Eddie Henderson - Think On Me

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 68:52
Size: 111,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:19)  1. Restless Dreams
( 8:18)  2. Come Sunday
( 6:28)  3. Ceora
( 6:01)  4. Bilal
( 8:04)  5. Think On Me
( 7:52)  6. Everytime We Say Goodbye
( 8:09)  7. Revelation
(13:38)  8. Seven Beauties

Eddie Henderson was one of the few trumpeters who was strongly influenced by Miles Davis' work of his early fusion period. He grew up in San Francisco, studied trumpet at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, but was trained to be a doctor when he permanently chose music. Henderson worked with John Handy, Tyrone Washington, and Joe Henderson, in addition to his own group. He gained some recognition for his work with the Herbie Hancock Sextet (1970-1973), although his own records (which utilized electronics) tended to be commercial. After Hancock broke up his group, Henderson worked with Art Blakey and Mike Nock, recorded with Charles Earland, and later, in the 1970s, led a rock-oriented group. In the '90s, he returned to playing acoustic hard bop (touring with Billy Harper in 1991) while also working as a psychiatrist. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/eddie-henderson/id1102634#fullText

Personnel: Eddie Henderson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Kenny Barron (piano); Joe Locke (vibraphone); Billy Hart (drums).

Think On Me

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Mark Turner - The Music of Mercedes Rossy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:56
Size: 162,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:06)  1. Some Like to Love More Than Once
( 8:25)  2. Amidst a Yesteday's Presence
( 6:01)  3. Lost Ocean
( 7:16)  4. The Other Side of Time
( 8:10)  5. 1991
( 8:34)  6. Water Stones
( 2:46)  7. 6 d'Octubre
(10:02)  8. Gone But Not Forgotten
(11:31)  9. The Newcomer

Mark Turner is a post-bop tenor saxophonist most influenced by John Coltrane, but also notably Warne Marsh. Born November 10, 1965 in Ohio, Turner was raised in California and initially studied visual arts at Long Beach State, but decided instead to pursue music and transferred to Berklee. Turner moved to New York and worked with James Moody, Jimmy Smith, the TanaReid Quintet, Ryan Kisor, Jonny King, Leon Parker, and Joshua Redman. He recorded his first album as a leader, Yam Yam, in 1994; the follow-up, a self-titled effort, did not appear until 1998. 

In This World appeared later that same year, and in early 2000, he resurfaced with The Ballad Session. Cafe Oscurra appeared a year later. In 2004, the saxophonist teamed with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard for the trio album Fly. Starting with 2012's All Our Reasons, Turner began a recording relationship with the storied European label ECM that resulted in several more albums, including 2012's Year of the Snake and 2014's piano-less quartet recording, Lathe of Heaven. ~ Steve Huey https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mark-turner/id723957#fullText

Personnel: Chris Cheek (tenor, soprano saxophone); Mark Turner (tenor saxophone); George Colligan (piano); Jordi Rossy (drums).

The Music of Mercedes Rossy

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Debbie Gifford & John Trzcinski - One Day at a Time

Styles: Vocal, Piano
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:46
Size: 113,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Let It Go
(5:35)  2. Searching
(4:06)  3. Little Girl Waltz
(6:56)  4. Journey
(4:35)  5. One Day at a Time
(4:26)  6. Noche Del Amore
(4:45)  7. Meili
(4:12)  8. If
(5:58)  9. When I Look into Your Eyes
(3:40) 10. Urban Groove

Today's new jazz standards in the making. All original tunes with beautiful lyrical melodies and unforgetable lyrics.

"This new songwriting team of Gifford & Trzcinski are waking up the jazz world with their fresh approach to composition and performance. Watch these rising stars as they sky-rocket in the world of jazz. Their music is said to be today's new jazz standards in the making. 10 original tracks of various jazz styles including: ballads, latin, swing, and funk." "The CD showcases Gifford's classy , velvety vocals and Trzcinski's extraordinary piano skills. Gifford delivers a bravura performance on "If", which calls on her pop and musical-theater background to create a dramatic arc from the pensive opening to the dramatic conclusion." http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dgiffordjtrzcinski

One Day at a Time

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Eddie Henderson - Flight Of Mind

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:51
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:34)  1. Flight Of Mind
(9:19)  2. Goodbye
(7:09)  3. Eduard
(4:25)  4. Un Bel Di Vedremo
(8:29)  5. Lament For Booker
(8:52)  6. Torre-Adore
(9:10)  7. Portrait Of Jenny
(6:51)  8. L + M

Eddie Henderson was one of the few trumpeters who was strongly influenced by Miles Davis' work of his early fusion period. He grew up in San Francisco, studied trumpet at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, but was trained to be a doctor when he permanently chose music. Henderson worked with John Handy, Tyrone Washington, and Joe Henderson, in addition to his own group. He gained some recognition for his work with the Herbie Hancock Sextet (1970-1973), although his own records (which utilized electronics) tended to be commercial. After Hancock broke up his group, Henderson worked with Art Blakey and Mike Nock, recorded with Charles Earland, and later, in the 1970s, led a rock-oriented group. In the '90s, he returned to playing acoustic hard bop (touring with Billy Harper in 1991) while also working as a psychiatrist. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/bw/artist/eddie-henderson/id1102634#fullText

Personnel: Eddie Henderson (trumpet); Larry Willis (piano); Ed Howard (bass); Victor Lewis (drums).

Flight Of Mind

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Lee Konitz, Ted Brown - Dig-it

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:47
Size: 166,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:31)  1. Smog Eyes
( 8:05)  2. Dig-it
( 7:11)  3. 317E. 32nd Street
( 7:15)  4. Dream Stepper
( 4:37)  5. Down The Drain
( 9:41)  6. Hi Beck
( 9:07)  7. Feather Bed
( 6:46)  8. Kary's Trance
(11:30)  9. Subconcious Lee

Lee Konitz and Ted Brown have lived many lives since they played together as students and sidemen of pianist Lennie Tristano more than fifty years ago. Konitz started with Claude Thornhill’s Orchestra before working with Gil Evans and Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool Nonet. His familiar alto saxophone was featured in what many say was the first recorded free improvisational music. While working in somewhat obscurity, Konitz has managed to record hundreds of records on mostly minor labels. Ted Brown did one better, dropping out of jazz to find a day gig. Both men have made a return to jazz, Brown at the encouragement of his students and Konitz on several critically acclaimed releases notably Alone Together with Charlie Haden and Brad Mehldau. This reunion in a pianoless quartet is all about their mentor, Lennie Tristano. His music (their music) of the 1940/50’s paralleled bebop, but in a complex multi-layered way. Tristano was said to have instructed the two to play “...deliberately uninflected, in a neutral tone, concentrating instead on the solo.” 

This style, reflected on this release, is anything but unemotional. Konitz and Brown’s cool tones create a delicate internal tension that is and was a bridge between Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman. Can we have more? ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dig-it-lee-konitz-steeplechase-records-review-by-mark-corroto.php
 

Personnel: Lee Konitz – Saxophone;  Ted Brown – Saxophone;  Rufus Reid – Bass;  Joe Chambers - Drums; Albert Dailey – Piano.

Dig-it

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Bob Baldwin - All In A Days Work

Styles: Jazz Soul, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:42
Size: 146,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. A New York Minute
(4:57)  2. All In A Day's Work
(5:51)  3. Day-O
(5:40)  4. Third Time's The Charm
(6:31)  5. Quirky
(6:38)  6. Can You Feel It?
(5:53)  7. Steamy
(4:54)  8. Sunrise
(1:46)  9. Quality Time
(0:52) 10. Steamy (Interlude)
(5:21) 11. The Very Last Night In Rio
(7:44) 12. Don't Get It Twisted
(1:19) 13. Can You Feel It? (Interlude)

Bob Baldwin's follow-up disc of ""Brazil Chill"" is an album that was recorded in Rio De Janeiro and New York City. Features Dave Mann, Café Da Silva, Barry Danielian, Tonni Smith and featuring Zoiea on Vocals. A must-have for the Baldwin collection. This disc was to be a sequel to ""Brazil Chill"", however the label at the time filed bankruptcy (A440 Records), so Baldwin completed disc on his own. ~ Editorial  Reviews https://www.amazon.com/ALL-DAYS-WORK-BOB-BALDWIN/dp/B005RYF5W2

Personnel: Bob Baldwin (vocals, strings, piano, keyboards, bass instrument, percussion, drum programming); Tonni Smith, Zoiea (vocals); Phil Hamilton (guitars); Ragan Whiteside (flute); Dave Mann (saxophone); Barry Danielian (trumpet); Ronald Jenkins (bass instrument); Dennis Johnson (drums, drum programming); Buddy Williams (drums); Armando Marçal, Cafe De Silva (percussion).

All In A Days Work

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Branford Marsalis - Crazy People Music

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:38
Size: 148,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:36)  1. Spartacus
(12:49)  2. The Dark Knight
(10:40)  3. Wolverine
( 6:19)  4. Mr. Steepe
(11:11)  5. Rose Petals
( 9:19)  6. Random Abstract(Diddle-It)
( 5:41)  7. The Ballad Of Chet Kincaid

Branford Marsalis (on tenor and soprano) performs four of his originals, Bob Hurst's "The Dark Knight," Keith Jarrett's obscure "Rose Petals" and "The Ballad of Chet Kincaid" (co-written by Bill Cosby and Quincy Jones) on this outing with his 1990 quartet. It's an impressive group that also includes pianist Kenny Kirkland, bassist Hurst and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. "Ballad" would catch on to a general audience, but on the others Marsalis is heard throughout in prime form, sounding more original and pushing himself. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/crazy-people-music-mw0000204117

Personnel: Branford Marsalis (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kenny Kirkland (piano); Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums).

Crazy People Music

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Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing!

Styles: Vocal, Swing, Big Band 
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:25
Size: 159,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. The Busy Woman's Blues
(3:11)  2. Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing
(4:06)  3. Big Fine Daddy
(5:06)  4. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You?
(3:46)  5. Now Or Never
(3:41)  6. I've Got A Feelin'
(3:59)  7. Roll The Boogie
(4:10)  8. Honey Pie
(6:10)  9. I Want A Little Boy
(3:25) 10. Blow Me A Fat Note
(5:06) 11. Voo-It
(3:32) 12. He Beeped When He Should Have Bopped
(4:06) 13. Hootie Blues
(5:15) 14. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?
(4:11) 15. Sent For You Yesterday
(2:20) 16. Winter Wonderland

If you like swinging big-band blues, this is a no-lose proposition. The eight-member backup outfit consists of jazz veterans who have played with giants like Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton, and Duke Ellington; lead singer Smith, a kid by comparison, only sounds as if she lived through the big-band era. Half a dozen of the San Francisco group's sparkling originals fit right in with classics first popularized by the likes of Helen Humes, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, and Count Basie. The spirited performances benefit from first-rate musicianship, a sense of humor, and the group's refusal to try to update the genre they call home. As they prove on every one of the 16 tracks, this music works just as well today as it did in the '20s, '30s, '40s, and '50s. ~ Jeff Burger http://www.allmusic.com/album/everybodys-talkin-bout-miss-thing-mw0000528428

Personnel: Lavay Smith (vocals); Jules Broussard (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Rev. Ron Stallings (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Herman Riley (tenor saxophone); Allen Smith, Bill Ortiz (trumpet); Dan Armstrong, Marty Wehner (trombone); Chris Seibert, Chris Siebert (piano); Sly Randolph, Mark "Anarchy" Lee, Mark Lee (drums); Michael Spiro (congas); Jesús Diaz (bongos).

Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing!

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Kenny Drew - Kenny Drew Trio

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:25
Size: 97,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Caravan
(6:04)  2. Come Rain or Come Shine
(5:42)  3. Ruby My Dear
(4:03)  4. Weird-O
(4:39)  5. Taking a Chance on Love
(5:14)  6. When You Wish Upon a Star
(5:25)  7. Blues for Nica
(6:22)  8. It's Only a Paper Moon

Kenny Drew, with the assistance of bassist Paul Chambers (whose bowed solos are always welcome) and drummer Philly Joe Jones, explores six standards and two of his originals. Although Drew would have to move to Europe in the early '60s in order to get the recognition he deserved, it is obvious (in hindsight) from this enjoyable date that he was already a major improviser. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-kenny-drew-trio-mw0000188071

Kenny Drew Trio: Keny Drew (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Philly Joe Jones (drums).

Kenny Drew Trio

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Jackie Wilson - The Soul Years 1965-1975

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:33
Size: 113,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:23)  1. Whispers (Gettin' Louder)
(2:53)  2. The Fairest Of Them All
(2:25)  3. My Heart Is Calling
(3:00)  4. Who Am I?
(2:46)  5. You Brought About A Change In
(2:45)  6. Since You Showed Me How To Be
(2:58)  7. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) H
(2:55)  8. I Get The Sweetest Feeling
(2:53)  9. The Who Who Song
(3:44) 10. What A Lovely Way
(2:55) 11. (I Can Feel These) Vibrations
(2:22) 12. Try It Again
(3:18) 13. Because Of You
(2:43) 14. You Got Me Walking
(2:49) 15. (We Got To Find) The Fountain
(2:36) 16. (My Love Is) Growin' Tall
(2:57) 17. Nobody But You

After ruling the pop and R&B charts in the late '50s and early '60s, Jackie Wilson revived his somewhat dormant career with slick, immaculately sung Chicago-soul productions such as "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)" (1966), "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (1967), and "I Get the Sweetest Feeling" (1968). The Soul Years offers these high points along with a stack of entertaining, if slight, tracks covering the period from "Whispers" to the end of Wilson's career in 1975. While not everything here ranks with his greatest work, the disc provides a revealing look at this master vocalist's final decade of recording. ~ Rickey Wright  https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Years-Jackie-Wilson/dp/B00000DI1D

The Soul Years  1965-1975

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Joe Chambers - Horace To Max

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:52
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:31)  1. Asiatic Raes
(8:08)  2. Ecaroh
(4:07)  3. Man From South Africa
(7:23)  4. Mendacity
(7:19)  5. Portia
(4:57)  6. Water Babies
(5:03)  7. Lonesome Lover
(3:42)  8. Evidence
(3:38)  9. Afreeka

In this follow up to the critically-acclaimed The Outlaw (Savant 2006) recording, Joe Chambers tips his hat to colleagues Horace Silver and Max Roach with Horace To Max, paying tribute to mentor Roach and recognizing Silver as one of the most important composers of the post-bop era of jazz. A highly-regarded session drummer of the '60s appearing on many of Blue Note's greatest jazz recordings, Chambers builds on the foundation of The Outlaw where he was featured prominently on mallet instruments as well as the drums performing here on the vibes and marimba. While featuring standards from Kenny Dorham, Wayne Shorter, Marcus Miller and Thelonious Monk the repertoire includes three charts from Roach and one from Silver covering the the theme of the album. Though technically not truly a "drummers" disc by being overly percussive in nature Chambers delivers his fair share of drum solos and includes Steve Berrios on percussion as part of the personnel. It is Berrios who introduces the opening "Asiatic Raes" on the congas accompanied by the drummer in what is in fact a dicey percussion-driven number. Exhibiting considerable chops on the vibes, Chambers crafts a warm and sensitive rendition of Silver's gorgeous "Ecaroh" featuring tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander and Xavier Davis on piano.

Vocalist Nicole Guiland appears on a couple of pieces beginning with "Mendacity," a tune associated with both Roach and Abbey Lincoln and then again on "Lonesome Lover" featuring a sparkling overdubbed performance on the vibes. Saxophonist Alexander is especially expressive on "Man From South Africa" and demonstrates why he is considered one of the finest reed man in the business with his take of Wayne Shorter's "Water Babies." Pianist Davis sets up Chamber's strong stick work on Monk's classic "Evidence" in a brisk but brief treatment of the standard and ends the album in percussive manner using Berrios on the drums and congas. The finale "Afreeka" enjoys another marked performance on the vibes with more overdubbed work on the marimba as a lasting reminder of this artist's versatility as a musician. 

An unquestioned talent who should not be defined by his mastery of the drums alone, Chambers cements his legacy as one of the most influential musicians of our time with a remarkable multi-instrumental performance on Horace To Max. Using a mainstream approach to an all around contemporary jazz sound, Joe Chambers manages to speak with different voices all saying the same thing: this is superb jazz the kind of music no doubt, Horace Silver and Max Roach would definitely be part of. ~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/horace-to-max-joe-chambers-savant-records-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Joe Chambers: drums, vibes, marimba; Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone; Xavier Davis: piano; Dwayne Burno: bass; Steve Berrios: percussion, drums; Helen Sung: piano (7); Richie Goode: bass (7); Nicole Guiland: vocals (4, 7).

Horace To Max

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Lauren Henderson - Lauren Henderson

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Latin Jazz

Year: 2011

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:47

Size: 98,4 MB

Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Dindi

(2:52)  2. Skylark

(5:57)  3. More Than You Know

(4:07)  4. Veinte Años

(2:57)  5. I Should Care

(3:12)  6. Do I Love You?

(4:05)  7. Só Tinha De Ser Com Você

(6:13)  8. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)

(3:26)  9. Born to Be Blue

(2:51) 10. Monicas Vals (Waltz For Debby)

(3:19) 11. Taking a Chance On Love

This album is an eclectic mix of jazz and Latin jazz standards. The quartet explores smooth and seductive ballads and bossa novas, as well as swinging and funk influenced tunes. Swedish, Portuguese and Spanish are just a few of the languages featured on the album besides English. Lauren Henderson’s debut album features Sullivan Fortner on piano, Ben Leifer on bass and Jesse Simpson on the drums. They recorded this album at Flux Studios in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in the Summer of 2011. All contemporaries, the four young musicians met on the New York Jazz scene after college and became fast friends. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/laurenhenderson

Lauren Henderson

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Eddie Henderson Quintet - Manhattan in Blue

Styles: Trumpet Jazz

Year: 1994

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:15

Size: 145,2 MB

Art: Front

(6:57)  1. Surrey with the Fringe on Top

(7:05)  2. I Remember Clifford

(5:58)  3. Jinrikisya

(9:27)  4. Oliloqui Valley

(5:54)  5. When You Wish Upon a Star

(9:14)  6. Phantoms

(5:13)  7. On Green Dolphin Street

(7:32)  8. If One Could Only See

(5:52)  9. Little B's Poem

Eddie Henderson was one of the few trumpeters who was strongly influenced by Miles Davis' work of his early fusion period. He grew up in San Francisco, studied trumpet at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, but was trained to be a doctor when he permanently chose music. Henderson worked with John Handy, Tyrone Washington, and Joe Henderson, in addition to his own group. He gained some recognition for his work with the Herbie Hancock Sextet (1970-1973), although his own records (which utilized electronics) tended to be commercial. After Hancock broke up his group, Henderson worked with Art Blakey and Mike Nock, recorded with Charles Earland, and later, in the 1970s, led a rock-oriented group. In the '90s, he returned to playing acoustic hard bop (touring with Billy Harper in 1991) while also working as a psychiatrist. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eddie-henderson-mn0000169948/biography

Personnel:  Eddie Henderson - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Kevin Hays – piano;  Joe Locke – vibraphone;  Ed Howard – bass;  Lewis Nash – drums;  Grover Washington Jr. - soprano saxophone

Manhattan in Blue

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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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