Coleman Hawkins - In A Mellow Tone (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:41

Size: 116.0 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 1988/1995

Art: Front

[5:57] 1. You Blew Out The Flame In My Heart

[5:54] 2. I Want To Be Loved

[6:46] 3. In A Mellow Tone

[3:12] 4. Greensleeves

[5:10] 5. Through For The Night

[4:42] 6. Until The Real Thing Comes Along

[4:18] 7. The Sweetest Sounds

[5:09] 8. Then I'll Be Tired Of You

[9:30] 9. Jammin' In Swingville

This cd pulls material together from sessions dating between 1958 and 1962. After fourty years of legend status Hawkins was still inspiring, and being inspired by, younger musicians. Among those supporting the venerable icon are Red Garland, Tommy Flanagan, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ron Carter, and Kenny Burrell. The generally laid back material ranges from standards, tender blues, a couple up-tempo blowing numbers, and an enjoyable nonet piece on "Jammin' in Swingville". While the take on "Greensleeves" seems a bit sappy, this is an entertaining, if unspectacular set of music from Coleman Hawkins. Longtime fans of Bean will be pleased with this cd, and while it is not the best introduction to one of the giants of jazz, it is enjoyable enough to recommend to new listeners because Hawkins' faculties are in check, and he still possesed one of the best sounds of all time. ~Amazon

In A Mellow Tone (Remastered)

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Irene Kral - Better Than Anything (With The Junior Mance Trio)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:38
Size: 67.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1964/ 2004
Art: Front

[2:21] 1. Better Than Anything
[2:22] 2. The Touch Of Your Lips
[3:13] 3. The Meaning Of The Blues
[2:20] 4. Rock Me To Sleep
[3:10] 5. No More
[1:54] 6. Passing By
[2:37] 7. It's A Wonderful World
[3:23] 8. This Is Always
[2:43] 9. Just Friends
[3:35] 10. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
[1:54] 11. Nobody Else But Me

This CD reissues a formerly rare Irene Kral album that was originally recorded for the Ava label, one of only two records that she recorded during 1960-1973. Kral is quite recognizable, although not singing with quite the emotional intensity that she would display during her final three albums (which are all classics). Joined by pianist Junior Mance, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Mickey Roker (whose name is misspelled Rocker), Kral was already a delightful singer. Best are her versions of "Better Than Anything," "The Meaning of the Blues," "It's a Wonderful World," "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry," and "Nobody Else But Me." This enjoyable set is available through the Spanish Fresh Sound label. ~Scott Yanow

Better Than Anything 

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Hep Chaps - Crazy Rhythm

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:42
Size: 125.2 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart
[4:11] 2. Rosetta
[2:50] 3. 705
[3:05] 4. You've Got The Look
[3:55] 5. Dickie's Dream
[3:25] 6. Ants In My Pants
[4:06] 7. Who's Sorry Now
[2:59] 8. Deed I Do
[3:38] 9. If Dreams Came True
[2:33] 10. Ok Toots
[3:38] 11. Swing Bin
[5:52] 12. The Man I Love
[3:47] 13. Lazin'
[3:41] 14. Crazy Rhythm
[3:01] 15. Long Tall Mama

15 tracks, a nice mixture of Gypsy Jazz, small combo Swing and the singing style of the late 40s vocal groups! If you like Slim Gaillard or Django Reinhardt - this is the stuff you need! The Hep Chaps are led by David Howarth and John Wallace who met up in the West End of London performing in the stage musical Good Rockin' Tonight. They found a musical empathy in the sound of the 1930s and 40s and formed the duo specializing in self-penned songs with zany lyrics and punchy Swing rhythms. The duo became a trio, a quartet, and finally a 5-piece. David has played in various bands, and has acted in the original cast of Buddy and Good Rockin' Tonight in the West End. John started up with a The Stargazers who were signed by CBS and had some chart success. From there he played with JoBoxers, The Big Town Playboys, James Taylor Quartet, Little Willy Little Field, Robert Plant - the list goes on. Together, the Hep Chaps are a tight, authentically swinging outfit... very groovy and very special.

Crazy Rhythm

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Various - Capitol Records From The Vaults: The Best Of '56

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:33
Size: 145.5 MB
Styles: R&B, Easy Listening, Pop-Rock
Year: 2000
Art: Front


[2:35] 1. Tennessee Ernie Ford - Sixteen Tons
[2:32] 2. Nelson Riddle - Lisbon Antigua
[2:16] 3. Dean Martin - Memories Are Made Of This
[2:33] 4. Kit Carson - Band Of Gold
[2:24] 5. Les Paul - Moritat
[2:25] 6. Les Baxter - The Poor People Of Paris (Jean's Song)
[2:10] 7. The Cheers - Black Denim Trousers & Motorcycle Boots
[2:49] 8. Billy May - Man With The Golden Arm
[2:33] 9. Gordon Macrae - I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
[2:51] 10. Nat King Cole - Too Young To Go Steady
[2:58] 11. Nat King Cole - Never Let Me Go
[2:24] 12. Don Robertson - The Happy Whistler
[3:04] 13. The Four Freshmen - Graduation Day
[2:46] 14. Dean Martin - Standing On The Corner
[2:43] 15. Tex Ritter - The Wayward Wind
[2:16] 16. Nat King Cole - That's All There Is To That
[2:28] 17. Margaret Whiting - True Love
[2:17] 18. Stan Freberg - Heartbreak Hotel
[2:36] 19. Woody Herman - I Don't Want Nobody (To Have My Love But You)
[2:15] 20. The Five Keys - Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
[3:02] 21. Dick Haymes - Two Different Worlds
[2:08] 22. Louis Prima - Five Months, Two Weeks, Two Days
[2:20] 23. The Four Preps - Dreamy Eyes
[2:28] 24. The Five Keys - Wisdom Of A Fool
[2:28] 25. Sonny James - Young Love

This sixth installment of Capitol records' label retrospective -- Capitol From the Vaults -- concentrates on the transitional and influential music released in 1956, as rock & roll began to show continual staying power on the pop music charts. However, as the 25 tracks on this volume illustrate, adults and even young people were still buying and listening to traditional popular music, and that is exactly what "the tower" was releasing. The set kicks off with a chart-topping entry from Tennessee Ernie Ford singing "Sixteen Tons" -- which had also been recorded by Merle Travis, who not only wrote the song, but was also a fellow Capitol recording artist. Although it had been a regional hit for Travis, it is Ford's version that became most memorable. There were several other notable male vocalists who also climbed the charts for Capitol in 1956. As Dean Martin's popularity continued to soar, "Memories Are Made of This" -- featuring the Terry Gilkyson-led Easy Riders -- was not only his first Top 40, but also first number-one hit. The disc ushered in 1956 firmly atop most pop-music and jukebox charts. Although not a number one, the show tune "Standing on the Corner" was another hit for Martin during March of that year, and is likewise featured on this collection. Another male vocalist who dominated the upper echelons of the pop singles chart during 1956 was newcomer Sonny James. The catchy "Young Love" -- James' entrée into pop music -- became one of his signature tunes and racked up hit singles on Capitol's country charts well into the 1970s. Jazz vocal fans continued as huge proponents of the label. Nat "King" Cole -- whose "Too Young to Go Steady," "Never Let Me Go," and "That's All There Is to That" are featured here -- was one reason. Another are Stan Kenton alumni the Four Freshmen -- heard here on their Top 20 hit "Graduation Day." Other notable inclusions on Capitol From the Vaults, Vol. 6: The Best of '56 are the novelty "The Happy Whistler" -- a Top Ten hit for one-hit wonder Don Robertson. Also worth noting is the biting, satirical view of Stan Freberg as he disassembles Elvis on his decidedly derogatory rendition of "Heartbreak Hotel." Recording engineer Bob Norberg lovingly remastered this entire series from the best possible source materials, and the results are uniformly spectacular. Music historian and musician Billy Vera produced Capitol From the Vaults and likewise penned some highly informative and entertaining liner notes for each volume. ~Lindsay Planer

Capitol Records From The Vaults: The Best Of '56

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Allen Hinds - Behind It All

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:09
Size: 98.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:30] 1. Elegant Decadence
[5:37] 2. Redland Road
[5:18] 3. Worn But Not Tattered
[3:48] 4. Beyond It All
[4:45] 5. Kate And Dave's
[5:03] 6. March 28th
[4:37] 7. Now Really
[6:16] 8. Bad Baby
[3:11] 9. Closure

Allen Hinds was raised in Alabama and now resides in California. His eclectic blends of blues/jazz/rock all mesh into a very distinct style of his own. Like a cross between Robben Ford, Alan Holdsworth and Jeff Beck, his music is intelligent, phrasing sophisticated and tone for days. Jimmy Haslip says "It SMOKES", Will Kennedy says "his songs are not based around notey licks, he's all about strong melodies, great phrasing" Scott Henderson says "allen always gets a great tone,and great phrasing" Allen has been teaching at Musician's Institute in Hollywood for 20 years. He has composed songs for Patti Austin, Larry Carlton, Jeff Kashiwa, the CBS t.v. hit J.A.G. His CD "Beyond It All" shows more of his southern roots" with songs like "Elegant Decadence" "Redland Road" and features the incredible Randy Crawford on "Worn but not Tattered. He also has been on tour recently with the great singer and songwriter Gino Vannelli.

Behind It All

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Ralph Sutton Trio - Swings St. Louis

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:03
Size: 138,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. I Found A New Baby
(5:11)  2. One Morning In May
(4:45)  3. I Thought About You
(6:13)  4. How High The Moon
(3:56)  5. Sweet Sue
(3:26)  6. In The Dark
(4:30)  7. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:13)  8. Lady Be Good
(5:30)  9. Sugar
(5:02) 10. Back Home Again In Indiana
(2:24) 11. Love Me
(6:26) 12. Thou Swell
(5:07) 13. St. Louis Blues

The great stride pianist Ralph Sutton struts his chops on this series of live dates recorded at the Backstage Bistro in St. Louis. Sutton is joined by veterans Jack Lesberg on bass and Frank Capp on drums on ten of the 13 tracks, starting with the swinging "I Found a New Baby." The snappy foot-tapping takes of "Sweet Sue" and "St. Louis Blues" are also outstanding. Sutton's three solo features are also gems: Bix Beiderbecke's infrequently heard "In the Dark," "Love Me," once a favorite of Art Tatum, and the obligatory Fats Waller favorite "Honeysuckle Rose." 

~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/swings-st-louis-mw0000010380

Personnel:  Ralph Sutton – piano;  Jack Lesberg – bass;  Frank Capp – drums

Swings St. Louis

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Barbara Jay - Reminiscing With Barbara Jay

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:52
Size: 136,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:59)  1. When Sunny Gets Blue
(2:41)  2. Gone For The Day
(3:05)  3. Strike Up The Band
(3:08)  4. How Am I To Know?
(2:57)  5. Anything Goes (Solo)
(6:12)  6. Ghost Of A Chance
(3:33)  7. Mairzy Doats
(3:39)  8. The Very Thought Of You
(3:39)  9. Jersey Bounce
(4:27) 10. When The Sun Comes Out
(4:05) 11. Something Cool
(3:37) 12. Taboo (Solo)
(4:55) 13. We'll Be Together Again
(2:43) 14. Soon It's Gonna Rain
(3:04) 15. Nobody Else But Me

Born England. Growing up in a jazz-loving family, her father playing trumpet in various bands, Jay began singing as a child. During the 60s she sang with many leading British jazz musicians, including Ronnie Scott, George Chisholm and Tommy Whittle. In 1970 she sang with the orchestra Benny Goodman led on a long European tour. She also sang in New York, appearing at the Carnegie Tavern where she was accompanied by Ellis Larkins. Jay has performed extensively on radio and television in the UK and at many European festivals including Nice and Cork. She sings with a true, clear voice, warmly interpreting the great standards of the popular and jazz repertoires. Her phrasing is elegant and her diction superb. Consistently working with outstanding British jazz musicians, she is married to Whittle with whom she regularly appears. https://itunes.apple.com/ie/artist/barbara-jay/id272905312#fullText

Personnel: Barbara Jay (vocals); Tommy Whittle (alto flute, tenor saxophone); Julian Stringle (clarinet); Keith Ingham (piano); Ralph Salmins (drums).

Reminiscing With Barbara Jay

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George Wallington - Virtuoso

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:59
Size: 114,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. Moon Flower
(4:26)  2. Clearness of View
(5:44)  3. Beautiful Eyes
(4:11)  4. Melody
(6:22)  5. Virtuoso
(3:23)  6. Temporal
(6:08)  7. Beautiful to Behold
(3:29)  8. Heart of Hearts
(6:58)  9. Oh Foolish Leaf
(4:55) 10. Sociability

After 24 years off the scene, pianist George Wallington surprised many who had forgotten by him by recording this solo CD, the first of three. Although all ten of the selections are Wallington originals, his boppish style was largely unchanged from the 1950s, and some of the tunes are based on the chord changes of more common standards. However, the melodies are fresh, Wallington's improvisations are full of joyful swing, and the overall results (available as a Japanese import through Denon) are quite appealing. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/virtuoso-mw0000649772

Virtuoso

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Charlie Mariano - Not Quite A Ballad

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:35
Size: 153,0 MB
Art: Front

( 4:42)  1. Adagio
( 7:44)  2. Plum Island
(12:18)  3. Yagapriya
( 4:41)  4. Vesti La Giuppa
(10:47)  5. Not Quite a Ballad
( 8:31)  6. The Next Last Wave
( 9:14)  7. Lopin'
( 5:47)  8. Candy Lip
( 1:49)  9. You Better Go Now

Octogenarian saxophonist Charlie Mariano has spent a lifetime blurring boundaries. One of the few remaining witnesses of the bebop era, he has spent the early part of his career in that arena. In the mid-'60s he began experimenting with fusion, recording arguably his best work in that genre with bassist Eberhard Weber's groundbreaking Colours band in the '70s. Throughout he has had a passion for music of other cultures, spending time in India learning the nadhaswaram, a South Indian wind instrument. His immersion in Indian culture is well-documented on the '83 ECM recording Jyothi. In recent years, however, he has become more associated with the mainstream, although his broader interests never seem to be far away. With Not Quite a Ballad he marks another achievement'a recording with a concert orchestra'and the result combines the expected with an element of pure surprise.

Along with the Wurtzburger Philharmonic, under the direction of conductor Jonathan Seers, Mariano is supported by New on the Corner, a trio consisting of pianist Bernard Pichl, double-bassist Rudi Engel and drummer Bill Elgart. While both the orchestra and the trio deliver everything that is expected of them and more, this is really Mariano's show and he is understandably front and centre for its majority. An adaptation of Albinoni's "Adagio" is a fitting introduction, reflecting Mariano's Italian roots. Another classical reworking, that of the aria "Vesti la Giubba" from Leoncavallo's I, Pagliacci , demonstrates how Mariano can deliver an interpretation that is dramatic without being melodramatic. His rich tone and invention permeate both pieces. The orchestration is lush without being cloying; sentimental without being syrupy. Four pieces for Mariano with New on the Corner alone highlight Mariano's sense of adventure, even within a mainstream context. The title track is aptly named; the melody would lend itself to being a ballad if it weren't for the more medium-tempo swing of the rhythm section. Mariano's tone is strong and expressive; age seems to be doing nothing to diminish his power.

The highlight of the album is clearly Indian composer Ramamani's "Yagapriya," where the orchestra comfortably navigates the microtonal nature of Indian music. The first half is a free improvisation, or tampura, by Mariano over the orchestra's changing "bordun" form; the second, in 7/4 time, is structured around a single scale, but Peter Fulda's orchestration again creates a broad sense of drama that is exhilarating without being overstated. The marriage of jazz soloists and orchestras can be risky. The inherent structure required of the orchestra can detract from the spirited improvisational nature of the soloist. Thankfully, in this case, Mariano and orchestrator Fulda understand the intentions and requirements of both soloist and orchestra, creating an amalgam which successfully brings out the strengths of both. Not Quite a Ballad is another high point in Mariano's career; a recording that shows that, even though he is in his 80s, he is as vital and exhuberant as ever. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/not-quite-a-ballad-charlie-mariano-intuition-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel includes: Charlie Mariano (saxophone); Wurzburg Philharmonic; Jonathan Seers (conductor); New On The Corner: Bernhard Pichl (piano); Rudi Engel (acoustic bass); Bill Elgart (drums).

Not Quite A Ballad

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Charlie Christian - Celestial Express

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:11
Size: 175,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:49)  1. Good Mornin' Blues
(2:31)  2. Way Down Wonder in New Orleans
(3:54)  3. Pagin' the Devil
(3:23)  4. One Sweet Letter From You
(6:00)  5. I Got Rhythm
(5:44)  6. Stardust
(4:40)  7. Tea for Two
(3:00)  8. Haven't Named it Yet
(2:56)  9. Stardust (again)
(3:30) 10. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
(4:25) 11. Jammin' in Four
(4:10) 12. Profoundly Blue
(3:57) 13. Celestial Express
(1:46) 14. Blues in B
(5:08) 15. Waitin' for Benny
(8:43) 16. Swing to Bop
(8:26) 17. Stompin' at the Savoy

Definitive's mini-anthology of classic recordings featuring pioneer electrically amplified guitarist Charlie Christian is an excellent core sample taken from his brief and eventful career. Note that Definitive has also issued what purport to be compilations containing all of Christian's complete live and studio recordings, as well as another more modestly proportioned sampler entitled The Genius of the Electric Guitar. Charlie Christian was like a will-o'-the-wisp, a strikingly creative sideman who appeared at studio sessions and live jams during a span of months only adding up to a couple of years before succumbing to tuberculosis at the age of 25 in 1942. On Definitive's Celestial Express, the guitarist is heard with various groups led by Lionel Hampton and Benny Goodman, with Edmond Hall's Celeste Quartet, and with the Kansas City Six (a band including Count Basie and Lester Young) at the second From Spirituals to Swing concert in Carnegie Hall. Christian accompanies sweet vocalist Eddy Howard (who sounded a bit like Gene Austin); jams out with a quartet including bassist Oscar Pettiford at the Harlem Breakfast Club in Minneapolis, MN; cooks with a sextet while waiting for Benny Goodman to show up and lead a studio recording session; and improvises freely in the wild and woolly atmosphere of Minton's Playhouse, an after-hours joint favored by young musicians seeking a loose and friendly environment suitable for collective artistic exploration. It's a fine taste of great music from a time when music was evolving as rapidly as all of the other arts near middle of the maelstrom of the 20th century. ~ arwulf arwulf  http://www.allmusic.com/album/celestial-express-mw0000105842

Celestial Express

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Joe Houston - Rockin' At The Drive-In

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:02
Size: 169.5 MB
Styles: R&B, Jump blues
Year: 1984/2011
Art: Front

[2:48] 1. Chicano Hop
[2:31] 2. Joe's Hot House
[2:40] 3. Rockin' At The Drive-In
[2:24] 4. Bean Hop
[5:13] 5. Shuckin' 'n' A Jivin'
[2:22] 6. Houston Shuffle
[3:00] 7. Strollin'
[2:39] 8. Cha Cha All Night Long
[3:03] 9. Chili
[3:03] 10. Lucky Thirty
[2:14] 11. Boom
[2:34] 12. Shuckin'
[2:43] 13. Baby Don't Go
[2:49] 14. We're Gonna Rock'n' Roll
[3:05] 15. Curfew
[6:04] 16. Joe's Blues
[2:36] 17. Get With It
[3:18] 18. Slip 'n Out
[2:55] 19. Home Boy
[2:18] 20. Hush Your Mouth
[3:00] 21. The Things We Used To Do
[5:38] 22. Deep Freeze
[2:40] 23. Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)
[2:13] 24. Two Pizzaburgers Please!

Fourteen characteristic sax-driven R&B tunes, most instrumental, from the '50s. There's no duplication with the Specialty Cornbread and Cabbage Greens CD, except for the well-known "All Night Long," so it's worth finding if you want more than one Houston collection. ~Richie Unterberger

Rockin' At The Drive-In

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Chihiro Yamanaka - After Hours

Album: After Hours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 34:42

Size: 79.4 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[3:13] 1. All Of Me

[5:34] 2. There Will Never Be Another You

[4:56] 3. Confirmation

[6:34] 4. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

[3:00] 5. Sioux City Sue New

[6:07] 6. All The Things You Are

[2:43] 7. Over The Rainbow

[2:31] 8. Everything Happens To Me

Yamanaka’s ninth release is a marvel of piano trio work, accomplished, focused and pretty. Her lightness of touch and unhurried calm come through on every number, showing why her CDs, each of them in piano trio format, continue to work so well. Her influences are apparent, Oscar Peterson’s can be heard on nearly every tune, as well as in the piano-guitar-bass setup, but she has a distinctive voice. Her phrasing on solos draws on Peterson-like runs, but she sounds like herself. This is traditional piano trio at its best, personal, intimate and swinging.

Jazz hounds who search for the roughest, most challenging jazz around might be put off by her polish and style. Yamanaka’s music is pristinely packaged by a major label. However, as with many talented musicians, popular and pristine does not mean predictable. She stays well within the boundaries of traditional jazz, but her appeal comes in her dedication to skill, craft and jazz beauty. She improvises relentlessly and beautifully. With no drummer, her solos sound all the more delicate.

The CD is extremely well recorded, with fantastic sound quality that cannot be heard on every label. It is very well packaged, in this sense, but that is not always what everyone wants. It is also a bit short, coming in at a total of 35 minutes, about half of most jazz recordings these days. One wishes, though for more than nice, cool prettiness on an often-played tune like “When You Wish Upon a Star,” which is only a couple minutes long, when it feels like the trio should have a lot more to say.

Those quibbles aside, each song is a delight. Her feeling is always pleasant, but inventive and tasteful. She plays hard, but it never feels like that. Without forcing anything, it becomes clear she does not have to. Her inventiveness comes in the constant flow of fast-paced solos with unerring sophistication. The hints of Peterson come in places like the first solo on “There Will Never Be Another You,” as well as on the straight-on bop of “Confirmation.” The womanly fancy-dress packaging of the CD might turn off some serious jazz fans, but this is extremely polished music with expressive lyricism and oodles of talent.

After Hours

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Art Tatum - The Complete Capitol Recordings Of Art Tatum (2-Disc Set)

Previously released as two separate volumes, The Complete Capitol Recordings of Art Tatum is a two-disc collection that presents everything the pianist recorded for Capitol Records in chronlogical order. There's 20 solo sides from 1949 and a 1952 session with a trio of guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Slam Stewart. Throughout the collection, Tatum sounds wonderful -- he was a rare player that was extremely technically advanced and also very lyrical. For any Tatum fan, this set is a necessity. ~Leo Stanley

Album: The Complete Capitol Recordings Of Art Tatum (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:12
Size: 101.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1997

[2:52] 1. Willow Weep For Me
[2:30] 2. I Cover The Waterfront
[2:43] 3. Aunt Hagar's Blues
[2:45] 4. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[2:48] 5. Someone To Watch Over Me
[2:47] 6. Dardanella
[3:05] 7. Time On My Hands (You In My Arms)
[2:36] 8. Sweet Lorraine
[2:44] 9. Somebody Loves Me
[2:52] 10. Don't Blame Me
[5:18] 11. My Heart Stood Still
[3:11] 12. You Took Advantage Of Me
[2:53] 13. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
[3:00] 14. How High The Moon
[2:01] 15. Promotional Interview With Art Tatum, Paul Weston And You

The Complete Capitol Recordings Of Art Tatum (Disc 1)

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Album: The Complete Capitol Recordings Of Art Tatum (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:57
Size: 100.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[2:41] 1. Makin' Whoopee
[3:07] 2. Goin' Home
[2:49] 3. Blue Skies
[3:17] 4. It's The Talk Of The Town
[2:55] 5. Dancing In The Dark
[3:06] 6. Tenderly
[3:18] 7. September Song
[3:19] 8. Melody In F, Opus 3, No. 1
[3:07] 9. Tea For Two
[2:46] 10. Out Of Nowhere
[3:15] 11. Just One Of Those Things
[3:27] 12. Indiana (Back Home Again In Indiana)
[3:34] 13. Would You Like To Take A Little Walk
[3:10] 14. Lover

The Complete Capitol Recordings Of Art Tatum (Disc 2)

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King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys - Live At Last

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:30
Size: 133.9 MB
Styles: Jump blues, r&b
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. Wake It Up Baby
[2:41] 2. I'll Be Satisfied
[2:35] 3. Big Girl
[2:48] 4. You Upset Me Baby
[2:51] 5. Let 'em Roll
[3:47] 6. Can't Get Enough
[5:37] 7. Jump For Joy
[8:15] 8. Tequila
[4:02] 9. All Or Nothing
[3:23] 10. Oh, Marie
[4:45] 11. Roll With My Baby
[4:32] 12. Goin' To California
[9:25] 13. Walkin' Mr B

Red hot and rocking authentic Rhythm & Blues direct from a bygone era when Swing was King. Dazzling musicianship, a riveting stage performance, a string of TV, radio, festival and concert appearances and eleven CDs over two decades mark them as today’s greatest swing band. “This British combo is bullet-proof!” ~ATOMIC MAGAZINE

Live At Last

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Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb & His Orchestra - Swingsation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:21
Size: 119.9 MB
Styles: Swing, Vocal jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. Sing Me A Swing Song (And Let Me Dance)
[3:00] 2. Blue Minor
[2:27] 3. When I Get Low I Get High
[3:00] 4. A Little Bit Later On
[2:32] 5. Don't Be That Way
[2:24] 6. Vote For Mr. Rhythm
[2:47] 7. Organ Grinder's Swing
[2:59] 8. Blue Lou
[2:40] 9. Take Another Guess
[4:28] 10. I Want To Be Happy
[2:26] 11. Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie
[2:36] 12. A-Tisket, A-Tasket
[3:13] 13. I'm Just A Jitterbug
[3:14] 14. Harlem Congo
[3:00] 15. Wacky Dust
[3:21] 16. Undecided
[2:56] 17. 'tain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It)
[2:37] 18. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)

A collection of 18 tracks from Ella Fitzgerald's beginnings as a performer, these songs have her in front of Chick Webb's orchestra. For those discovering the First Lady of Song, this is an excellent place to start. You'll hear the voice of a young Fitzgerald on some of her goofiest jive numbers like "When I Get Low I Get High," "Vote for Mr. Rhythm," "Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie," her immortal signature tune "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," and "'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)," among others. To find this is to discover a treasure that should lead you to the Classics label recordings of Ella and her early-period fellas. ~Michael G. Nastos

Swingsation

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Kenny Wheeler & John Taylor - Where Do We Go From Here?

Styles: Trumpet And Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:14
Size: 124,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:20)  1. Summer night
(5:03)  2. For Tracy
(5:01)  3. Mabel
(4:31)  4. Au Contraire
(5:25)  5. Cancer N.1
(5:56)  6. Squiggles
(6:44)  7. One Two Three
(5:12)  8. Where do we go from here?
(3:38)  9. Dance
(6:20) 10. Fordor

Over the past thirty years, pianist John Taylor has clearly been trumpeter Kenny Wheeler's accompanist of choice. Cerebral yet quietly passionate, intuitive and supportive, with a musical personality rooted in Bill Evans that has, nevertheless, long since evolved beyond comparative considerations, Taylor's ability to get inside Wheeler's often melancholic compositions is without equal. From big band records to intimate settings like this new CamJazz release, Where Do We Go From Here? , Taylor is the perfect foil for Wheeler, and neither have sounded better. Consisting of one standard, two Taylor compositions and seven mostly-new Wheeler compositions, this particularly warm recording finds Wheeler, always an inward-looking player with just the occasional flare for expressionism, in a particularly introverted mood. His tone is warm, and he avoids, for the most part, the signature intervallic leaps into the stratosphere that mark his more outgoing work. "Mabel" sits somewhere between the more rhythmically-informed version on Wheeler's '84 ECM quintet recording, Double Double You , and Taylor's more abstract reading on his own ECM trio release, '03's Rosslyn. By taking a technique often used more for effect and turning it into another musical expression of the instrument, Taylor opens "Canter N. 1" by plucking and strumming the piano strings in a way that is far more conceptually developed.

While the overall emphasis of the programme is on impressionistic chamber jazz, it is not all moody abstraction. The aforementioned "Canter No. 1" relies on a steady rhythmic pulse from Taylor, while even the darker Taylor composition "Dance" moves along insistently. Still, more open-time pieces like "Forder" and the poignant title track rely more on ambience and harmony than rhythm. All too often standards within a mainly original set seem out of place, but here Al Dubin and Harry Warren's "Summer Night," with its bittersweet and plaintive melody, fits in perfectly with the rest of the programme. What makes Where Do We Go From Here? such an outstanding recording is the remarkable empathy between Wheeler and Taylor. Years of performing together will typically build a good chemistry between capable players, but Wheeler and Taylor go beyond mere comfort into a level of telepathy that finds them completely attuned to each other. The two are so much a part of each other's playing that the smallest nuance, the tiniest phrase from one can spark a response from the other that moves things in another unexpected direction. Yet their responses to each other are so subtle, so graceful, that these unpredictable shifts feel completely natural, smooth and seamless. Wheeler and Taylor have a substantial shared discography and have explored intimate settings in the past on Moon , which found them in a trio with Italian clarinetist Gabriele Mirabassi, and Overnight , where they shared the bill with bassist Ricardo Del Fra, but never have they sounded so completely simpatico as on Where Do We Go From Here? , an album that clearly raises the bar for musical interaction by making it so delicate and elegant as to be almost elusive. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/where-do-we-go-from-here-kenny-wheeler-cam-jazz-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Kenny Wheeler: trumpet, flugelhorn; John Taylor: piano.

Where do we go from here?

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Spyro Gyra - Carnaval

Styles: Fusion, Smooth Jazz 
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:06
Size: 92,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Cafe Amore
(4:40)  2. Dizzy
(5:51)  3. Awakening
(4:18)  4. Cachaca
(4:42)  5. Fox Trot
(5:10)  6. Sweet 'N' Savvy
(4:42)  7. Bittersweet
(5:36)  8. Carnaval

Founded in 1974 by saxophonist Jay Beckenstein, Spyro Gyra have consistently been one of the commercially successfully pop-jazz groups of the past 30 years. The band became a full-time venture in 1976 and has been touring ever since. Critics love to attack this band's music, which combines R&B and elements of pop and Caribbean music with jazz, but its live performances are often stimulating unlike many of its records, which emphasize the danceable melodies. The roots of Spyro Gyra lay in Buffalo, NY, in 1974. Beckenstein and his longtime friend, keyboardist Jeremy Wall, had been leading a group with a revolving membership; every one of the many members in the band were loosely involved in the local jazz and rock scenes. Around 1974, the group was beginning to gel and cultivate a following. A club owner who wanted to advertise an upcoming appearance by the band asked Beckenstein for the group's name. The saxophonist told him "Spirogyra," a word he learned in a college biology course. The owner misspelled the word as Spyro Gyra, and the band fell into place, featuring Beckenstein, Wall, Jim Kurzdorfer, and Tom Walsh. Not long afterward, the group added keyboardist Tom Schuman. Electric guitarist Chet Catallo, drummer Eli Konikoff, and percussionist Gerardo Velez all joined in 1978 (with Wall dropping out) and bassist David Wofford was added in 1980. Spyro Gyra independently funded and recorded their debut album, releasing the record on the local independent label Amherst in 1976. The record slowly became a success and Amherst sold the rights to the band to Infinity Records, a division of MCA. Wall left the band in 1978, leaving Schuman as the group's main keyboardist. Morning Dance, their first album for Infinity, was released in 1979. 

The record became a major hit, spawning a Top 40 single with "Morning Dance" and going platinum. Morning Dance firmly placed Spyro Gyra as one of the most popular artists in contemporary jazz, and throughout the '80s, their popularity continued growing. Their albums were consistent best-sellers, and their concerts often sold out. In 1983, vibraphonist and marimba player Dave Samuels- who had played on several of the group's albums became a full-fledged member of the band. Over the course of the '80s, the membership of Spyro Gyra fluctuated, but Beckenstein and Schuman remained at its core, keeping the group's signature sound intact. In 1990, MCA's jazz roster was absorbed by GRP, so Spyro Gyra switched labels, releasing Fast Forward, their first album for GRP, later that year. In 1993, Samuels left the touring band, but he continued to play in the studio. By the late '90s, the band featured Beckenstein, Schuman, Julio Fernandez, Joel Rosenblatt, and Scott Ambush, and released Got the Magic in 1999. Two years later the band moved to the Telarc-affiliated Heads Up label and released In Modern Times in 2001, followed by Original Cinema in 2003. Drummer Rosenblatt left the band and was replaced by Ludwig Afonso for 2004's Deep End. A fourth Heads Up album, Good to Go-Go, was issued in 2007. ~ Scott Yanow & Stephen Thomas Erlewine  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/spyro-gyra/id75445#fullText

Personnel: Hiram Bullock, John Tropea (guitar, electric guitar); Chet Catallo, Rick Strauss (guitar); Harold Kohon, Matthew Raimondi, Richard Sortomme (violin, strings); Peter Simitriades, Sanford Allen, Harry Lookofsky (violin); Lamar Alsop, Guy Lumia (viola, strings); Jonathan Abramowitz (cello, strings); David Darling, Jesse Levy (cello); Jay Levy, Allen W. Sanford, Peter Dimitriades (strings); Randy Brecker (flute, tenor saxophone, trumpet); Michael Brecker (flute, tenor saxophone); Jay Beckenstein (saxophone, alto saxophone, piano); Tom "Bones" Malone (trumpet, trombone); Jeremy Wall, Tom Schuman (keyboards); Rob Mounsey (synthesizer); Dave Samuels (vibraphone, marimba); David Samuels (marimba); Steve Jordan , Eli Konikoff (drums); Errol Crusher Bennett (congas, percussion); Gerardo Velez, Steve Kroon (percussion).

Carnaval

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Allison Adams Tucker - Wanderlust

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:35
Size: 127,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. When in Rome
(4:32)  2. Vuelvo Al Sur
(5:29)  3. A Thousand Years
(4:15)  4. Águas De Março
(6:11)  5. Cinema Paradiso
(4:09)  6. Sous Le Ciel De Paris
(5:00)  7. Mediterraneo
(5:05)  8. Pure Imagination
(2:59)  9. Takeda Lullaby
(7:14) 10. Wanderlust
(4:23) 11. Better Days Ahead

Many modern-day jazz vocalists have been known to touchdown in a few different locales over the course of an album, but few to none get their passports stamped in as many places as Allison Adams Tucker does on the aptly named WANDERlust. Tucker brings her multilingual brilliance and cultural savvy to the fore during this expertly planned travelogue. Tucker's voice is a beautiful instrument one that floats, flies, and seduces with its no-fuss delivery and she makes great use of it here, never overselling or overreaching. It's rather impressive, but it impresses on its own terms. That's evident right off the bat when Tucker, all by her lonesome, kicks things off in compelling fashion on an old winner ("When In Rome"). Less than thirty seconds in, she's joined by several members of her dream team band a crew whose full roster includes pianist Josh Nelson, bassist Scott Colley, drummer Antonio Sanchez, multi-reedist Chris Potter, percussionist Rogerio Boccato, and guitarists Romero Lubambo, Mike Moreno, and Stephane Wrembel. These musicians give Tucker's voice the red carpet treatment throughout while continually whisking her away to faraway places where she can speak the language, reflect on her passions, and absorb and refract the essence of different cultures.

The album continues with a trip to Argentina, as Tucker gives us an alluring take on Nuevo Tango (Astor Piazzola's "Vuelvo Al Sur"). Then there's a dip into modern American pop culture (Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years"), a stop in Brazil (Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Aguas De Marco"), an intimate and heartfelt nod to Italy (Ennio Morricone's "Cinema Paradiso") and a sensuous encounter with French chanson ("Sous Le Ciel De Paris"). The second half of the album proves to be equally broad-minded and worldly, with visits to Spain ("Mediterraneo"), Japan ("Takeda Lullaby"), and even Willy Wonka's factory ("Pure Imagination"). By the time Tucker wraps it all up with back-to-back covers from Bjork ("Wanderlust") and Pat Metheny ("Better Days Ahead"), the listener has come to expect the unexpected. That's the power that jazz and polygot programming can have when they're rolled into one. WANDERlust clearly represents a quantum leap forward for Tucker. 

Much of that is, of course, due to her own hard work, but anybody with a good set of ears knows that a significant amount of credit should also go to these musicians and to producer Matt Pierson, a man who knows more than a thing or two about putting an album together the right way. And then there are the arrangers to acknowledge Nelson, Lubambo, Moreno, Wrembel, and Danny Green. Their respective contributions, as different as they may be, are all endearing works that feed into the theme and serve Tucker well. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/wanderlust-allison-adams-tucker-origin-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Allison Adams Tucker: vocals; Josh Nelson: piano, Fender Rhodes; pump organ; Scott Colley: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums; Chris Potter: bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, flute; Rogerio Boccato: percussion; Romero Lubambo: guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 9); Mike Moreno: guitar (3, 7, 10, 11); Stephane Wrembel: guitar (3, 6).

Wanderlust

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Allan Harris - Nobody's Gonna Love You Better

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:02
Size: 110,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:56)  1. Mother's Love
(4:02)  2. Any Major Dude Will Tell You
(4:18)  3. More Today Than Yesterday
(5:55)  4. I Remember You
(2:41)  5. Doralice
(3:43)  6. Moody's Mood for Love
(2:29)  7. Swing
(5:38)  8. Ruby
(4:04)  9. Up from the Skies
(6:40) 10. Blue Was Angry (From the Cross That River Song-Cycle)
(3:32) 11. Secret Moments

The outstanding and internationally renowned vocalist, guitarist and composer Allan Harris sums up his personal perspective on music in clear and straightforward terms. "There is nothing that I have found that defines and gives credence to my place in this wild and mysterious universe than this thing called music." Harris exemplifies that statement perfectly with his stunning new album Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux), his eleventh album following on the heels of his highly acclaimed 2015 release Black Bar Jukebox. For this, Harris takes an even more eclectic approach, drawing upon the wide range of music that he heard growing up in Brooklyn, and feasting on the expansive palette of the Harlem cultural landscape. "My new album captures some of the varied sounds and feelings that have shaped my growth as an artist. I had not one style to heavily rely upon when putting these tunes together, but only my young memories of music, people and events." Nobody's Gonna Love You Better is a bold statement that builds upon the entire breadth of Harris' already esteemed reputation, demonstrating his enormous versatility within the full scope of his highly creative musical vision. Swinging jazz, rich R&B, sumptuous balladry, wailing rock, rumbling blues and even a touch of playful Brazilian are all woven seamlessly into the tapestry of a musical odyssey that is all Allan Harris. With a deeply resonant baritone/tenor voice that is soulful, richly expressive and flawless in both intonation and phrasing, Harris displays a total command and fluency in every context.

Back from the previous album are the GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Brian Bacchus and Harris' longtime keyboard cohort Pascal Le Boeuf (on acoustic and electric pianos, and Hammond B3 organ), whose deep understanding and empathy for Harris' music creates a marvelous sense of intimacy and shared joy of expression. Pascal is also the primary instrumental soloist and delivers in an inspired fashion throughout. Joining Pascal in the exceptional rhythm section are Russell Hall on acoustic and electric bass, Shirazette Tinnin on drums and cajón, and Freddie Bryant on both electric and classical guitar. Together, with Harris also on acoustic, electric and resonator guitar, they provide impeccably flawless support, whether driving, embellishing, shaping or enhancing the settings as ideally suited to the intent of the music. The delightful repertoire includes four Harris originals, a couple of American Songbook gems, a pair of jazz classics, and re-imaginations of hit songs from Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan and Spiral Staircase. As he does with every lyric, Harris pays proper homage to those who have provided the inspiration for his own highly personal sound, specifically here to Ray Charles, Nat 'King' Cole and Eddie Jefferson on three individual items. On "I Remember You," Harris channels Nat (a subject of an earlier Harris tribute project) in a beautifully touching rendition with brilliant piano support throughout, as well as a solo that glides in the territory where Red Garland and Erroll Garner meet. "Ruby" from the Ruby Gentry film score, and a major hit for Ray Charles -is satin-smooth balladry over an old-school swing-jazz groove, complete with Bryant's Freddie Green-like guitar strumming. For the iconic "Moody's Mood For Love," Harris takes the concept of making an often-performed song one's own to an entirely new level, offering a totally fresh interpretation in rhythm, phrasing and lyrical structure--to the Eddie Jefferson classic. The Stan Getz/João Gilberto hit "Doralice" is a deliciously infectious samba, sung by Harris in Portuguese, and featuring a fine acoustic solo by Bryant.

The three popular song re-imaginations include a somewhat up-tempo blues shuffle take on Hendrix' "Up From The Skies," with Harris in a neatly syncopated groove over LeBoeuf's funky B3. Pascal's Hammond organ sets a bright tone for a bouncy swing version of Spiral Staircase's mega-hit "More Today Than Yesterday" and Steely Dan's "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" gets a transformation (and relocation) from Americana to Harlem, shifting smoothly between brisk syncopation and atmospheric rubato. The four Harris originals aptly demonstrate that he is as skilled a composer as a vocalist--and his lyrics are moving, heartfelt and poetic. The album opener "Mother's Love (Nobody's Gonna Love You)" begins on a poignant, emotive and dramatic note before morphing into a vibrantly swinging excursion. Its bookend closer "Secret Moments" is a lovely, gentle and lushly evocative ballad, while "Swing" is a powerfully syncopated and punchy romp. Provocative, confrontational and rousing best describes "Blue Was Angry (from the Cross That River song-cycle). Hard-edged, fiery and with a message of barely-controlled ferocity, it flies over a rip-roaring rhythm section and Harris' raw electric guitar. It may be unexpected by Harris' large fan base, but it's deeply emotional and on point.

Over the past 20 years, Harris has steadily developed his reputation as one of the finest vocalists of his era. Brooklyn-born and Harlem-based, he has forged his sterling credentials through his ten previous albums, covering a broad range of contexts, all netted together within the rich territory of the jazz tradition. In addition to his recordings, he has performed on a worldwide stage that has taken him to prestigious international festivals and halls in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the 2012 Olympics in London. At home, he has toured nationally at festivals and top venues, including New York's Lincoln Center and D.C.'s Kennedy Center.

He has received numerous awards, including the New York Nightlife Award for "Outstanding Jazz Vocalist" (which he won three times), the Backstage Bistro Award for "Ongoing Achievement in Jazz," the Harlem Speaks "Jazz Museum of Harlem Award," and the DownBeat Critic's Poll Award for "Rising Star Vocalist." Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux) will continue to build his legacy as another milestone in the extraordinary artistic aesthetic of Allan Harris. ~ The New York Times  http://www.allanharris.com/about

Nobody's Gonna Love You Better

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Les Paul - The Best Of Les Paul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:04
Size: 75.7 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. Blue Skies
[2:58] 2. Begin The Beguine
[2:50] 3. Dream Dust
[2:37] 4. Dark Eyes
[2:55] 5. It's Been A Long Long Time
[3:00] 6. Hawaiian Paradise
[2:53] 7. Rumors Are Flying
[2:52] 8. Steel Guitar Rag
[3:01] 9. Somebody Loves Me
[2:26] 10. Guitar Boogie
[2:30] 11. Caravan
[2:23] 12. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

His achievements spanned decades, but some of Les Paul's most rewarding efforts were his '40s Decca sides-12 of the best of which are collected here! Includes his appearance on Bing Crosby's 1945 #1 hit It's Been a Long, Long Time ; his own debut hit, Rumors Are Flying (with the Andrews Sisters), plus Caravan; Blue Skies; Dark Eyes; Guitar Boogie; Steel Guitar Rag , and more!

The Best Of Les Paul

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