at Paisley Park. Two months later, she issued her debut EP, a self-titled four-track release for SRP/Blue Note. Through 2015, she appeared on Ghostface Killah's 36 Seasons, Aqualung's 10 Futures, and Black Violin's Stereotypes. Her refined first album for Blue Note, Soul Eyes, was released in June 2016. It featured new songs, some of which were co-written by Springs, along with versions of Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes" and War's "The World Is a Ghetto." ~ Andy Kellman https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kandace-springs/id338439458#fullText

Kandace Springs EP

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Camille Howard - Vol. 1: Rock Me Daddy / Vol. 2: X-Temporaneous Boogie

Album: Vol. 1: Rock Me Daddy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 62:29

Size: 143.1 MB

Styles: R&B, Jump blues

Year: 1993

Art: Front

[2:12] 1. The Boogie And The Blues

[2:10] 2. You Don't Love Me

[2:24] 3. You Used To Be Mine

[2:44] 4. Unidentified Boogie #1

[2:39] 5. Has Your Love Grown Cold

[2:36] 6. The Mood I'm In

[2:02] 7. Gotta Have A Little Lovin'

[2:32] 8. How Long Can I Go On Like This

[2:28] 9. I'll Cry Over You

[2:20] 10. O Sole Mio Boogie

[2:10] 11. Within This Heart Of Mine

[2:34] 12. Modulation Boogie

[2:36] 13. I'm Blue

[2:44] 14. Rock Me Daddy

[2:31] 15. Broken Memories (Sad And Blue)

[2:33] 16. I Ain't Got The Spirit

[2:45] 17. Shrinking Up Fast

[2:40] 18. Easy

[2:29] 19. Money Blues

[2:25] 20. Schubert's Serenade Boogie

[2:36] 21. You Lied To Me Baby

[2:34] 22. Real Gone Daddy

[2:57] 23. Unidentified Boogie #2

[2:19] 24. Old Baby Boogie

[2:16] 25. Song Of India Boogie

25-song reissue of her 1947-52 Specialty material, about half previously unreleased. Includes "You Don't Love Me" and "Money Blues," but not the chart items "Fiesta In Mexico" and "XTemporaneous Boogie." Perhaps too suave and refined for the R&B/rock era, and as comfortable with jazzy ballads as boogies, Howard was nonetheless an important, and nowadays overlooked, star of the transitional era between jump blues and R&B. ~Richie Unterberger

Vol. 1: Rock Me Daddy

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Album: Vol. 2: X-Temporaneous Boogie

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:58

Size: 141.9 MB

Styles: R&B, Jump blues

Year: 1996

Art: Front

[2:19] 1. It's A Hit

[2:53] 2. Thrill Me

[2:03] 3. X-Temperaneous Boogie

[2:27] 4. Sweetheart Of All My Dreams

[2:39] 5. Scat Boogie

[2:46] 6. Sundays With You

[2:24] 7. Viper Boogie

[2:36] 8. Why Did You Do It

[2:18] 9. Fluff Boogie

[2:22] 10. Tired Of Me

[2:29] 11. I'll Cry Over You

[2:42] 12. Peggy's Boogie

[2:46] 13. Maybe It's Best After All

[2:10] 14. Ivory And Pick Boogie

[2:23] 15. I Wonder Who's To Blame

[2:33] 16. Modulation Boogie

[2:45] 17. Fool About You Daddy

[1:10] 18. Terri's Boogie

[2:40] 19. Please Don't Stay Away So Long

[2:56] 20. My Heart Goes Out To You

[2:12] 21. Belmont Boogie

[2:10] 22. Everything He Lacks (Everything You Like)

[2:53] 23. Sutherland Blues

[2:27] 24. Goldberg Boogie

[2:44] 25. Nobody Else

Twenty of these 25 sides, recorded for Specialty between 1947 and 1952, were previously unissued. But there's no difference in quality between these and the better-known ones presented on volume one; the label's decision on what to release was based more on marketing strategies than the level of the performances. Divided between instrumentals and pop-influenced vocal numbers, Howard again proves herself the master of boogie and jump blues piano styles, sometimes slowing things down into a jazzier mode. In addition to the storehouse of vault material, this compilation also includes a couple of late-'40s Top Ten R&B hits, "Thrill Me" and "X-Temporaneous Boogie." ~Richie Unterberger

Vol. 2: X-Temporaneous Boogie

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Stuff Smith Quartet - Swingin' Stuff

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:01
Size: 164.9 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 1965/2005
Art: Front

[7:24] 1. Caravan
[5:08] 2. Take The A Train
[4:26] 3. Old Stinkin' Blues
[3:52] 4. Only Time Will Tell
[4:54] 5. Mack The Knife
[5:45] 6. One O'clock Jump
[5:08] 7. Blues For Timme (Timme's Blues)
[3:45] 8. My Blue Heaven
[3:09] 9. Bugle Blues
[5:10] 10. C Jam Blues
[6:58] 11. Perdido
[7:30] 12. S'posin
[8:47] 13. How High The Moon

Bass – Niels Peterson; Drums – Alex Riel; Piano – Kenny Drew; Violin – Stuff Smith. Recorded Copenhagen Denmark live.

Recorded five days after a similar performance at the Montmartre in Copenhagen by the same personnel (violinist Stuff Smith, pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Alex Riel), Stuff and his quartet are once again heard in top form. Four of the nine songs are repeated from the earlier date, but unfortunately, the music on this LP is currently out of print. On such tunes as "Bugle Blues," "Mack the Knife," "One O'Clock Jump" and "Take the 'A' Train," Stuff Smith shows that he was as hard-swinging an improviser as any horn player and that at the age of 55 he had not run out of gas yet. ~Scott Yanow

Swingin' Stuff

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Alain Pacowski, Alan Chaubert - Double A

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:04
Size: 169.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[ 9:09] 1. Children Of The Night
[10:23] 2. Shoshana Et La Valse Des Souvenirs
[ 7:06] 3. Comecar De Novo
[ 9:20] 4. Grande Late
[ 7:09] 5. Strawberry Fields Forever
[10:49] 6. In The Shadow
[11:09] 7. You'll Always Be In My Heart
[ 8:55] 8. Saying Goodbye

Double A Is a jazz quintet co-created by guitarist Alain Pacowski and trumpet player Alan Chaubert both musicians for NYC. Recorded in 2013 with pianist Helio Alves, bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Mark Ferber, this album contains original compositions as well as covers by Wayne Shorter, Ivan Lins and the Beatles. The music is creative and always stays melodic and lyrical with influences ranging from straight ahead modern jazz to folk and indie rock.

Double A

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Buddy DeFranco - Plays Artie Shaw

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:47
Size: 104.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Clarinet jazz
Year: 1957/2005
Art: Front

[5:08] 1. Frenesi
[3:31] 2. Medley Dancing In The Dark Moonglow Time On My Hands
[2:44] 3. Keepin' Myself For You
[4:44] 4. Stardust
[4:31] 5. Summit Ridge Drive
[4:10] 6. My Heart Stood Still
[5:37] 7. Medley It Could Happen To You I Cover The Waterfront Someone To Watch
[4:47] 8. Cross Your Heart
[3:30] 9. Indian Love Call
[7:01] 10. Concerto For Clarinet

Bass – Joe Mondragon; Clarinet – Buddy DeFranco; Drums – Alvin Stoller, Milt Holland; Guitar – Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts; Piano, Harpsichord – Irving Garner, Jimmy Rowles; Trumpet – Ray Linn.

Buddy DeFranco is one of the great clarinetists of all time and, until the rise of Eddie Daniels, he was indisputably the top clarinetist to emerge since 1940. It was DeFranco's misfortune to be the best on an instrument that after the swing era dropped drastically in popularity and, unlike Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, he has never been a household name for the general public.

When he was 14, DeFranco won an amateur swing contest sponsored by Tommy Dorsey. After working with the big bands of Gene Krupa (1941-1942) and Charlie Barnet (1943-1944), he was with TD on and off during 1944-1948. DeFranco, other than spending part of 1950 with Count Basie's septet, was mostly a bandleader from then on. Among the few clarinetists to transfer the language of Charlie Parker onto his instrument, DeFranco has won a countless number of polls and appeared with the Metronome All-Stars in the late '40s. He recorded frequently in the '50s (among his sidemen were Art Blakey, Kenny Drew, and Sonny Clark) and participated in some of Norman Granz's Verve jam session. During 1960-1963 DeFranco led a quartet that also featured the accordion of Tommy Gumina and he recorded an album with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers on which he played bass clarinet. Work, however, was difficult to find in the '60s, leading DeFranco to accept the assignment of leading the Glenn Miller ghost band (1966-1974). He has found more artistic success co-leading a quintet with Terry Gibbs off and on since the early '80s and has recorded throughout the decades for many labels. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Plays Artie Shaw

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Joel Press - Live at Smalls

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:55
Size: 158,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:27)  1. There Will Never Be Another You
(4:46)  2. I Never Knew
(7:41)  3. All of Me
(7:52)  4. I Hear a Rhapsody
(6:32)  5. Lover Man
(7:10)  6. All the Things You Are
(4:10)  7. On a Slow Boat To China
(8:51)  8. That Old Feeling
(7:58)  9. Sunrise
(6:26) 10. It's You or No One At All

Saxophonist Joel Press is a versatile musician who has performed with such diverse players as pianist Jaki Byard, bassist Jimmy Garrison of the John Coltrane Quartet, vocalist Sheila Jordan and Duke Ellington's ubiquitous cornetist/ violinist/ vocalist Ray Nance. A native New Yorker, he pursued classical studies at The Manhattan School of Music, where he earned a Master's degree. Joel Press speaks the language of swing based, post-World War II jazz in as singular a fashion as any living saxophonist. He has been listening to this music all of his life, and playing it for almost a half century. In recognition of the scope of his artistry, Cadence Jazz Records which released his Cd, Mainstream Extensions, included his Music From a Passionate Time in their historical series. The latter is a unique sampling of multi-track recordings of compositions and improvisations written for dance and film in the early 1970s. While reflecting his mainstream roots, this music is of a distinctly avant garde nature, a language which Press continues to explore in his duo and quartet performances with pianist Kyle Aho.

National Public Radio recently described Press as "The legendary Boston jazz musician." (He relocated to Boston in the late 1970s.) Grammy award winner, Bob Blumenthal wrote in his review of The Boston Globe Jazz Festival 's, Tribute to Lady Day and Prez, for which Joel served as music director: "All three tenors played well throughout and got better as the evening wore on. Press, closest to the source, took the coolest approach, but all burned in their own manner". In a subsequent concert review, Arthur Hepner, of The Boston Globe wrote" Solid techniques, rich sounds, imaginative improvisations and well meshed interplay yielded fine embroideries of music by Johnny Green, Cole Porter and others. Press's supple work on Body And Soul constituted the high point.

Personnel:  Joel Press - Tenor Saxophone;  Mike Kanan – Piano;  Spike Wilner - Piano (tracks 2, 5 & 7);  Chris Haney – Bass;  Boots Maleson - Bass (tracks 2, 5 & 7);  Fukushi Tainaka – Drums;  Steve Little - Drums (tracks 2, 5 & 7)

Live at Smalls

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Nils Lindberg & Margareta Bengtson - As We Are

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:42
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Remember
(4:40)  2. B.B. Blues
(5:31)  3. As You Are
(6:00)  4. Springtime
(3:29)  5. I Remember Karelia
(2:45)  6. Santa Barbara
(4:49)  7. Skylark
(4:26)  8. Tingsmarschen
(4:56)  9. Tomorrow
(4:08) 10. Dry Martini
(4:45) 11. Blues For Bill
(4:51) 12. Shall I Compare Thee
(2:52) 13. Epilogue

With climate change and recent weather, the Shakespearean sonnet "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?" would seem to have become a trifle outmoded. Still, where there's a Will there's a way and Nils Lindberg has set the piece to music. Lindberg is a true Renaissance man. From his home in Gagnef, a small village deep in the forests of the Swedish province of Dalecarlia, he emerges every now and again to dazzle us ordinary mortals with his many talents. Best known as a composer and arranger, he refuses to accept categorization and works with choirs, jazz bands, and symphony orchestras at will. Lindberg was the eminence grise behind Duke Ellington's favorite vocalist, Alice Babs. He wrote arrangements for Duke and composed a number of works for the Hanover Symphony Orchestra. He also, without batting an eyelid, collaborated with Josephine Baker, one-time infamous Jazz Age stripper and Judy Garland, who was as American as apple pie. In 1986 Lindberg performed his own works at the funeral service for Olof Palme, Sweden's assassinated prime minister. Three years later he wrote the music for a service given by the Pope in Uppsala Cathedral. He also found time to bring the lilting, melancholic strains of Dalecarlian folk music to the attention of a wider world in a memorable series of concerts and records.

At the age of 75, this remarkable man has once more left Gagnef to record As We Are. It is more jazz than anything else and launches the solo career of Margareta Bengtson (ex-The Real Group), the Swedish soprano most likely to take over the mantle of Alice Babs on the world stage. Out of his (loosely) classical bag, along with his Shakespearean foray, Lindberg has put music to "Remember," a haunting (and still pertinent) piece by 19th century English metaphysical poet Christina Rosetti. It's one of the album's best tracks. Had just a little more attention been paid to the clarity of the words, it might even have achieved greatness. Unfortunately Bengtson "swallows" some of them. Unlike the Muppet cook, Swedes actually do English exceedingly well, but as non-native speakers they're bound to get small things wrong and God is in the detail. Especially when it comes to poetry. No such problems on the jazz front. "B.B. Blues" (BB = Baritone Bass) and its brother "Blues for Bill" provide a chance for Bengtson to shine at wordless scatting. She makes a nice job too of the ballad "As You Are," probably Lindberg's best known composition, with words by American bassist Red Mitchell. The attractive ballad "Tomorrow" is by Jan Ohman, a Dalecarlian neighbor of Lindberg's. "Springtime" and "Dry Martini" are kinda-Dukish, "Santa Barbara" kinda-Bossa Nova.

Folk music is represented by an irreverently jazzy arrangement of the Finnish anthem "I Remember Karelia" with good work by Anders Paulsson on soprano saxophone. On "Tingsmarschen," a Dalecarlian marching tune, Lindberg takes a piano break to remind you that he's also no slouch as an instrumentalist. It's infuriating just how talented this man is! At his age, it can only be hoped that he did not intend the closer, the piano solo "Epilogue," as a reference to his life's work. His music is both experimental and intensely melodic, angularly lyrical if there is such a thing. It refuses politely but very firmly to sit comfortably in the background. In this day and age we need more of that sort of thing. ~ Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/as-we-are-nils-lindberg-prophone-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php

Personnel: Nils Lindberg: piano, arranger, composer, conductor; Margareta Bengtson: vocals; Jan Allan: trumpet; Anders Paulsson: soprano, tenor saxophones; Alberto Pinton: baritone saxophone; Joakim Milder: tenor saxopPhone; Hans Akesson, Hakan Brostrom: alto saxophone; Jan Adefelt: bass; Bengt Stark: drums.

As We Are

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Marion Meadows - Dressed to Chill

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:33
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Dressed to Chill
(4:17)  2. Remember Me
(4:44)  3. Dance with My Daughter
(4:35)  4. Miss Know It All
(4:32)  5. Bounce
(4:36)  6. I Believe I Can Fly
(4:20)  7. Coco Flow
(4:31)  8. Just My Style
(5:21)  9. Scent of a Woman
(4:05) 10. Steppers...Let's Do This
(6:09) 11. 1000 Dreams
(5:17) 12. To Love Her

Soprano saxist Marion Meadows has been a crown prince in the smooth jazz court for so long, it's easy to wonder if he remembers his days woodshedding with Joe Henderson and Norman Connors' Starship Orchestra. He's been wildly successful, and his time with the Heads Up label has hardly been wasted; his rep is deep and wide, and his records move. Unlike a better selling counterpart on the same instrument, Meadows has a keen sense of rhythm and pitch, and his tonal control is top-notch. Given the tunes here, interchangeable deep relaxing grooves that borrow on everything from trip-hop to jazz, and house to Wes Montgomery's early experiments check "Remember Me," for evidence of the latter it's easy to forget the individuality Meadows possesses not only on soprano, but also on tenor and flute (he employs all three on "Coco Flow,") as well as alto on the opening title track. He duets with himself on soprano and tenor on "Bounce" and "Remember Me." Meadows' key collaborator here is composer, programmer, and keyboard whiz Mike Broening. He's the guy who comes up with the skeletal, wispy rhythm loops leaving the need for a drummer non-existent. There are three tracks with vocals here, "Miss Know It All," an urban soul ballad with Will Brock doing his best Terence Trent D'Arby, and "1000 Dreams" with Caji Da Bahia, an overblown sunstorm of loaded overdubbing. The cover of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" is an understated ballad with some beautiful phrasing by Meadows, even when the all too familiar chorus kicks in. When the backing vocalists Vanessa and Lori Williams and Raymond Reeder enter, they are so utterly masked by production technique, it's hard to tell they are real singers. But it works, especially in the bridge when Meadows actually plays some blues lines. Meadows is a seriously gifted if unchallenged musician. He could use a new writing partner, but that doesn't mean that Dressed to Chill won't satisfy fans; it most certainly will. ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/dressed-to-chill-mw0000534068

Personnel: Marion Meadows (flute, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Will Brock (vocals); Freddie Fox (guitar, electric guitar, flugelhorn); Chuck Loeb, Randy Bowland (guitar); Thano Sahnas (acoustic guitar); Mike Broening (piano, keyboards, programming); Lori Williams, Raymond Reeder (background vocals).

Dressed to Chill

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Greg Manning - Sugar & Spice

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:52
Size: 98,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Sugar & Spice (feat. Donald Hayes)
(4:36)  2. Round 'N'Round (feat. J. Reid)
(4:46)  3. I Need to Know (feat. Adam Hawley)
(4:57)  4. When You Love Someone (feat. Gabriel Hasselbach)
(3:42)  5. Caribbean Breeze
(4:44)  6. Les Étoiles de Paris (feat. Patrick Bettison)
(4:12)  7. Esperanza
(2:30)  8. The Beauty Within
(5:04)  9. Happy (feat. Donald Hayes)
(4:05) 10. Before the Dawn

Born in Nigeria and brought up in Switzerland, composer producer and keyboard player Greg Manning moved to Los Angeles in the nineties. Since then he has been building a niche position within the annals of contemporary jazz not only through his collaborations with Mindi Abair and Jonathan Butler but also with his own ever-expanding discography. His 2010 project, ‘The Calling’, quickly got the ball rolling and he followed up four years later with the excellent ‘Dance With You’.  Now, with a release date of July 22, comes ‘Sugar & Spice’ from which the title cut is already blazing a trail to radio. http://smoothjazztherapy.typepad.com/my_weblog/2016/06/greg-manning-sugar-spice.html

Sugar & Spice

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Jay McShann & His Orchestra - Hootie's KC Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:38
Size: 106.8 MB
Styles: Big band, Jump blues
Year: 1983/2010
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Hootie Blues
[2:55] 2. Red River Blues
[2:56] 3. Confessin' The Blues
[2:36] 4. Vine Street Boogie
[2:53] 5. 'fore Day Rider
[3:13] 6. Sepian Bounce
[2:39] 7. Hold 'em Hootie
[2:42] 8. Swingmatism
[3:05] 9. Broken Heart Blues
[3:04] 10. One Woman's Man
[3:07] 11. Get Me On Your Mind
[2:59] 12. Dexter Blues
[2:43] 13. Hootie's Ignorant Oil
[3:06] 14. New Confessin' The Blues
[3:00] 15. Lonely Boy Blues
[2:36] 16. So You Won't Jump

Bluesman Jay McShann--"Hootie" to his friends-- has been a living legacy of Kansas City jazz for over 60 years. As pianist, bandleader, singer, and composer McShann has been an unsung but important figure in jazz history. McShann's big band of the 1930s and '40s delivered the hard swinging music of Kansas City imbued with foot pattin' rhythms, boogie woogie beats, and the cryin' and shoutin' blues. It was a launching pad for many talented soloists including a young Charlie Parker, whom the band introduced to the world via early radio broadcasts, recordings, and national concert appearances. A wide-eyed McShann first rolled into a very different Kansas City in the late 1930s, during the era of "Mob Boss" Tom Pendergast. He then met pianist Pete Johnson and singer Joe Turner, who would have a profound effect on his career. McShann later started his own group that in just a few years grew into a full fledged big band. In 1941, with Walter Brown on vocals, the Jay McShann Orchestra recorded its biggest selling hits, including "Confessin' the Blues," "Hootie Blues," and "Vine Street Boogie," for Decca Records.

Hootie's KC Blues

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Melora Hardin - Purr

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:18
Size: 103.7 MB
Styles: Adult contemporary
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:02] 1. Heaven And Earth
[3:18] 2. Dance
[3:31] 3. Cloud 9
[4:19] 4. All Messed Up
[3:21] 5. I've Got My Eye On You
[3:03] 6. Sight To Be Seen
[3:16] 7. Zoom Zoom
[3:13] 8. Dope Me Up
[3:02] 9. Naive
[4:31] 10. Teenager
[5:02] 11. Dial O (On The Little Pink Telephone)
[4:12] 12. A Boy And His Cat
[0:21] 13. Sandcastle By The Sea

MELORA has been singing and writing songs all her life. Music flows through her and she loves to write, record and perform. Her mother says she wrote her first song when she was two years old, and sang it over and over and over again. Melora says she is still on her musical journey, and is always finding ways to get closer to who she is musically. You can follow her recording career thus far with her three cds, "The Meloradrama", "PURR" and "All The Way To Mars". Or you can catch Melora singing live around the country with her act, as well as local gigs in Los Angeles. Melora has been lucky enough to be able to express herself musically in many other venues too. She had the time of her life performing live on Broadway as 'Roxie Hart' in Chicago, and as 'Fantine' in Les Miserables at the Hollywood Bowl with Lea Michelle. In movies like Disney's "The Rocketeer" singing "Begin the Beguine" and "When Your Lover Has Gone" (both songs are on the original motion picture soundtrack) and made for TV movie "Tower Of Terror". On television singing The National Anthem for NASCAR, The Ducks, The Dodgers and numerous others, as well as TV shows like the "The Office" ("Babyshower" episode) and in her new TBS series "Wedding Band" she can be seen singing one of her original songs "As Boy and His Cat" as well as many other songs as 'Roxy Rutherford'.

Purr

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Various - Mambo De Cuba

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 83:21
Size: 190.8 MB
Styles: Afro-Cuban jazz, Latin rhythms
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:46] 1. Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers - El Niño Mambo
[4:57] 2. Snowboy - Mambo For Max
[4:19] 3. Johnny Blas - Oaklands Mambo
[3:51] 4. John Santos - Mambo Moña Mix X
[6:13] 5. Snowboy - El Campeon Del Mambo
[5:31] 6. Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers - Happy Feet Mambo
[6:35] 7. Johnny Blas - Mambo 2000
[4:00] 8. Snowboy - Mambo Rage
[7:48] 9. Robert Incelli - Mambo Niles
[5:23] 10. Blues Mambe For 'trane And Sphere
[4:38] 11. Johnny Blas - Mambone
[4:57] 12. Francisco Aguabella - Mambo For Puente
[4:24] 13. Johnny Blas - Mambo To The Max
[5:49] 14. Johnny Blas - M.J.'s Mambo
[8:04] 15. Johnny Blas - Debbie's Mambo

Mambo is a musical form and dance style that developed originally in Cuba, with further significant developments by Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians in Mexico and the USA. The word "mambo" means "conversation with the gods" in Kikongo, the language spoken by Central African slaves taken to Cuba.

Modern mambo began with a song called "Mambo" written in 1938 by brothers Orestes and Cachao López. The song was a danzón, a dance form descended from European social dances like the English country dance, French contredanse, and Spanish contradanza. It was backed by rhythms derived from African folk music.

Mambo De Cuba

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Eddie Chamblee - Chamblee Special

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 66:42

Size: 152.7 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[3:09] 1. Chamblee Special

[4:26] 2. Without A Song

[2:39] 3. At Your Beck And Call

[3:57] 4. And The Angels Sing

[4:38] 5. Whisper Not

[3:13] 6. Flat Beer

[4:10] 7. Sometimes I'm Happy

[3:57] 8. Stella By Starlight

[4:34] 9. Tea For Two

[2:22] 10. Strollin' Sax

[4:34] 11. Stardust

[2:37] 12. Swing A Little Taste

[4:00] 13. Robbin's Nest

[4:22] 14. Doodlin'

[4:16] 15. Village Square

[2:14] 16. Long Gone

[3:23] 17. Lester Leaps Again

[2:11] 18. Solitude

[1:52] 19. Back Street

Tracks #1-5: Johnny Coles (tp), Julian Priester (tb), Eddie Chamblee (ts), Charlie Davis (bs), Jack Wilson (p), Richard Evans (b), Charlie Persip (d). #6-9: Joe Newman (tp) and Osie Johnson (d) replaxe Coles and Persip. #10-19: Flip Ricard (tp), Julian Priester (tb), Eddie Chamblee (ts, vcl #11), Charlie Davis (bs), Jack Wilson (p), Robert Wilson (b), Charlie james Slaughter (d). Recorded in Chicago, 1957 (1-9) and 1958 (10-19).

This CD brings together two excellent sessions that Chamblee made in Chicago in 1957 and 1958, fronting a septet of outstanding category that had previously served as a very efficient backing group on some of the recordings made by his wife Dinah Washington. They were most certainly not just mere blowing sessions in the studio but effective and exciting arrangements executed with enormous precision and swing. Throughout these sessions we can hear Chamble in his triple facet of impressive honker, excellent composer and quality arranger. Apart from the splendid labours of the leader, on many of the themes that appear on this CD we can hear other experienced jazzmen such as Joe Newman, Johnny Coles, Charlie Davis or Jack Wilson. A very suitable example of the extraordinary quality of a musician who made some of his best performances fronting small combos, the type of formation that allowed him to demonstrate his great musical qualities and his enormous capacity for swinging.

Chamblee Special

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Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra Feat. Sylvia Bennett - Sentimental Journey

Styles: Vocal And Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:09
Size: 86,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Sentimental Journey
(3:12)  2. Don't Get Around Much Any More
(2:32)  3. The Lady Is A Tramp
(3:34)  4. Undecided
(6:12)  5. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(6:53)  6. It's All Right With Me
(4:28)  7. Lullabye of Birdland
(3:03)  8. Almost Like Being In Love
(3:40)  9. Avalon (Instrumental)

A rather forgettable album, this set mostly features the okay vocals of Sylvia Bennett on a variety of overplayed swing standards. Lionel Hampton's big band is mostly restricted to background work with occasional short individual spots while Hampton himself is the only soloist on five of the nine selections, including the lone instrumental, "Avalon." The lack of liner notes on the Atlantic LP is surprising since its purpose seemed to be to introduce a new singer. This set can be safely passed by. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/sentimental-journey-mw0000193276

Personnel:  Bass – Pat O'Leary; Drums – Rick Visone;  Piano – Alan Simon (2) ;  Saxophone – Adam Brenner, Dave Schumacher, Doug Miller, Jerry Weldon, Tom Chapin;  Synthesizer [Yamaha Dx-7], Vibraphone – Lionel Hampton;  Trombone – Charles Stephens, Chris Gulhaugen, John Gordon, Robert Trowers;  Trumpet – Al Bryant, John Pendenza, Lee Romano, Vince Cutro;  Vocals [Featuring] – Sylvia Bennett

Sentimental Journey

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Jackie Ryan - Best of Love songs

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:55
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. When I grow too old
(4:53)  2. You'd be so nice to come home to
(3:56)  3. While we're young
(5:47)  4. Make it last
(4:36)  5. Let there be love
(2:50)  6. Luiza
(3:54)  7. This heart of mine
(3:11)  8. Once in everyone's life
(5:35)  9. Besame mucho
(4:36) 10. Seasons of the heart
(5:28) 11. Serenade in blue
(4:15) 12. Now or never
(4:34) 13. Historia de un amor
(5:17) 14. The very thought of you
(5:15) 15. You are there

An effective best-of CD isn't necessarily going to be the last word on an artist's contributions, but it should at least offer an appealing synopsis that makes one want to dig deeper. Best of Love Songs, which is Jackie Ryan's first best-of collection, accomplishes that; when this 67-minute CD is finished playing, the listener definitely wants to hear more from her. Best of Love Songs' greatest flaw is its lack of liner notes. Although Ryan has a lot going for her, she isn't a major name in the jazz world (at least as of early 2010), and that is precisely why a Ryan best-of should have had comprehensive, informative liner notes. Sometimes, the jazz releases that lack liner notes are the ones that need them the most. But the absence of liner notes doesn't make these previously released recordings any less enjoyable. Listening to "Serenade in Blue" from Passion Flower, "Make It Last" from This Heart of Mine, or "The Very Thought of You" from You and the Night and the Music, it is obvious that Ryan is a skillful, expressive torch singer who has learned a lot from influences like Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Billie Holiday, and Betty Carter (although Ryan isn't nearly as abstract as Carter). One of Ryan's major assets is her ability to express herself in languages other than English; Best of Love Songs underscores that point by giving listeners a chance to hear her performing in Spanish on Consuelo Velazquez's "Bésame Mucho" and Carlos Almaran's "Historia de un Amor," and in Portuguese on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Luiza." Best of Love Songs paints an attractive picture of Ryan, and it can be a pleasing, if imperfect, place to start exploring her work. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/best-of-love-songs-mw0001961317

Personnel:  Vocals: Jackie Ryan;  Sax: Ernie Watts, Red Holloway, Noel Jewkes;  Piano: Jon Mayer, Tamir Hendelman, Larry Vuckovich, Leonard Thompson;  Drums: Jeff Hamilton, Roy McCurdy, Omar Clay, Eddie Marshall;  Percussion: Luis Romero;  Trumpet: Allen Smith ;  Bass: Christoph Luty, Jeff Chambers, Darek Oles, John Wiitala;  Guitar: Barry Zweig, Larry Koonse;  Harp: Carol Robbins

Best of love songs

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Oli Silk - Where I Left Off

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:08
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Ooh Baby!
(4:05)  2. Where I Left Off
(5:00)  3. Take Me Away
(4:09)  4. Burning up the Carnival
(4:01)  5. Seasons Change
(5:51)  6. Su Casa, Mi Casa
(4:03)  7. Catch My Breath
(5:24)  8. Cluster Funk
(5:07)  9. Rest Assured
(6:07) 10. Music Without Sound
(3:54) 11. Take Some Time Out
(4:47) 12. Suits You, Sir!

You can always count on one of our groovemasters from across the big pond to deliver the musical goods when the time is right  and the time is always right. This time, British keyboardist/composer/producer Oli Silk is the deliverer of some fine grooves as he releases Where I Left Off  which is so apropos since he does pick up the party where he left off with the tight Razor Sharp Brit album back in 2013.Silk brings in a lot of familiar mega-talent on this one, including fellow Englishman and smooth jazz guitar icon Peter White, the always dapper and super-cool guitarist Nick Colionne, songstress Katie Leone, trumpet giant Rick Braun, the lovely flutist Althea Rene, and sax virtuosos Steve Cole and Phil Denny. Here with an array of moods and feels, Silk offers the hot, funky lead track “Ohh Baby” then settles back on the tempo a tad as he delivers the mid-tempo title track before ushering in White on the hook-rich, clean, and bouncy “Take Me Away.” He then allows Katie Leone to take us to where they’re “Burning Up the Carnival.” Pick your scenario on this one: Rio, Mardi Gras, on one of our coastal beaches, or in your own backyard party with other beloved revelers. It’s all happening on this spirited charmer.

As usual, Silk dazzles with his trademark fluid style of blowing up either piano or keys. His love of this music simply dances from his fingertips and into one’s heart, which is why he remains so well regarded among jazzers. If you know Silk’s music, you know that you have much from which to choose as a favorite. Mine just happen, in addition to the lead track and “Burning Up the Carnival,” “Cluster Funk” (which, naturally, is rife with phat funk), the tender and soulful “Rest Assured” featuring the caressing flute of Althea Rene about midway through. Such a nice touch to a softly swaying tune. Then, there’s the dance-friendly funkster “Music Without the Sound” again featuring the Leone vocals. You’ll notice that, often, the album is cleverly arranged to alternately switch you from an upbeat and lively place to a sweet and reflective one. Well-produced, arranged, and performed. Signature Silk. In fact, I’d say to the keyboardist: As your finale states: “Suits You, Sir!” ~ Ronald Jackson  http://www.thesmoothjazzride.com/oli-silk-where-i-left-off/

Where I Left Off

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