Brian Charette - Once & Future

Size: 136,6 MB
Time: 58:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Jitterbug Waltz (4:14)
02. Tyrone (3:39)
03. Latin From Manhattan (3:54)
04. Da Bug (4:05)
05. At Last (4:48)
06. Hot Barbeque (4:29)
07. Dance Of The Infidels (3:02)
08. Zoltan (4:51)
09. The Scorpion (4:43)
10. Falling Fourth (3:19)
11. Ain't It Funky Now (3:34)
12. Mellow Mood (4:15)
13. Road Song (4:15)
14. Blues For 96 (5:14)

Nobody who wields an instrument of any sort can truly escape the gravitational pull of history. There are many who try to fight it, but better to embrace what came before, acknowledge where a sound or concept originates, and use that knowledge as both a port of arrival and a point of departure. There are no severed ties between past, present, and future; there are only visible and obscured links.

Organist Brian Charette's fourth album on the Posi-Tone imprint is fully invested in that art of recognition, the belief in invention, and, perhaps most importantly, reconciliation between the two. Charette covers a good deal of music written by or associated with some iconic organists—Fats Waller, Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff, and Larry Young among them—and puts the material through his own spin cycle, influenced by modernists among us like the forward-thinking Sam Yahel and chops 'n' groove champion Joey DeFrancesco. The album falls a notch or two lower on the quirky/freewheeling scale than his previous releases for the label, but it's just as enjoyable and listener-friendly.

Charette travels through fourteen songs here with a pair of label-mates who are well-suited to this environment—guitarist Will Bernard and drummer Steve Fidyk. Together they reconstitute a series of classics and should-be classics with originality and taste, mixing in three originals from the leader for good measure. Jocular moods and serious skills mix often, grooves run deep, and transience triumphs, both in terms of style and song length. This crew moves easily and quickly from funk to swing and soul to bop while extending on the tradition(s).

That once and future blend is always in sight, as demonstrated right off the bat on the back-to-back pairing of Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" and Young's "Tyrone." The former is tied to the jovial, cascading melodic truths of its origins while the latter is reborn as a funky vehicle in seven. The remainder of the program is no less invested in the idea of bridging then with now. Charette and company have a blast visiting and/or retooling different times, places, and styles—hard bop via "Da Bug," a twenty-four bar blues waltz from Freddie Roach; boogaloo in the form of McDuff's "Hot Barbecue"; straight-up dance floor designs, courtesy of James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now"—and they invite the listener to smile and join in the party. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Brian Charette: organ; Will Bernard: guitar; Steve Fidyk: drums.

Once & Future

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Pearl Bailey - The Best

Size: 152,5 MB

Time: 64:44

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2016

Styles: Jazz Vocals

Art: Front

01. Blue Grass (3:19)

02. I Ain't Talking Though It's All Over Town (2:42)

03. Personality (3:11)

04. Me And My Shadow (2:42)

05. Don't Ever Leave Me (2:13)

06. Old Man, You Been Gone Too Long (2:58)

07. It's A Woman's Prerogative (3:08)

08. Legalize My Name (3:09)

09. As Long As I Live (2:28)

10. Who (2:50)

11. Row, Row, Row (3:03)

12. A Little Learnin' Is A Dangerous Thing (6:31)

13. Baby, It's Cold Outside (2:56)

14. Vagabond Shoes (2:30)

15. I'm Lazy That's All (2:34)

16. Nothin', Nothin' Baby Without You (3:19)

17. Let There Be Love (2:46)

18. Fifteen Years And I'm Still Serving Time (3:02)

19. She's Something Spanish (2:50)

20. That's No Way To Do (3:02)

21. Protect Me (3:20)

An uninhibited vocalist who gave more to her performances than any other singers around, Pearl Bailey gained fame for her work in Broadway, cabaret, and Hollywood. Bailey's sultry, slurred delivery livened up many a stale standard, including "Baby It's Cold Outside" and her only hit, "Takes Two to Tango." The daughter of a preacher, Bailey began singing at the age of three (her brother, Bill Bailey, also taught her a few dance steps). She was performing professionally by her early teenage years and after touring as a dancer for several years, she featured both as a singer and dancer with jazz bands led by Noble Sissle, Cootie Williams, and Edgar Hayes. She began performing as a solo act in 1944, and wooed night club audiences with her relaxed stage presence and humorous asides. After briefly replacing Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Cab Calloway's Orchestra during the mid-'40s, she debuted on Broadway during 1946 in the musical St. Louis Woman. Bailey earned an award for most promising newcomer, and made her first film, Variety Girl, in 1947. Though it wasn't a hit, her version of "Tired" (from Variety Girl) increased her standing in the jazz community. She recorded for several different labels, including Columbia, during the '40s and finally found a hit in 1952 after signing to Coral. Her version of "Takes Two to Tango," backed by Don Redman's Orchestra, hit the Top Ten. That same year, she married drummer Louie Bellson, and he left his position with Duke Ellington to become her musical director. Bailey recorded several albums for Coral during the early '50s, and starred as a fortune teller in the 1954 film Carmen Jones. More starring roles followed, in the W.C. Handy biopic St. Louis Blues as well as the first filmed version of Gershwin's classic operetta Porgy and Bess. In 1959, a new recording contract (with Roulette) resulted in a change of direction. After her double-entendre LP For Adults Only was banned from radio play, it became a big seller and occasioned a string of similar albums during the early '60s. She continued to perform on Broadway, and won a Tony award in 1970 for her title role in Hello, Dolly!. She led her own television variety show in 1971, but retired from active performance several years later. Pearl Bailey was named to the American delegation to the United Nations in 1976, and awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1988. ~John Bush

The Best  

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Jerome Epps - Sophisticated Funk

Size: 102,3 MB
Time: 41:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Funk
Art: Front

01. Sophisticated Funk (6:04)
02. Nasty Funk (5:41)
03. Motherfunk (4:15)
04. J-Funk (5:54)
05. Funk Bounce (4:51)
06. Neon Funk (5:17)
07. Carousel Funk (4:46)
08. Jazz Brunch (4:47)

I’ve always been influenced by many genres of music, but Funk music lies at the roots of my journey. This album is a compilation of Contemporary Jazz Funk Fusion & hip hop grooves. During the recording of this album I could feel the spirit of Jazz Funk Legends like Herbie Hancock, George Duke, James Brown, George Clinton and Prince running through my veins. It’s these legends of the past, present & future that have inspired me to bring you “Sophisticated Funk”. Home is where the Funk is and it's good to be back home. Enjoy!

Sophisticated Funk

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Julian Yeo - Another Season

Size: 107,4 MB
Time: 43:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Lullaby Of Birdland (1:56)
02. How High The Moon (2:51)
03. The Summer Wind (3:02)
04. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (2:23)
05. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (3:10)
06. A Fine Romance (3:20)
07. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon) (2:18)
08. All The Things You Are (2:22)
09. Makin’ Whoopee (3:16)
10. Polka Dots And Moonbeams (3:33)
11. Emily (2:31)
12. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To (2:35)
13. Misty (4:02)
14. What Is This Thing Called Love (3:01)
15. S’wonderful (2:36)

Another Season, Another Reason to Record Another Album.

With each season's passing, I seem to gain a slightly different perspective and interpretation of the songs that I love to sing.

So, a few years after I released "You and the Night; Night and the Music", I went back to the recording studio. The first thing I did was to look into the vault of previously unreleased tracks that I had recorded with the band. These tracks were not included in my prior albums for various reasons, mostly because they did not fit in with the overall vibe. With the help of modern technology, I was able to re-record the vocals. With a tad more mature tone, some of these songs seem more convincing when I sing it at a later stage of my life.

I also couldn't wait to record new materials with a live band. So, I summoned guitarist Tony Romano (sometimes joined by bassist Haeng Seol) to lay down more tracks, adding songs that would round up the album with a more intimate introspective vibe, reimagining jazz standards from the 20s to 50s in a chill coffee shop. I sincerely hope you enjoy “Another Season”. ~Julian

Another Season

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Sara Gazarek & Josh Nelson - Dream In The Blue

Size: 126,2 MB
Time: 53:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Blackbird - Bye Bye Blackbird (4:14)
02. O Pato (3:27)
03. Sunny Side Of The Street (4:13)
04. All Again (4:24)
05. I Can't Make You Love Me (4:16)
06. Mood Indigo (3:55)
07. No Moon At All (5:26)
08. Petit Papillon (3:58)
09. I Don't Love You Anymore (3:47)
10. Father Father (5:05)
11. Behind Me (4:28)
12. Cello Song - Without A Song (6:24)

The success of a story often hinges on the art of the telling. Listen to vocalist Sara Gazarek with pianist Josh Nelson and you immediately see that to be true. These two use ripples of inflection to elicit tidal waves of emotion, uncover new wrinkles in the oldest of thematic fabrics, paint scenes and/or inhabit characters so deeply and convincingly that they blur or erase the lines separating true self from role, and willingly reveal all that this world has to offer—blessings, drama, and slings and arrows included. On Dream In The Blue, Gazarek and Nelson alternately elicit tears of joy and sorrow by moving from escape to reality, heaven to earth, and mirth to melancholy, reaffirming their collective position as one of the most arresting voice-and-piano pairings out there in the process.

While their musical relationship is at the heart of all four of Gazarek's previous albums, it's never been highlighted to this degree before. Through duo work these two have discovered an even deeper bond than those formed over their many years of collaboration; it's a bond built on the mutual acceptance of art as a reflection of life.

There's certainly more darkness and woe here than usual for Gazarek and Nelson, but there's no lack of light. The triptych that introduces the album makes that clear. First up is their signature marriage of "Blackbird" and "Bye Bye Blackbird," a beautiful medley filled with hopefulness and reflection. A perky performance of "O Pato" follows. Gazarek moves effortlessly from Portuguese to English, shades of "Take The 'A' Train" materialize in the harmonic framework of the song, and effervescence rules the day. Then optimism continues to shine through with a version of "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" that finds Gazarek matching moves with Nelson on some daring, wordless, well-choreographed maneuvers.

Everything is looking up at this point in the album, but then the realization that nobody rides life's highs forever is swiftly set upon the listener. With "All Again," a radio-worthy Nelson original, a balance point is achieved between darkness and hope; a poignant and nuanced performance of the Bonnie Raitt-associated "I Can't Make You Love Me" tears the heart apart; and a highly personalized rendition of "Mood Indigo," harmonically tweaked and rooted to sixteenth notes, brings out the dark blue meaning in the title better than most.

The second half of the album is no less intriguing in its emotional and musical blend. The seductive "No Moon At All" swings and sings just as it should, demonstrating a straightforward approach that still offers a few surprises. An amalgamation of musical lightness and subject heaviness appears with "Petit Papillon," a Gazarek-Nelson work that uses the plight of a captured and damaged butterfly as an analogue for a woman snared in love, wounded by its daggers, and left in the dust. Then there's "I Don't Love You Anymore," a collaboration between these two and songwriter Cliff Goldmacher that's built around an emotional wallop of a post-breakup encounter. It comes softly but hits hard. This is the point where heartbreak is piled upon heartbreak.

The album then moves toward its conclusion with Laura Mvula's hymn-like "Father Father," Nelson's "Behind Me" (with new lyrics from Gazarek), and a medley of Nick Drake's "Cello Song" and "Without A Song." That last entry, bridging two distinctly different forms of popular music from different eras, conceptually complements the album's opening number and brings things to an ideal conclusion.

Convincingly selling this wide variety of material in such an intimate setting is no easy feat, but Sara Gazarek and Josh Nelson are uncommonly gifted communicators who have no problem getting these stories across in just the right way(s). Dream In The Blue is a testament to the strength of their relationship. It's an album that's likely to endure in hearts and minds. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Sara Gazarek: vocals; Josh Nelson: piano.

Dream In The Blue

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Chris Cheek - Vine

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:33
Size: 168,8 MB
Art: Front

( 9:11)  1. So It Seems
(13:06)  2. The Wing Key
( 6:39)  3. Vine
( 7:57)  4. Ice Fall
(10:35)  5. Granada
( 7:33)  6. Reno
( 8:56)  7. What's Left
( 9:32)  8. Not a Samba

Chris Cheek's sophistication as a writer takes a giant leap with Vine, his best album to date. Joining the saxophonist are two of the most talked-about instrumentalists in jazz, pianist Brad Mehldau and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, as well as bassist Matt Penman and drummer Jorge Rossy. Mehldau plays acoustic piano on only three tracks; otherwise, his instrument of choice is the Fender Rhodes, which blends with Rosenwinkel's guitar in subtle, miraculous ways. "So It Seems" begins the album with winding melodies over a double-time feel and space-age chords that suggest club genres such as jungle and drum-n-bass. Rosenwinkel's solo is dirty and distorted; his expressive vocabulary takes some startling and highly original turns, such as falling off a note with an awkward wobble to end a phrase. In contrast, his solo on the quick 6/8 tune "Ice Fall" glistens with a clean tone and flawlessly executed lines. Mehldau is in top form throughout, getting around the Rhodes with consummate flair and playing beautiful piano behind Cheek's soprano sax on the final duo piece, "Not a Samba."

There's an epic side to Cheek's writing that we haven't quite heard prior to this album. In addition to "So It Seems," there's "The Wing Key," a Latin-tinged exploration that begins with a series of stunning tenor/guitar unison lines; "Granada," a more introspective piece with a Spanish-style hook at the end of the form; and "What's Left," a bright 12/8 piece that Mehldau, Cheek, and Rosenwinkel whip up in turn with brilliant solos. In contrast, "Vine" and "Reno" are simpler constructions, more similar to the folk and country elements heard on Cheek's previous album, A Girl Named Joe. Perhaps this is what it would have sounded like had Keith Jarrett ever happened to sit in with The Band.  It's not exactly surprising when a "dream team" of players such as this shines with instrumental brilliance. But it takes an artistic sensibility as focused and fully realized as Cheek's to work with the raw materials at hand and come up with something smashing. ~ David R.Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/vine-mw0000528712

Personnel: Chris Cheek (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar); Brad Mehldau (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Jorge Rossy (drums).

Vine

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Jenny Evans - The Four Seasons Of Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz

Year: 2011

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 55:18

Size: 127,0 MB

Art: Front

(3:34)  1. The Four Seasons Of Love

(4:57)  2. Early Autumn

(4:14)  3. Like A Breath Of Spring

(5:07)  4. Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer´s Day

(4:35)  5. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most

(5:53)  6. In September

(4:46)  7. September Song

(5:17)  8. November Day

(3:42)  9. The Summer Knows

(2:37) 10. Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind

(1:25) 11. April Is In My Mistress Face

(4:23) 12. The Summer Wind

(4:44) 13. In Summer (Estate)

The English singer Jenny Evans has, for many years now, been regarded as one the leading jazz vocalists in Europe.When guitar player Paulo Morello played her one of his melodies a while back it was the start of a new musical project. Without further ado Jenny wrote lyrics to the tune, calling the song Like A Breath of Spring and this gave rise to a whole new programme with songs inspired by the four seasons of the year. For this project the vocalist presents a New Trio feat. Paulo Morello (guitar), Sven Faller (bass) and Felix Sapotnik (saxophones, clarinets, flute). Jazz standards like Estate, Early Autumn and Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most find themselves in the company of classical melodies by Erik Satie and Thomas Morely; a sonette by Shakespeare - Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer’s Day is complemented by European compositions like The Summer Wind and Michel Legrands The Summer Knows as well as one of Kurt Weill’s American hits, September Song. Paulo Morello has written a theme song specially for this project: The Four Seasons Of Love to which Jenny Evans wrote the lyrics.

Personnel:  Jenny Evans (vocal); Paulo Morello (guitar);  Sven Faller (bass);  Felix Sapotnik (saxophone, clarinet, flute)

The Four Seasons Of Love

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Brian Charette - Upside

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:16
Size: 145,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Yolk
(7:39)  2. Silicone Doll
(6:25)  3. Look Elsewhere
(5:10)  4. Public Transportation
(4:18)  5. You've Changed
(3:28)  6. Furthering Adventures
(4:57)  7. Altered Waltz
(4:55)  8. Girls
(6:27)  9. Prelude To a Kiss
(3:50) 10. Upper Manhattan Medical Group
(5:07) 11. Upside
(5:31) 12. Wish List

Brian Charette is one of many New York City-based jazz musicians seeking to further his career. Following two projects for small labels (the first a self-produced outing), the organist should get greater recognition with this appearance on Steeplechase. Utilizing his working trio with guitarist Ben Monder (who has recorded extensively as a leader and sideman) and drummer Jochen Ruckert, Charette penned nine originals specifically for this session. The humorously titled “Silicone Doll" is not a parody of the famous Ellington ballad, though it is easy to imagine a pretty young lady walking to its catchy theme. The aggressive bop vehicle “Public Transportation" suggests the sudden lane changes in heavy traffic at high speed that stresses the hearts of tourists in New York City, while the lower-key “Altered Waltz" proves equally infectious. Charette's lyrical take of Duke Ellington's “Prelude to a Kiss" allows the ballad plenty of breathing room, with spacious chords on the organ and sensitive use of the volume pedal, while Monder also never adds an unnecessary note, all of it backed by Ruckert's sensitive brushwork. But the trio takes in “U.M.M.G." (aka “Upper Manhattan Medical Group") at a breezy clip, with plenty of fireworks. “Upside," penned by pianist Andy LaVerne for his meeting with organist Gary Versace, is pure groove music with a solid swagger. Brian Charette has staked his claim as one of the top jazz organists of his generation with this superb release. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/upside-mw0000832904

Personnel: Brian Charette (Hammond b-3 organ); Ben Monder (guitar).

Upside

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Jeff Lorber - Step It Up

Styles: Jazz Fusion, Jazz Funk 
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:05
Size: 133,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:19)  1. Get Up
(5:38)  2. Up On This
(5:16)  3. Mustang
(5:44)  4. Fire Spirit
(4:24)  5. Arecibo
(4:50)  6. Right On Time
(5:04)  7. Starfish
(4:51)  8. Tenth Victim
(6:30)  9. Deep Green
(5:51) 10. Soul Party
(4:33) 11. Step It Up

Step It Up, the fourth offering from the revamped Jeff Lorber Fusion, picks up almost exactly where 2014's Grammy-nominated Hacienda left off  with a couple of twists. Keyboardist Lorber and bassist Jimmy Haslip co-produced the 57-minute, 11-track set of originals. The pair got help from their regular stable of sessionmen including guitarists Paul Jackson, Jr. and Michael Thompson, saxophonist Gary Meek, percussionist Lenny Castro, and a slew of drummers including Vinnie Colaiuta. There are also a couple of star guest appearances from Haslip's former Yellowjackets bandmates, tenorman Bob Mintzer and guitarist Robben Ford. The horn charts were expertly scripted by David Mann. Musically, this material harkens back to the mid-'70s; knotty funk, modal jazz, and the melodic invention of R&B are carefully balanced in a breezy, thoughtful, and spine-tingling presentation. "Mustang," one of two pre-release singles, comes right out of Grover Washington, Jr.'s Feels So Good/Mr. Magic period, with a very similar keyboard vamp and contrasting harmonic interludes in the bridge. Colaiuta's kit and Castro's congas create a hypnotic center around the melody before Mintzer's meaty tenor break turns left of center. 

"Arecibo," the first of two tracks to feature Ford on lead guitar, is feel- good jazz-funk. The interplay between keyboard tones, melodies, and chunky rhythmic vamps contrast beautifully with the guitarist's deep blues fills and solo. Ford and Mintzer also feature on "Soul Party," the other single. Mann's horn chart has a wider color palette thanks to Haslip's bassline presence. The tenor, Lorber, and the guitarist dialogue in a series of finger-popping cadences, taut funk breaks, and fleet solo moments. Everything in the mix comes back to swinging, meaty, in-the-pocket R&B. As smooth as Galaxy and substantial as Hacienda, this set offers the best of both albums but goes further in its imaginative lyricism and charts. The groove quotient on Step It Up is exceptionally high, refracted through the prism of focused, precise compositions. ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/step-it-up-mw0002873038

Step It Up

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The Don Friedman Vip Trio - Timeless

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 54:29
Size: 87,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:06)  1. Alone Together
(6:26)  2. Star Eyes
(7:34)  3. Body And Soul
(6:20)  4. Emily
(7:01)  5. Turn Out The Stars
(6:29)  6. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:50)  7. Bouncing With Bud
(7:40)  8. 'Round Midnight

The producer of this 2003 studio session decided to mix things up a bit for veteran jazz pianist Don Friedman by inviting a new rhythm section to play with him. Neither bassist John Patitucci nor drummer Omar Hakim had crossed paths with Friedman on a recording date, though they are both accomplished musicians who provide excellent support for him. The leader planned a set mixing standards and time-tested jazz compositions by various greats. The chemistry is readily apparent in the trio's fluid approach to "Star Eyes" and the light bossa nova setting of "Body and Soul." Friedman's lush, lyrical arrangements of the upbeat ballad "Emily" and the bittersweet "Turn Out the Stars" will invite comparisons to Bill Evans' memorable recordings. There's nothing predictable about the group's interpretation of "'Round Midnight," with each musician finding a new facet to explore within this decades-old jazz standard. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/timeless-mw0000210928

Personnel:   Don Friedman (piano); Omar Hakim (drums); John Patitucci (double bass).

Timeless

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Dave Kikoski - Dave Kikoski

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 138,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:14)  1. E
( 8:16)  2. B Flat Tune
( 8:10)  3. Giant Steps
(11:20)  4. Long Ago and Far Away
( 7:22)  5. Chant
( 6:25)  6. The Shadow
( 7:13)  7. 7/4 Ballad
( 6:15)  8. Spacing

This is Kikoski's only recording to date for a major record label. Not only is it his best by far, it is arguably one of the best piano trio albums of the 1990s. Joined by bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Al Foster, Kikoski scales the heights of jazz with soaring lyricism, harmonic ingenuity, and at times sheer fury. His version of John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" features a stride piano break as technically stunning as it is unexpected. His extended reading of Gershwin's "Long Ago and Far Away" is nothing short of poetic. And of the album's original pieces, "B Flat Tune" and "The Shadow," despite their enormous complexity, sing with an accessibility that marks the finest songwriting. Purists will insist that packaging is irrelevant to great jazz, but not in this instance. The highly evocative cover artwork, quirky typography, laconic liner notes, and aqua-tinted jewel case make the album even more unique, a near classic. ~ David R.Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/dave-kikoski-mw0000119723

Personnel: Dave Kikoski (piano); Essiet Essiet (bass); Al Foster (drums).

Dave Kikoski

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Lena Horne - Lena Goes Latin & Sings Your Requests

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:08
Size: 119,9 MB
Art: Front

(1:54)  1. From This Moment On
(2:27)  2. Take Me
(2:44)  3. Night And Day
(2:43)  4. Old Devil Moon
(1:47)  5. More
(2:28)  6. My Blue Heaven
(3:37)  7. Cuckoo In The Clock
(2:23)  8. Meditation
(2:47)  9. By Myself
(2:24) 10. Island In The West Indies
(2:49) 11. Ours
(2:03) 12. Falling In Love With Love
(1:52) 13. He Loves Me
(2:44) 14. Every Little Bit Hurts
(3:22) 15. Stormy Weather
(2:25) 16. Poppa Don't Preach To Me
(2:58) 17. Honeysuckle Rose
(2:22) 18. The Lady Is A Tramp
(3:27) 19. Lover Man
(2:44) 20. Can't Help Lovin' That Man

In 1963, Lena Horne left a long association with RCA Victor Records and signed to the smaller Charter label, for which she recorded two albums, Goes Latin and Sings Your Requests. Those two albums are combined on this two-fer compilation. The first ten tracks, which comprised the original Goes Latin LP, were arranged by Shorty Rogers and conducted by Horne's husband, Lennie Hayton. In keeping with the title, the arrangements feature Latin percussion, with punchy big-band horn charts on top. Horne was no stranger to such material, at least in the diluted form heard here, having performed Latin-style arrangements in the movies and on Broadway, and in fact her lively, take-charge interpretations are well-suited to Rogers' arrangements, whether applied to a Cole Porter show tune or a more contemporary song such as the Mondo Cane movie theme "More" or Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Meditation." Sings Your Requests earned its title by featuring re-recordings of several songs long associated with Horne, including "Stormy Weather," "Honeysuckle Rose," "The Lady Is a Tramp," and "Can't Help Lovin' That Man." (All are songs she sang in the movies.) But the combination of the two albums onto one disc is justified by their similarity. The first four tracks of the second LP (tracks 11-14 here) are also Rogers arrangements conducted by Hayton, some of them with more Latin percussion, suggesting they came from the same sessions as those for the first LP. (The rest were arranged and conducted by Marty Paich.) Horne remains masterful on the familiar material, and she gives an excellent reading to the newly minted show tune "He Loves Me," a gender-switched version of the title song from the Broadway musical She Loves Me. Lena Horne may have fallen out of commercial favor on records by 1963, but these recordings demonstrate that she hadn't lost her appeal. ~ William Ruhlmann  http://www.allmusic.com/album/lena-goes-latin-sings-your-requests-mw0000649569

Personnel:  Lena Horne – vocals;  Lennie Hayton - arranger, conductor (#1-14);  Shorty Rogers - arranger (#1-14);  Marty Paich - arranger (#15-20)

Lena Goes Latin & Sings Your Requests

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Walter Lang - Eurasia

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:01
Size: 130,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:23)  1. Last Train Home
(3:57)  2. Ack Vaermaland (Dear Old Stockholm)
(5:45)  3. Nights of Skopje
(6:05)  4. Ringo Oiwake
(4:01)  5. Que Reste T'il De Nos Amours? (I Wish You Love)
(4:31)  6. Estate
(7:02)  7. Madrid After Dark
(7:08)  8. Belalim
(5:27)  9. Omorfi Poli
(5:37) 10. Traveling Far

German pianist Walter Lang is big in Japan, with Eurasia being the sixth CD released there on the M&I Records label. A listen to any of these discs reveals something for the discerning taste of the Japanese jazz fan. Lang records mostly in the trio format piano, bass and drums and his approach in this setting can be said to fall in the interactive Bill Evans Trio mode, with a graceful lyricism, a supple use of touch, and an exquisite feel for engaging melodies, on both the tunes he chooses to cover and on his own original compositions. The set of music on Eurasia embraces the theme of a road trip across the great expanse of the Eurasian continent and begins for no other reason than to open with a beautiful melody in America, with Pat Metheny's nostalgic "Last Train Home." Spare single notes by Lang paint a poignant picture, expanding, as the trio-mates enter the tune, into a passing landscape of ephemeral beauty. A jump across the Atlantic lands in the familiar "Ack Vaermaland" (Dear Old Stockholm). 

A visit to Yugoslavia features Dusko Goykovich's rhythmically insistent "Nights of Skopje," while "Ringo Owake" represents Japan. The set also travels to France with "Que Reste T'il De Nos Amours" (I Wish You Love), Italy (Bruno Martino's "Estate"), Spain with the Lang original "Madrid After Dark," Turkey (Belalim), and Greece (Omorfi Poli). In a group of tunes originating in diverse cultures, the universal language of melody is the thread that ties the set together. Lang has a fine ear (and two magical hands) for an engaging melody, and his trio he works with at least three, including the modernized drum 'n' bass dance groove group, Trio Elf is as simpatico and interactive as any that can be heard in the piano trio format. Eurasia is a beautiful, first rate piano trio set one of the best of the year, and with its release Lang has risen to the top level of jazz piano artistry. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/eurasia-walter-lang-m-and-i-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Walter Lang: piano; Thomas Markusson: bass; Sebastian Merk: drums.

Eurasia

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Michael Rodriguez - Reverence

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:12
Size: 140,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:33)  1. Small Feats
(9:18)  2. Enchantment
(9:42)  3. Reverence
(7:29)  4. Wishful Thinking
(9:09)  5. Like Joe
(9:15)  6. Portrait Of Jennie
(7:43)  7. You Did

For his Criss Cross debut, 33-year-old trumpet virtuoso Michael Rodriguez assembles a world-class New York quintet of generational peers (pianist Gerald Clayton and drummer Rodney Green) and mid-career masters (tenor saxophonist Chris Cheek and bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa) to perform six kinetic originals and a single standard, Portrait Of Jennie. Known for his creative melodic approach and pellucid tone via consequential engagements over the last decade with, among others, Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Bobby Watson, and Eddie Palmieri, Rodriguez blends youthful fire with a veteran's focus and mature intention, setting the tone for an immensely satisfying session. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Reverence-Michael-Rodriguez/dp/B00AP0K8RU

Personnel: Michael Rodriguez (Trumpet), Chris Cheek (Saxophone), Gerald Clayton (Piano), Kiyoshi Kitagawa (Bass) Rodney Green (Drums)

Reverence

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Ronnie Cuber - N. Y. C.ats

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:44
Size: 127,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:36)  1. Mirage
( 5:38)  2. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
( 7:19)  3. Mimosa
( 7:01)  4. Humacao
( 8:52)  5. I've Got You Under My Skin
( 7:56)  6. Ponta Grossa
( 7:18)  7. Better Git It In Your Soul

Baritonist Ronnie Cuber is in typically swinging and hyper form throughout this fine hard bop quintet date. Trumpeter Ryan Kisor gets in his licks and the rhythm section (pianist Michael Weiss, bassist Andy McKee, and drummer Tony Reedus) is also excellent. The quintet stretches out on three intriguing if not overly memorable Cuber originals (including a ten-and-a-half-minute version of "Mirage"), George Benson's "Mimosa," and three standards, including a very spirited rendition of Charles Mingus' "Better Git in Your Soul." Virtually every Ronnie Cuber recording is worth acquiring by fans of the baritone sax. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/nycats-mw0000049604

N. Y. C.ats

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Louise Dearman - Here Comes The Sun

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:06
Size: 106,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Here Comes The Sun
(4:13)  2. Squander
(3:59)  3. Time After Time (feat Steve Balsamo)
(3:50)  4. Gravity
(3:35)  5. Defying Gravity
(3:56)  6. See The Day
(4:25)  7. Little Bird
(3:49)  8. This House
(3:26)  9. Uninvited
(3:38) 10. One Day I'll Fy Away
(4:58) 11. Kissing You
(2:51) 12. (James Saint James Remix)

When I heard Louise Dearman was returning to the studio to record her second studio album I knew the finished product would be good. However I did not realise it would one of the most moving, beautiful albums I have ever listened to. Although the songs are covers Louise really makes each one sound like an original. You can tell how she understands every single lyric in every single song as she sings with a great deal of emotion. After seeing Louise play Glinda in Wicked I thought I knew her voice well but the songs on the album allow Louise to show different areas of her voice which I think is one of the most beautiful voices that has ever been heard on a West End stage. There is a variety of songs on the album which create different atmospheres and takes you on a journey. The first song 'Here Comes The Sun' is so gentle. The first 30 seconds almost hypnotise you, putting you into a trance which makes you stop what you are doing, sit down and open your imagination. The orchestrations are also perfect and joins forces with Louise's voice to create something magical. The second track on the album 'Squander' quickly takes you onto the next step of the journey. The song slowly builds up and shows the unique power of Louise's voice. While so many singers have strong voices and can belt out a song, Louise's tone stands out and connects with something on the inside of your body making you go 'wow' (as I did, while sitting on the tube listening to the song on my iPod - I got a few strange looks).

I think 'Time After Time' is one of the most famous tracks on the album. Louise sings this song with Steve Balsamo and their voices compliment each other perfectly. Before hearing this version I didn't realise how beautiful the lyrics of the song are as this version is so stripped back and raw. The way the last phrase of the song is almost whispered gives me chills every time I listen to it. Both singers put so much emotion into the way they sing. This was the first song on the album which left me felling emotionally moved. The next track, 'Gravity', is one of my favourites from the album, it really gives Louise the chance to show off her vocal ability which is extraordinary! I cannot get over how effortlessly she sings the song and makes it sound like it was written for her. 'See The Day' continues the journey of the album, changing the emotion from vulnerable to powerful. It is a great contrasting song on the album and, yet again, shows a different side to Louise! As the song progresses we get to hear some incredible rifts and power from Louise's voice before the song is suddenly stripped back before its massive climax. 

Then the atmosphere completely changes as 'Little Bird' begins. I never expected Louise to sing a song like this. It has such a catchy beat and leaves you with that upbeat inspired feeling - as if you could do anything. While 'This House' is a ballad it is completely different to any other song on the album. It makes you imagine a dark place. Then 'Uninvited' comes along. This song shows us how delicate Louise's voice is. It shows us a glimmer of hope. 'One Day I'll Fly Away' starts the end of the journey and makes you look into the future, showing you that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. The final song on the album 'Kissing You' is stunning. It shows off the talent of Louise Dearman who has such a delicate yet powerful, unique voice. The song ends, finishing the journey of Louise's second album 'Here Comes The Sun'. It leaves you feeling inspired and touched, as if someone had been in the room singing to you directly. This is honestly the best album from a musical theatre artist I have ever heard.  Alternatly you can buy the Album from Amazon, Dress Circle, HMV and iTunes.

~ Andrew Tomlins http://www.westendframe.com/2012/06/album-review-louise-dearmans-here-comes_11.html

Here Comes The Sun

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Ronnie Cuber - In a New York Minute

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:55
Size: 155,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. Dig
(6:08)  2. In a New York Minute
(6:07)  3. Con Pasión
(8:43)  4. Bu's Beat
(8:14)  5. Sophisticated Lady
(9:06)  6. For Bari & Bass
(9:50)  7. 12/8 Thang
(6:40)  8. Emily
(7:22)  9. Caravan

A powerful baritonist in the tradition of Pepper Adams, Ronnie Cuber has been making excellent records for over 20 years. He was in Marshall Brown's Newport Youth Band at the 1959 Newport Jazz Festival and was featured with the groups of Slide Hampton (1962), Maynard Ferguson (1963-1965), and George Benson (1966-1967). After stints with Lionel Hampton (1968), Woody Herman's Orchestra (1969), and as a freelancer, he recorded a series of fine albums (both as a leader and as a sideman) for Xanadu and performed with Lee Konitz's nonet (1977-1979). 

In the mid-'80s, Cuber recorded for Projazz (in both straight-ahead and R&B-ish settings), in the early '90s he headed dates for Fresh Sound and SteepleChase and Cuber performed regularly with the Mingus Big Band. ~ Scott Yanow  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ronnie-cuber/id2899865#fullText

Personnel: Ronnie Cuber (baritone saxophone); Kenny Drew, Jr. (piano); Andy McKee (bass); Adam Cruz (drums).

In a New York Minute

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Julia Fordham - Swept

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:34
Size: 79,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:09)  1. I Thought It Was You
(3:48)  2. Patches Of Happiness
(4:56)  3. Swept
(4:54)  4. Rainbow Heart
(4:13)  5. Betrayed
(4:12)  6. Talk Walk Drive
(3:55)  7. Shame
(4:35)  8. (Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways
(4:49)  9. As She Whispers
(5:58) 10. Scared Me
(3:01) 11. Tied

A jazz- and pop-influenced singer/songwriter, Britain's Julia Fordham is an eclectic artist with a loyal cult following. A native of Portsmouth, England, Fordham performed folk music in local clubs, sang with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and worked as member of Mari Wilson's backing troupe the Wilsations before embarking on her solo career. In 1988, Fordham released her eponymously titled debut, Julia Fordham, which showed off her low, smoky jazz bar, dulcet voice and contained four singles: "The Comfort of Strangers," "Woman of the 80's," her first hit "Happy Ever After," and "Where Does the Time Go."  The following year, Porcelain consolidated her presence as a leading album artist. Produced by Hugh Padgham, Grant Mitchell, and Fordham herself, standout tracks include "Lock and Key"; tonally warm, her vocal delivery was likened to Joni Mitchell's, with whom she'd be further linked in years to come). Porcelain guested Manu Katche and Pino Palladino among its high-caliber lineup. 

More bittersweet tales of hopelessness in the art of relationships were outlined in 1991's Swept, which included the excellent "I Thought It Was You" as well as "(Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways." Also featured in the film The Butcher's Wife, "(Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways" climbed to number 19, making it her biggest U.K. hit to date. Relocating to the States, Fordham released her fourth studio album, the Larry Klein-produced Falling Forward in 1994. In 1997, she returned with East West, which featured production from Canadian guitarist Michael Brook. A solid greatest-hits compilation was released in 1999 and her last contractual effort for Virgin, the aptly titled Collection, included updated versions of "Happy Ever After" and "Where Does the Time Go" as well as "Killing Me Slowly" from East West.  A new deal with Division One/Atlantic prevailed in time for the 2002 release of her sixth studio album, the Klein-produced Concrete Love. Fordham then moved to the Vanguard label for 2004's That's Life and the live CD/DVD combo, That's Live, in 2005. Inspired by the birth of her daughter, Fordham next released the EP Baby Love in 2007. The jazz-influenced China Blue, featuring a duet with Michael McDonald, followed in 2008. Two years later, she teamed with actor and pianist Paul Reiser for the album Unusual Suspects.  In 2014, Fordham released the covers album The Language of Love, which featured jazz and bossa nova reworkings of songs by Blondie, the Eurythmics, 10cc, and others. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/julia-fordham-mn0000837311/biography

Swept

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Seamus Blake - The Call

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:02
Size: 174,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:19)  1. Vanguard Blues I
( 8:44)  2. The Call
( 9:33)  3. Nobody's Song But His Own
(11:15)  4. On Cue
( 5:26)  5. Prelude To A Kiss
( 8:43)  6. Mercy Days
( 9:08)  7. Zydeco
( 5:16)  8. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(10:33)  9. Vanguard Blues II

Tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, who was 24 at the time, is in excellent form on this creative post-bop set. He is teamed with the atmospheric and inventive guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Bill Stewart on seven originals (including "Nobody's Song but His Own," "Mercy Days," and two versions of "Vanguard Blues"), "Prelude to a Kiss," and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." 

At this early stage in his career, Blake already had a pretty original sound on tenor and a good tone on soprano. One of the highpoints of the set is "Zydeco," which, although sounding nothing at all like zydeco music, features some particularly passionate playing from Blake. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-call-mw0000184636

Personnel: Seamus Blake (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar); Kevin Hays (piano); Bill Stewart (drums).

The Call

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Keiko Matsui - Wildflower

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:35
Size: 114,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:48)  1. Flashback
(4:33)  2. Facing Up
(4:28)  3. Sense Of A Journey
(4:29)  4. Brand New Wind
(4:06)  5. Eldest Of All
(4:23)  6. Reflections
(4:31)  7. White Castle
(3:46)  8. Temple Of Life
(5:07)  9. Seeker
(4:58) 10. Stone Circle
(4:19) 11. Wildflower

The spiritual and charitable-minded Japanese keyboardist, who blends ethereal new age textures with a rich soul-jazz sensibility better than anyone, is in top form on her 14th studio release. Like its recent predecessors on Narada Jazz, the CD features songs that are all about the landscape between subtlety and drama, elegant piano melodies and improvisations, dramatic flute and sax harmonies, and rich ambiences dense with percussion. Tying in perfectly with her current humanitarian work with United Nations World Food Program (WFP) efforts in Africa (most of her recent albums have tied into some charitable or health cause), the collection features subtle worldbeat threads throughout. "Flashback" features a gentle, classical-flavored piano melody over a gently throbbing bassline, before Matsui does some dramatic improvisations over dense, exotic percussion textures. "Facing Up" is quintessential graceful Matsui up until the feisty, machine-generated wall of polyrhythmic drums (which she simply dances over). "Sense of a Journey" is a little more smooth jazz-centered in spots, but later goes on a film score-like orchestral tangent. The intro to "Reflections" is low-key but decidedly African jungle in vibe, while the sweeping "Temple of Life" features hints of sitar, vocal choirs, and chanting beyond the orchestral flair. The closing title track is probably the most restrained piece production-wise, but also one of the most memorable melodically; its royalty proceeds will benefit the WFP, her latest charity. Matsui is always so consistent that it's hard to decide if one album ever tops another, but like most albums in her catalog, Wildflower is irresistible in its execution of incredible dynamics throughout. ~ Jonathan Widran http://www.allmusic.com/album/wildflower-mw0000696377

Personnel: Keiko Matsui (piano); Kazu Matsui (shakuhachi); Masamichi Nanji, Shinobu Ishizaki (soprano saxophone); Akira Jimbo (drums, percussion); Derek Nakamoto, Hajime Hyakkoku, Heigo Yokouchi, Kazunori Miyake (programming).

Wildflower

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