Paul Cosentino & The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Linger Awhile

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:43
Size: 127.6 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Whispering
[3:31] 2. Georgia Camp Meeting
[5:06] 3. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me)
[3:15] 4. North Side Boogie
[5:18] 5. Indian Love Call
[4:44] 6. April Showers
[3:58] 7. Old Fashioned Love
[3:14] 8. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home
[3:04] 9. Them There Eyes
[3:12] 10. My Old Kentucky Home
[4:48] 11. If I Didn't Care
[3:30] 12. Linger Awhile
[5:00] 13. Hey, Good Lookin'
[3:26] 14. Moonlight Bay

Listen to "Linger Awhile" and allow yourself to be transported to a less complicated era when pianos graced almost every living room and sing-alongs served as after dinner entertainment. This project brings Paul Cosentino's clarinet to the forefront. The delicate, rich and sweet tones of the clarinet adapt especially well to small group settings.

"It's about what I do on regular gigs: Putting together different combinations of instruments, tempos and moods." -Paul Cosentino.

Linger Awhile

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Hilario Durán - Francisco's Song

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:22
Size: 154.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[6:29] 1. Francisco's Song
[3:39] 2. Medley Matamoros
[6:06] 3. Lush Life
[9:23] 4. For Emiliano
[5:14] 5. Esto Si Tiene Que Ver
[1:59] 6. Giant Steps
[5:13] 7. Confession
[5:37] 8. Tiembla Tierra
[5:45] 9. Suavecito
[4:28] 10. Conqueta Conquín
[5:20] 11. Days Dreams
[4:34] 12. Esperando La Carroza
[3:27] 13. Hot House

Hilario Durán - piano; Jane Bunnett - flute (tracks 1 and 5) and soprano saxophone (tracks 4, 12 and 13); Alain Caron - bass (tracks 1, 6, 8, 11 and 13); Sonny Greenwich - guitar (tracks 1, 7, 11 and 13).

After studying music at The Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana in 1981, Hilario joined Arturo Sandoval's group where he stayed until 1990. During this time he performed as a jazz pianist at major jazz festivals around the world, sharing stages with such outstanding musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Michel Legrand, Wynton Marsalis and many others. Hilario has worked as musical arranger, producer and pianist on many recordings with a variety of artists in Cuba and abroad. When Arturo Sandoval left Cuba, Hilario began his own group and truely came into his own. In 1991 he joined Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Frank Emilio on Jane Bunnett's Juno Award winning CD "Spirits of Havana".

"I would like to thank Jane Bunnett and Larry Cramer for the great support that they gave me and their entire help in making my record possible. My thanks to Jim West for trusting me to perform in this project. Thanks to Sarah Bunnett-Gibson for her patience and dedication, to Thompson Highway for letting me use his own piano generously, to Chucho Valdés for the support and help throughout all my professional career. Also thanks to Alain Caron for offering all his talent on this record, to Sonny Greenwich for the possibility of working together, and to Denis Cadieux and Ian Terry for their great ears. I dedicate this album to the memory of Emiliano Salvador and all the pianists in Cuba, and to all the Cuban musicians to keep maintaining their roots all over the world."

Francisco's Song

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Mulgrew Miller & Kluver's Big Band - Grew's Tune

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:58
Size: 130.4 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 6:45] 1. Thinking Out Loud
[ 8:53] 2. Return Trip
[ 6:38] 3. Samba D'blue
[ 9:38] 4. Grew's Tune
[13:07] 5. Hand In Hand
[11:55] 6. When You Get There

The Klüvers Big Band was founded in Denmark in 1977 as a government-supported orchestra for concerts and education, conducted by Jens Klüver. Numerous well-known jazz artists have performed with the orchestra; pianist Mulgrew Miller was recruited for a series of concerts with the band in 2012, though he was not known for working with large ensembles. Several of his compositions were selected and big-band arrangements by two Americans (Dennis Mackrel and Matt Harris) and one Dane (trumpeter Jesper Riis) were commissioned for these performances. Miller thrives in this modern big-band setting, while both the solos and ensemble work by the band are first-rate, as are the imaginative arrangements. The driving "Thinking Out Loud" makes a powerful opener, with Miller's potent chops and Morten Lund's pulsating drumming. Trumpeter Jakob Buchanan and tenor saxophonist Claus Waidtlow are showcased along with the pianist in the brisk post-bop vehicle "Return Trip," followed by the engaging "Samba d'Blue." "Hand in Hand" mixes funk, blues, and gospel in an infectious soul-jazz setting. Perhaps this recording will make the Klüvers Big Band better known outside of Europe, along with encouraging others to recruit Mulgrew Miller for record and concert dates with a big band. ~Ken Dryden

Grew's Tune

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Marian McPartland - An Evening At The Club

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 30:06

Size: 68.9 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[3:02] 1. All My Life

[3:12] 2. A Foggy Day

[2:37] 3. Four Brothers

[2:56] 4. A Fine Romance

[2:56] 5. Moonlight In Vermont

[3:05] 6. There Will Never Be Another You

[2:44] 7. Strike Up The Band

[2:47] 8. Love Is Here To Stay

[3:26] 9. Laura

[3:18] 10. It Might As Well Be Spring

Marian McPartland became famous for hosting her Piano Jazz radio program beginning in 1978, but she was a well-respected pianist decades before. She played in a four-piano vaudeville act in England and performed on the European continent for the troops during World War II. In Belgium in 1944, she met cornetist Jimmy McPartland and they soon married. Marian moved with her husband to the United States in 1946, where she sometimes played with him even though her style was more modern than his Dixieland-oriented groups. McPartland eventually had her own trio at the Embers (1950) and the Hickory House (1952-1960), which until 1957 included drummer Joe Morello. She recorded regularly for Savoy and Capitol during the 1950s and also made sessions for Argo (1958), Time (1960 and 1963), Sesac, and Dot. Although eventually divorced from Jimmy, they remained close friends, sometimes played together, and even remarried just weeks before his death. She formed her own Halcyon label and recorded several fine albums between 1969-1977. McPartland also made three albums for Tony Bennett's Improv label during 1976-1977 before signing with Concord, where she remained after 1978. The Jazz Alliance label has made available over 30 CDs' worth of material from Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz show, some of which are quite fascinating and significant. McPartland died in August 2013 at her home in Port Washington, New York; she was 95 years old. ~bio by Scott Yanow

An Evening At The Club

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Junior Mance - Holy Mama

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:02
Size: 100.8 MB
Styles: Soul jazz
Year: 1976/2015
Art: Front

[7:33] 1. By The Time I Get To Phoenix
[8:18] 2. God Bless The Child
[7:13] 3. That Mellow Feeling
[5:19] 4. Holy Mama
[2:56] 5. Miss Otis Regrets
[5:57] 6. The Good Old Days
[6:43] 7. Blues For The Schnug

The reissue label Test of Time has specialized in restoring a number of long unavailable LPs to print, most of which were originally recorded for the Japanese label East Wind and briefly available in the U.S. on the long defunct Inner City label. These 1976 sessions by pianist Junior Mance are typical for the era, mixing originals, standards, and a modern pop tune. Fortunately, the normally bland "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" benefits from Mance's soulful, upbeat treatment, featuring bassist Martin Rivera prominently as well as the leader. Mance's rambunctious introduction to "God Bless the Child" immediately signals that he plans to take it into a different direction, though there is a gospel air to part of his arrangement. Mance's upbeat "Holy Mama" also has strong gospel roots, while he closes with two more originals, the uptempo blues "The Good Old Days" and the soulful "Blues for the Schnug," though the liner notes don't explain the latter title's significance. This is an excellent date that is well worth seeking out. ~Ken Dryden

Holy Mama

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Joe Locke - Lay Down My Heart: Blues & Ballads, Vol.1

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:43
Size: 127,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. Ain't No Sunshine
(6:03)  2. Broken Toy
(5:03)  3. Bittersweet
(6:26)  4. I Can't Make You Love Me
(5:47)  5. The Meaning of the Blues
(6:34)  6. Simone
(8:12)  7. This New October
(6:22)  8. Makin' Whoopee
(5:31)  9. Dedicated to You

In a rarefied space, Joe Locke continues to evolve, engage and impress. There simply isn't another vibraphonist of his generation with Locke's stellar chops, thorough understanding of history/tradition not just of jazz, but of music, period and ability to build programs based on thematic concepts that not only stand out in his gradually growing discography, but fit contextually within it to create an actual oeuvre, an ever- expanding body of work that represents an artist whose number one priority is always the music always the song. In the last year, since signing with Motéma Music, Locke has released Signing (2012), the forward-looking studio follow-up to his incendiary Live in Seattle (Origin, 2006), with the energetic and electric Joe Locke / Goeffrey Keezer Group, and Wish Upon a Star (2013), his ambitious, largely balladic orchestral record with Lincoln's Symphony Orchestra that presented yet another side to this unerringly inventive vibraphonist's artistry. Lay Down My Heart: Blues & Ballads Vol 1 may not be as groundbreaking as Signing, nor as overtly ambitious as Wish Upon a Star, but as the third part of this one-year musical triptych, it's equally important, because it's an album that demonstrates Locke's unfailing love of melody, whether it comes from the Great American Songbook, rock, R&B...or from Locke's own pen. Pianist Ryan Cohan returns from Wish Upon a Star, in a quartet rounded out by bassist David Finck not a household name, perhaps, but, with a résumé that ranges from pianists Steve Kuhn and John Medeski to singers Tony Bennett, Paul Simon and Sting, clearly a popular choice amongst musicians and up-and-coming drummer Jaimeo Brown, whose Transcendence (Motéma, 2013) has already garnered substantial acclaim in the two months since it was released.

Lay Down My Heart may be more about playing, and with the visceral combination of Finck's deep-in-the-gut bass and Brown's loose backbeat that kicks off the album-opening "Ain't No Sunshine," it's also clear that this is also an album that's going to groove, whether it's Locke's look at this Bill Withers' R&B classic, a version of bassist Sam Jones' "Bittersweet" that moves into a brisk double-time swing for brief but impressive solos from Locke, Cohan and Finck, or a gently funky reading of the Walter Donaldson/Gus Kahn's classic, "Makin' Whoopee," where Locke's added intro to each verse reshapes the tune for the 21st century. As much as these tunes fit the "Blues" half of Lay Down My Heart's subtitle, it's the other half that may even be closer to Locke's heart. His own compositional contributions to the record are, in fact, both ballads, though they couldn't be more different. "Broken Toy," first heard on his duo recording with pianist Frank Kimbrough, The Willow (Omnitone, 2002), unfolds with gradually increasing drama, his solo building to a peak of melodic invention and effortless virtuosity, while "This New October," written for this date, is more ethereal, his opening a cappella solo a beautiful exploration of his instrument's textural possibilities before the band enters and, again, builds to more vibrant climaxes during its solo sections.

But it may be the vibraphonist's version of Bonnie Raitt's hit, "I Can't Make You Love Me," that reveals both Locke and Lay Down My Heart's most honest vulnerablility and passion for melody. Eschewing modern reharmonization and, instead, just playing the tune with the exception of an intro whose changes hearken back to Locke's interpretation of James Taylor's "Native Son" on Live in Seattle and the quartet's intrinsic sense of dynamics make this a definitive reading rather than resorting to superfluous solos that would, in fact, spoil what is already a near-perfect song. Cohan does take the lead on the outro, but never loses site of the song's essence, the song's heart. Given the broad range of Locke's output in the past year, it's hard to anticipate what's coming next after the triple punch of Signing, Wish Upon a Star, and now, the utterly engaging Lay Down My Heart. With its perfect combination of song choice and performance from a vibraphonist and quartet that really know how to find and mine the core of every song, it's a sure bet that wherever Locke goes next, it'll be a trip well-worth following. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/joe-locke-lay-down-my-heart-blues-and-ballads-vol-1-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Joe Locke: vibes; Jaimeo Brown: drums; Ryan Cohan: piano; David Finck: bass.

Lay Down My Heart: Blues & Ballads, Vol.1

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Nancy Wilson - R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal)

Styles: Vocal, Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:11
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. An Older Man Is Like An Elegant Wine
(3:21)  2. Day In, Day Out
(5:11)  3. Why Did I Choose You
(4:59)  4. I Wish I'd Met You
(3:20)  5. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(4:18)  6. Goodbye
(5:16)  7. How About Me
(4:13)  8. Minds Of Their Own (Dois Corregos)
(4:39)  9. Little Green Apples
(5:08) 10. You'll See
(3:32) 11. That's All
(4:31) 12. Blame It On My Youth

Nancy Wilson's R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) is her duets album, but unlike other recent releases by singers in this format, which feature two vocalists (and often oddly matched ones, at that), most of the pairings here are with instrumentalists like George Shearing, Toots Thielemans, Phil Woods, and Gary Burton, which means this remains very much Wilson's baby, dominated by her hushed and elegant vocals. Only two tracks feature other vocalists, one of which, a saccharine cover of Marvin Gaye's "Why Did I Choose You" sung with Kenny Lattimore, is worth a plea to the gods to let Gaye return to this veil of tears and give Wilson a worthy singing partner. Less pop than her recent outings, R.S.V.P. is mostly made up of ballads, highlighted by a wonderful version of Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye" and the elegant, late-night regret of "Blame It on My Youth" which closes out the set, although Wilson steps up and swings on at least one track, the vibrant "Day In, Day Out." This might not be the greatest album of her half-century-long career, but it isn't an embarrassment, either (which can't always be said about some of the other duet projects major vocalists have released in recent years), and it shows that Wilson can still wring every last emotion on earth out of a ballad then return to sing the second verse. ~ Steve Leggett http://www.allmusic.com/album/rsvp-rare-songs-very-personal-mw0000151323

Personnel: Nancy Wilson (vocals); Ivan Lins (vocals, keyboards); Kenny Lattimore (vocals); Marty Ashby (guitar); Andres Cardenez (violin); Tatjana Mead Chamis (viola); David Premo (cello); Mike Tomaro (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone); Andres Boiarsky (flute, alto saxophone); Eric DeFade (flute, tenor saxophone); Jim Germann (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Dennis Reynolds, Bob Millikan, Jim Hynes, Steve Hawk (trumpet); Jay Ashby (trombone, keyboards, percussion, background vocals); Michael Davis (trombone); Gary Piecka, Max Seigel (bass trombone); Rufus Reid (bass guitar); Jamey Haddad, Lewis Nash (drums); Kim Nazarian (background vocals); Joe Negri (guitar); Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Andy Snitzer (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Paquito D'Rivera (clarinet); Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Bill Watrous (trombone); George Shearing (piano); Gary Burton (vibraphone).

R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal)

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Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone & London Vocal Project - Mirrors

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:40
Size: 160,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. Humpty Dumpty
(3:58)  2. The Broken Heart
(5:36)  3. The Lover Mourns
(7:48)  4. Black March
(8:59)  5. Through the Looking Glass
(3:59)  6. The Hat
(5:57)  7. Breughel
(8:37)  8. Tweedledum
(6:16)  9. The Bereaved Swan
(8:42) 10. The Deathly Child
(4:22) 11. My Soul

That trumpeter/flugelhornist/composer Kenny Wheeler is challenging himself at 80 is surely inspirational. Mirrors represents his first recording where poems provide the music's source, though he composed the music over 20 years ago. The project was then commissioned for five solo voices in 1998, but the combination of Wheeler, singer Norma Winstone and the London Vocal Project, led by Pete Churchill, brings a fluid, suite-like permanency and epic scale to the original concept. Poets Stevie Smith, Lewis Carroll and W.B. Yeats provide strikingly diverse imagery surreal, visceral and profound and Wheeler weaves it all together in a sumptuous melodic tapestry where the music of language is meaning enough. The inimitable Winstone's strength and nuanced delivery belie her 70 years. Hers is a remarkable performance, though the balance struck between all the voices makes Mirrors a truly collaborative success. Bassist Steve Watts, drummer James Maddren and pianist Nikki Iles engender a swinging undercurrent, breezy and understated, that's irrevocably felt throughout. These musicians enjoy tremendous understanding; Winstone and Wheeler first recorded together in Azimuth in the 1970s and Iles, saxophonist Mark Lockheart, Watts and Maddren all play with Winstone in the group Printmakers. Little wonder, then, that the evident chemistry seems so effortless and joyfully intuitive.

The LVP's seven sopranos, eight altos, five tenors and five basses are the protagonists on three numbers. "Humpty Dumpty" is a playful take on Carroll's poem, with delightful passing around of the vocals between the choir sections. A deceptive intensity inhabits the mantra-like vocal rhythm of Smith's "The Broken Heart," a particularly hypnotic number punctuated by Wheeler's fine bluesy solo. Wheeler and Iles shine on a swinging arrangement of Smith's "Black March," though its buoyancy derives primarily from the snappy choral cadences. Winstone's performance sets the jewel in the crown. Her dreamy, almost ethereal reading of Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass" is wonderfully sympathetic. A rootsy and mellifluous instrumental passage, driven by Wheeler and Lockheart, serves as an interlude before the choir restores the contemplative mood. Carroll's "Tweedledum" is similarly episodic; jaunty in the choral passages, intimate and spare when Winstone holds court, and swinging when the quintet steps up. The singer, Iles and Lockheart confer a gentle majesty on Smith's seemingly throwaway, four-line poem, "My Hat."

Winstone and Iles treat the ghostly subject matter of "The Deathly Child" with a palpable sense of wonder, though when Winstone sits out the ensemble refashions this harbinger-of-death tale into joyous celebration. The fatalistic view of humankind's condition in Smith's "Breughel" is similarly dressed in more soothing robes by a lovely Burt Bacharach-esque melody. "The Bereaved Swan" captures the contrasting elements of melancholy and lyricism in Smith's words, whereby the choir's graceful waves form a canvas for Wheeler and Lockheart's more emotionally urgent colors. The subdued rhythm of "My Soul" highlights the powerful lyric content, lent suitable poignancy by Winstone's pitch-perfect delivery. How to categorize this glorious music, the ingenuity of Wheeler, Winstone and the LVP? To quote Smith: "Whatever names you give me, I am a breath of fresh air, a change for you." And what price Vol. 2 from James Joyce, via Robert Frost to John Cooper Clarke? ~ Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mirrors-kenny-wheeler-edition-records-review-by-ian-patterson.php
 

Personnel: Kenny Wheeler: flugelhorn; Norma Winstone: vocals; Nikki Iles: piano; Mark Lockheart: saxophones; Steve Watts: double bass; James Maddren: drums; London Vocal Project: Pete Churchill: Director; sopranos: Fini Bearman; Hannah Berry; Jessica Berry; Helen Burnett; Katie Butler; Joanna Richards; Janni Thompson; tenors: Tommy Antonio; Sam Chaplin; Brendan Dowse; Richard Lake; Adam Saunders; altos: Mishka Adams; Paolo Bottomley; Nikki Franklin; Clara Green; Andi Hopgood; Chloe Potter; Emma Smith; Emmy Urquhart; basses: Kwabena Adjepong; Pat Bamber; Ben Barritt; Pete Churchill; Andrew Woolf.

Mirrors

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Marcus Printup - UNveiled

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:13
Size: 148,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:41)  1. Eclipse
(6:15)  2. When Forever Is Over
(5:56)  3. Dig
(7:09)  4. Say It Again
(4:23)  5. Leave Your Name And Number
(6:42)  6. Unveiled
(5:44)  7. Stablemates
(7:39)  8. Soulful
(3:57)  9. M & M
(7:04) 10. Yes Or No
(2:38) 11. Amazing Grace

Marcus Printup gained his initial recognition for his playing with pianist Marcus Roberts' group. His second Blue Note recording as a leader features his attractive trumpet in a quintet with Roberts, the Paul Gonsalves-inspired tenor of Stephen Riley, bassist Reuben Rogers and the young drummer Jason Marsalis. Printup at this point already had a fairly orignal sound of his own which was slightly influenced by Wynton Marsalis. His technique is impressive on the date as is his warmth and consistently creative ideas. Printup contributed seven mostly straightahead originals to the well-rounded and continually interesting modern mainstream set (including the brooding ballad "When Forever Is Over," athe catchy "Leave Your Name And Number" and the funky title cut). "M & M," a major/minor blues duet with pianist Roberts which looks back to the 1920's, is a definite highlight. Printup also performs jazz standards by Miles Davis (a swinging "Dig"), Benny Golson and Wayne Shorter along with an emotional version of the traditional "Amazing Grace." This CD gives one an excellent sampling of Marcus Printup's hard bop-oriented playing. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/unveiled-mw0000185728

Personnel:  Bass – Ruben Rogers;  Drums – Jason Marsalis;  Piano – Marcus Roberts;  Tenor Saxophone – Stephen Riley;  Trumpet – Marcus Printup

UNveiled

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Ken Navarro - Bonfire

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 142,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. My Best Friend
(4:53)  2. Refuge
(5:30)  3. 4 Yawkey Way
(6:04)  4. Bar Lines
(3:58)  5. One Summer Day
(4:23)  6. Hammocks & Swings
(3:58)  7. You Have to Go Away to Come Back
(3:38)  8. Larriland
(7:53)  9. A Dozen Roses
(2:24) 10. Glen Echo
(4:12) 11. Soft Stuff
(4:28) 12. Machu Picchu
(4:44) 13. Bonfire

You know, there is no point in simply referring to Ken Navarro as a renowned guitarist any longer. This guy, who constantly proves his musical prowess on so many different instruments, again dazzles us with his multi-instrumentalism. Here on his new release Bonfire he composes on every traditional instrument imaginable from acoustic and electric guitars to drums to electric and acoustic bass, keys, and just on and on... including saxes and trumpets. Who needs a band when you are the band...and who better to know what you want than you? Bonfire is a potpourri of Navarro compositions, complete with what we have generally accepted as smooth jazz (Ken Navarro style) and more than a few nods to other styles and genres like fusion and world. For example, check out the moods and movements in A Dozen Roses. It s living art with so many moving pieces and parts... he s outdone himself here. There s also Bar Lines with its cool and intricate time signature and fusion feel. A classical approach using a woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, and bassoon) for Glen Echo lends more diversity and insight into Navarro the innovator. These three alone let you know that Navarro just keeps evolving. Other tracks are more familiar looks at Navarro and are among my favorites here. They include the lead track My Best Friend, 4 Yawkey Way, the soothing One Summer Day, Soft Stuff, Machu Picchu, and the interesting combined Latin jazz flair and funk of Refuge. You will never ever be able to challenge Navarro s musicianship, his meticulous approach to music demanding perfection one amazing artist in that regard. Truly A+ work for such a bold, intricate, and sophisticated way of thinking and performing. ~ Ronald Jackson, The Smooth Jazz Ride - The Smooth Jazz Ride  - https://www.amazon.com/Bonfire-Ken-Navarro/dp/B01HN1A7NI

Bonfire

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Cannonball Adderley - Cannonball's Bossa Nova

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:52

Size: 102.7 MB

Styles: Soul-jazz, Bossa Nova

Year: 1962/2000

Art: Front

[4:48] 1. Clouds

[2:19] 2. Minha Saudade

[6:40] 3. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)

[3:24] 4. Batida Diferente

[3:10] 5. Joyce's Samba

[4:56] 6. Groovy Samba

[7:45] 7. O Amor Em Paz

[3:31] 8. Sambop

[5:34] 9. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)

[2:40] 10. Clouds

A pleasant date recorded in late 1962 with South American musicians the Bossa Rio Sextet of Brazil. Cannonball is heard alongside Sergio Mendes on piano, future Weather Report percussionist Dom Um Romao, and featured on five cuts is Paulo Moura on alto saxophone with Pedro Paulo on trumpet. Unfortunately this release contains little fire, as Adderley didn't get much rehearsal time with these musicians. Combined with the repetitious nature of the Bossa Nova these proceedings can get tedious. This session was originally released on Riverside, but Adderley took several master tapes (including this one) when he made his move to Capitol. ~Al Campbell

Cannonball's Bossa Nova 

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Gretchen Parlato - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:56
Size: 89.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:20] 1. Skylark
[6:23] 2. Flor De Lis
[5:20] 3. Come To Me
[4:23] 4. Nonvignon
[5:03] 5. Ela E Carioca
[3:13] 6. Chega De Saudade
[5:38] 7. Benny's Tune
[4:33] 8. Juju Footprints

Gretchen Parlato has always operated from the premise that a whisper can be more powerful than a scream. Since winning the Thelonious Monk Institute International Vocal Competition in 2004, Parlato has been spellbinding audiences with her unerring ability to draw the listener into her sultry and sensual world through deft manipulation of dynamic range, often turning in her most alluring performances by enforcing an intimacy between listener and singer.

For Parlato, it´s all about the phrasing, the nuance, and the manipulation of the moment in real time. Her repertoire is as eclectic as the day is long, but whatever she happens to be tackling at any given moment bears the unmistakable mark of her own individuality.

Gretchen Parlato

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David Burns - Soledad

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:43
Size: 90.9 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:38] 1. As The Eye Can See
[4:51] 2. Overland Park
[3:34] 3. The Raver
[4:04] 4. A Harsh Reality
[2:44] 5. Three Sisters
[2:40] 6. Soledad
[5:23] 7. Rachel's Mom
[3:52] 8. Salad Days
[2:14] 9. Sermons In Steel
[1:52] 10. Sesquipedalia
[2:46] 11. One Small Voice

David Burns--Acoustic guitar; banjo on 'Sesquipedalia"; all voices on "Sermons in Steel.

A collection of finger-style acoustic guitar instrumentals composed and performed by Dave, designed to inspire and relax both the musician and the non-musician.

Soledad

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Wanda Sá & Menescal - Eu E A Musica

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:33
Size: 102.0 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Wave
[3:43] 2. Como Uma Onda
[5:36] 3. Vagamente Triste Vivo Sonhando Brigas Nunca Mais
[3:56] 4. Chega De Saudade
[5:43] 5. Sábado Em Copacabana Rio Valsa De Uma Cidade Ela é Carioca
[2:48] 6. O Barquinho
[2:18] 7. Vocé
[2:40] 8. Telefone
[3:50] 9. À Sorrir
[3:36] 10. Tá Oquei
[2:43] 11. So Danço Samba O Pato
[4:38] 12. Bye Bye Brasil Aquarelo Do Brasil Isto Aqui O Que É

Roberto Menescal, a pioneer composer and performer of Bossa Nova, and his long-time partner Wanda Sa, offer a delightful selection of classic Brazilian jazz selections including some of Menescal's well-known compositions and those of the "grand master", Antonio Carlos "Tom" Jobim. Their guitars and voices blend wonderfully and create the light, breezy familiar style that has become their trademark. I have had the privlege of seeing and hearing them live and meeting them personally and I have found that the genuine warmth, Brazilian passion and friendliness they showed to me is conveyed effectively through their music. Though well-known in Brazil, many international audiences, especially in the U.S., Europe and Asia are only now discovering one of Brazil's greatest musical national treasures. Listen once, and you too will know that you have found something very special. ~DrPerman

Eu E A Musica

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Fred Wesley - New Friends

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:53
Size: 150.8 MB
Styles: Jazz-Funk, Soul
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[5:25] 1. Rockin' In Rhythm
[2:24] 2. Honey Love
[5:57] 3. Bright Mississippi
[6:25] 4. The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)
[9:53] 5. For The Elders
[6:23] 6. Plenty, Plenty Soul
[7:50] 7. Blue Monk
[5:59] 8. Peace Fugue
[5:49] 9. Eyes So Beautiful
[6:03] 10. Birk's Works
[3:39] 11. D-Cup And Up

Alto Saxophone, Percussion – Maceo Parker; Bass – Anthony Cox; Drums – Bill Stewart; Keyboards – Geri Allen; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Percussion – Tim Green (3); Trombone – Fred Wesley, Robin Eubanks (tracks: 5, 8), Steve Turre (tracks: 5, 8); Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Stanton Davis; Vocals – Carmen Lundy (tracks: 4, 9).

Trombonist Fred Wesley, best-known for his long-term association with James Brown, has long expressed the desire to play jazz. This is mostly a jazz-oriented CD although he hedges his bets a little with "Honey Love" (which has a cute vocal by Wesley over a calypso groove), an R&B-ish Carmen Lundy vocal on "Love We Had Stays On My Mind," the ballad "Eyes So Beautiful" and the funky "D-Cup And Up." But on the other six numbers Wesley plays in a boppish style influenced most by J.J. Johnson and there is a suitable amount of solo space for altoist Maceo Parker (heard at his best when trying to emulate Hank Crawford), trumpeter Stanton Davis and a restrained but tasteful Geri Allen on piano. Highlights include "Rockin' In Rhythm," Thelonious Monk's "Bright Mississippi" and "Birks Works" on the mixed but generally enjoyable bag. ~Scott Yanow

New Friends

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Mark Turner - Yam Yam

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:30
Size: 166,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:00)  1. Tune Number One
( 7:17)  2. Cubism
(10:47)  3. Yam Yam I
( 6:10)  4. Moment's Notice
( 7:07)  5. Isolation
( 9:59)  6. Subtle Tragedy
( 7:49)  7. Zürich
( 5:58)  8. Blues
( 7:20)  9. Yam Yam II

This early quintet outing is a strong showcase for Mark Turner the composer. It's also an important chapter in the special relationship between Turner and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. The two would later work mainly in piano-less settings, but here they are joined by pianist Brad Mehldau, who adds his advanced harmonic insight to the session. One could rightly bill the record as "Turner and Rosenwinkel with the Brad Mehldau Trio," as the rhythm section consists of bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy, Mehldau's longtime collaborators. The disc boasts five strong Turner originals, including "Zurich," which would resurface on 2001's Dharma Days. (This version features guest tenorists Seamus Blake and Terrence Dean.) Rosenwinkel weighs in with "Cubism," a similar version of which he included on 2000s The Enemies of Energy. The two remaining non-Turner pieces are Mehldau's hard-swinging "Subtle Tragedy" and a bright five/four rendition of John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice." Yam Yam reveals much about the evolution of all these players, and is therefore well worth the attention of serious fans. ~ David R.Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/yam-yam-mw0000188498

Personnel : Mark Turner, Seamus Blake, Terence Dean (tenor saxophone);  Brad Mehldau (piano);  Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar);  Larry Grenadier (bass);  Jorge Rossy (drums).

Yam Yam

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Tierney Sutton - Unsung Heroes

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:26
Size: 131,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:38)  1. Remember Me (Recordame)
(5:53)  2. Early Autumn
(7:17)  3. A Timeless Place (The Peacocks)
(3:26)  4. Bernie's Tune
(8:30)  5. Spring Is Here
(3:40)  6. Joy Spring
(6:22)  7. All for One (Speak No Evil)
(4:41)  8. Indiana / Donna Lee
(4:28)  9. When Lights Are Low
(5:29) 10. Con Alma

While jazz enthusiasts mourn the loss of many of the members of the first generation of female jazz vocalists, their enthuasiasm doesn't seem to extend to many of the vocalists struggling, and in some cases, succeeding on today's scene. Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dominique Eade, Dianne Reeves, Vanessa Rubin, Karrin Allyson, and Nnennon Freelon, among others, come to mind. More's the pity. Each of these vocalists is creating her own style, disparate though it may be, and her own presence, in today's jazz scene. Now along comes Tierney Sutton, head of the jazz vocal department at the University of Southern California and a favorite or Buddy Childers. Having stepped out into her own with her first CD, "Introducing Tierney Sutton," Tierney Sutton now needs no introduction. Instead, she is extending her interests and her range. On "Unsung Heroes," Sutton has chosen some of her favorite jazz compositions, many of which were not intended for singing but instead consisted of instrumental arrangements of distinctive soloing. Fortunately, she has discovered words to these jazz classics and added her own distinctive style to express them with class and emotion. 

A soprano, Sutton really doesn't conform to the classic jazz singer mold of a lower-voiced performer with bent notes and bluesy emoting. Instead, she takes her craft seriously and delivers bright and uncannily on-pitch interpretations involving finely crafted phrasing or wordless accompaniment to instrumental solos. The most notable example is her version of Jimmy Rowles' "The Peacocks" (renamed "A Timeless Place" for the vocal version.) With difficult intervallic repetitions imitating natural sounds and unconventional melodic lines, Sutton not only understands the interpretive demands of the piece, but also reveals in her own way its timeless beauty. Her singing backed by Childers, other horn men and guitar on some selections, her choice of pianist Christian Jacob elevates the CD to a level above "tribute" and to "interpretation." Jacob knows his Tyner, that's for sure, and his densely chorded accompaniment and fluidity in soloing completes the picture for perceiving the inherent meaning and complexity of each tune. Rather than following in the footsteps of other singers, Sutton has followed her instincts to develop a style of her own that leverages her inherent, and impressive, talent. 

~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/unsung-heroes-tierney-sutton-telarc-records-review-by-aaj-staff.php?width=1920

Personnel: Tierney Sutton, vocals; Christian Jacob, piano; Trey Henry, bass; Ken Wild, bass; Ray Brinker, drums; Gary Foster, alto flute, alto sax; Buddy Childers, flugelhorn; Alan Kaplan, trombone; Jamie Findlay, guitar

Unsung Heroes

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Jeff Lorber - Private Passion

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Fusion
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:56
Size: 128,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Facts of love (with Karyn White)
(4:17)  2. True Confessions
(4:11)  3. Jamaica
(4:16)  4. Back In Love
(5:21)  5. Kristen
(4:20)  6. Private Passion
(5:36)  7. Sand castles
(5:04)  8. Keep On Lovin'
(5:21)  9. Midnight Snack
(6:50) 10. Facts of Love [Actuality Mix]
(5:02) 11. Facts of Love[Dub]

Jeff Lorber reached his commercial peak with Private Passion, an album that has more to do with urban contemporary singing than it does with instrumental pop-jazz. Because it features R&B singers so prominently, Private Passion is a perfect example of what Lorber meant when, in 1998, he complained that the mid-'80s found him becoming "a sideman on my own records." In the 1990s, the keyboardist would return to giving himself a lot of solo space, but on Private Passion, Lorber the soloist/instrumentalist isn't the main attraction. The main attraction is the R&B singing of Michael Jeffries and Karyn White, whose memorable performance on the single "Facts of Love" not only put her on the map in the R&B market, but also did a lot to make this album the big seller it was. Private Passion does contain a few pleasant, if unremarkable, pop-jazz/NAC instrumentals. Freddie Hubbard takes a melodic flügelhorn solo on "Kristen," while guitarist Larry Carlton is employed on the Caribbean-flavored "Jamaica." But on the whole, Private Passion leaves jazz fans out in the cold, although it's often impressive and rewarding from an urban contemporary standpoint. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/private-passion-mw0000188465

Jeff Lorber (Guitar, Synthesizer); Robbie Buchanan (Synthesizer); Larry Carlton (Guitar); Howard "Buzz" Feiten, Dan Huff (Guitar); Freddie Hubbard (Flugelhorn); George Howard (Sax soprano); Bunny Hull (Vocals); Michael Jeffries (Vocals, Vocals Background); Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken (Vocals Background); Brock Walsh (Drum Programming); Karyn White (Vocals).

Private Passion

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Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:04
Size: 111,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:17)  1. Night Dreamer
(6:52)  2. Oriental Folk Song
(7:08)  3. Virgo
(6:27)  4. Black Nile
(6:54)  5. Charcoal Blues
(6:20)  6. Armageddon
(7:02)  7. Virgo (Alternate Take)

By the time he made this recording, a few short months before he was to join Miles Davis' groundbreaking second quintet, saxophonist Wayne Shorter had already earned a reputation as a player combining heady intellectualism with a more visceral approach as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He'd also released four records for the Vee-Jay label that demonstrated how, while he'd learned a great deal with Blakey, he was developing his own voice, albeit still in the hard bop mode of his bandleader. But by the time Shorter recorded Night Dreamer, his first date for Blue Note, he'd gone through something of a change. With compositions that were sparer, and an equally economical playing style in direct contrast to John Coltrane's, Night Dreamer signalled a change without completely neglecting his hard bop roots. Despite a more cerebral method, Night Dreamer still swings hard, something that would hardly be a constant when he joined up with Miles a few months later. 

But, then again, how could any recording with the rhythm section of pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Elvin Jones not swing? It's of particular note that the three had backed Coltrane as a unit until Workman was permanently replaced by Jimmy Garrison some time in '61. Coltrane would eventually push things so far out that Jones and Tyner would ultimately resign in '65, and it's clear by their performance on Night Dreamer that neither would have been comfortable in the freer style that Coltrane was moving towards. Meanwhile, Night Dreamer, which also features Blakey band mate Lee Morgan on trumpet, gives Shorter the opportunity to shift his focus away from the more straightforward hard bop of his early recordings, and towards a more open post bop sensibility. While harmonically challenging as most of Shorter's compositions were and still are to this day these six Shorter compositions adhered more rigidly to form than either his future work with Miles or his Blue Note recordings from later in the decade. And so, in a way, Night Dreamer is a transitional record, but a classic one nonetheless. While Shorter remained within more traditional boundaries, his sparer style, with every note considered and yet sounding unconsidered, was beginning to emerge. And while he would use the same rhythm section on the followup Ju-Ju, recorded four months later, by the end of '64 he would be using Miles bandmates pianist Herbie Hancock and bassist Ron Carter for Night Dreamer and, while continuing his approach towards even richer harmonic depth, would also begin a shift towards greater abstraction. As always, this Rudy van Gelder remaster edition brings greater life to the album, and it shows just how beautifully recorded it was in the first place, now that its nuances are more evident. While replacing one's entire collection with remasters is of questionable worth, these RVG Editions certainly make a strong case for doing so with one's Blue Note catalogue. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/night-dreamer-wayne-shorter-blue-note-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Lee Morgan (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone), McCoy Tyner (piano), Reggie Workman (bass), Elvin Jones (drums)

Night Dreamer

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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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