Jeremy Pelt - # Jive Culture

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:16
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Baswald's Place
(7:30)  2. Einbahnstrasse
(7:04)  3. Dream Dancing
(5:37)  4. A Love Like Ours
(7:28)  5. The Haunting
(5:42)  6. Rhapsody
(7:40)  7. Akua
(8:42)  8. Desire

Taking a more stripped-down approach than the expansive electric path he's been pursuing since 2013's Water and Earth, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's 2016 album, #Jiveculture, is a visceral exploration of small-group post-bop. It's also Pelt's first album featuring legendary bassist and Miles Davis associate Ron Carter. Also joining Pelt here are longtime bandmates pianist Danny Grissett and drummer Billy Drummond. While Pelt has never completely eschewed swinging, harmonically challenging, straight-ahead jazz, his previous efforts, Water and Earth, Face Forward, Jeremy, and Tales, Musings, and Other Reveries were notable for their more experimental flourishes that combined Pelt's love of hip-hop and electronic dance music with his reverence for '70s-era jazz fusion, à la Miles Davis' Bitches Brew. For much of his career though, Pelt has excelled at the kind of organic, modal-based jazz that Davis played in the mid-'60s. This is the approach he takes on #Jiveculture and one that works perfectly with the addition of Carter, whose languid, supple bass style helped to define modern jazz. Here, Pelt and company dive headlong into a set of originals and lesser-played standards, including a jaunty take on Carter's own "Einbahnstrasse." Similarly compelling is the relaxed midtempo swinger "Dream Dancing," which brings to mind both mid-'50s Miles and '80s Wynton Marsalis. Davis is also evoked on the angular "The Haunting" and the lyrical, sad-eyed ballad "Akua," with Pelt utilizing a plaintive Harmon mute. Ultimately, while #Jiveculture is a more stripped-down, traditional jazz production than Pelt's previous releases, it's also one of his more densely packed, flowing with harmonic and melodic ideas that are all the more striking when set against the straight-ahead framework of a quartet. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/jiveculture-mw0002903911

# Jive Culture

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Martin Sasse Trio & Charlie Mariano - Good Times

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:51
Size: 148.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 6:34] 1. Estate
[ 6:10] 2. Yours Is My Heart Alone
[ 5:11] 3. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
[ 4:57] 4. My Funny Valentine
[ 5:04] 5. Doxy
[ 5:59] 6. I Thought About You
[ 6:08] 7. Stella By Starlight
[ 6:16] 8. Randy
[10:33] 9. My Foolish Heart [live]
[ 7:56] 10. Good Times [live]

Bass – Henning Gailing; Drums – Hendrik Smock; Alto Saxophone – Charlie Mariano; Piano – Martin Sasse. Recording information: Kinodrom, Bocholt (03/13/2003); Topaz Studios, Köln, Germany (03/13/2003); Kinodrom, Bocholt (04/16/2006); Topaz Studios, Köln, Germany (04/16/2006).

This 2006 recording features alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano, a restless innovator who spent the last decades of his life living in Europe. 'Good Times' is his last studio recording (he died in 2009 at the great age of 85) and he is backed by the trio of pianist Martin Sasse, who is one of Germany's leading jazz musicians.

Good Times

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Kenny Rankin - The Kenny Rankin Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:55
Size: 80.0 MB
Styles: Soft rock, Adult contemporary
Year: 1976/2008
Art: Front

[3:03] 1. A House Of Gold
[2:35] 2. Here's That Rainy Day
[2:59] 3. Make Believe
[3:28] 4. On And On
[3:50] 5. You Are So Beautiful
[4:11] 6. Groovin'
[4:42] 7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
[2:59] 8. When Sunny Gets Blue
[4:23] 9. I Love You
[2:40] 10. Through The Eye Of The Eagle

Long before Linda Ronstadt, Natalie Cole, and countless other pop, rock, and soul artists attempted to cover standards, Kenny Rankin did it and with excellent results. Enlisting the arranging talents of Don Costa (Frank Sinatra), Rankin created a lush, romantic album that also maintains the mellow vibes of '70s singer/songwriter pop. Rankin succeeds beautifully, tackling such evergreens as "Here's That Rainy Day" and "When Sunny Gets Blue." In addition, without interrupting the mood, he does beautiful readings of more contemporary artists, such as Stephen Bishop on "On and On," and particularly the Rascals on "Groovin." His moody and heartfelt rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," his second recording of the song, demonstrates once more his ability to adopt Beatles songs as his own. Of all the R&B, rock, and pop artists to work with orchestras interpreting the great American songbook, few have matched the originality and fine results of this release. ~Stephen J. Matteo

The Kenny Rankin Album

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Ari Hoenig - Lines Of Oppression

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:25
Size: 142.9 MB
Styles: Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[11:28] 1. Lines Of Oppression
[ 9:35] 2. Arrows & Loops
[ 5:03] 3. Wedding Song
[ 1:42] 4. Rhythm
[ 3:52] 5. Rythm-A-Ning
[ 8:44] 6. Moanin'
[ 6:49] 7. Love's Feathered Nails
[ 4:03] 8. Ephemeral Eyes
[ 4:47] 9. How High The Moon
[ 6:16] 10. Higher To Hayastan

Ari Hoenig: drums, vocals; Tigran Hamasyan: piano, vocals, beat box; Gilad Hekselman: guitar, vocals; Orlando Le Fleming: bass (1, 3, 5-8); Chris Tordini: bass (2, 9, 10), vocals.

When Bill Evans began building trios that represented a collaboration of equals rather than soloist accompanied by rhythm section, it's unlikely the late pianist could have envisioned the way Jean-Michel Pilc, bassist Francois Moutin and drummer Ari Hoenig wowed fans at a 2011 Ottawa International Jazz Festival performance. Bringing new meaning to the phrase "egalitarian," each and every member was clearly capable of pushing the music in a new direction, so keenly attuned were they to each other. Hoenig, in particular, seemed a mad instigator, grinning fiercely as he pushed his elbow down on his snare hard, turning it from a percussion instrument into one actually capable of melody.

Not that the concept is new, but Hoenig has honed a bit of showmanship shtick into something musical, taking it to the next step on his own Lines of Oppression, where he becomes the lead instrument on Bobby Timmons' classic "Moanin'"—nearly beyond belief, as he ekes notes as blue as they'd sound on a horn. Settling back into a more conventional role as purveyor of a loose swing groove, he passes the baton to guitarist Gilad Hekselman, who demonstrates increasing distance from his earlier touchstone, Kurt Rosenwinkel, with carefully chosen notes, overdriven but in a warm, almost ethereal way. Pianist Tigran Hamasyan's next, and though capable of lithe flights of fancy—and a musical mélange that often brings his own Armenian roots into the equation—in the context of this blues, he demonstrates a deeper appreciation of the tradition, starting with Count Basie-like economy, but gradually picking up steam as his solo, an encyclopedia of jazz piano, gradually unfurls.

There's also a reading of Thelonious Monk's oft-covered "Rhythm-a-ning," delivered with Carl Stalling-like wryness before breaking into a middle section where Hekselman and Hamasyan go at it, head-to-head, for one of the album's more exciting moments. Monk's influence is also felt on a trio version of "How High the Moon," featuring Hamasyan and bassist Chris Tordini, who subs for regular bassist Orlando le Fleming here and on two other tracks, including the pianist's idiosyncratic, rock-edged set-closed, "Higher to Hamasyan."

The rest of the album comes from Hoenig's pen, accounting for two-thirds of its 60-minute duration, the majority of that slice occupied by just two compositions—the quirkily polyrhythmic title track, featuring an early bar-raising solo from Hekselman, and the even knottier "Arrows & Loops," with its preponderance of accented shots amidst a dervish-like melody, leading to Hamasyan's set-defining solo, a combination of choppy voicings and fluid, serpentine melodies. "Wedding Song" proves Hoenig isn't averse to lyricism, though its bittersweet melody seems paradoxical to the song's title.

Whether taking the lead on "Rhythm"—his a capella solo and vocalizations a North American variant on the Indian konnakol tradition—or acting as perpetual rhythmic instigator, Hoenig leads his group democratically, not unlike his work with Pilc and Moutin. Lines of Oppression may feature Hoenig's name on the marquee—and it's clearly his vision driving the group's overall direction—but it's unequivocal that this is a quartet of equals, driven moment-by-moment by the unfettered expressionism of everyone involved. ~John Kelman

Lines Of Oppression

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David Weiss - When Words Fail

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:22
Size: 141,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:52)  1. The Intrepid Hub
(8:11)  2. When Words Fail
(6:45)  3. Mj
(8:37)  4. Wayward
(5:01)  5. White Magic
(8:30)  6. Loss
(7:18)  7. Lullaby for a Lonely Child
(9:05)  8. Passage Into Eternity

"Where words fail, music speaks." Jana Herzen, head of Motema Music, shared this Hans Christian Anderson quote with David Weiss after the trumpeter had already titled his new record; the sentiment of that statement just happens to perfectly connect with this album. In 2013, loss seemed to hover around Weiss, his friends, and the jazz community at large. So, when faced with the cruel realities of life and death, Weiss did what any artist of great character and strength would do: he let his music speak his feelings. When Words Fail is a tribute album, but better not to call it that, for it doesn't look to eulogize a single individual, paint pictures of sadness, or dwell on a particular state of mind. Instead, it comes off as cathartic art, celebrating musical brotherhood and life in general. Over the years, Weiss has earned much critical praise and respect for his ambitious and wide-ranging work with The New Jazz Composers Octet, his support and championing of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard during that icon's last years, explorations with his Point Of Departure band, burn-and-drive work with The Cookers, and reworkings of saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter's music. In those situations, Weiss wore many hats, serving as composer, arranger, leader, supporter, and situation-maker. Here, he does the same, but he also serves as the emotional power source for this music. When Words Fail may be the most direct and personal record Weiss has ever released.

The album opens with Weiss' tribute to Hubbard "The Intrepid Hub." Right away, Weiss makes it clear that this is more about joy than sadness, as Hubbard's aggressive, hard-driving qualities come through in the music. The title track is dedicated to bassist Dwayne Burno, who passed away shortly after recording this album. His jaunty bass sets the song in motion. Other album high points include the inquisitive and probing "Loss," a nod to Herzen, who lost her father in 2013, and "Passage Into Eternity," dedicated to saxophonist Jimmy Greene and his family, who lost Ana Grace Marquez-Greene in the horrific and senseless Sandy Hook massacre. Rather than focus on the sadness surrounding this event, Weiss seems to focus on reflection, the honoring of life, and looking toward what comes after. Life and loss are inextricably linked, but that doesn't make it any easier to accept. When Words Fail, without obsessing on gloom or focusing solely on silver linings, takes an honest look at that fact. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/when-words-fail-david-weiss-motema-music-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: David Weiss: trumpet; Myron Walden: alto saxophone; Marcus Strickland: tenor saxophone; Xavier Davis: piano; Dwayne Burno: bass; E.J. Strickland: drums; Ben Eusen: guitar (3, 8).

When Words Fail

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Tierney Sutton - Dancing In The Dark: Inspired By The Music Of Frank Sinatra

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:03
Size: 126,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. What'll I Do
(2:48)  2. Only The Lonely
(3:24)  3. I'll Be Around
(5:49)  4. All The Way
(5:03)  5. I Think Of You
(3:13)  6. Where Or When
(5:12)  7. Without A Song
(4:54)  8. I Could Have Told You
(5:52)  9. Emily
(3:22) 10. Last Night When We Were Young
(4:16) 11. Fly Me To The Moon
(5:24) 12. Last Dance/Dancing In The Dark

Tierney Sutton's latest Telarc release celebrates the music of Frank Sinatra not the ring-a-ding-ding, devil-may-care, wise-cracking leader of the Rat Pack who was the epitome of hipness and bravado, but, as Sutton observes in the liner notes, the "dark corners" of Sinatra's work that she finds "endlessly compelling." The mood is hushed, sentimental and pensive as Sutton places her indelible stamp on such heart-wrenching Sinatra classics as "Only the Lonely," "I'll Be Around," "Last Night When We Were Young," and others. Sutton's voice, soft and smoky, is perfectly suited to the balladic repertoire, and her readings, albeit unlike Sinatra's, as well they should be, are nonetheless apt and persuasive. She is ably supported by pianist Christian Jacob, bassist Trey Henry, and drummer Ray Brinker, with whom she has worked for more than a decade. A string orchestra, conducted by Jacob, has been added on five numbers. I don't know whose idea that was, but it does little to enhance the performance, and I much prefer the seven tracks on which Sutton and the trio are on their own. 

Among the latter, Sutton is especially warm and seductive on "Only the Lonely," "I'll Be Around," "I Could Have Told You," and "Last Night When We Were Young." It should be noted that she is no less captivating on a handful of songs whose connection to Sinatra is more tenuous, including "What'll I Do," "I Could Have Told You," "Emily," and the Rachmaninoff-based melody "I Think of You." The finale, with strings attached, is a well-designed medley of Sammy Cahn/Jimmy van Heusen's "Last Dance" and Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz's "Dancing in the Dark," a lovely way to end an impassioned and essentially delightful homage to one of the twentieth century's meistersingers, Frank Sinatra, who was known and admired by his legions of fans simply as "the voice." 

~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dancing-in-the-dark-tierney-sutton-telarc-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Tierney Sutton, vocals; Christian Jacob, piano; Trey Henry Bass; Ray Brinker, drums; Christian Jacob, piano. On tracks 1, 4, 5, 7, 12, orchestra conducted by Jacob -- Peter Kent, concertmaster; Vladimir Polimatidi, Gina Kronstadt, Kathleen Robertson, Sharon Jackson, Susan Chatman, Erica Walczak, Kirstin Fife, Eddie Stein, Barbra Porter, Cameron Patrick, Juliann French, violin; Margot Aldcroft, Harry Shirinian, Jorge Moraga, Lynn Grants, viola; Larry Corbett, Armin Ksakajikian, Audy Stein, cello; Brad Kintscher, horn; Gary Foster, flute.

Dancing In The Dark: Inspired By The Music Of Frank Sinatra

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Howard Alden - Take Your Pick

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:41
Size: 142,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:05)  1. I Concentrate On You
(7:02)  2. U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group)
(6:48)  3. House Party Starting
(4:25)  4. Warm Valley
(5:59)  5. The Gig
(4:53)  6. My Funny Valentine
(7:16)  7. Sweet And Lovely
(6:55)  8. You're My Thrill
(6:35)  9. How Deep Is The Ocean?
(4:40) 10. After All

Although best-known for his work in mainstream swing settings, guitarist Howard Alden has long been interested in later periods of jazz. On this superior outing, he doubles on seven-string acoustic and electric guitars (which allow him to add basslines). Lew Tabackin is on four of the ten numbers (three on tenor, one on flute) and pianist Renee Rosnes appears on six songs (including a duet with Alden on "Warm Valley"), while bassist Michael Moore and drummer Bill Goodwin are on seven. Alden takes "My Funny Valentine" and "After All" as unaccompanied solos but it is his meetings with Tabackin, particularly on exciting versions of two complex Herbie Nichols songs ("House Party Starting" and "The Gig") that are most notable. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/take-your-pick-mw0000089860

Personnel: Howard Alden (acoustic & electric guitars); Lew Tabackin (tenor saxophone, flute); Renee Rosnes (piano); Michael Moore (bass); Bill Goodwin (drums).

Take Your Pick

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Rotem Sivan Trio - A New Dance

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:27
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. A New Dance
(1:03)  2. Sun & Stars
(4:51)  3. Angel Eyes
(3:55)  4. One for Aba
(4:06)  5. Yam
(5:22)  6. I Wish You Were Here
(6:52)  7. In Walked Bud
(2:13)  8. Almond Tree
(4:09)  9. Fingerprints
(7:18) 10. I Fall in Love Too Easily

You can only imagine the hurricane-like storm of hyperbole that accompanies every new release by every single fresh young jazz artist on today's scene. We are promised, every time, that the artist in question (...always immensely-talented) is a "musical genius" and "true innovator" who is going to "transform the jazz world as we know it." The only thing such purple prose engenders in me is a healthy sense of skepticism. You hear such stuff once, twice, a million times and when you get the goods, the disappointment instantly sets in. But, hey, the hype might start a conversation, or it may make one wax philosophical, or it may simply sell CDs. What the hype machine cannot consider is that some young artists may appear on the scene as fully-formed musical giants, while others may need a few albums under their belt to hit their stride. Still others might need a formative experience as a sideman under the wings of an established artist, and others might simply slip quietly into lives that don't involve being the next big thing in the jazz world.  All of this is worth mentioning because the release of For Emotional Use Only (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2014), the second album by Israeli-born guitarist Rotem Sivan, was accompanied by the usual intensely glowing corona of hype; a sure sign that somewhere, a publicist was sleeping soundly at night. And that album was quite good, a bit derivative perhaps, but Sivan seemed to be a name to watch. Fleet-fingered, harmonically-rich, and with a "pure jazz" guitar concept derived from the likes of John Abercrombie, Jim Hall, and Tal Farlow, Sivan had just enough left-field stuff going on to stand out a bit from the hoi polloi.

Sivan's convictions come to far greater fruition on A New Dance; an album with a hype-fulfilling surfeit of passion, individualism, charm, and unadulterated jazz sweat. A New Dance succeeds, in part, on sheer group chemistry. Sivan wisely retained the services of the gifted young Israeli bassist Haggai Cohen Milo. Their sparkling, inventive and energetic interactions with new drummer Colin Stranahan are catalytic; taking Sivan's music to a whole 'nother level. The proof is in the trio's work with the standard repertoire. "Angel Eyes" a bluesy ballad traditionally given a slow-burn. late-night vibe is convincingly cast in a completely different light. Cohen-Milo takes the melody over Sivan's rapidly strummed chords as Stranahan's cymbals ease in. The focus abruptly shifts, and the energy level goes way up, as Sivan takes the lead and Stranahan prods and pokes with off- centered fills and accents that increase the tension and swing like hell. The trio take Thelonious Monk's classic "In Walked Bud" to new places as well. Here, Sivan's understated spontaneity seems almost childlike as the trio slowly immerses itself into Monk's world. Again, Sivan swaps leads with Cohen- Milo, but the result is an intense trio conversation that invites the listener to lean forward and anticipate the next change. Most startling of all is Oded Tzur's impossibly breathy saxophone intro to "I Fall In Love Too Easily." It took me a full minute to figure out what was going on. What follows is pure jazz ballad lushness.

Sivan's excellent originals comprise the bulk of this album and, while they draw on a surprisingly diverse musical palette, their focus is unswervingly jazz-oriented. Both "One for Aba" and "Yam" are lovely lead sheet-type tunes that draw on the ethnic music of Sivan's native land. The title track is restlessly inventive and sunny in the vein of Pat Metheny's Bright Size Life (ECM Records, 1976), while "I Wish You Were Here" is an effortless ballad that frames a dark, woody solo by the immensely-talented Cohen-Milo. The biggest departure is the set's lone vocal number, "Almond Tree," an easygoing slice of the singer-songwriter pie that seems incongruous couched amongst Sivan's brainy, highly detailed jazz guitar creations. Singer Daniel Wright, firmly in the mellow, reflective style of Michael Franks and Kenny Rankin, acquits himself quite well. "Fingerprints," by contrast, is a fast-paced tune that could be classified as a "burner" if it wasn't rife with a dizzying variety of modulations, twists, turns and pauses. Here, Stranahan carries the day: his playing is virtuosic yet preserves that magical happy-go-lucky spirit of fun. Jazz is fun!  So, yeah, the hype may be right on the money regarding Rotem Sivan. 

~ Dave Wayne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-new-dance-rotem-sivan-fresh-sound-new-talent-review-by-dave-wayne.php
 

Personnel: Rotem Sivan: guitar; Colin Stranahan: drums; Haggai Cohen-Milo: bass; Daniel Wright: voice (8); Oded Tzur: tenor saxophone (10).

A New Dance

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Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau - Nearness

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:32
Size: 168,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:38)  1. Ornithology
(10:55)  2. Always August
( 9:56)  3. In Walked Bud
(12:36)  4. Mehlsancholy Mode
(16:44)  5. The Nearness of You
(14:40)  6. Old West

Nearness finds acclaimed jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman and pianist Brad Mehldau teaming up for a set of loose yet heartfelt duo performances. Collaborators since they first began playing together in Redman's quartet in the early '90s, Mehldau and Redman have forged their own distinct solo careers. While they have continued to work together in various settings, the duo put a spotlight on their creative friendship with their 2011 tour. Nearness features live performances captured during the European leg of that tour, including tapings in Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Norway. These are dazzlingly collaborative performances that reveal Redman and Mehldau to be a highly intuitive and harmonically adroit team. While there are a handful of original compositions here, the pair also tackle several jazz standards, including a brisk, kinetic reading of Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" and a laid-back if no less invigorating take on Thelonious Monk's "In Walked Bud." Elsewhere, they take a similarly inventive approach on several originals, including Redman's warmly burnished "Mehlsancholy Mode" and Mehldau's skipping, bluesy "Old West." What makes these recordings so engaging is the way Mehldau and Redman play off each other, dancing around the melody, weaving in and out of the harmony like rambunctious birds sparring over scattered seed. It's a conversational style that comes off as both a game of hot potato and let's finish each other's sentences. Sometimes, as on "Ornithology," it almost sounds as if Redman starts a song one way and then Mehldau switches up the conversation, taking them down a wholly alternate route. Other times, as in Mehldau's poignantly rendered "Always August," they build a detailed musical architecture, their nuanced improvisational lines forming ascending and descending stairways, grandly domed halls, and hidden dulcet nooks. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/nearness-mw0002959309

Personnel:  Joshua Redman (saxophone)  Brad Mehldau (piano)

Nearness

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Aretha Franklin - The Great American Songbook

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:02

Size: 130.6 MB

Styles: R&B, Soul, Traditional pop

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Little Brown Book

[2:54] 2. Trouble In Mind

[3:13] 3. Try A Little Tenderness

[2:50] 4. It Ain't Necessarily So

[2:46] 5. How Deep Is The Ocean

[4:34] 6. Cold, Cold Heart

[2:29] 7. Love For Sale

[2:30] 8. How Glad I Am

[2:50] 9. Skylark

[4:33] 10. This Bitter Earth

[2:14] 11. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

[3:29] 12. What A Difference A Day Made

[4:51] 13. Only The Lonely

[2:21] 14. Rock A Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody

[3:01] 15. God Bless The Child

[3:06] 16. Say It Isn't So

[2:39] 17. Are You Sure

[3:17] 18. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)

Legacy released this 18-track disc less than two months prior to the 11-CD/one-DVD Take a Look: Aretha Franklin Complete on Columbia. In a sense, The Great American Songbook is nothing more than a box-set sampler, but it shall remain an excellent overview of Franklin’s overlooked (or willfully ignored) early-‘60s releases, which were heavy on interpretations of songs written by the likes of Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer, George and Ira Gershwin, Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, and Irving Berlin. While she had not fully blossomed and was years away from the gutsier material of her commercial peak -- only “Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody” scratched the Top 40 -- her voice was nonetheless supremely expressive, rooted in her gospel upbringing and drenched in soul. She was no mere stylist; when she sings “Ooh, honey, I’d like to really melt your cold, cold heart,” there is as much fire as there is in any given line of “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman.” Even the earliest cuts here, taken from late 1960 and early 1961 sessions with the Ray Bryant Combo, are soul through and through. (Note for fanatics: the mixes of "Trouble in Mind" and "Love for Sale" eliminate the fabricated crowd noise heard on Yeah!!!.) ~Andy Kellman

The Great American Songbook

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Dick Sisto - Soul Searching

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:44
Size: 125.3 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:29] 1. Boppy
[5:10] 2. Like A Mist
[6:22] 3. Earth Lament
[4:21] 4. 12 Steps
[1:53] 5. The Path
[6:57] 6. La Mesha
[4:48] 7. Love Grows Deep
[3:19] 8. Summer Of Love
[6:38] 9. Work
[3:40] 10. Protest Four Freedom
[2:45] 11. Chance
[4:18] 12. New Water

Dick Sisto - Vibraphone; Bobby Broom - Guitar on Trks. 1,2,3,4,6,7,9; Barry Ries - Trumpet on Trks. 5,8,10,12; Dennis Irwin - Bass on Trks. 1,2,3,4,6,7,9,11; Jim Anderson - Bass on Trks. 8,10,12; Mike Hyman - Drums on Trks. 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,12.

"Soul Searching" is an extremely well conceived and performed CD, marked by an interesting set of compositions that merit close attention. It is an excellent showcase for Sisto's sensitivity and harmonic awareness. Solos are flawlessly paced, and delivered without a hint of waste. A spirited and remarkably inventive unit." ~Dick La Palm (The Jazz Lobbyist)

Soul Searching     

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Various - Relaxing Bossa Lounge Vol 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:56
Size: 121.2 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Easy Listening
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Marcela Mangabeira - You're Beautiful
[2:09] 2. Monique Kessous - With A Little Help From My Friends
[2:38] 3. Maria Augusta - All Of Me
[2:50] 4. Maria Creuza - Insensatez (Senseless)
[4:21] 5. Luís Carlos Vinhas - Samba Da Benção
[4:00] 6. Maria Augusta - Speak Low
[3:45] 7. Marcos Valle - Summer Samba (Samba De Verão)
[2:36] 8. Monique Kessous - A Hard Day's Night
[3:18] 9. Cris Delanno - Isn't She Lovely
[3:21] 10. Maria Augusta - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[4:01] 11. Bob Tostes - I've Got You Under My Skin
[3:32] 12. Dudu Braga - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
[4:04] 13. Marcela Mangabeira - September
[3:09] 14. Taryn Szpilman - I Say A Little Prayer For You
[2:17] 15. Monique Kessous - If I Fell
[3:45] 16. Wanda Sá - Love Is In The Air

Relaxing Bossa Lounge                

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Jimmy Giuffre - The Music Man

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:06
Size: 91.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:20] 1. Iowa Stubborn
[3:02] 2. Goodnight My Someone
[3:24] 3. Seventy-Six Trombones
[2:55] 4. Marian The Librarian
[3:54] 5. My White Knight
[4:29] 6. The Wells Fargo Wagon
[3:54] 7. It's You
[3:07] 8. Shipoopi
[3:53] 9. Lida Rose (Will I Ever Tell You)
[3:13] 10. Gary, Indiana
[3:49] 11. Til There Was You

Controversial, misunderstood, and underappreciated, Jimmy Giuffre was an unlikely candidate to break as much ground as he did in the art of free improvisation. A swing orchestra veteran, Giuffre made his name as part of the West Coast school of cool jazz, but his restless creative spirit drove him to push the boundaries of texture, dynamic shading, counterpoint, and improvisational freedom in surprisingly avant-garde ways, despite maintaining a cool, cerebral exterior. Born in Dallas in 1921, Giuffre studied music at North Texas College and subsequently played tenor sax in an Army band; upon his discharge, he took jobs with orchestra leaders like Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey, and Buddy Rich. In 1949, he joined up with Woody Herman, for whom he'd penned the classic composition "Four Brothers" two years earlier. He then moved to the West Coast, where he learned clarinet and baritone sax, and played with groups like Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars and Shorty Rogers' Giants. Giuffre began leading his own sessions in 1954, with groundbreaking albums like Four Brothers and Tangents in Jazz exploring bluesy folk-jazz and third stream fusions. In 1956, he formed the first version of the Jimmy Giuffre 3, which featured guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ralph Pena; in 1958, the bassist was replaced by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, resulting in the highly unorthodox-sounding albums Trav'lin' Light, Four Brothers Sound, and Western Suite, as well as a classic version of Giuffre's hit "The Train and the River" in the Newport film Jazz on a Summer's Day. In 1961, Giuffre formed a new trio featuring pianist Paul Bley and bassist Steve Swallow; it was with this group, on the albums Fusion, Thesis, and the 1962 landmark Free Fall, that Giuffre really began to explore the subtler, more spacious side of free improvisation (mostly on clarinet). Unfortunately, the trio's music was too advanced to gain much of a reception, and they disbanded in 1962. Giuffre became an educator, and recorded off and on during the '70s; he experimented with electric instruments in the '80s, reunited his 1961-1962 trio in 1992, and continued to record for several avant-garde-oriented labels, most frequently Soul Note. In his later years Giuffre suffered from Parkinson's disease and no longer performed or recorded; he died of pneumonia in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 2008 at the age of 86. ~ bio by Steve Huey

The Music Man

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Melody Gardot - Currency Of Man

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:43
Size: 111.5 MB
Styles: R&B, Retro Soul, Jazz vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:23] 1. It Gonna Come
[4:29] 2. Preacherman
[5:03] 3. Morning Sun
[4:59] 4. Same To You
[4:14] 5. Don't Misunderstand
[4:17] 6. Don't Talk
[6:50] 7. If Ever I Recall Your Face
[4:38] 8. Bad News
[3:56] 9. She Don't Know
[4:48] 10. Once I Was Loved

On 2012's The Absence, Melody Gardot made her first shift away from the jazz-tinged ballads that drew such heavy comparisons to Norah Jones and Madeleine Peyroux. Lushly orchestrated, it was chock-full of songs inspired by Brazilian, Latin, and French forms. On Currency of Man, Gardot takes on a rootsier sound, embracing West Coast soul, funk, gospel, and pop from the early '70s as the backdrop for these songs. It is not only different musically, but lyrically. This is a less "personal" record; its songs were deeply influenced by the people she encountered in L.A., many of them street denizens. She tells their stories and reflects on themes of social justice. It's wide angle. Produced by Larry Klein, the cast includes members of her band, crack session players -- guitarist Dean Parks, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, Larry Goldings, the Waters Sisters, et al. -- and strings and horns. The title track is a funky blues with a rumbling bassline, dramatic strings (à la Motown) and fat horns. Gardot uses the lens of Sam Cooke to testify to the inevitability of change: "We all hopin’ for the day that the powers see abdication and run/Said it gonna come…." First single "Preacherman" is similar, employing a wrangling, smoldering blues that indicts racism in the 20st century by referring to the violent death of Emmett Till, a catalyst in the then-emergent Civil Rights movement. A driving B-3, saxophone, and menacing lead guitar ratchet up the tension to explosive. A gospel chorus mournfully affirms Gardot's vocal as a harmonica moans in the background. "Morning Sun" and closer "Once I Was Loved" are tender ballads that emerge from simple, hymn-like themes and quietly resonant with conviction. "Same to You" evokes the spirit of Dusty Springfield atop the punchy horns from her Memphis period, albeit with a West Coast sheen. The nylon-string guitar in "Don't Misunderstand" recalls Bill Withers' earthy funkiness. The song's a groover, but it's also a warning to a possessive lover. "Don't Talk" uses spooky polyrhythms (à la Tom Waits) as brooding, spacy slide guitars, B-3, and backing singers slice through forbidding blues under Gardot's voice. "If Ever I Recall Your Face" is jazzier, a 21st century take on the film noir ballad with glorious strings arranged by Clément Ducol that rise above a ghostly piano. "Bad News" simultaneously looks back at L.A.'s Central Avenue and burlesque scenes. It's a jazz-blues with a sauntering horn section, snaky electric guitar, and squawking saxophone solo. Vocally, Gardot is stronger than ever here, her instrument is bigger and fuller yet it retains that spectral smokiness that is her trademark. Currency of Man is a further step away from the lithe, winsome pop-jazz that garnered her notice initially, and it's a welcome one. ~Thom Jurek

Currency Of Man

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Red Holloway - Coast to Coast

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:05
Size: 121,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. Still Groovin'
(8:04)  2. Avalon
(5:10)  3. 3 steps up clark
(4:07)  4. Indian summer
(6:43)  5. Struttin' with Julie
(8:13)  6. Water jug
(4:53)  7. Million Dollar Secret
(9:48)  8. Good to Go

With all the accolades and attention paid to acts like Soulive and Medeski, Martin and Wood, the true progenitors of their music often get lost in the shuffle. Milestone has been righting such wrongs for years by signing evergreen Soul Jazz talent to its ranks. This new entry by Red Holloway serves as the latest notice that the venerable voices of the idiom are still alive and kicking. Holloway, who first gained acclaim as a member of Jack McDuff’s outfit in the early 1960s and waxed a string of popular Prestige sides on his own, has a horn sound custom-suited to the groove. Basie alum Frank Wess adds a compatible hard swing element to the band sound palpable from the opening legato riffing of “Still Groovin’.” Plectrist Melvin Sparks and Dr. Lonnie Smith, also known under his whirling dervish moniker The Turbanator, bring decades of soul and funk experience to the session alongside the two lead horns. Paul Humphrey mans the drum kit and stokes a driving beat that never oversteps his partner’s fluid movements. These chaps might be older, grayer and in Holloway’s case, balder, but they still no how to conjure up and contain a propulsive groove.

Holloway projects no illusions as to the purpose of the music or the session. This is first and foremost an opportunity for the principals to have a good time and celebrate a shared lineage that is now over four decades strong. He keeps running time down to a modest fifty-three minutes over the span of eight cuts. There’s enough space for everyone to stretch, but not too much room to meander or falter. The succinct nature of the set results in substantial replay dividends, just as the uncluttered arrangements set feet to tapping and the fingers to popping. Holloway’s alto even shows up on the ballad “Indian Summer” synching gracefully with the fulsome flutter of Wess’ tenor. The two saxophonists dance a slow waltz atop the molasses throb of Smith’s thick tonal sustains. Just about the only stumble is Holloway’s decision for a vocal turn on the Helen Humes vehicle “Million Dollar Secret.” His pipes have neither the bite of a leathery voiced bluesman nor the convincing swagger of cocktail crooner and come off as desultory despite the fine backing by the band. The slow sizzling closer, “Good to Go,” regains lost ground with some greasy interplay between Sparks and Smith. The tenors slip and slide across the lubricious chordal terrain and Holloway wisely prolongs the tune past the nine-minute mark. As the icing on the sonic cupcake, the entire session was recorded in the warm acoustics of Rudy Van Gelder’s studio, the site of countless earlier groove conclaves. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coast-to-coast-red-holloway-fantasy-jazz-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Red Holloway- tenor & alto saxophones, flute; Frank Wess- tenor saxophone; Dr. Lonnie Smith- organ; Melvin Sparks- guitar; Paul Humphrey- drums.

Coast to Coast

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Karen Gallinger - Remembering Bill Evans

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:43
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. Turn Out The Stars
(4:00)  2. In April ( For Nenette)
(4:20)  3. Catch The Wind
(5:22)  4. Waltz For Debbie
(4:52)  5. Five
(3:36)  6. My Bells
(3:58)  7. Funkallero
(3:49)  8. We Will Meet Again
(5:32)  9. Only Child
(4:40) 10. Remembering The Rain
(7:06) 11. Dawn Preludes ( Time Remembered)
(7:39) 12. Interplay
(2:05) 13. I Remember Bill

For her fourth album, Karen Gallinger has taken on the not insignificant undertaking of devoting a program virtually entirely to the compositions of a singularly inventive jazz pianist, Bill Evans. Evans' musical structures can be difficult to deal with just as instrumentals, never mind when lyrics have been added. His music can be jagged and quirky and was usually composed without any idea of accommodating the needs of a lyricist. In addition to being technically intimidating, his music can be brooding, pensive, and introspective reflecting the personal difficulties he faced throughout his far too short life. The obstacles notwithstanding, vocalist Karen Gallinger and her talented cohorts pull off this undertaking with facility and aplomb making Remembering Bill Evans a notable event. 

Their success was aided and abetted by Evans' widow, Nenette Evans, who provided material giving the performers unique insights on the music. This results in not only excellent interpretations of some of Evans' better-known compositions like "Turn out the Stars" and the jazz classic "Waltz for Debbie" tour de force performances, but lesser-known works like "My Bells" and "Only Child" are made memorable occasions as well. With her dark, deep voice, restrained scatting, and her unusual ability to transform her voice into a stringed instrument like a bass or cello, this becomes Gallinger's finest album to date. Her supporting cast is excellent. Tom Zink's piano, which shows the influence of Evans, along with Larry Steen's lyrical bass and Chris Wabich's restrained drums provide the foundation upon which this session is built. Larry Koonse is on just four tracks, but on those his guitar work is sterling. In addition to her singing, Gallinger also wrote the lyrics to some of the songs. This is a fine tribute album and is recommended. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/remembering-bill-evans-mw0000112556

Personnel: Karen Gallinger (vocals); Larry Koonse, Gannin Arnold (guitar); Tom Zink (piano); Chris Wabich (drums).

Remembering Bill Evans

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Joshua Douglas Smith - Major Incident

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 67:03
Size: 127,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:48)  1. Orphan
( 7:45)  2. Thursday Thoughts
( 6:09)  3. The Awakener
( 3:46)  4. Poohbear
( 8:20)  5. Right Coast
( 8:41)  6. My Offering
(11:32)  7. Major Incident
( 7:51)  8. Turn The Page
( 6:06)  9. Napoleon Complex

Introducing a new talent has always been a major and satisfying incident for SteepleChase. The list of artists whose debut albums it produced includes Doug Raney, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Andy LaVerne, Hilton Ruiz, Joe Locke, Kevin Hays, Larry Willis, Rick Margitza, Rich Perry just to mention a few. The latest addition, saxophonist Joshua Douglas Smith is just turning 21 and studying jazz and economics at New York University. Joshua and his fellow NYC students formed this group and within a short time they began to display extraordinary levels of creativity.

“ Joshua Douglas Smith and his three contemporaries…make an impressive debut here and in doing so indicate a bright and optimistic future for jazz .” (Mark Gardner)

Personnel: Joshua Douglas Smith (soprano & tenor saxophones); Adam Fernandez (piano); Justin Marx (bass); David Christian (drums).

Major Incident

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Gregory Tardy - Jam Session, Vol. 21

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:17
Size: 145,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:57)  1. I Remember April
( 9:53)  2. Impressions
( 4:43)  3. Misty Thursday
( 3:23)  4. Self Portrait In Three Colors
( 5:20)  5. Crazy Love
(10:59)  6. What Is This Thing Called Love
(11:10)  7. On Green Dolphin Street
( 8:47)  8. Au Privave

Born. c. 1964, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Tardy studied classical clarinet as a child, encouraged by his parents, both of whom were opera singers. His mother, Jo Anne Tardy, after singing classical music became a gospel-influenced jazz singer. After switching to tenor saxophone, Tardy played with funk bands in Milwaukee before his brother urged him to listen to jazz, after which he was especially influenced by John Coltrane’s recordings. He studied at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and at the University of New Orleans, along the way encountering Ellis Marsalis who became tutor and mentor. Resident in New York City from 1992, Tardy became deeply involved in the contemporary jazz and improvised music scenes. Among musicians with whom he has played are Rashied Ali, Omer Avitel, Jonathan Blake, Betty Carter, Steve Coleman, George Colligan, Ravi Coltrane, Sean Conly, Xavier Davis, Dave Douglas, Bill Frisell, Aaron Goldberg, Russell Gunn, Eric Harland, Tom Harrell, Antonio Hart, Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones, Joe Lovano, Ellis Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Jay McShann, Mulgrew Miller, James Moody, John Patitucci, Nicholas Payton, Chris Potter, Dewy Redman, David Schumacher, Mark Turner and Bobby Watson, the latter being cited as an especially important influence.

Tardy customarily leads his own quintet but is also a regular member of other bands, including a cooperative quartet, the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, recording 2007’s Blues Man From Memphis released by Blue Canoe Records. Others in this quartet are John Clayton, Stefon Harris and Donald Brown. Although primarily playing tenor saxophone, Tardy has also latterly returned to the clarinet for some sessions. He has regularly returned to New Orleans, playing usually with contemporary bands, including the Young Olympians. On his 2007 recording Steps Of Faith, Tardy’s mother sings on one track, ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’. A distinctive and forceful player, Tardy has rapidly built a reputation not only for his playing but also for his interesting compositions, which form the core of his repertoire. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gregory-tardy-mn0000162540
 

Personnel: Christian Winther, Gregory Tardy, Wayne Escoffery (tenor saxophone); Billy Drummond (drums).

Jam Session, Vol. 21

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Raphael Wressnig - True Blue

Size: 116,7 MB
Time: 50:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Little Sheri (5:02)
02. The Jody Grind (4:45)
03. Angel Eyes (7:08)
04. Minor Chant (3:13)
05. That's Enough (4:48)
06. The Party (7:17)
07. I Can't Take It No Mo' (6:48)
08. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (6:08)
09. One Mo' Blues (5:00)

Raphael Wressnig, based in Austria but frequently on the road, is not your ordinary B-3 organ player. He’s actually one of a kind: a young master of the imposing, large instrument who is expansive in his breadth of expertise. He’s technically fluent in the blues, in jazz, in soul, and in funk, and he concocts exciting mixed-genre music from his fervid imagination. Versatile Wressnig doesn’t flaunt his virtuosic talent for the sake of spectacle but rather backs up his every movement on the keyboards, the drawbar and the bass pedal boards with a fierce emotional commitment. Influenced by royal predecessors like Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Booker T. Jones and Joe Zawinul, Wressnig has taken his music throughout Europe and all over the world, from North Africa and Asia to the Middle East to the United States, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and the Caribbean. This self-effacing musician, a native of Graz in southeast Austria, has recorded at least 16 feature albums and appeared as a guest on about 30 others. In 2013, 2015 & 2016, he was honored with a nomination for best organ player of the year in Downbeat Magazine.

True Blue

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Inga Swearingen - Let Me Call This Home

Size: 120,0 MB
Time: 51:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Folk Vocals
Art: Front

01. Message In A Bottle (5:41)
02. Edge Of Town (5:15)
03. Find My Way (4:36)
04. This City Never Sleeps (6:26)
05. Blossom Blue (4:43)
06. Edie (5:32)
07. Wood And Steel (5:07)
08. New (5:14)
09. I Don't Need No Doctor (4:31)
10. Short Trip Home (4:33)

Inga Swearingen's highly anticipated fourth album, Let Me Call This Home speaks of the yin and yang pull of home, having a longing for it, and wanting to leave it to ultimately come home again.

“Sometimes home is a place, other times it's a person. You can long for it, or want to leave it. And songs can take you home or take you far away," says Swearingen. "There is a constant to my sense of home, and it's also ever changing. I love the people I love, and no matter where I am, I carry them with me and I am home. But I also must leave to be able to come back. The songs on this album express this pull and yearning."

Swearingen compares the building of this album to building a house. Pouring a good foundation musically translates into putting down solid grooves on which the songs are built. The album easily interchanges time signatures and feels, giving the arrangements sophistication and intrigue, but always serving the mood and message of the song. Continuing the analogy, walls are then built with rich harmony that is sometimes complex and dissonant and other times simple and nostalgic. These song structures support well-crafted melodies that are the roofs over houses where loved ones gather and experience the many facets of life. It all comes together to create a space that invites you to kick off your shoes and stay awhile in this house of jazz, folk and blues.

The fullness of the album, six original tracks, is the collaboration between Swearingen and Jeff Miley, an imaginative, provocative LA based guitarist who co-wrote, produced and mixed much of the album. Tracks Edge of Town and Wood and Steel uncover the paradox of being away from home to really appreciate it. Swearingen’s own Find My Way Home is a melodic testament to taking what life gives her and handling it beautifully. The song is enhanced with Inga’s signature scatting and the beautiful backing vocals of Moira Smiley. The album mixes in the compelling renditions of 80’s pop hits Message in a Bottle by The Police and This City Never Sleeps by the Eurythmics, connecting the listener to the shared experience of isolation. Ray Charles' I Don’t Need No Doctor delights with a front-porch blues romp featuring the brilliant harmonica playing of multiple Grammy-Award Winner Howard Levy. The last track Short Trip Home with music by Edgar Meyer and lyrics by Swearingen speaks to home by simply closing ones eyes to be with that person that is one's own solace. Altogether, the album is about love, longing and finding your way home.

Let Me Call This Home Instrumentation
Inga Swearingen - Vocals, acoustic guitar, resophonic guitar
Britta Swearingen - Cajon, vocals
Jeff Miley - Acoustic steel string and nylon string guitars, electric guitars, banjo, vocals
Dylan Johnson - Bass
Brian Kilgore - Percussion
Zac Mathews - Bass on "Edge of Town", "Edie" and "I Don't Need No Doctor"
Joel Alpers - Drums on "Edge of Town", "Edie" and "I Don't Need No Doctor"
Special Guests - Char Rothschild - Trumpet on "This City Never Sleeps"
Howard Levy - Harmonica on "I Don't Need No Doctor"
Guy Budd - Guitar solo on "I Don't Need No Doctor"
Moira Smiley - Vocals on "Find My Way"
Bob Liepman - Cello on "Short Trip Home"
Aaron Wolf - Alto sax on "Short Trip Home"

Let Me Call This Home

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