Kenny Rankin - Hiding In Myself

Styles: Vocal, Adult Contemporary
Year: 1988
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 53:23
Size: 86,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Lovin' Side
(5:33)  2. Before The Fall
(4:05)  3. Delila
(3:48)  4. Hiding Inside Myself
(4:12)  5. Trouble Man
(4:02)  6. Keep The Candle Burnin'
(4:37)  7. Lets Get It On
(5:22)  8. She Knows Me Well
(3:43)  9. Down The Road
(5:33) 10. Velez
(3:36) 11. Muddy Creek
(3:59) 12. She Moves, Eyes Follow

Returning to recording after nearly eight years, Rankin bounced back with this one and only album for the A&M subsidiary label, Cypress. With crack support from such jazz and session aces as Lee Sklar, Robben Ford, Steve Lukather, and David Benoit, along with old friends John Sebastian and David Crosby, Rankin made up for some lost ground. The fine balance between light jazz and soft rock fit in nicely with the growing genre of adult pop that would morph into Triple A radio a few years later. Still, the songs are not Rankin's best and, aside from his efforts on a couple of admirable Marvin Gaye covers and one Jimmy Webb interpretation, Rankin's stronger talents do not come through. Also, the album includes only two tracks on which Rankin plays guitar. Nonetheless, it was a clear signal that Rankin was beginning to re-emerge, and future albums would bear the fruit of his labors during this period. ~ Stephen J.Matteo http://www.allmusic.com/album/hiding-in-myself-mw0000197469

Hiding In Myself

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Gary Crosby - Gary Crosby Belts Out The Blues/The Happy Bachelor

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:42
Size: 148.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Sentimental Journey
[3:10] 2. What's Your Story, Morning Glory
[3:20] 3. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
[2:54] 4. Breeze (Blow My Baby Back To Me)
[2:55] 5. After The Lights Go Down Low
[3:40] 6. St. Louis Blues
[2:25] 7. Miss You So
[3:14] 8. Night Train
[2:52] 9. Baltimore Oriole
[3:41] 10. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
[3:34] 11. Mood Indigo
[3:34] 12. Blues In The Night
[1:58] 13. The Happy Bachelor
[1:35] 14. Glow Worm
[1:29] 15. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall
[2:25] 16. This Little Girl Of Mine
[2:35] 17. Side By Side
[1:48] 18. You Won't Be Satisfied Until You Break My Heart
[2:57] 19. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[2:33] 20. Mañana
[2:49] 21. I'll Never Be Free
[1:52] 22. Ole Buttermilk Sky
[1:42] 23. Undecided
[2:19] 24. I'm Beginning To See The Light

Tracks #1-12 from the Verve album "Gary Crosby Belts the Blues" (MG VS-6018). Don Fagerquist, Al Porcino (tp), Frank Rosolino (tb), Bud Shank (as), Bob Enevoldsen, Bill Holman (ts), Bill Pitman, Al Viola (on #1,8,11 & 12), Al Hendrickson (g on #2-7,9 & 10), Claude Williamson (p), Joe Mondragon (b), Mel Lewis (d). Recorded in Hollywood at Radio Recorders, on December 15 (#1,8,11 & 12); December 17 (#2,4,5 & 7); and December 18 (#3,6,9 & 10), 1959. Recorded in Hollywood at Radio Recorders, on April 8 (#19-22); April 9 (#17,18,23 & 24); and April 10 (#13-16), 1959. Tracks #13-24 from the Verve album "The Happy Bachelor" (MG VS-6067). Tracks #19-22: Paul Smith (p), Howard Roberts (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Larry Bunker (d). Tracks #17-18,23 & 24: Paul Smith (p), Gene Estes (vib), Howard Roberts (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Bill Richmond (d). Tracks #13-16: Pete Candoli (tp), Paul Smith (p), Howard Roberts (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Larry Bunker (d). Recorded in Hollywood at Radio Recorders, on April 8 (#19-22); April 9 (#17,18,23 & 24); and April 10 (#13-16), 1959

The eldest of Bing Crosbys sons, Gary (1933-1995), became, almost inevitably, part of the entertainment business from his early teens, performing for quite a few years with considerable success as an actor and singer. Unfortunately, from the late 60s his career began to decline due to personal problems and never recovered. But in the late 50s, while he was still enjoying the limelight, he recorded these two albums, singing with swing, conviction and the benefit of some exceptionally crisp and driving jazz backing.

On the first, G.C. Belts the Blues, an eleven-piece band conducted and arranged by Marty Paich provides the swinging framework to Crosbys interpretations of well known, bluesy tunes. On the second, The Happy Bachelor, arranger Bunny Botkin uses a quartet with guitar, with the occasional addition of a trumpet or a vibist to make it a quintet. The groups support adds zest to a collection of pleasant tunes, while Crosbys charm and personality reveal an artist of style and individuality.

Gary Crosby Belts Out The Blues/The Happy Bachelor

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Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:36
Size: 97.5 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 1974/2013
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Smile Please
[5:02] 2. Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away
[3:29] 3. Too Shy To Say
[4:56] 4. Boogie On Reggae Woman
[4:20] 5. Creepin'
[3:23] 6. You Haven't Done Nothin'
[4:01] 7. It Ain't No Use
[5:59] 8. They Won't Go When I Go
[3:48] 9. Bird Of Beauty
[4:07] 10. Please Don't Go

After the righteous anger and occasional despair of the socially motivated Innervisions, Stevie Wonder returned with a relationship record: Fulfillingness' First Finale. The cover pictures his life as an enormous wheel, part of which he's looking ahead to and part of which he's already completed (the latter with accompanying images of Little Stevie, JFK and MLK, the Motor Town Revue bus, a child with balloons, his familiar Taurus logo, and multiple Grammy awards). The songs and arrangements are the warmest since Talking Book, and Stevie positively caresses his vocals on this set, encompassing the vagaries of love, from dreaming of it ("Creepin'") to being bashful of it ("Too Shy to Say") to knowing when it's over ("It Ain't No Use"). The two big singles are "Boogie on Reggae Woman," with a deep electronic groove balancing organic congas and gospel piano, and "You Haven't Done Nothin'," an acidic dismissal of President Nixon and the Watergate controversy (he'd already written "He's Misstra Know-It-All" on the same topic). As before, Fulfillingness' First Finale is mostly the work of a single man; Stevie invited over just a bare few musicians, and most of those were background vocalists (though of the finest caliber: Minnie Riperton, Paul Anka, Deniece Williams, and the Jackson 5). Also as before, the appearances are perfectly chosen; "Too Shy to Say" can only benefit from the acoustic bass of Motown institution James Jamerson and the heavenly steel guitar of Sneaky Pete Kleinow, while the Jackson 5 provide some righteous amens to Stevie's preaching on "You Haven't Done Nothin'." It's also very refreshing to hear more songs devoted to the many and varied stages of romance, among them "It Ain't No Use," "Too Shy to Say," "Please Don't Go." The only element lacking here, in comparison to the rest of his string of brilliant early-'70s records, is a clear focus; Fulfillingness' First Finale is more a collection of excellent songs than an excellent album. ~John Bush

Fulfillingness' First Finale

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The Gene Harris Quartet - Listen Here!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:09
Size: 121.7 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[6:22] 1. This Masquerade
[3:51] 2. Don't Be That Way
[6:39] 3. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling
[4:58] 4. Listen Here
[3:48] 5. This Can't Be Love
[5:36] 6. To You
[5:07] 7. Blues For Jezebel
[5:55] 8. Sweet And Lovely
[5:49] 9. Lullabye
[4:59] 10. The Song Is Ended

Although often associated with the blues, only one of the ten selections on this quartet set by pianist Gene Harris (who is joined by guitarist Ron Eschete, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Jeff Hamilton) is technically a blues. On this excellent all-around showcase for the soulful pianist, Harris sounds in prime form exploring such tunes as "This Masquerade," "Don't Be That Way," Eddie Harris' "Listen Here," and "The Song Is Ended." Listen Here! gives listeners a pretty definitive look at Gene Harris' accessible and swinging style. ~Scott Yanow

Listen Here!

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Red Holloway - Red Holloway & Company

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:19
Size: 103,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:15)  1. But Not for Me
(5:41)  2. Caravan
(5:03)  3. Passion Flower
(5:36)  4. Blues for C.J.
(4:23)  5. Well You Needn't
(6:39)  6. What's New
(5:47)  7. Summertime
(4:52)  8. Tokyo Express

Saxophonist Red Holloway (equally distinctive on tenor and alto) performs a more diverse program than usual on this Concord CD, infusing such songs as "But Not for Me," "Passion Flower," Thelonious Monk's "Well You Needn't," "Summertime" and two of his originals with plenty of soul and solid swing. Holloway, a masterful interpreter rather than an innovator, is in top form throughout the recommended set, which also features pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Richard Reid and drummer Jimmie Smith. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/red-holloway-and-company-mw0000651175

Personnel: Red Holloway (alto & tenor saxophones); Cedar Walton (piano); Richard Reid (bass); Jimmie Smith (drums).

Red Holloway & Company

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Bobby Jaspar - With George Wallington and Idrees Sulieman

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1957

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:58

Size: 105,5 MB

Art: Front

(9:00)  1. Seven Up

(6:01)  2. My Old Flame

(5:55)  3. All Of You

(6:52)  4. Doublemint

(6:14)  5. Before Dawn

(5:40)  6. Sweet Blanche

(6:13)  7. The Fuzz

This CD reissue, which adds "The Fuzz" to the original six-song LP, is a fine showcase for Bobby Jaspar and acts as an excellent introduction to his playing. A mellow-toned tenor and a fluent flutist who was quite bop-oriented, Jaspar is featured with pianist George Wallington, bassist Wilbur Little, drummer Elvin Jones, and (on three numbers) trumpeter Idrees Sulieman. The majority of the tunes (other than "My Old Flame" and "All of You") are originals by group members, straight-ahead tunes with good blowing changes. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/bobby-jaspar-with-george-wallington-mw0000279813

Personnel: Bobby Jaspar (flute, tenor saxophone); Idrees Sulieman (trumpet); George Wallington (piano); Elvin Jones (drums).

With George Wallington and Idrees Sulieman

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Marcus Printup - A Time for Love

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:17
Size: 149,9 MB
Art: Front

( 6:25)  1. Blue Bossa
( 6:44)  2. Besame Mucho
( 6:02)  3. I Remember Clifford
( 6:16)  4. A Time for Love
( 7:34)  5. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
( 7:54)  6. Song for My Father
(10:40)  7. Maiden Voyage
( 6:59)  8. Dahil Sa'yo
( 6:38)  9. It Might as Well Be Spring

Marcus Printup's fifth CD for Steeplechase was inspired by the few tracks featuring harpist Riza Hequibal (his wife) on his previous CD for the label; this time around, it's just the two of them and bassist Kengo Nakamura. While there have been a few jazz harpists since the 1940s, the instrument is still a rarity. The trumpeter and flügelhornist has benefited from producer Nils Winther's interest in recording him on a regular basis, while Printup has delivered several outstanding sessions for Winther. The chemistry between the musicians is readily apparent from the opening track, a breezy take of Kenny Dorham's "Blue Bossa," with strong solos all around and the lack of additional players never being an issue. Printup's emotional trumpet in "I Remember Clifford" and "A Time for Love" is buoyed by Hequibal's shimmering harp. The strings give the sassy, light arrangement of Horace Silver's normally percussive "Song for My Father" a step in a new direction. Hequibal almost sounds like a guitarist at times in "Maiden Voyage." Printup switches to flügelhorn for the heartfelt "It Might as Well Be Spring," making the most of his spacious scoring of this timeless standard. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-time-for-love-mw0002106087

Personnel: Marcus Printup (trumpet, flugelhorn); Riza Hequibal (harp).

A Time for Love

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Flora Purim - Stories To Tell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:59
Size: 91.6 MB
Styles: Fusion, Latin jazz
Year: 1974
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Stories To Tell
[5:52] 2. Search For Peace
[3:53] 3. Casa Forte
[2:44] 4. Insensatez
[3:14] 5. Mountain Train
[4:03] 6. To Say Goodbye
[5:38] 7. Silver Sword
[4:10] 8. Vera Cruz (Empty Faces)
[6:41] 9. O Cantador I Just Want To Be Here

Though her recordings for Chick Corea's Return to Forever provide a better introduction to her vocal talents, Stories to Tell is an excellent outing by Flora Purim and friends. Assisted by a cast of jazz/fusion all-stars led by husband Airto Moreira, Purim shows off the wide range of her abilities: from wordless vocal soaring to songs with lyrics in English and Portuguese, from uptempo percussion-driven workouts to beautiful ballads. In addition to Airto, the assembled cast includes bassists Miroslav Vitous and Ron Carter, keyboard wunderkind George Duke, guitarists Earl Klugh and Oscar Castro-Neves, and trombonist Raul de Souza. Also, Carlos Santana turns in one of his patented sizzling guitar solos on "Silver Sword." With material from Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vitous, Milton Nascimento, McCoy Tyner, and Purim herself, this is an album worth savoring. ~Jim Newsom

Stories To Tell

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George Harrison - Let It Roll

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 80:03
Size: 183.2 MB
Styles: Contemporary Pop/Rock, Album rock
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Got My Mind Set On You
[3:35] 2. Give Me Love
[3:45] 3. Ballad Of Sir Francis Crisp (Let It Roll)
[4:37] 4. My Sweet Lord
[4:46] 5. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
[3:44] 6. All Things Must Pass
[3:50] 7. Any Road
[3:45] 8. This Is Love
[3:43] 9. All Those Years Ago
[3:38] 10. Marwa Blues
[4:20] 11. What Is Life
[5:24] 12. Rising Sun
[3:51] 13. When We Was Fab
[3:10] 14. Something
[3:58] 15. Blow Away
[4:05] 16. Cheer Down
[2:54] 17. Here Comes The Sun
[2:51] 18. I Don't Want To Do It
[7:08] 19. Isn't It A Pity
[2:59] 20. Isn't It A Pity (Demo Vers)

George Harrison had two periods of great commercial success, separated by 15 years and two record labels. This extended gap is the chief reason there hasn't been a career-spanning Harrison collection until 2009's Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison, the first-ever disc to gather songs from George's stints at both Apple and Dark Horse, and only his third-ever hits collection, following 1976's Beatles-heavy The Best of George Harrison and The Best of Dark Horse, released in 1989 in the afterglow of Cloud Nine's comeback success. Let It Roll balances these two periods, swapping any Beatles-era song ("Something," "Here Comes the Sun," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps") for a live version from The Concert for Bangladesh, then mixing it all up chronologically, so the set starts with the pristine bounce of "Got My Mind Set on You" before giving way to "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)" If anything jars, it's the sounds of times, as Jeff Lynne's clean, manicured arrangements don't necessarily fit with Phil Spector's lush, magisterial productions, but that's a minor quibble about a useful compilation that consolidates all of Harrison's signature tunes on one very enjoyable disc. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Let It Roll

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Anke Helfrich - Stormproof

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:27
Size: 122.4 MB
Styles: Ciontemporary jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:20] 1. Hackensack
[5:57] 2. September Song
[7:30] 3. Stormproof
[5:18] 4. Sehnsucht
[7:03] 5. In Good Times As In Bad
[1:56] 6. After The Rain
[8:22] 7. Circles
[4:54] 8. Swiss Moment
[5:09] 9. Speak Low
[2:53] 10. Little Giant

Bass, Cello, Bass Guitar – Henning Sieverts; Drums, Glockenspiel, Percussion – Dejan Terzić; Trombone – Nils Wogram; Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Harmonium – Anke Helfrich.

German pianist Anke Helfrich has absorbed the influence of everyone from Thelonious Monk to Les McCann and channeled it into an original style that's rooted but not retro. On STORMPROOF, she covers Monk's "Hackensack," and its knotty harmonies and angular feel suit her singular style, but she really stretches out on her own compositions, where her approach feels completely contemporary. She doesn't stick strictly to the 88s, either; she occasionally moves over to electric piano and even harmonium. And while her thoughtful melodic statements are clearly the focus here, trombonist Nils Wogram offers some striking moments of his own throughout this, Helfrich's third release as a leader. ~Jim Allen

Stormproof

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Natalie Cressman & Secret Garden - Unfolding

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:27
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. Flip
(8:01)  2. Whistle Song
(4:10)  3. Honeysuckle Rose
(6:11)  4. Echo
(5:57)  5. Skylight
(7:51)  6. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(8:33)  7. Waking
(5:19)  8. Reaching For Home
(9:47)  9. That Kind

Looking for antecedents for trombonist/vocalist Natalie Cressman? All About Jazz's C. Michael Bailey correctly points us to Jack Teagarden, the original singing trombonist. And, in fact, Cressman finds plenty of opportunity in the funkier passages of Unfolding, her debut album, to deploy a fluid and full Teagarden-like sound on the instrument. But Cressman twenty years old and a student at the Manhattan School of Music at the time of Unfolding's release also suggests a more contemporary reference: Esperanza Spalding, the superstar singing bassist. As with much of Spalding's vocals on her first record the fine Junjo (Ayva Musica, 2006) Cressman's wordless and vaguely Brazilian vocals on the madrigal-like "Echo" sound like sonic accents, not the stuff of a "lead singer." That said, other examples of singing on this record sound more like Spalding's subsequent albums, wherein she established herself as a bona fide singer. Cressman even pays homage here to Joni Mitchell, with a thoughtful and successfully rearranged version of Mitchell's vocal version of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat." It's a great reach back, from the vantage point of 2012, through Mitchell's 1979 version, to Mingus' 1959 original (Mitchell's version can be found on her Mingus (Asylum, 1979); it's closely based on Mingus' from his Mingus Ah Um (Columbia, 1959), and follows both Mingus' composed melody as well as John Handy's tenor sax solo).

Cressman's vocal agility is furthermore on display in the difficult leaps and intervals of several compositions, her tone clear and true and unadorned. Pianist Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose," meanwhile, is given a funk makeover not unlike the music of pianist Robert Glasper's Experiment; indeed, the comparison also reveals the attractive, Glasper-like qualities in pianist Pascal Le Boeuf's playing here (Le Boeuf, 25 years old for the session, is the oldest member of Cressman's Secret Garden band). The band is well-rehearsed and dominated, in a way, by the unsubtly forward drummer Jake Goldblas; he doesn't take much prompting to boil over, and it can be pretty exciting. Saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum like Cressman, a traveler on the Bay Area/New York jazz corridor guests for a fiery solo on "That Kind." 

Throughout, the sound is mostly acoustic, mostly mainstream with hints of Latin and rock. Unfolding shares the strengths and weaknesses of a lot of very strong debuts: highly attentive solos, carefully crafted arrangements and spirited performances on the plus side; coupled with a certain lack of focus and melodic interest in the original compositions. Cressman will only get better, as trombonist, singer, composer and leader, and that process will be accelerated with further apprenticeship with more seasoned leaders. With the release of Unfolding, her phone should be ringing off the hook. ~ Jeff Dayton Johnson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/unfolding-natalie-cressman-self-produced-review-by-jeff-dayton-johnson.php
 

Personnel: Natalie Cressman: trombone, vocals; Ivan Rosenberg: trumpet; Chad Lefkowitz-Brown: tenor saxophone (1-8); Peter Apfelbaum: tenor saxophone (9); Pascal Le Boeuf: piano, Fender Rhodes, claps; Ruben Samama: acoustic bass, claps; Jake Goldblas: drums, percussion, claps; Zach Gould: claps.

Unfolding

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Jaimee Paul - Melancholy Baby

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:33
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Don't cry baby
(4:26)  2. Ain't no sunshine
(4:38)  3. Come rain or come shine
(3:07)  4. want a little sugar in my bowl
(4:58)  5. You've changed
(3:53)  6. I still haven't found what i'm looking for
(4:35)  7. A sunday kind of love
(3:26)  8. Big spender
(4:49)  9. Don't explain
(3:54) 10. What'll I do
(3:44) 11. People get ready
(4:37) 12. Smile
(5:09) 13. My melancholy baby (feat. beegie adair)

Jazz vocal maven, Jaimee Paul, lends her sultry, bluesy pipes to an eclectic collection of jazz, blues and pop standards. 

While delivering impressive tributes to the likes of Billie Holiday ("Don't Explain", "You've Changed"), Etta James ("Don't Cry Baby", "A Sunday Kind of Love"), Nina Simone ("I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl"), Paul also puts her unique spin on such contemporary classics as U2's, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", Curtis Mayfield's, "People Get Ready", and Bill Wither's "Ain't No Sunshine." ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Melancholy-Baby-Jaimee-Paul/dp/B004GFGUE0

Melancholy Baby

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Herbie Mann & Bobby Jaspar - Flute Soufflé

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:21
Size: 83,4 MB
Art: Front

(14:43)  1. Tel Aviv
( 5:58)  2. Somewhere Else
( 7:26)  3. Let's March
( 8:13)  4. Chasing The Bird

At the time of this Prestige set (reissued on CD), Herbie Mann was a flutist who occasionally played tenor and Bobby Jaspar a tenor-saxophonist who doubled on flute. Two of the four songs find them switching back and forth while the other two are strictly flute features. With pianist Tommy Flanagan, guitarist Joe Puma, bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Bobby Donaldson contributing quiet support, the two lead voices constantly interact and trade off during this enjoyable performance. Highpoints are the haunting "Tel Aviv" and a delightful version of "Chasing the Bird." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/flute-souffle-mw0000617313

Personnel:  Herbie Mann, Bobby Jaspar - flute, tenor saxophone;  Tommy Flanagan – piano;  Joe Puma – guitar;  Wendell Marshall – bass;  Bobby Donaldson - drums

Flute Soufflé

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George Wallington - Jazz at Hotchkiss

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:08
Size: 92,1 MB
Art: Front

( 6:53)  1. Dance of the Infidels
( 8:46)  2. Strange Music
( 5:57)  3. Before Dawn
(10:35)  4. Ow
( 7:57)  5. 'S Make 'T

This LP-length CD reissue features pianist George Wallington and his 1957 quintet (which consists of trumpeter Donald Byrd, altoist Phil Woods, bassist Knobby Totah and drummer Nick Stabulas) stretching out on five numbers. 

The repertoire is highlighted by Bud Powell's "Dance of the Infidels" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Ow." Both Woods and Byrd (two up-and-coming players) are in excellent form, making this an enjoyable outing for bop fans. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-at-hotchkiss-mw0000237669

Personnel: George Wallington (piano), Phil Woods (alto saxophone), Donald Byrd (trumpet), Knobby Totah (bass), Nick Stabulas (drums).

Jazz at Hotchkiss

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Malou Beauvoir & Jean Chaudron Trio - An Evening At The Swan

Size: 105,1 MB
Time: 45:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. It Don't Mean A Thing (5:30)
02. Corcovado The Man I Love (5:09)
03. Les Feuilles Mortes (5:08)
04. Honeysuckle Rose (4:56)
05. Cry Me A River (6:30)
06. You Made A Fool Out Of Me (3:58)
07. Misty (4:41)
08. Lullaby Of Birdland (3:48)
09. Good Morning Heartache (5:22)

Born in Chicago of Haitian parents, raised in New York, Malou is a unique combination of her multi-cultural influences and experiences. Raised among musicians; her brother, Jean Beauvoir, is the renowned hard rock phenomenon - performer/singer/songwriter/producer (The Ramones, Kiss, The Plasmatics), her other brother is a proficient bass player.
At 15 she moved to Paris to attend the American University while pursuing her artistic passions; acting and singing. Her debut single “Waste my Time” was released a few years later.
After her BA she obtained an MBA in the US, and worked her way up the corporate ladder, ultimately becoming Director of Business Development for Southern Europe and Africa for a US-based high-tech company. At the same time, Malou kept her passions going by recording and acting from time to time.
By the end of the 90’s Malou had decided to give up the world of business to concentrate wholly on her singing and acting. She quickly secured engagements in leading venues around the world, including in Dubai, Rio, Beirut, London, and in Paris where she performed for two years as the lead singer at the renowned Paradis Latin. Then, more recording; a featured artist for Universal (Datafolk); M-Tracks; co-writing and recording with artists in diverse styles -- Hip Hop, Dance, House -- co-signing many of her tracks with DJ’s and lending her versatile voice to different productions while continuing to compose on her own.
A chance encounter in a London venue with a jazz drummer led her to sign up for a Jazz course being held in a chateau near Paris in 2006. It was there that she discovered the beauty and freedom of singing jazz. One evening, after one of several dates at the Petit Journal Montparnasse, performing with her R&B band, she wandered into The Swan, a small club to see a friend perform. Fate struck in the person of Jean Chaudron, who immediately upon hearing her sing, proposed to produce a jazz album built around her vocal style.
AN EVENING AT THE SWAN with the Jean Chaudron Trio is the fruit of that collaboration. A subtle cocktail of diverse styles, cultures and musical influences tempered by the warm sensuality of Malou’s voice, the unique musical phrasing of Jean Chaudron on the bass aided by Bernard Désormières’ proficiency on the piano and Alain Bouchaux’s subtle and pervasive style on drums … applied to the great jazz classics.
LIVE at The LIONEL HAMPTON with the Jean Chaudron Quintet is the vibrant memento of a week’s residence at the famed Lionel Hampton Jazz club in Paris. Jeff Hoffman (guitar) and Bobby Rangell (Sax and flute) are added to the explosive cocktail and the result is a soulful, eclectic mix of recordings which retrace the evening’s events.
After a year in New York where Malou concentrates on acting (The Pan Man (theatre) and television, Malou resurfaces in Brussels in 2011 with the Yvan Paduart (piano) who introduces her to the Music Village. She will perform there twice in the following months with the Jean Chaudron trio, with whom she is working on a new album of original tunes. Enamoured of Brussels, the Music Village and the inspiration the offer her, she and Jean Chaudron decide to produce a LIVE at the MUSIC VILLAGE in March 2012.

An Evening At The Swan

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Steve Gadd Band - Way Back Home: Live From Rochester, NY

Size: 155,6 MB
Time: 67:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Green Foam (8:38)
02. Cavaliero (8:49)
03. Africa (9:42)
04. Way Back Home (9:40)
05. Bye Bye Blackbird (6:32)
06. Desu (7:27)
07. Oh, Yeah! (9:26)
08. Them Changes (6:51)

Steve Gadd is one of the most sought-after studio musicians, in the world. Regarded as the most influential drummer in contemporary music, Gadd can play anything, easily bridging different musical styles. His feel, technique, and musicality on such tunes as Paul Simon's "Fifty Ways", Steely Dan's "Aja", and Chick Corea's "Nite Sprite" were so awe-inspiring and his concepts so innovative that they instantly assured his special position in the history of the percussive arts.

Gadd attended the Manhattan School of Music for two years, then finished at Eastman School of Music. Before that, he studied privately with Bill and Stanley Street and John Beck. He established himself with Chuck Mangione, then spent three years in the Army prior to coming to New York and doing studio work in 1971.

He rapidly rose to prominence on the studio scene and has since played with a wide variety of artists, including Carly Simon, Phoebe Snow, Aretha Franklin, Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Rickie Lee Jones, Tom Scott, Frank Sinatra, and Stuff. After a period of touring and recording with his own band, the Gadd Gang, he provided the spark that ignited Paul Simon's South African inspired, Grammy Award-winning recordings and dynamic live touring band.

Over the last two decades, Steve Gadd has emerged as a brilliant producer in his own right. In addition to embarking on massive, world-wide tours, clinics (Yamaha/Zildjian/Hudson: Mission From Gadd), and recordings with superstars such as Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Kate Bush, and James Taylor, he has also produced groundbreaking albums with The Gaddabouts (Edie Brickell, Pino Pallidino, Andy Fairweather Low), Mika Stoltzman (w/Eddie Gomez & Richard Stoltzman), Pedro Martinez Band, Steve Gadd and Friends, L'Image (Mike Mainieri, Warren Bernhardt, and Tony Levin), David Sanborn & Bob James, and...Steve Gadd Band! Gadd is on tour with James Taylor & Eric Clapton.

Way Back Home

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Flora Martinez - Flora

Size: 99,4 MB
Time: 35:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Happy (3:27)
02. The Captain Of Her Heart (4:08)
03. Make You Feel My Love (4:04)
04. The Scientist (4:26)
05. Los Aretes De La Luna (3:20)
06. Let's Stay Together (3:36)
07. Safe And Sound (3:28)
08. De Musica Ligera (3:12)
09. True Colors (3:10)
10. Gimme Shelter (2:51)

Born in Montreal and raised by a Canadian mother and a Colombian father, Flora Martinez made her professional debut in 1994 on a Colombian television show called Mambo. She spent the next several years appearing on a host of Spanish-language TV programs, including Maria Bonita, La Otra mitad del sol, and Divorciada. In 1999, Flora broke through into the world of features with a pivotal role in the thriller Soplo de vida. This movie, which played at film festivals around the world, finally brought Flora to the attention of viewers far outside of her homeland.

The very next year, Flora made her North American debut in Proof of Life and found herself acting opposite Hollywood heavyweights like Russell Crowe, Meg Ryan and David Morse. 2002 was even busier for Flora, as the up-and-coming actress appeared in two films: the romantic comedy I’m with Lucy (alongside Monica Potter, Gael Garcia Bernal and David Boreanaz) and the Campbell Scott/Hope Davis indie drama The Secret Lives of Dentists.

Following those appearances, Flora returned her attention to films in her native language. She won critical and audience acclaim for her starring roles in 2005’s Rosario Tijeras and 2007’s Tuya siempre, which established her as one of the most promising South American actresses since Penelope Cruz.

Flora

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Carol Bach-Y-Rita - Minha Casa / My House

Size: 102,9 MB
Time: 43:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Latin Jazz
Label: Carol Bach-Y-Rita
Art: Front

01. Morning Coffee (4:02)
02. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (3:54)
03. A Night In Tunisia (3:53)
04. 'Tis Autumn (4:49)
05. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines (3:07)
06. Nature Boy (3:54)
07. Trust (4:43)
08. Pra Quem Quiser Me Visitar (4:20)
09. Gardening With No Pants (3:26)
10. Love Look Away (5:08)
11. While My Lady Sleeps (2:37)

In addition to beautifully interpreting the best of the American Songbook, Carol sings the gorgeous music of Brazil and the Americas in Spanish and Portuguese. Her sound is lush and swinging from the intimacy of a duo setting to a full big band.

She has been a featured performer at Jazz venues and festivals throughout the United States, Europe and Japan, with noted repeat engagements with MTT and The San Francisco Symphony, The Monterey Jazz Festival, and the Newport Jazz Party.

Carol has worked with many top artists in Jazz and Brazilian music in the United States and abroad, including: Harry Allen, Claudio Roditi, John Clayton, Chuck Redd, Jacky Terrason, Bill Cunliffe, Chico Pinheiro, Joshua Redman, Mark Levine, Ricardo Silveira, , Bruce Forman, Dado Moroni, Michael Spiro, Rique Pantoja, Kleber Jorge....

Her current band JAZZ BLISS features Bill Cantos, Mike Shapiro, Larry Koonse and John Leftwich. Treasured collaborations abound with LA favorites Hussain Jiffry, Bill Cunliffe, Capital, Aaron Serfaty, Mitchell Long, Larry Steen, Trey Henry....

Music took a back seat for a number of years while she explored a successful career in radio and then voice over. Fluent in 5 languages, she is represented by WME, Stars and IBE. Her credits include hundreds of TV and radio commercials, games, animation, narration, movies, web, print and on-camera work. Her state of the art home studio is fully equipped with ISDN lines, phone patch and skype access.

Music and movement are inseparable in Carol's life! Her background in Feldenkrais has made her truly unique in her approach to dance instruction and performance. She has toured Europe performing Brazilian and Afro-Cuban dance and currently owns and runs a small dance studio in Hollywood.

Born to Americans living abroad (a neurophysiologist father and an artist mother,) she grew up primarily in Northern California, with numerous childhood years in Italy, Mexico and Spain. After graduation from UC Berkeley, she spent three years singing in Paris, with extensive touring throughout Europe. Her last name (Bach-y-Rita) is Catalan, and she possesses both American and European/Spanish citizenship.

Jazz Bliss - ranges in size from duos to quintets. More improvisational in nature, this group draws from the best musicians LA has to offer in straight ahead, bebop, brazilian, and cuban music. Currently band members consist of: Bill Cantos on piano, Larry Koonse on guitar, John Leftwich on bass, Mike Shapiro on drums.

Minha Casa / My House

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John Scofield - Country For Old Men

Size: 144,1 MB
Time: 62:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Country
Art: Front

01. Mr Fool (5:02)
02. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (6:59)
03. Bartender's Blues (5:15)
04. Wildwood Flower (3:51)
05. Wayfaring Stranger (6:28)
06. Mama Tried (5:14)
07. Jolene (7:32)
08. Faded Love (6:28)
09. Just A Girl I Used To Know (4:07)
10. Red River Valley (6:13)
11. You're Still The One (4:16)
12. I'm An Old Cowhand (0:29)

The clue is in the title: Country For Old Men is John Scofield's take on country music. He may have tackled pieces of the genre before, but this is his first album dedicated to country.

Whilst he may be paying homage to some of his influences, he is by no means in thrall to them. Some of the tunes he takes pretty straight - such as the opener, George Jones' Mr Fool - others are country through a jazz prism, and the jazz wins through.

The result can be slightly disconcerting, though not unpleasantly. With Steve Swallow on bass, Larry Goldings (organ and piano) and his regular drummer Bill Stewart, Sco makes the tunes his own. So whilst the opening chorus of Dolly Parton's Jolene might make one hesitate, the quartet settle down into an upbeat waltz, Goldings taking a fine piano solo which grows and grows before its resolution.

Goldings' atmospheric organ on Bartenders' Blues emphasises the tune's gospel roots. His piano playing helps bring out the blues on the traditional Wayfaring Stranger. On both these Scofield plays the theme with a typical country "twang", reverting to his more usual sound for the solos.

Elsewhere, the tunes sound pure jazz. Hank Williams' I'm So Lonely I Could Cry is barely recognisable: taken at a cracking pace, Swallow's walking bass and Stewart's energetic, swinging drumming pushing the tune along.

Jazz has long appropriated other genres' material and made them its own. Most jazz standards were old show tunes; Coltrane took My Favourite Things and recast it to his needs. Hearing Scofield do the same for country is both enjoyable and illuminating. ~by Patrick Hadfield

Country For Old Men

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Bria Skonberg - Bria

Size: 153,4 MB
Time: 65:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Don't Be That Way (4:07)
02. Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) (4:12)
03. From This Moment On (5:53)
04. Curious Game (3:24)
05. Trust In Me (4:25)
06. Was A Little Too Lonely (And You Were A Little Too Late) (3:53)
07. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me (3:37)
08. How Can It Be (4:18)
09. Egyptian Fantasy (5:44)
10. My Shadow (3:24)
11. Wear And Tear (4:17)
12. Malaguena (6:43)
13. Midnight Sun (5:07)
14. Down In The Deep (6:47)

Okeh Records announces its first release from singer, trumpeter, and songwriter Bria Skonberg. With a unique fusion of modern-day pop sensibility, combined with sizzling musicianship, Skonberg makes a firm claim on fresh territory in the sophisticated pop landscape pioneered by Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall, and Michael Bublé. Titled Bria, the album features standards plus five original songs and is available September 23.

Skonberg aimed for “a sense of allure” on her new album, “music that is both curious and exotic, playing with tension and storytelling.” She credits producer Matt Pierson with helping her tie together the best aspects of the music she’s been exploring, in a quest “to fuse my love of classic jazz with worldly rhythm, percussion, contemporary songwriting, and more.

Bria is supported by some of the top musicians on the New York scene: Evan Arntzen on sax and clarinet, drummer Ali Jackson, bassist Reginald Veal, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, and pianist Aaron Diehl. They provide Bria with an unfailing blend of organically imagined eclecticism.

Noted as a Millennial “Shaking Up the Jazz World,” according to Vanity Fair, Bria Skonberg is a self-described “small town girl” from Chilliwack, British Columbia, who hightailed it to Vancouver straight out of high school and earned a degree in Jazz Trumpet Performance. She developed her songwriting chops while working with TV/jingle producer Paul Airey, known for his work with the likes of Warner Bros. studios and the National Hockey League.

Skonberg is an established touring artist with numerous club and festival performances scheduled throughout 2016. In addition, in an upcoming issue of Down Beat magazine, she’s recognized as one of “25 for the Future.” All in all, it’s an impressive present and even more promising future for this welcome new voice.

Bria

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