Jackie Gleason - Lonesome Echo

Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:50
Size: 137,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
(2:53)  2. Dancing On The Ceiling
(3:25)  3. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
(3:45)  4. Speak Low
(2:38)  5. Someday I'll Find You
(2:42)  6. Remember
(3:15)  7. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(3:21)  8. A Garden In The Rain
(3:18)  9. Mad About The Boy
(3:15) 10. The Thrill Is Gone
(3:05) 11. I Wished On The Moon
(3:07) 12. I Still Get A Thrill
(3:20) 13. Deep Purple
(2:58) 14. There Must Be A Way
(3:00) 15. I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)
(3:34) 16. How Deep Is The Ocean?
(2:59) 17. After My Laughter Came Tears
(2:16) 18. Can This Be Love?
(2:48) 19. Down Among The Sheltering Palms

Gleason's 1955 chart-topper Lonesome Echo features more lush interpretations of standards such as "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "The Thrill Is Gone," "Deep Purple," and "How Deep Is the Ocean." The album also features striking cover artwork by surrealist master Salvador Dali; Collector's Choice's 2000 reissue also includes three bonus tracks, "After My Laughter Came Tears," "Can This Be Love," and "Down Among the Sheltering Palms." ~ Heather Phares http://www.allmusic.com/album/lonesome-echo-mw0000116396

Lonesome Echo

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Hiroshima - Legacy

Styles: Jazz Fusion, Big Band 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:19
Size: 155,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:11)  1. Winds of Change
(6:21)  2. Turning Point
(4:52)  3. One Wish
(6:33)  4. Dada
(5:35)  5. I've Been Here Before
(6:41)  6. East
(3:59)  7. Roomful of Mirrors
(9:38)  8. Another Place
(5:44)  9. Save Yourself for Me
(6:33) 10. Hawaiian Electric
(4:06) 11. Thousand Cranes

For a band as long-lived as Hiroshima and one that has enjoyed as extensive a recording career the gap in its career is the lack of a proper retrospective of 30 years in the music industry. Legacy represents both a celebration of Hiroshima's first decade and something of a compromise. Over 11 tracks the group revisits some of its best-known recordings, including "One Wish," "Hawaiian Electric" and "Winds of Change," but these are new re-recordings of the songs, not the original studio versions. Legacy isn't designed to be the definitive Hiroshima anthology, but it does represent a sampling of where the band was in the '80s and how it continues to evolve and explore the parameters of its unique blending of East-meets-West musical styles. Hiroshima is not the same band in 2009 as it was in 1979, when it recorded its debut album. The band's personnel have changed, technology has changed and the music has evolved over three decades. Original members saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Dan Kuramoto, kotoist June Kuramoto and drummer Danny Yamamoto are joined by longtime bassist Dean Cortez, keyboardist Kimo Cornwell, "new guy" Shoji Kameda on his big, booming taiko drum, and other members of the extended Hiroshima family.

Hiroshima maintains its innovative edge by being respectful to the original material, but not so slavishly faithful that it can't push the envelope a bit and stretch its musical muscles. June Kuramoto's koto remains at the core of the band, and the other instrumentalists build around her. "One Wish" was the crossover hit that captured the attention of many listeners to the Hiroshima sound, and still retains a timeless beauty 24 years after its debut. The guitar leads by John "Doc" McCourt on "Dada" and Yvette Nil's vocals on "Dada," along with Yamamoto's pummeling drums, are reminders of where the "rock" in jazz/rock came from.

The lush and gorgeous "Thousand Cranes" is a tribute to Sadako Sasaki, who was two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. Sasaki developed leukemia when she turned 11, and in following the advice of a friend that the gods would grant a wish if she folded 1000 paper cranes. Sasaki folded 644 cranes before passing away. Jim Gilstrap and Terry Steele's lead vocals are joined by the entire band's backing harmonies, lifting this ode to peace into the sonic stratosphere. Hiroshima's career arc includes its share of peaks and valleys but it's a varied one, and Legacy makes a good jumping-on point for new fans and an essential addition for completists. The liner notes suggest Legacy is the first installment of a series. In the process of fondly looking back at where they've been, Hiroshima continues to boldly push forward. ~ Jeff Winbush https://www.allaboutjazz.com/legacy-hiroshima-heads-up-international-review-by-jeff-winbush.php
 

Personnel: June Kuramoto: koto, vocals; Dan Kuramoto: flutes, saxes, shakuhachi, synths, flute, vocals; Kimo Cornwell: piano, keyboards, synths; Danny Yamamoto: drums, percussion; Dean Cortez: bass; Shoji Kameda: taiko, percussion; Terry Steele: lead vocal (9), vocals; Yvette Nil: lead vocal (4, 7); Jim Gilstrap: vocals; Richie Gajate Garcia: congas, timbales, percussion; George Del Barrio: string arrangements; Derek Nakamoto: additional string programming

Legacy

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Branford Marsalis - The Steep Anthology

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:13
Size: 170,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:09)  1. Doctone
( 6:10)  2. Maria
( 7:05)  3. Royal Garden Blues
( 9:28)  4. Evidence (Live)
( 7:48)  5. Cain & Abel
( 8:17)  6. Spartacus
( 6:48)  7. No Backstage Pass
( 6:34)  8. Sidney In Da Haus
(10:42)  9. The Dark Keys
( 5:08) 10. Three Little Words

A fierce fighter as well as a gentle balladeer, Branford Marsalis makes every note count. He gets the meaning across naturally without unneeded repetition and without unnecessary embellishment. A true entertainer and a gifted artist, he communicates with his audience easily. Thus, Columbia had ample worthwhile examples to choose from for this anthology. With his father at the piano, the saxophonist interprets “Maria” with passion and understanding. His control of the soprano instrument ranks right up there. Whether following in Sidney Bechet’s footsteps or emulating an operatic voice, Marsalis makes the instrument work as an extension of his physical presence. Monk provides inspiration for Marsalis’ tenor as he soars through “Evidence” with Kenny Kirkland at the piano, Robert Hurst on bass, and Jeff Watts on drums. The quartet pours it on. From a live session at the Village Vanguard, this piece wears emotion on its shirtsleeves. Marsalis is in his groove.

Good training helps. The Marsalis background is unique. But it’s Branford’s heart that wins out on these examples from his jazz career. His original “Spartacus” soars on a suite-like journey through distant lands with a cool outlook. His “No Backstage Pass,” from his debut album, takes the tenor on a similar trip. This one, without piano, draws its inspiration from Bird and Diz and Trane. Ron Carter walks the bass, as Marvin “Smitty” Smith rides the cymbals and snare. Marsalis puts what he learned on the bandstand with Art Blakey to good use.  With Wynton on trumpet, Branford converses through his original “Cain & Abel” in an up-tempo, New Orleans swing setting. Hurst and Watts contribute Crescent City shimmers, as the two Marsalis brothers work out their natural experience comfortably. Thinking alike, they provide a textbook solution. At times moody and dark, at times traditional and light, Marsalis provides us with an eclectic program that buoys our spirits. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-steep-anthology-branford-marsalis-columbia-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Branford Marsalis- soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Wynton Marsalis- trumpet; David Sagher- trombone; Wessel Anderson- alto saxophone; Ellis Marsalis, Larry Willis, Kenny Kirkland- piano; Ron Carter, Eric Revis, Robert Hurst, Reginald Veal, Milt Hinton- bass.

The Steep Anthology

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Laura Fygi - Bewitched

Styles: Vocal Jazz 
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:58
Size: 111,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:40)  1. Dream A Little Dream
(4:07)  2. It's Crazy
(4:09)  3. Good Morning Heartache
(2:49)  4. Let There Be Love
(4:18)  5. I Only Have Eyes For You
(6:19)  6. Bewitched
(4:24)  7. The End Of A Love Affair
(3:52)  8. I Love You For Sentimental Reasons
(3:36)  9. Just One Of Those Things
(3:12) 10. Girl Talk
(3:07) 11. I Wish You Love
(3:19) 12. Willow Weep For Me

Laura Fygi's Bewitched is a straight-ahead jazz date in which the attractive singer is joined by a rhythm section, a string section, and some guests. She performs fresh and warm versions of a dozen songs, the majority of which are ballads. The performances are concise (only one tune exceeds four and a half minutes) and lightly swinging, although the string section sometimes seems unnecessary. Toots Thielemans' harmonica helps out on "Good Morning Heartache" and "Girl Talk," Clark Terry uplifts "It's Crazy" and "The End of a Love Affair" with his flugelhorn, and tenor great Johnny Griffin is featured on "I Only Have Eyes for You," "I Love You for Sentimental Reasons," and "I Wish You Love." Throughout, Fygi holds her own and sounds quite relaxed and musical, making these standards her own. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/bewitched-mw0000098777

Personnel: Laura Fygi (vocals), Jurre Haanstra (conductor, arranger), Ferdinand Povel (flute, saxophone), Hans Vroomans (piano), Gwenael Micault, John Van Eyk (keyboards), Jurre Haanstra (keyboards, bass, drums, percussion), Francis Goya, Phil Lee, Bert Meulendijk (guitar), Ruud Jacobs, Malcolm Creese (bass), Peter Ypma, Harold Fisher (drums), Frits Landesbergen (percussion), The London Studio Symphony Orchestra.

Bewitched

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George Colligan - Mad Science

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream 
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:00
Size: 147,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:02)  1. Barbarians
( 7:06)  2. Earth Signs
( 6:34)  3. Out From The Underground
(11:49)  4. Mad Science
( 6:43)  5. Seduction
( 7:43)  6. Thought Police
( 7:36)  7. Alaska Basin
( 6:24)  8. Modeidi's Modalities

I must confess that I recently signed a petition to call for the end of B3 organ recordings. Not that I haven’t enjoyed the jazz organ playing by Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, and Sun Ra... just that with the reinvestigation of the instrument since the late 1980s and 1990s the storm gates have opened for John Medeski, Larry Goldings, Joey D not to mention the return of Mr. Smith, Jack McDuff, and Big John Patton to name just the tip of the iceberg. It seemed for a time that if you could press a couple of keys, you could make a record. So when one of the truly great undiscovered jazz pianists of our time sits down at the B3, I hestitate before I push play. Sure George Colligan has taken up the organ on the latest discs by Lonnie Plaxico and Robin Eubanks, but those were supporting roles. His lightness of touch is surely wasted on the electric sound. Well, maybe a little.

This essentially organ/guitar/drum affair is broken up on five tracks by post M-BASE saxophonist Gary Thomas. The title track is a quirky little fuse-rocked piece with guitarist Tom Guarna working in the Scofield school to great effect. Power rock and jazz are certainly crowd pleasers. Likewise, “Modieidi’s Modalities” serves up the organ fusion meets bebop to high energy ratings. Colligan’s popping organ sets up the coolness of Thomas’ tenor waves. The leader's “Seduction” is a light slow-danced melody, a certain favorite for jazz radio. “Thought Police” opens with a crushing drum solo by Rodney Holmes, then on to some nice tandem guitar/saxophone work. 

Throughout, Colligan accents, solos, but never wows like he does when he plays acoustically. How is it that he can play merely a supporting role to a fine recording by Mr. Thomas and Mr Guarna here? Unselfishness? Maybe, or maybe it's that the organ trio died a while ago and nobody has let the record companies know. ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mad-science-george-colligan-sunny-sky-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel: George Colligan - Hammond B3 Organ; Tom Guarna - Guitar; Rodney Holmes - Drums; Gary Thomas - Tenor Saxophone, Flute.

Mad Science

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Yvonnick Prene - Jour De Fete

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 67:37
Size: 126,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:31)  1. Obsessions
(6:45)  2. Thais
(5:16)  3. Never Let Me Go
(5:53)  4. Satellite
(5:15)  5. As Night Falls
(7:30)  6. Con Alma
(5:46)  7. Home
(5:34)  8. A Billion Stars
(6:18)  9. Nobody Else But Me
(5:35) 10. Escale
(7:10) 11. Jour De Fete

European jazz harmonica players aren't exactly a dime a dozen, but the Old Continent has birthed a few for the ages. Belgium gave unto jazz the legendary Toots Thielemans, Germany put forth vibes/harmonica doubling sensation Hendrik Meurkens, and the Swiss turned out Gregoire Maret; now, the French weigh in with the young Yvonnick Prene. Jour De Fete marks Prene's debut and it proves to be an excellent showcase for his writing and playing. He readily identifies Thielemans, Maret and Stevie Wonder as inspirations and influences, and he's clearly tapped into their work to feed and fuel his own musical imagination. A breezy, devil may care attitude which connects to a good deal of Theilemans' oeuvre comes through in oft-played pieces like "Con Alma" and "Nobody Else But Me," but that only paints a partial picture of Prene's personality. Low intensity funk comes to the fore on "A Billion Stars," which features snippets of spoken word recordings featuring science fiction writer Ray Bradbury's voice, and light-yet-propulsive swing-to-Latin rhythms take hold during saxophonist John Coltrane's "Satellite," which opens on some playful dialogue between Prene and guitarist Isaac Darche.

Classic tunes are peppered throughout the program, but the lion's share of the material comes from Prene's pen. He visits in on a variety of musical areas in his writing, but his instrumental voice remains remarkably consistent throughout. "Escale" bears a Brazilian beauty mark, "As Night Falls" shows off Prene's predilection for lyrical lines, and "Home" hits the heart head-on; this uplifting number proves to be the most memorable original of the bunch. These days, Prene calls Brooklyn, New York his home, but the spirit of Gay Paree still lives within his highly agreeable music. Jour De Fete is his recorded initiation into the fraternal order of jazz harmonica aces; he's now a part of the club for life. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jour-de-fete-yvonnick-prene-steeplechase-lookout-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Yvonnick Prene: chromatic harmonica; Michael Valeanu: guitar (2, 7, 10, 11); Isaac Darche: guitar (1, 4, 5, 6); Javi Santiago: piano; Or Bareket: bass (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11); Phil Donkin: bass (3, 6, 9); Jesse Simpson: drums (1-7, 9-11); Owen Erickson: drums (8); Ray Bradbury: spoken word vocals (11).

Jour De Fete

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Jackie Wilson & Count Basie - Manufactureres Of Soul

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Soul
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:44
Size: 75,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:37)  1. Funky Broadway
(2:37)  2. For Your Precious Love
(2:43)  3. In The Midnight Hour
(4:09)  4. Ode To Billy Joe
(2:42)  5. Chain Gang
(2:45)  6. I Was Made To Love Her
(2:43)  7. Uptight (Everything's Alright)
(2:37)  8. I Never Loved A Woman (The Way I Love You)
(2:29)  9. Respect
(2:36) 10. Even When You Cry
(2:41) 11. My Girl

A really wonderful collaboration between two very unlikely partners  and a great album that really stands out as some of the best work from both artists in the 60s! Count Basie's group gets hard and soulful on the record and even a little funky on the best cuts and Jackie Wilson is in a raw bluesy vocal style that recalls the best moments of his earlier Brunswick singles a great edge that makes the whole Basie groove sound even more hard-hitting than ever. 

Benny Carter arranged, but the groove is more a hard-edged Count Basie mode mixed with Brunswick soul styles and Jackie blows it out over the top on great versions of "Funky Broadway", "Ode To Billie Joe", "I Was Made To Love Her", "Even When You Cry", and "Respect". Also features a version of "For Your Precious Love" that was a bit of a hit for the pair! (Original stereo pressing. Cover has a cut corner & light wear.) © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/38045

Personnel:  Jackie Wilson – vocals;  Count Basie – piano;  Al Aarons, Oscar Brashear, Gene Coe, Sonny Cohn – trumpet;  Richard Boone, Steve Galloway, Grover Mitchell – trombone;  Bill Hughes - bass trombone;  Bobby Plater, Marshal Royal - alto saxophone;  Eric Dixon, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - tenor saxophone;  Charlie Fowlkes - baritone saxophone;  Freddie Green – guitar;  Uncredited – bass;  Harold Jones – drums;  Benny Carter – arranger.

Manufactureres Of Soul

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Jacky Terrasson - Push

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 130,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Gaux Girl
(5:59)  2. Beat It/Body and Soul
(7:39)  3. Ruby My Dear
(3:36)  4. Beat Bop
(6:23)  5. 'Round Midnight
(4:10)  6. Morning
(7:00)  7. My Church
(4:13)  8. Say Yeah
(3:26)  9. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(3:15) 10. Carry Me Away
(5:45) 11. O Café, O Soleil

There are three qualities about pianist Jacky Terrasson's music that make it irresistible and riveting. The first is that it dances interminably. Secondly, it is jagged and angular an epithet often used to describe the music of Thelonious Monk and which suits Terrasson well as, even with his singularly distinctive voice, he is genealogically connected. Finally, Terrasson has a penchant for a playful, almost puckish, interpretation, where humor is implicit. As such he negotiates all melodies, even those that are contemplative, with sparkling and almost child-like candor. Above all, of course, Terrasson plays piano with devastatingly beautiful expression, sublime technique and incomparable virtuosity.  Push, then, is absolutely classic Terrasson. It is full of double entendre, unbridled ideation and luminosity. Like Monk, his muse, Terrasson's solos are abstruse. This is because his purported approach is never linear, but is instead curved and if he can get away with it, inside out. He attacks melodies askance, sometimes taking cues for his solo excursions from the third or fourth line in a verse. He is decidedly phonetic in his choice of notes, when expressing melodic invention in a kind of "E Flat's Ah Flat too" sort of way. Thus, he sometimes makes the most unlikely sequence of notes fit mellifluously. His soloing seems to come from deep within his lean guts, careening through his lean body and gaunt shoulders, and flung as if waved on by a magical wand onto the keyboard, where his fingers settle their scores with the keys.

On Push, Terrasson saves some of his most inventive work for the Monk songs "Ruby My Dear," which is played with abject tenderness, as if pleading Monk's case for an old sweetheart, and "'Round Midnight," a magical crepuscular sketch, which gads about, ultimately losing its mind with lonely splendor. His harmonic treatment of "Beat It" and "Body and Soul," tagged together here, turns the fleetingly familiar phrases of the melodies into an ad libitum essay that ultimately enriches the music as it veers way off course before eventually returning to the original melodies, almost as a codicil. "My Church" and "Say Yeah" contain some refreshingly beautiful "preaching of the Gospel" amid dazzling improvised parts, the latter with vocals and the rhythmic inflections of Brazilian percussionist, Cyro Baptista one of several guest appearances. Terrasson's treatment of "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" is wonderfully irreverent full of crushed notes and mashed chords. "Carry Me Away" is elegiac and luminous, and features some wonderful percussion from Baptista, and guitar from Matthew Stevens. Also memorable is the work of the extraordinarily talented harmonicist Gregoire Maret, who whose solo on "Ruby My Dear" echoes the song's implicit heartbreak, and that of tenor saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart on "Morning." But in the guts of the music is bassist Ben Williams and drummer Jamire Williams, who underscore its utter beauty throughout the album. ~ Raul D’Gama Rose https://www.allaboutjazz.com/push-jacky-terrasson-concord-music-group-review-by-raul-dgama-rose.php
 

Personnel: Jacky Terrasson: piano, keyboards, vocals; Ben Williams: bass; Jamire Williams: drums; Gregoire Maret: harmonica (3, 8); Jacques Schwarz-Bart: tenor saxophone (6); Matthew Stevens: guitar (8); Cyro Baptista: percussion (8, 10, 11).

Push

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Johanna Grussner - Lazy Afternoon

Styles: Vocal Jazz 
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:51
Size: 114,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. Lazy Afternoon
(2:52)  2. It Never Entered My Mind
(3:54)  3. I Can't Make You Love Me
(3:59)  4. My Foolish Heart
(3:54)  5. A Natural Woman
(2:59)  6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(4:29)  7. Caught Up In The Rapture
(3:59)  8. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
(4:18)  9. Day By Day
(4:58) 10. Willow Weep For Me
(3:11) 11. Let's Stay Together
(3:42) 12. It's Alright With Me
(2:32) 13. When I Fall In Love

Johanna Grüssner is from the Åland Islands in Finland. She studied in Sweden before moving to Boston. She is a Berklee and Manhattan School graduate. Grüssner made headlines in major U.S. television broadcasting companies in 2001 when she had trained her Bronx public school children to sing groovy gospel, and touring her native Finland. She made a particular impression on New York Times journalist Anemona Hartocollis, who wrote the book Seven Days of Possibilities, describing Grüssner's ambitious dedication.  Grüssner has recorded several albums with pianist Mika Pohjola. Additionally she has performed and recorded with her Manhattan Jazz Orchestra and Grammy award winning musicians Darmon Meader and Peter Eldridge. Her quintet, featuring drummer Antonio Sanchez, guitarists Miles Okazaki and Paul Pesonen and bassist Hans Glawischnig recorded for the Swedish Prophone-Naxos Jazz label in 2002. A follow-up album was recorded two years later. Johanna Grüssner is currently based in Stockholm, Sweden where she is a busy performer and teacher.

All Things Considered: Ten years ago, jazz singer Johanna Grüssner moved to New York from Finland to study music and pursue stardom. Instead, she discovered a second love teaching music to 10, 11 and 12-year olds at P.S. 86, an underprivileged Bronx school. Nine out of 10 students enrolled at the school were poor. Only four in 10 spoke English; only two in 10 could read at grade level. Many were considered troublemakers and underachievers. Hoping to show the students what they were capable of, Grüssner formed a children's choir. Three and a half years ago, the group traveled to the Åland Islands, Grüssner's homeland, for a performance that captivated their hosts. Their story is chronicled in the new book Seven Days of Possibilities, by New York Times education reporter Anemona Hartocollis. Shortly after that performance in Finland, Grüssner left the states. This summer, Grüssner reunited with many of her former students for one last performance. NPR's Claudio Sanchez talks with the students about what the experience meant to them. http://en.johannagrussner.com/biography

Lazy Afternoon

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George Cables - Morning Song

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:19
Size: 127,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:16)  1. Green Dolphin Street
(4:49)  2. Who Can I Turn To
(3:27)  3. The Stroll
(3:42)  4. I Remember Clifford
(6:42)  5. Morning Song
(6:58)  6. Up Jumped Spring
(5:01)  7. Little B's Poem
(4:10)  8. As Time Goes By
(7:42)  9. Quiet Fire
(5:28) 10. Polka Dots and Moonbeams

Morning Song, a recently discovered live set from 1980 led by the great George Cables, is a tale of two gigs. While the quartet performances are middling, Cables' overall dynamism, particularly on his solo piano turns, lifts the disc above mediocrity. The rhythm section of Cables, bassist John Heard and drummer Sherman Ferguson, is excellent, with the leader constantly inspiring Heard and Ferguson to meet his harmonic challenges. Heard's pizzicato on "Up Jumped Spring" is luminous; it also drives the Latin burner "Quiet Fire," with Ferguson finding an extra gear in his drum kit to complement Cables' flurries. The quartet is weakened, however, by Eddie Henderson, a fine trumpet player who clearly had a bad night. Throughout Morning Song his playing is fragmentary, distracted, sometimes sounding like he's catching his breath instead of blowing. On "Up Jumped Spring" Henderson is breathless and off-key. He rallies somewhat as each tune progresses and even comes up with a few interesting ideas and sustained riffs, but the overall effort is shaky.

Ultimately it's Cables' piano that saves Morning Song. He mines jazz's heavier elements, fusing Bud Powell's feeling, Fats Waller's juke joint geniality and Art Tatum's quick wit into his own transformative lyricism. For example, he gives perfunctory nods to the melancholia and sentimentality of "Who Can I Turn To" and the misty-eyed "I Remember Clifford" before redefining them in his image with sparkling runs of boundless invention. Bobby Hutcherson's "Stroll" begins with the measured pace the title implies but eventually cascades of notes burst forth. "As Time Goes By" becomes a skip through a meadow and he turns the ballad "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" into a lively hard bop exposition. The glorious paradox is that Cables plays like someone who's familiar with the piano's most subtle nuances, yet is experiencing the joy of truly discovering the instrument for the first time. He explores each song carefully, interpreting it with depth and beauty. Morning Song shows why alto saxman Art Pepper named Cables as his favorite pianist and dubbed him "Mr. Beautiful." ~ Terrell Kent Holmes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/morning-song-george-cables-highnote-records-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes.php
 

Personnel: George Cables: piano; Eddie Henderson: trumpet; John Heard: bass; Sherman Ferguson: drums.

Morning Song

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Daniel Freedman - Imagine That

Styles:  Jazz, Bop
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:21
Size: 113,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. Determined Soul
(6:02)  2. Baby Aya
(4:46)  3. Big in Yemen
(5:07)  4. Codex
(7:08)  5. Mindaho
(5:26)  6. Love Takes Time
(6:31)  7. Eastern Elegy
(8:49)  8. The Sisters Dance

Few can match drummer Daniel Freedman when it comes to pan-stylistic jazz presentations that cut across cultural lines. This lifelong New Yorker has found a way to bridge sonic worlds, erase boundary lines, and merge various musical languages in masterful fashion in his own work and in support of others. It's no wonder why the best of the best the one and only Sting, West African superstar Angelique Kidjo, and Israeli clarinet queen Anat Cohen, to mention three have called on Freedman. He isn't nearly as well-known as he should be at this point, due in no small part to the fact that his sideman duties take up much of his time, but with each successive release under his own name he furthers his reputation as one of the most open-minded drummer-leaders on record.  Imagine That, Freedman's third album, is a logical next step given what appeared on its predecessor Bamako By Bus (Anzic Records, 2012). It's a global feast for the senses built by one of the most intriguing multicultural units assembled in recent times. What emerges, with Brooklynite Jason Lindner manning the keys, Benin-born sensation Lionel Loueke on guitar, Israeli Omer Avital holding things down on bass, and Brazilian percussionist Gilmar Gomes adding rhythmic spice to the mix, is a beyond-category hybridized form of music. Pan-African presentations, Carnatic ideals, Middle Eastern sounds, blues-tinged suggestions, modern jazz tides, and more all come into the picture at one time or another. The grooves are deep, the harmonies are intriguing, and the end result is something that's both smart and stirring.

This band gets down on the dance floor right out of the gate with Lindner's "Determined Soul," a piece with pseudo-Afrobeat undercurrents and Indian inflections. It's the first of many rhythmically rousing numbers on the bill, and each one relies on different source material and stylized directions. There's Freedman's "Baby Aya," a cradle song that morphs into a celebration and features Loueke and Kidjo, making her lone guest appearance, on vocals; "Big In Yemen," built on a "Yemeni/Bahia hybrid" groove cooked up by Freedman and Gomes; Loueke's "Mindaho," a hypnotic, slow-building roamer that features some of the guitarist's most entrancing playing on record; and the Gnawa-influenced "The Sisters Dance," uplifted by inspired contributions from Gomes and some fiery, barbed guitar work from Loueke. In other places, Freedman and company prove to be just as engaging without putting such a premium on rhythmic dialogue. Radiohead's "Codex," for example, moves from a cinematic space to a pure rock environment. Then there's "Love Takes Time," an undiluted soul experience, and "Eastern Elegy," a universal threnody of a sort that tugs at the heartstrings and features some incredibly moving bass work from Avital. With the eight numbers presented here, Daniel Freedman manages to prove that seemingly dissimilar musics, much like people, can prove to be completely compatible. Imagine that. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/imagine-that-daniel-freedman-anzic-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Lionel Loueke: guitar, vocals; Jason Lindner: piano, keyboards; Omer Avital: bass, oud (3); Gilmar Gomes: percussion; Daniel Freedman: drums; Angélique Kidjo: vocals (2).

Imagine That

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Hiroshima - Little Tokyo

Styles: Jazz Fusion, Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:08
Size: 117,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Midnite Sun
(4:59)  2. On The Fence
(4:12)  3. Lanai
(3:37)  4. Red Beans and Rice
(4:32)  5. Sir Charles
(5:41)  6. Hidden Times
(4:25)  7. Shades of Honor
(5:14)  8. Quan Yin
(4:33)  9. Drama
(4:19) 10. Hiro Chill
(4:05) 11. Little Tokyo Underground

Something seems to happen to many bands after they enter 20 to 25 years of making music. They seem to run out of new and interesting things to say and pretty soon all they do is recycle the same scant ideas over and over as they become dim parodies of themselves. You see this happen all the time in rock 'n roll where, too often, making money takes precedence over having anything new and fresh to say. How fortunate it is that Hiroshima doesn't play rock. If anything the band has stayed fresh and innovative by merging jazz, R&B, and world music with an awesome array of Japanese percussion and other native instruments like June Kuramoto's koto. Hiroshima makes some truly diverse and interesting music and Little Tokyo, its fourteenth album, is the second consecutive release without a featured vocalist. The decision to eschew a singer is a smart move by Hiroshima as it puts the music first instead of merely sounding like the back-up band. Dan Kuramoto's mournful tenor sax offsets the booming taiko drums of Shoji Kameda and Kenny Endo, as June Kuramoto's koto solidifies the Far Eastern roots of the group and sets the tone for the rest of the album. Kimo Cornwell's piano and keyboards are standouts, particularly so on "On the Fence," and again as he trades off with keyboardist James Lloyd from Pieces of A Dream as he sits in on the lovely "Lanai."

Just because Hiroshima can play it sophisticated and stylish doesn't mean they can't get down. "Red Beans and Rice," by Cornwell, is an homage by the band to the spirit and culture of New Orleans as it struggles to rise again from the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, showing off some nasty-as-he-wanna-be bass by Dean Cortez. There has been an ongoing love affair between Hiroshima and black American music since the band began in 1979. They don't just want to sit back and close your eyes in blissful contemplation; they want you to get up and dance or at the very least snap your fingers, bob your head and shake your groove thing. "Drama," "Hiro Chill" and "Little Tokyo Underground" are all designed provoke such a reaction. Unlike some bands whose attempts to jam seem contrived and calculated, Hiroshima never lapses into a parody of a dance band. Its foundation is, first and foremost, a jazz band that knows how to groove and when to lay back and soothe. Little Tokyo is ample evidence Hiroshima is still rising and advancing as a musical force to be reckoned with and respected. There's no danger of them joining the country fair circuit of broken-down oldies bands dutifully cranking out tired version of past hits. Dan Kuramoto and the rest of Hiroshima are still challenging themselves, making innovative music and having fun in the process. ~ Jeff Winbush https://www.allaboutjazz.com/little-tokyo-hiroshima-heads-up-international-review-by-jeff-winbush.php
 

Personnel: June Kuramoto: koto; Dan Kuramoto: tenor and soprano saxophone, flute, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, shakuhachi; Kimo Cornwell: piano, synthesizer, rhodes, clavinet; Danny Yamamoto: drums; Dean Cortez: bass; Shoji Kameda: taiko, percussion, voice; Dean Taba: acoustic bass (1, 6, 8, 10); Kenny Endo: taiko, percussion (1, 6-8, 11); Richie Gajate Garcia: conga, percussion (1, 5, 7, 8); James Lloyd: keyboards, synthesizers (2); Mary Garcia: coquito (5); Leslie Chew: guitars (9).

Little Tokyo

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Debbie Gifford - You Taught My Heart To Sing

Size: 132,4 MB
Time: 56:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Fascinating Rhythm (3:16)
02. It Amazes Me (6:43)
03. Honeysuckle Rose (3:57)
04. East Of Sun And West Of The Moon (4:06)
05. You Taught My Heart To Sing (6:07)
06. How Insensitive (4:42)
07. Devil May Care (2:56)
08. Emily (Instrumental) (2:40)
09. Tea For Two (5:09)
10. If I Were A Bell (3:28)
11. Autumn Leaves - When October Goes (6:05)
12. Lucky To Be Me (7:14)

Internationally Renowned Vocalist Debbie Gifford has been nominated “Jazz Musician of the Year, “Jazz Band of the Year”, and “Vocalist of the Year” in the Annual Free Times Music Awards Not only an internationally renowned vocalist and composer, she is the leader for her own jazz ensemble “Debbie Gifford Jazz Impact” and big band “Debbie Gifford’s Sweet City Swing”. She performs all styles of music including Ballads, Swing, Latin, Pop and Rhythm & Blues.

Performing to a sellout audiences around the world, Gifford continues to entertain audiences with her impeccable vocal abilities and irresistible charm! Launching her international notoriety in 2004, Gifford has continued to perform annually at festival, club and concert venues in the USA,Europe & China. In additon, appearing in many of the top jazz clubs, festival and concert venues in the United States, Asia and Europe, including: Chicago, St.Louis, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York, as well as, Italy, France, Austria, Spain and China. In 2007, she debuted at the famous Birdland Jazz Club in New York City as special guest vocalist with Tommy Igoe and The Birdland Big Band. Gifford has performed with highly acclaimed jazz greats: Marcus Belgrave, Bobby Watson, Joe Lovano and Dominick Farinacci.

You Taught My Heart To Sing

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Yvonnick Prene - Breathe

Size: 103,4 MB
Time: 44:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Blues Comes Down The Seine (5:44)
02. Looking Up (7:29)
03. Breathe (5:12)
04. Got To Go (5:35)
05. Mr. Tix (5:12)
06. The Comedian (5:13)
07. Armorica (5:04)
08. As Night Falls (4:49)

Yvonnick Prene has called New York home since 2007, but jazz fans in and around the Big Apple and beyond can be forgiven if they lacked awareness about his harmonica skills until more recent times. His first album—the inviting Jour de Fête (SteepleChase Records, 2013)—took a while to arrive, so the only way to learn about Prene prior to 2013 was through word of mouth or a chance live encounter. Now, judging from his recent output, it appears that he's making up for lost time. Two more albums—Wonderful World (Self Produced, 2014) and Merci Toots (Self Produced, 2015)—came in quick succession after his debut, a full gigging calendar in the past few years has kept him in the public eye, and a flurry of writing and publishing activity has produced a good number of jazz harmonica educational publications from this rising star. And now there's Breathe.

Prene's fourth album finds him working within an organ-centric setting. It's a first on record for him, but it sounds as if he's been dealing with this format forever. Everything from the lively "Blues Comes Down The Seine" to the gently waltzing "As Night Falls" sounds natural as can be. Those two pieces bookend the album, but what's in between—an easy grooving rendition of pianist Monty Alexander's "Got To Go," a charged original in tribute to the Tixier brothers, a joyful calypso number dubbed "The Comedian," and several other winners—is just as interesting.

Prene's band here includes two veterans—organist Jared Gold and guitarist Peter Bernstein—and relative newcomer Allan Mednard on drums. For the most part, these four prove to be a simpatico set of players, ably supporting one another and playing off of each other. Mednard is occasionally a tad too heavy-handed for the topic at hand, evident in his crash-filled bossa nova backing on "Armorica," but that's just a small caveat. The big picture that Breathe projects—centrist sounds with enough surprises in the structure, soloing, and interplay to hold interest—is a bright one. ~Dan Bilawski

Personnel: Yvonnick Prene: harmonica; Peter Bernstein: guitar; Jared Gold: Hammond B3 organ; Allan Mednard: drums.

Breathe

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Catherine Hughes - Diva In The Rough

Size: 102,9 MB
Time: 44:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Takin' A Chance On Love (Feat. Donald Guinn) (3:01)
02. Miss Celie's Blues (2:13)
03. Button Up Your Overcoat (2:45)
04. Cry Me A River (2:54)
05. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling (3:10)
06. Get Happy (3:35)
07. Stormy Weather (Feat. Donald Guinn) (3:15)
08. Ill Wind (2:52)
09. Ain't Misbehavin' (2:05)
10. Maybe, Who Knows (2:14)
11. La Vie En Rose (3:20)
12. Am I Blue (5:47)
13. Undecided (Feat. Donald Guinn) (Live) (6:49)

To say that Catherine Hughes was born with a microphone in her mouth is something of an overstatement, bus she does come from a long line of Chanteuses, Thespians and Revolutionaries, which explains much.

She grew up around actors and performers, and her love for all things theatrical was instilled at an early age. She was blessed with an angelic voice a sharp tongue and an incisive quick wit. A tumultous and inspired youth led her to be invited to attend the Juliard School of Music at age 21.

Unable to attend, she continued her education in Toronto. The formal training she didn't get in NYC was offset by talent and tenacity in spades, allowing her to create her own sound and style unfettered by conventional thinking. She started to perform and adopted the moniker Diva In The Rough when one location demanded a title for her show.

By way of explaination she says, "When I first started performing with the inimitable Don Guinn I felt awkward on stage during his piano solos. What do I do with my hands? Who do I look at? Can I have a purse to go through?

I decided to create a persona, The Diva In The Rough. She rolls her eyes at his admittedly spectacular piano playing. She stares down people who chat while she’s singing. She allows me to say what we're all thinking but are generally too polite to say. We tend to get away with a lot of shenanigans during shows, thanks to The Diva. Without her, I wouldn't have the freedom to have the fun I do on stage. She at once allows me to reveal my inner self and hide behind her a little."

With her story telling and on-stage shenanigans garnering almost as much acclaim as her bawdy, bluesy, soaring contralto, the Diva In The Rough name stuck. She continued to sing at a variety of venues around Toronto including The Drake, The Gladstone, Statler's, Now Lounge, Gate 403 and many others, and she earned a reputation for being able to elicit laughter and tears at the same time. When NOW magazine described her as a "cross between Mae West and Bette Middler", it was rumoured that Bette was deeply touched.

Diva In The Rough

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Larry Wilson - No Secrets No Lies

Size: 226,2 MB
Time: 97:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. On The Move (8:13)
02. Ode To Oscar (6:39)
03. Little Sunflower (6:57)
04. We Found Love (4:29)
05. You Seem Familiar (Feat. Akia Uwanda) (7:48)
06. Open Sesame (7:44)
07. The Afterglow (7:21)
08. Love Me In A Special Way (Feat. Celest Betton) (5:22)
09. The Lord's Prayer (3:09)
10. Light (4:52)
11. Midnight Oil (3:59)
12. Release (4:32)
13. Blue Skin (7:45)
14. See You (4:58)
15. Tuti's Jig (6:55)
16. April In Paris (6:38)

This eclectic jazz album by one of Jacksonville's premiere musicians, Larry Wilson, features a diverse array of highly skilled sidemen - not to mention some breath-taking compositions and arrangements by the band leader. In "No Secrets No Lies," Larry Wilson is featured on drums and vocals, with Daniel Dickinson's touches added as a sideman on alto sax. It is perhaps best described as a jazz fusion album - a collage of straight-ahead, second-line, R&B, and many other perspectives that each represent a different vantage point from which Wilson has viewed jazz music in light of contemporary style. A terrific album, and hopefully the first of many to come from Larry Wilson as leader, "No Secrets No Lies" will undoubtedly leave you wanting more.

No Secrets No Lies

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Eddie Daniels - Blackwood

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:34
Size: 109,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:30)  1. Blackwood
(4:50)  2. Cruise
(4:57)  3. Heartsong
(4:45)  4. P.I.
(4:54)  5. Toucan Dance
(5:37)  6. Black Diamond Run
(5:30)  7. Clara's Heart
(5:09)  8. Walking The Line
(0:54)  9. Blackwood (Reprise)
(5:24) 10. Blue Waltz

Eddie Daniels is such a monster on the clarinet that all of his GRP recordings are worth acquiring. This one, however, due to the somewhat commercial nature of some of the tunes (and the lightly funky rhythm sections), is of lesser interest compared to the classics such as Breakthrough. Daniels sounds fine but he is far better than much of the material (generally written by either the clarinetist, Rob Mounsey or Dave Grusin). ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/blackwood-mw0000200138

Personnel: Eddie Daniels (clarinet); Dave Grusin (piano); Rob Mounsey (keyboards); Steve Khan (guitar); Dave Weckl (drums).

Blackwood

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Sonny Criss - Plays Cole Porter

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:00
Size: 101,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. I Love You
(3:12)  2. Anything Goes
(3:16)  3. Easy To Love
(3:10)  4. It's Alright With Me
(4:19)  5. In The Still Of The Night
(2:46)  6. Love For Sale
(4:43)  7. Night And Day
(2:48)  8. Just One Of Those Things
(5:43)  9. What Is This Thing Called Love
(2:46) 10. I Get A Kick Out Of You

Sonny Criss plays Cole Porter and the results are way greater than the sum of the parts even though those parts are already pretty darn great! Criss' alto sax has a superb tone at this time razor-sharp, and nicely crisp yet still filled with warmth that sets it apart from some of his more modern contemporaries a beautiful balance that really illuminates these tunes, and has you thinking of them as fresh Criss compositions, not older Porter standards. The instrumentation is quite fresh, too  thanks to the addition of Larry Bunker on vibes, which is a really nice surprise and piano by Sonny Clark and Jimmy Bunn. The great Lawrence Marable plays drums and titles include "I Love You", "Easy To Love", "Night & Day", and "Love For Sale". (200 gram Quiex pressing.) © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/20372
 

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Sonny Criss;  Bass – Buddy Clark;  Drums – Lawrence Marable;  Piano – Sonny Clark;  Vibraphone – Larry Bunker

Plays Cole Porter

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Gene Ammons - The Happy Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:16
Size: 93,8 MB
Art: Front

(12:04)  1. The Happy Blues
( 8:38)  2. The Great Lie
(12:50)  3. Can't We Be Friends
( 6:42)  4. Madhouse

The Happy Blues is one of the great studio jam sessions in history. Tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons is teamed up with trumpeter Art Farmer, altoist Jackie McLean, pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Addison Farmer, drummer Art Taylor, and the congas of Candido for four lengthy selections. Best is the title track, which has memorable solos and spontaneous but perfectly fitting riffing by the horns behind each others' solos. The other numbers ("The Great Lie," "Can't We Be Friends," and "Madhouse") are also quite enjoyable, making this a highly recommended set. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-happy-blues-mw0000413645

Personnel: Gene Ammons (tenor saxophone); Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Art Farmer (trumpet); Duke Jordan (piano); Addison Farmer (bass); Arthur Taylor (drums); Candido (congas).

The Happy Blues

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Marcus Printup - Young Bloods

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:11
Size: 138,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:46)  1. En Route
(7:37)  2. The bishop
(7:02)  3. My Foolish Heart
(7:06)  4. Young Bloods
(8:19)  5. How Great Thou Art
(6:32)  6. In Your Own Sweet Way
(8:11)  7. Au Privave
(7:36)  8. Greasy

Sparkling work from trumpeter Marcus Printup a player who can blow with great power when needed, but also hit these slinky, soulful moments too a balance that only seems to get better and better with each new record! There's a bit of Freddie Hubbard in that approach, but Printup's definitely his own man too and can step easily into bolder, more spiritual passages especially when working with a group this great as the lineup includes Patrick Bartley on alto, Coleman Hughes on trombone, Allyn Johnson on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Ulysses Owens on drums! Owens and Douglas really hold things together wonderfully with a style that's sophisticated, yet always swinging especially on some of the album's boldest tracks. Titles include the great originals "En Route", "The Bishop", "Greasy", and "Young Bloods" plus a wonderful take on "In Your Own Sweet Way", done at a level that really opens the tune up with the horns! © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/771441

Personnel: Marcus Printup (trumpet), Patrick Bartley (alto saxophone), Coleman Hughes (trombone), Allyn Johnson (piano), Dezron Douglas (bass), Ulysses Owens (drums)

Young Bloods

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