Jerry Lee Lewis - Classic Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:34
Size: 111.2 MB
Styles: Rock N Roll, Rockabilly
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[1:53] 1. Great Balls Of Fire
[2:28] 2. High School Confidential
[2:51] 3. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
[2:50] 4. It'll Be Me
[2:53] 5. You Win Again
[2:49] 6. Fools Like Me
[2:07] 7. I'll Sail My Ship Alone
[1:46] 8. End Of The Road
[2:37] 9. It Hurt Me So
[2:37] 10. Break Up
[2:03] 11. Livin' Lovin' Wreck
[1:58] 12. Lewis Boogie
[2:44] 13. Crazy Arms
[3:04] 14. I'll Make It All Up To You
[1:57] 15. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)
[2:41] 16. Breathless
[1:50] 17. Lovin' Up A Storm
[2:07] 18. Put Me Down
[2:57] 19. It All Depends (On Who Will Buy The Wine)
[2:11] 20. Down The Line

Is there an early rock & roller who has a crazier reputation than the Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis? His exploits as a piano-thumping, egocentric wild man with an unquenchable thirst for living have become the fodder for numerous biographies, film documentaries, and a full-length Hollywood movie. Certainly few other artists came to the party with more ego and talent than he and lived to tell the tale. And certainly even fewer could successfully channel that energy into their music and prosper doing it as well as Jerry Lee. When he broke on the national scene in 1957 with his classic "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," he was every parents' worst nightmare perfectly realized: a long, blonde-haired Southerner who played the piano and sang with uncontrolled fury and abandon, while simultaneously reveling in his own sexuality. He was rock & roll's first great wild man and also rock & roll's first great eclectic. Ignoring all manner of musical boundaries is something that has not only allowed his music to have wide variety, but to survive the fads and fashions as well. Whether singing a melancholy country ballad, a lowdown blues, or a blazing rocker, Lewis' wholesale commitment to the moment brings forth performances that are totally grounded in his personality and all singularly of one piece. Like the recordings of Hank Williams, Louis Armstrong, and few others, Jerry Lee's early recorded work is one of the most amazing collections of American music in existence. ~partial bio by Cub Koda

Classic Years

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Ed Polcer All-Stars - Jammin' A La Condon

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:59
Size: 162.5 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[5:54] 1. California, Here I Come
[6:47] 2. Condon Medley At Sundown Big Butter And Egg Man Back In Your Own ..
[4:01] 3. Jubilee
[5:22] 4. Somebody Stole My Gal
[5:47] 5. Home
[7:04] 6. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me
[4:33] 7. On The Alamo
[4:56] 8. Bye Bye Blues
[3:10] 9. Can't We Be Friends
[8:02] 10. Linger Awhile
[6:47] 11. Wild Bill Medley Blue Again The Vanderbilt Confessin I Can't ..
[8:30] 12. Wolverine Blues

With Tom Saunders, Bob Havens, Bill Allred, Ken Peplowski, Allan Vache, Mark Shane, Marty Grosz, Greg Cohen, Joe Ascione.

During the past several years, Ed Polcer has become one of the most sought after performers on the jazz festival circuit. He has appeared in hundreds of concerts, festivals and jazz parties throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, including numerous return appearances at the Newport/Kool/JVC Festival in New York. Ed's musical versatility and leadership have earned him a reputation as a dynamic bandleader, and he is often called upon to organize festivals, concerts, dances and parties.

Ed joined Benny Goodman's Sextet for an American tour in 1973. An expert showman, Ed has led numerous concerts with varied themes, including his extensive U.S. tours for Columbia Artists. In 1992, '93 and '94." A Night At Eddie Condon's", transported the audience back to the famous nightclub and gave a musical retrospective of American jazz over the last 100 years.

Jammin' A La Condon

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Charles McPherson - First Flight Out

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:56
Size: 158,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. Lynns Grins
(5:51)  2. Lizabeth
(6:59)  3. Blues for Chuck
(7:46)  4. Nostalgia in Times Square
(5:27)  5. Well You Needn't
(6:19)  6. 7th Dimension
(7:20)  7. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(6:04)  8. Deep Night
(5:08)  9. Portrait
(4:18) 10. Karen
(5:40) 11. My Funny Valentine
(3:51) 12. First Flight Out

A Charlie Parker disciple who brings his own lyricism to the bebop language, Charles McPherson has been a reliable figure in modern mainstream jazz for more than 35 years. He played in the Detroit jazz scene of the mid-'50s, moved to New York in 1959, and within a year was working with Charles Mingus. McPherson and his friend Lonnie Hillyer succeeded Eric Dolphy and Ted Curson as regular members of Mingus' band in 1961 and he worked with the bassist off and on up until 1972. Although he and Hillyer had a short-lived quintet in 1966, McPherson was not a full-time leader until 1972. 

In 1978, he moved to San Diego, which has been his home ever since and sometimes he uses his son, Chuck McPherson, on drums. Charles McPherson, who helped out on the film Bird by playing some of the parts not taken from Charlie Parker records, has led dates through the years for Prestige (1964-1969), Mainstream, Xanadu, Discovery, and Arabesque. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/charles-mcpherson-mn0000206020/biography

Personnel: Charles McPherson (alto saxophone), Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn), Michael Weiss (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)

First Flight Out

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Will Bernard - Out & About

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:31
Size: 111,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. Happy Belated
(1:48)  2. Not Too Fancy
(4:18)  3. Next Guest
(6:44)  4. Habenera
(4:17)  5. Redwood (Business Casual)
(5:37)  6. Homeward Bound
(3:12)  7. Homebody
(5:13)  8. Suggested Reading
(4:26)  9. Full Sweep
(3:16) 10. Pan Seared
(3:59) 11. Out & About

Will Bernard has received his due for sideman work in a variety of settings, but you rarely hear anybody talk about stylistic range when it comes to his own leader dates. This is the album that could and should change that. Over the course of eleven originals, Bernard continually frames himself in different ways, constantly redefining his outlook and mining fresh musical veins with some help from four A-list musicians organist Brian Charette, saxophonist John Ellis, bassist Ben Allison, and drummer Allison Miller. It's a winning formula, making Out & About an out-and-out success. The album opens with "Happy Belated," a funky number with a twist or two that falls right into Bernard's comfort zone. Allison's fulsome bass and Miller's solid drumming lock everything in place, Bernard and Ellis sync up when an angular interlude appears, and metric adjustments are made without altering the natural feel of the piece. It's a number that could've set Bernard up perfectly for a funk-themed record, but he doesn't oblige. Instead, he turns sharply at every opportunity. "Not Too Fancy" a brief and intimate guitar-and-bass duo that's quaint, serene, and comforting follows, completely changing the direction implied with "Happy Belated." 

Then there's "Next Guest," a piece that flies and gives Ellis, Bernard, Allison, and Miller a chance to really dialogue with one another; "Habenera," a shape-shifting avant-tango that benefits from Charette's out-of-the-box organ work; "Redwood (Business Casual)," a number energized by Miller's propulsive ride cymbal and powerful soloing; and "Homeward Bound," a straight-eighth selection that plays up the partnership between rhythmic recurrence and mood evolution. With each of the five numbers that remain, Bernard and his buddies continue to defy expectations. "Homebody" carries some heartland inflections and gives Ellis and Bernard a chance to continually cross paths and dance, "Suggested Reading" sets Bernard's slinky guitar against Allison's stout yet slippery bass lines and Miller's happening grooves, and "Full Sweep" delivers wonderfully off-balanced hits and harmonic shifts. Then things wind down with a gravity-reduced exploration called "Pan Seared" and the swaying title track. After all of that it's tempting to see this as an identity crisis record. The truth, however, is something much simpler: This is Will Bernard, in all of his multifaceted glory. ~ Dan Bilaswsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/out-and-about-will-bernard-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Will Bernard: guitar; John Ellis: saxophone; Brian Charette: organ; Ben Allison: bass; Allison Miller: drums.

Out & About

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Billy Eckstine - The Modern Sound Of Mr. B

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:56
Size: 81,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:28)  1. Mister Kicks
(3:40)  2. People
(3:12)  3. Satin Doll
(3:24)  4. A Beautiful Friendship
(2:29)  5. Wives and Lovers
(2:24)  6. What Are You Afraid Of
(1:55)  7. Sweet Georgia Brown
(2:46)  8. A Garden In The Rain
(4:05)  9. Wouldn't It Be Loverly
(3:00) 10. Poor Fool
(2:45) 11. Our Once Happy Love
(2:43) 12. Wanted

Billy Eckstine's smooth baritone and distinctive vibrato broke down barriers throughout the 1940s, first as leader of the original bop big band, then as the first romantic black male in popular music. An influence looming large in the cultural development of soul and R&B singers from Sam Cooke to Prince, Eckstine was able to play it straight on his pop hits "Prisoner of Love," "My Foolish Heart" and "I Apologize." Born in Pittsburgh but raised in Washington, D.C., Eckstine began singing at the age of seven and entered many amateur talent shows. He had also planned on a football career, though after breaking his collar bone, he made music his focus. After working his way west to Chicago during the late '30s, Eckstine was hired by Earl Hines to join his Grand Terrace Orchestra in 1939. Though white bands of the era featured males singing straight-ahead romantic ballads, black bands were forced to stick to novelty or blues vocal numbers until the advent of Eckstine and Herb Jeffries (from Duke Ellington's Orchestra). Though several of Eckstine's first hits with Hines were novelties like "Jelly, Jelly" and "The Jitney Man," he also recorded several straight-ahead songs, including the hit "Stormy Monday." By 1943, he gained a trio of stellar bandmates Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan. After forming his own big band that year, he hired all three and gradually recruited still more modernist figures and future stars: Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Fats Navarro, and Art Blakey, as well as arrangers Tadd Dameron and Gil Fuller. The Billy Eckstine Orchestra was the first bop big-band group, and its leader reflected bop innovations by stretching his vocal harmonics into his normal ballads. Despite the group's modernist slant, Eckstine hit the charts often during the mid-'40s, with Top Ten entries including "A Cottage for Sale" and "Prisoner of Love." On the group's frequent European and American tours, Eckstine also played trumpet, valve trombone, and guitar.

Though he was forced to give up the band in 1947 (Gillespie formed his own bop big band that same year), Eckstine made the transition to string-filled balladry with ease. He recorded more than a dozen hits during the late '40s, including "My Foolish Heart" and "I Apologize." He was also quite popular in Britain, hitting the Top Ten there twice during the '50s "No One But You" and "Gigi" as well as several duet entries with Sarah Vaughan. Eckstine returned to his jazz roots occasionally as well, recording with Vaughan, Count Basie, and Quincy Jones for separate LPs, and the 1960 live LP No Cover, No Minimum featured him taking a few trumpet solos as well. He recorded several albums for Mercury and Roulette during the early '60s (his son Ed was the president of Mercury), and he appeared on Motown for a few standards albums during the mid-'60s. After recording very sparingly during the '70s, Eckstine made his last recording (Billy Eckstine Sings with Benny Carter) in 1986. He died of a heart attack in 1993. ~ John Bush http://www.allmusic.com/artist/billy-eckstine-mn0000082584/biography

Thank You, Scoredaddy!

The Modern Sound Of Mr. B

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Billy Preston - Ultimate Collection

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:24
Size: 170,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. Will It Go Round In Circles
(4:09)  2. Outa-Space
(2:45)  3. Slaughter
(3:24)  4. I Wrote A Simple Song
(4:10)  5. That's The Way God Planned It [Live]
(2:36)  6. Struttin'
(5:47)  7. Fancy Lady
(3:19)  8. You're So Unique
(3:28)  9. Space Race
(3:10) 10. Get Back
(2:30) 11. Blackbird
(3:16) 12. Wide Stride
(2:37) 13. Nothing From Nothing
(3:48) 14. I'm Really Gonna Miss You
(4:51) 15. You Are So Beautiful
(3:40) 16. With You I'm Born Again
(4:51) 17. Since I Held You Close
(3:50) 18. Go For It
(3:54) 19. One More Time For Love
(3:41) 20. I'm Never Gonna Say Goodbye

Hip-O's Ultimate Collection may not have the original hit recording of "That's the Way God Planned It," due to licensing restrictions (it was recorded for the Beatles ill-fated label, Apple), but that's about the only thing missing from this near-definitive single-disc set. Over the course of 20 tracks, the collection chronicles every one of Preston's hits, from the funky "Outa-Space," "Slaughter," and "Will It Go Round in Circles" to the smooth, quiet storm soul of his duets with Syreeta ("With You I'm Born Again," "Go for It," "One More Time for Love"). Since it's quite a transition between the two extremes, fans of either side of the spectrum may not enjoy everything here, but it's nevertheless a nearly flawless collection, providing an accurate portrait of Preston's career. It is true that the lesser-known hits aren't as compelling as the smash singles, but this is still an entertaining collection, regardless. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/ultimate-collection-mw0000058458

Personnel: Billy Preston (vocals, keyboards).

Ultimate Collection

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Cyndi Lauper - Detour

Styles: Vocal, Country
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:25
Size: 93,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Funnel Of Love
(2:55)  2. Detour (feat. Emmylou Harris)
(3:19)  3. Misty Blue
(2:16)  4. Walkin' After Midnight
(3:10)  5. Heartaches By The Number
(3:12)  6. The End Of The World
(2:58)  7. Night Life (feat. Willie Nelson)
(3:24)  8. Begging To You
(3:42)  9. You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly (feat. Vince Gill)
(3:00) 10. I Fall To Pieces
(3:13) 11. I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart (feat. Jewel)
(3:54) 12. Hard Candy Christmas (feat. Alison Krauss)

A spiritual sequel of sorts to Memphis Blues, Detour finds Cyndi Lauper swapping out blues for country & western. The "western" part of the equation is crucial to Detour, a record equally enamored of cowboy camp as it is of Music City craft and corn. Such a wide purview is testament to Lauper's taste-savvy show biz sensibilities, but by balancing ballads with riotous romps, she winds up with a bit of a mess on her hands. On their own, the slow-burning-torch set pieces of "End of the World" and "I Fall to Pieces" have their charms  they offer ample evidence of Lauper's nuance and control, elements that are often underrated but when paired with the ferocious, mincing wink of "You're the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly," "Cowboy Sweetheart," and "Detour," the spell is broken. Matters aren't helped much by the presence of Dolly Parton's "Hard Candy Christmas" a fine, faithful rendition that closes off the record on a sweet note  and the crisp, digital modern sheen of the opener "Funnel of Love," elements that pull Detour even further down a winding backroad. 

Such sudden shifts in tone might work better on-stage than they do on record, and with its cavalcade of guest stars, Detour often does play a bit like a stage revue, for better or worse. After all, much of Lauper's charm lies in her innate theatricality, and when she's paired with someone who shares her humor Emmylou Harris on "Detour" and, especially, Vince Gill on "You're the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly" there's a crackling vitality that nevertheless winds up diluting the diva showstoppers, something that could possibly be finessed on-stage but seems like a sharp turn on record. Nevertheless, on a track-by-track level, Detour has a few stumbles the biggest is "Night Life," and that's due to the gravelly growl of Willie Nelson, not Lauper and if it's taken as a collection of performances and not a coherent record, it's fun. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/detour-mw0002913797

Personnel: Cyndi Lauper (vocal);  Kenny Greenberg, Vince Gill, Tom Bukovac (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Willie Nelson, Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar); Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Aubrey Haynie (mandolin, fiddle); Jeff Taylor (accordion); Steve Nathan (piano, Hammond b-3 organ, Wurlitzer organ, synthesizer); Tony Brown (piano); Greg Morrow, Chad Cromwell (drums); Neal Coomer, Elaine Caswell, Perry Coleman, Kim Keyes (background vocals).

Detour

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Rune Gustafsson - Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:37
Size: 97.6 MB
Styles: Guitar & vocal jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Black And Blue
[3:01] 2. That Old Feeling
[4:32] 3. I Surrender Dear
[3:11] 4. Don't Be That Way
[3:14] 5. Taking A Chance On Love
[3:28] 6. No Regrets
[3:55] 7. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
[3:38] 8. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[2:20] 9. Home
[3:19] 10. I'm In The Mood For Love
[3:39] 11. For All We Know
[4:36] 12. You're A Sweetheart

Heavily inspired by generations of blurry-toned jazz guitar maestros such as Jimmy Raney, Jim Hall, and Tal Farlow, this Swedish artist went on to compose critically acclaimed film soundtracks as well as pick and strum. The Swedish music scene in general is where documentation of Rune Gustafsson is most prevalent, his discography on Sonet, Metronome, and other labels even including a tribute to soul genius Stevie Wonder. The guitarist began performing folk music as a young teen, apparently under considerable prodding from an uncle who was already engaged in the same kind of activity. Gustafsson had evolved to playing jazz on stages in the early '50s, his bandleaders including Bert Dahlander, Putte Wickman, Hacke Bjorksten, and Lars Gullin. When profiled in Leonard Feather's Encyclopedia of Jazz in the '70s, Gustafsson talked about his ambitions in composing and arranging concert music, a promise he certainly made good on in the ensuing years. He also expanded his instrumental arsenal for some of these projects, recording on the banjo and the celeste, among other unusual axes. His film credits include the 1992 Ingmar Bergman release with the English title of Sunday's Children. ~bio by Eugene Chadbourne

Standards

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Mildred Bailey - The Great American Songbook

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:29

Size: 133.9 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Rockin' Chair

[3:25] 2. Georgia On My Mind

[3:04] 3. Lazy Bones

[2:47] 4. Heat Wave

[2:58] 5. Honeysuckle Rose

[3:13] 6. More Than You Know

[2:53] 7. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

[3:01] 8. Trust In Me

[3:12] 9. Where Are You

[2:33] 10. Thanks For The Memory

[3:14] 11. Lover, Come Back To Me

[2:33] 12. Please Be Kind

[2:55] 13. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart

[2:46] 14. My Melancholy Baby

[2:46] 15. The Lonesome Road

[2:42] 16. St. Louis Blues

[2:45] 17. Begin The Beguine

[2:36] 18. 'tain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It)

[2:47] 19. Prisoner Of Love

[3:01] 20. All Of Me

An early jazz singer with a sweet voice, Mildred Bailey balanced a good deal of popular success with a hot jazz-slanted career that saw her billed as Mrs. Swing (her husband, Red Norvo, was Mr. Swing). Born Mildred Rinker in Washington state in 1907, Bailey began performing at an early age, playing piano and singing in movie theaters during the early '20s. By 1925, she was the headlining act at a club in Hollywood, doing a mixture of pop, early jazz tunes, and vaudeville standards. Influenced by Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, and Connie Boswell, she developed a soft, swinging delivery that pleased all kinds of nightclub audiences in the area. After sending a demonstration disc in to Paul Whiteman in 1929, she gained a spot with one of the most popular dance orchestras of the day.

The added exposure with Whiteman soon gave Bailey her own radio program. She had already debuted on a recording date with guitarist Eddie Lang in 1929, but in 1932 she gained fame by recording what became her signature song, "Rockin' Chair" -- written especially for her by Hoagie Carmichael -- with a Whiteman small group. While recording for Vocalion during the 1930s, Bailey often utilized her husband, xylophonist/vibraphonist Red Norvo. She also appeared on his recordings of the late '30s, and the arrangements of Eddie Sauter proved a perfect accompaniment to her vocals.

Though she and Norvo later divorced, Bailey continued to perform and record during the 1940s. She appeared on Benny Goodman's Camel Caravan radio program, and gained her own series again during the mid-'40s. Hampered by health problems during the late '40s, she spent time in the hospital suffering from diabetes and died of a heart attack in 1951. ~bio by John Bush

The Great American Songbook  

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The Hep Chaps - Swingin' On Nothing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:07
Size: 112.5 MB
Styles: Retro Swing
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Swingin' On Nothing
[2:45] 2. Tickle Toe
[4:17] 3. Cherokee
[3:13] 4. S'wonderful
[3:29] 5. The Lady Is A Tramp
[3:23] 6. One For Press
[3:01] 7. Easy To Dance With
[3:35] 8. The D.I.Y. Song
[3:59] 9. Summertime
[3:45] 10. Cape Cod
[3:29] 11. Into It
[3:31] 12. Lady Be Good
[2:55] 13. Spook's Holiday
[4:00] 14. Hit That Jive Jack

In incredible six-piece band formed by David Howarth and John Wallace, delivering punchy Swing Rhythms via original songs with zany lyrics and reworking favorites from the original Swing era. Rock'n'Roll fans will know John Wallace as a member of The Stargazers, and David Howarth from his roles in the stage musicals "Buddy" and "Good Rockin' Tonight". The Hep Chaps line-up also features guitar-ace Zac Zdravkovic, leader of British Rock'n'Roll favorites The Jive Romeros.

A fantastic album with boasts catchy swinging tunes, both new and old performed by the finest musicians the Swing Scene has to offer - and great vocals too!

Swingin' On Nothing

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Viktoria Tolstoy - Blame It On My Youth

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:55
Size: 109.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:46] 1. We'll Be Together Again
[4:34] 2. Midnight Sun
[6:02] 3. Laura
[3:40] 4. Baby Plays Around
[4:57] 5. The Saga Of Harrison Crabfeathers
[4:04] 6. Blame It On My Youth
[4:12] 7. Destiny
[5:56] 8. Peace
[4:44] 9. Summer Night
[4:56] 10. Angel Eyes

Drums, Timpani, Percussion – Rasmus Kihlberg; Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass – Mattias Svensson; Piano, Organ, Vibraphone, Marimba – Jacob Karlzon; Viola – Christopher Öhman (tracks: 2, 4, 10), Henrik Frendin (tracks: 2, 4, 10); Violin – David Björkman Celhag* (tracks: 2, 4, 10); Vocals – Viktoria Tolstoy.

The great-great-granddaughter of the Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy, singer Viktoria developed a small but dedicated following in Sweden in the early 90s. Her mid-90s recording debut, Smile, Love And Spice, for which she was praised by Swedish jazz musicians such as Arne Domnérus, Svante Thuresson and Putte Wickman, began attracting attention further afield. She gained even more attention and greater commercial success with 1996’s För Älskad, a pop album that hinted strongly at star potential. Signed to Blue Note Records, she released White Russian in 1997, most of the songs on which were written by Tolstoy in collaboration with pianist Esbjörn Svensson. Following on the release of this CD, Tolstoy toured Germany, accompanied by Svensson’s trio. The weight of the Blue Note contract helped her gain entry to the inner circles of jazz and she performed with Ray Brown, singing with him in 2000 in Geneva, Switzerland, McCoy Tyner, and others. Nevertheless, she concentrated for a while on strengthening her base in Sweden. Subsequent albums, especially those following a shift to ACT Records, demonstrate her development as a strong singer and how much she has learned from her association with able jazz musicians. In 1999 she appeared in London at the Swedish Jazz Extravaganza. The release of Shining On You early in 2004 was concurrent with a Rising Stars tour of Germany, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland. In addition to Scandinavian and northern European countries, Tolstoy has also appeared in Italy and Malaysia.

Blame It On My Youth

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Gerald Albright - Sax For Stax

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:01
Size: 116.8 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:05] 1. Theme From The Men
[4:05] 2. Knock On Wood
[4:14] 3. Never Can Say Goodbye
[4:53] 4. Memphis Passion
[5:03] 5. Respect Yourself
[5:08] 6. I Stand Accused
[4:20] 7. Cheaper To Keep Her
[4:30] 8. Walkin' Down Beale Street
[4:48] 9. What You See Is What You Get
[4:14] 10. Who's Making Love
[4:36] 11. W.C. Handy Hop

Sax for Stax by Gerald Albright features Will Downing, Ledisi, Kirk Whalum, and Philip Bailey. Gerald Albright has been serving up "Sweet Pain" on his soulful saxophone for an ever-growing audience that spans across R&B, "Quiet Storm," traditional jazz and smooth jazz lines. Albright once again demonstrates his unique soulful sound while paying homage to one of the greatest eras of american music history.

Sax For Stax

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Stuff Smith With The Henri Chaix Trio - Late Woman Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:03
Size: 142.1 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:31] 1. C Jam Blues
[6:47] 2. Perdido
[6:06] 3. Late Woman Blues [blues In B Flat]
[6:35] 4. How High The Moon
[5:36] 5. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[8:05] 6. Take The A Train
[4:39] 7. Body And Soul
[7:19] 8. After You've Gone
[6:22] 9. Oh, Lady Be Good
[4:59] 10. Rosetta

Stuff Smith spent the final two years of his life performing in Europe; this previously unreleased Swiss concert from 1965 was finally released some 36 years later. The violinist is accompanied by stride pianist Henri Chaix, young bassist Michel Guillemin, and fellow American expatriate Wallace Bishop (who had resided in Europe since 1950) on drums. Smith is in top form, though the inexperience of the bassist is rather obvious during the awkward introduction to "Perdido"; fortunately, things improve rapidly afterwards. In addition to his swinging fiddle, Smith's hoarse vocals are a riot in his "Late Woman Blues" (also known as "Blues in B Flat"), while he breaks up one of his sidemen with his singing of "On the Sunny Side of the Street." The instrumentals are mostly familiar to Smith's fans, including "Take the 'A' Train" and "How High the Moon," though it is the adventurous and occasionally dissonant take of "Body and Soul," a standard rarely played by the violinist, that takes top honors. The sound is very good for such a vintage recording. Swing fans will consider this long-hidden treasure to be an essential CD. ~Ken Dryden

Late Woman Blues

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The Animals - Retrospective

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:44
Size: 175.7 MB
Styles: Rock, British Invasion, AM Pop
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:29] 1. The House Of The Rising Sun
[2:47] 2. I'm Crying
[2:19] 3. Baby Let Me Take You Home
[2:27] 4. Gonna Send You Back To Walker
[3:17] 5. Boom Boom
[2:27] 6. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
[2:41] 7. Bring It On Home To Me
[3:12] 8. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
[3:05] 9. It's My Life
[3:15] 10. Don't Bring Me Down
[3:59] 11. See See Rider
[3:47] 12. Inside Looking Out
[3:46] 13. Hey Gyp
[2:39] 14. Help Me Girl
[2:59] 15. When I Was Young
[3:04] 16. A Girl Named Sandoz
[3:20] 17. San Franciscan Nights
[4:18] 18. Monterey
[3:21] 19. Anything
[7:28] 20. Sky Pilot
[3:50] 21. White Houses
[4:02] 22. Spill The Wine

Back in 1964, unless you were living in a cave or covered with fur, you would have heard the hit songs of 'The Animals. Forty years later, you can do it again. 22 tracks including the long unavailable 'We Gotta Get Out Of This Place' (U.S.).

The 22 tracks on Retrospective deftly chronicle the best years of the Animals, who were far and away the grittiest band in the British Invasion of the mid-1960s. Eric Burdon's magnificently raw vocals and the stabbing chords of Alan Price's Vox Continental organ gave their covers of American blues and R&B classic such as Sam Cooke's "Bring it on Home" and John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" an authenticity that no other British groups could match. Their rough sound also gave songs like "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "We've Got to Get of This Place" a real sense of rage and menace. By 1967 Burdon was the only remaining original member and he formed a new band that eschewed the blues and R&B of his early years in Newcastle in favor of a psychedelic, San Francisco-influenced sound. Songs like "When I Was Young" showed he had a real gift for the type of personal songwriting that was becoming popular in the late 1960s while the lyrically obscure "San Franciscan Nights" and "Sky Pilot" suggested he spent too much time hanging out with hippies. Even when they stumbled, the Animals were interesting, and when they hit the mark, they were as good as any band from the British Invasion. ~Michael John Simmons

Retrospective

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Bobby Troup - Bobby Swings Tenderly

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:25
Size: 71.9 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Cool
Year: 1957/2000
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. Tenderly
[2:13] 2. My Ship
[4:51] 3. These Foolish Things
[2:53] 4. Perdido
[2:44] 5. Always
[3:26] 6. Stella By Starlight
[4:15] 7. Makin' Whoopee
[3:00] 8. It Never Entered My Mind
[2:16] 9. I See Your Bass Before Me

This is one of pianist/vocalist/composer Bobby Troup's few (and possibly only) all-instrumental dates. Accompanied by cool-toned horns (valve trombonist Bob Enevoldsen, trumpeter Stu Williamson, tenor saxophonist Ted Nash and baritonist Ronnie Lang) along with bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis, Troup explores eight familiar standards plus his own "I See Your Bass Before Me." The easy-listening music that is heard on this V.S.O.P. LP is fine if not overly stimulating. The emphasis is on ballads and mellow playing. ~Scott Yanow

Bobby Swings Tenderly

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Mike Magnelli - Mike Magnelli & Friends

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:48
Size: 146.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Sweet Georgia Brown
[3:53] 2. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[1:20] 3. Flight Of The Bumble Bee
[6:31] 4. In A Mellow Tone
[2:19] 5. 21 Hungarian Dances
[5:26] 6. Easy Living
[3:39] 7. Lester Leaps In
[4:03] 8. Recuardos De La Alhambra
[2:18] 9. Chicken A La Swing
[3:04] 10. (You Are) Always In My Heart
[1:38] 11. The Turkish March
[4:20] 12. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be )
[3:32] 13. Strike Up The Band
[4:05] 14. Czardas
[3:55] 15. Lover
[2:42] 16. Minute Waltz [opus 64 No. 1]
[2:55] 17. Guitar Boogie Blues
[3:05] 18. Nuages
[2:11] 19. Hora Stacatto

After receiving a BME degree from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Mike worked as a guitarist on Broadway for such hit shows as Promises Promises, Fiddler On The Roof, as well as numerous off Broadway productions. Following many years of touring with the national company of "Grease" (with a then unknown John Travolta in the cast,) with vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Jr. and his Orchestra and others, Mike returned to NY.

He started working as a booking agent for the Willard Alexander Agency, and office then well known for it's representation of famous big-bands. While working as an agent he continued to work as a guitarist and occasional trumpet doubler for NY society dance orchestras such as Lester Lanin, Ray Bloch as well as with various jaz groups.

He started his own agency in 1988 which continues today, booking and managing many well known touring big-bands. Mike also managed the legendary jazz guitarist Joe Pass for many years until his untimely passing. In addition to running the agency he performs at jazz clubs, festivals and clinics. His hobbies include deep sea fishing (watch out for those hooks!) cooking, (specializing in Italian seafood dishes) and draughts (checkers) of which he has been the winner of many tournaments.

Mike Magnelli & Friends

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Caribbean Jazz Project - Paraíso

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:09
Size: 163,3 MB
Art: Front

(9:11)  1. One Step Ahead
(7:10)  2. Naima
(7:03)  3. Maluco
(9:34)  4. Caravan
(7:24)  5. El Tacaño
(6:52)  6. Five For Elvin
(5:23)  7. Second Opinion
(6:10)  8. Jamboree
(6:23)  9. Cá-Ni-Mo!
(3:56) 10. Obaricoso / Ritmos, Colores, Y Sentidos

This is possibly the most intricate, intellectual, and compositionally advanced Latin jazz that's been made to date. Certainly the tri-leaders of the group - vibraphonist Dave Samuels, flautist Dave Valentin, and guitarist Steve Khan - are in the top echelon of performers on their respective instruments, and all have played in a unusually broad range of musical settings throughout their performing careers, and they bring all these resources to this release. The three principals contribute well-thought-out, technically advanced jazz solos - lovers of all flavors of jazz will find a lot to marvel at and digest here. They also call in a couple technical whizes for guest spots: trombonist Conrad Herwig on "Caravan" and "Naima" and Ray Vega on flugelhorn on "Naima." 

But there's another factor at work here behind the prodigious talent of the front line. The team of percussionists keep the proceedings solidly in the groove with equally intricate, constantly percolating congas and timbales. In fact, a drum set is used only occasionally. The players are so perfectly coordinated and interconnected, not just with each other, but with the requirements of the melodies or the soloists. There is no repetition, no "push Play and let it go" here at all. The rhythmic complexity is astonishing. And when they step forward for the occasional percussion break, it's breathtaking. The percussion on the finale, a medley of Mongo Santamaria's "Obaricoso and Richie Flores' "Ritmos, Colores, y Sentidos" is simply stunning. They're also recorded very well. If there is a fault to be found with this CD, it might be that it's almost too perfect. It's so intellectual, so polished, so studied and so intricate that it borders on losing the raw energy that so much Latin music has to offer. But overall, this CD is tremendously rewarding. It raises the bar on several levels: the compositions (most by Samuels or Khan) and arrangements, the depth of the solos, the state-of-the-art percussion. This is heavy stuff. It merits multiple listenings in order to focus on different instruments each time around. ~ Dave Hughes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/paraiso-dave-samuels-concord-music-group-review-by-dave-hughes.php

Personnel: Dave Samuels - vibes and marimba; Dave Valentin - flute; Steve Khan - guitar and guiro; Ruben Rodriguez- bass; Richie Flores - congas, shakere; Luisito Quintero - timbal kit, percussion; Dafnis Prieto - timbal kit, drums; Poncho Sanchez - congas; Conrad Herwig - trombone; Ray Vega - flugelhorn.

Paraíso

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Charles McPherson - Bebop Revisited

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:10
Size: 107,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:45)  1. Hot House
(5:25)  2. Nostalgia
(6:58)  3. Variations On A Blues By Bird
(6:07)  4. Wail
(7:41)  5. Embraceable You
(5:53)  6. Si Si
(6:18)  7. If I Loved You (Bonus)

Bebop is the thing on this excellent outing as altoist Charles McPherson and pianist Barry Harris do their interpretations of Charlie Parker and Bud Powell. With trumpeter Carmell Jones, bassist Nelson Boyd and drummer Al "Tootie" Heath completing the quintet, the band romps through such bop classics as "Hot House," "Nostalgia," "Wail" and "Si Si" along with an original blues and "Embraceable You." A previously unissued "If I Love You" is added to the CD reissue. McPherson and Jones make for a potent frontline on these spirited performances, easily recommended to fans of straightahead jazz. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/be-bop-revisited-mw0000276269

Personnel:  Charles McPherson - alto saxophone;  Carmell Jones – trumpet;  Barry Harris – piano;  Nelson Boyd – bass;  Albert Heath - drums

Bebop Revisited

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Chris Cheek - A Girl Named Joe

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:01
Size: 153,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:28)  1. Slide
(6:16)  2. September
(5:57)  3. Arctic Barbeque
(5:42)  4. Lowered
(7:37)  5. Late Green
(4:46)  6. Plant Dance
(6:28)  7. A Girl Named Joe
(7:15)  8. Then
(5:52)  9. Siege
(9:35) 10. Water Mile

Chris Cheek takes a bold step forward with this all-original date. With two tenors (Cheek and Mark Turner) and two drummers (Jordi Rossy and Dan Rieser), the instrumentation is somewhat unusual. Guitarist Ben Monder and bassist Marc Johnson complete the lineup. Johnson is an excellent choice, given the rock leanings of "Arctic Barbecue" and "Plant Dance," the dark folk elements of "Lowered," and even the country traces of the title track. 

With his own groups, Johnson has flirted with precisely this sort of eclecticism. Cheek's compositions, like Johnson's, are tuneful and surprising, full of moves you wouldn't expect from a jazz player. Perhaps it's his middle-American upbringing coming to the surface. On the jazzier side are Cheek's waltzes "September" and "Siege" and his closing 6/4 chart "Water Mile," which features probing solos from the two tenors. Monder's playing on every number is strong, as usual, not least on his own "Late Green," the album's most radical track and the only one not written by Cheek. ~ David R.Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-girl-named-joe-mw0000046604

Personnel:  Chris Cheek, Mark Turner (tenor sax),  Ben Monder (guitar),  Marc Johnson (bass),  Jorge Rossy, Dan Rieser (drums).

A Girl Named Joe

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Keiko Matsui - A Drop of Water

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:19
Size: 102,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. Ancient Wind
(4:49)  2. Light Above the Trees
(5:39)  3. Harbor Wind
(4:20)  4. Mediterranean Sand
(5:27)  5. A Drop of Water
(5:11)  6. From My Window
(3:07)  7. Only Way Home
(4:34)  8. Fairy
(4:50)  9. Paper Spirit

This auspicious introduction to the many aspects of the composer's skills finds her surrounded by a slew of L.A.'s top players, some of whom had yet to begin their own solo careers at this point: Grant Geissman, Brandon Fields, Robben Ford, Nathan East, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Jimmy Johnson. Matsui balances a mystic Eastern edge with a lighthearted new agey pop appeal. "Ancient Wind" and the Geissman co-composition "Mediterranean Sand" are the best cuts, building from pastoral ideas into an explosive ensemble hook. Matsui also showed her penchant for soulful vocal pieces, using Abu Khalil and Marva King to varying effectiveness. The emotional vocal title cut was inspired by Challenger astronaut Ron McNair. ~ Jonathan Widran http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-drop-of-water-mw0000192185

Personnel: Keiko Matsui (shakuhachi, piano, synthesizer); Carl Anderson (vocals, background vocals); Marva King, Maxi Anderson, Nathan East, Marlena Jeter, Molly Pasutti (vocals); Grant Geissman, Grant Geisman, Robben Ford (guitar); Suzie Kattayama, Suzie Katayama (cello); Kazu Matsui (shakuhachi); Brandon Fields (saxophone); Walt Fowler (flugelhorn); David Garfield (piano, synthesizer); Derek Nakamoto (synthesizer); Gregg Bissonette, Bernie Dresel, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Luis Conte, Michael Fisher (percussion).

A Drop of Water

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