Karen Oberlin - My Standards

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:25
Size: 138,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. And The Angels Sing
(5:44)  2. Something To Love For
(3:42)  3. A Nightengale Sang In Berkely Square
(5:52)  4. Love Dance
(3:10)  5. Doodlin'
(3:43)  6. Barangrill
(4:02)  7. Shipbuilding
(3:15)  8. Where Do You Start?
(3:32)  9. When (S)he Loved Me
(4:04) 10. Theme From "Valley Of The Dolls"
(4:32) 11. Happiness Is Hard To Sell
(7:53) 12. You Are Too Beautiful/ Too Beautiful
(5:31) 13. How Deep Is The Ocean
(1:24) 14. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep

The title My Standards does not mean that this CD is a play list of classic entries in the Great American Songbook. Rather these are tunes that Karen Oberlin has listened to and adopted over the years, from Irving Berlin's to Elvis Costello's. Not only does the variety of music make this album bracing, but so does the way it is presented. Oberlin's primary genre is cabaret with a smattering of musical comedy. Yet she takes fascinating turns with the music within that framework. Her pure and crystalline like a mountain lake voice comes in loud and clear on an A Capella rendering of "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep". Fortunately, her tone is warm, not cold like a mountain lake. Although her voice has a classical bent (both her parents were classical musicians), she plants a feeling of jazz into such tunes as "Barangrill". "Theme from the Valley of the Dolls" is a successful mixture of lamentations by Oberlin with the funky jazz guitar of Dan Carillo. She takes on one of the saddest songs ever, "Where Do You Start?". Unlike versions by Shirley Horn and Susannah McCorkle which focus on the emotional wrenching caused by the impending separation to force a divvying up of the possessions, the direction that Oberlin takes stays with the process to make sure that each gets what belongs to them and nothing more. Things change again with an injection of a folk song element in "Shipbuilding". The demeanor changes again on such classics as Billy Strayhorn's "Something to Live For" where a decidedly passionate, yearning comes to the fore. And finally, she can be cute and coy on "Happiness Is Hard to Sell". Her chameleon like ability to change her delivery to meet the needs of the song prevents her from ever getting into a rut. A 16 year veteran of the singing scene, one can say with the release of this album, "it's about time". Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/my-standards-karen-oberlin-miranda-music-review-by-dave-nathan.php
 

Personnel: Karen Oberlin - Vocals; Arturo O'Farrill, Fred Hersch - Piano; Jay Leonhart - Bass; Victor Jones - Drums; Dan Carillo - Guitar; Peter Brainin - Sax; Roland Guerrero - Percussion

My Standards

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John Hollenbeck - Songs I Like a Lot

Styles: Avant-Garde Jazz  
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:08
Size: 158,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:12)  1. Wichita Lineman
( 5:25)  2. Canvas
(14:34)  3. The Moon's a Harsh Mistress
(11:23)  4. Man of Constant Sorrow
( 9:35)  5. All My Life
( 5:39)  6. Bicycle Race
( 7:35)  7. Fallslake
( 6:41)  8. Chapel Flies

It's hard to resist, at the very least, looking at an album with as honest and unassuming a title as Songs I Like a Lot; but it's even harder to resist when it turns out that the instigator is John Hollenbeck, founder of and primary composer for Claudia Quintet the chamber jazz ensemble which has, over the course of six albums in nine years, completely defied definition and categorization, beyond combining improvisational prowess and the ability to subtly interpret through-composed music. When Hollenbeck releases a recording under his own name, it's generally in a larger-scale environment, and Songs I Like a Lot is no different, a collaboration with the 16-piece Frankfurt Radio Big Band. But what makes the album different than any that have come before is that, with the exception of one track, this is a collection of cover songs that cover a broad range of sources, from Jimmy Webb to Imogen Heap; from Freddie Mercury and Queen to traditional folk music; and from maverick Japanese composer Nobukazu Takemura to renegade free jazz progenitor Ornette Coleman. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Hollenbeck's unshackled proclivities. It should also come as no surprise that Hollenbeck's intent was to interpret these songs with singers. Given the breadth of material, it's no surprise that Theo Bleckmann is one of two singers recruited for Songs I Like a Lot. Something of a renegade himself, Bleckmann is no stranger to Hollenbeck's recordings, having collaborated regularly, from 2005's A Blessing (OmniTone) through to Claudia Quintet's recent What is Beautiful? (Cuneiform, 2012). Hollenbeck also enlists another familiar face in Gary Versace, a keyboardist who, from guitarist John Scofield and composer/arranger Maria Schneider, to Claudia Quintet with whom he guested on Royal Toast (Cuneiform, 2010) has demonstrated the kind of versatility Hollenbeck's music doesn't just ask, it demands.

What is, perhaps, a bigger surprise is the appearance of singer Kate McGarry though, with Versace a regular collaborator since her third record as a leader, The Target (Palmetto, 2007), there's already a clear connection to the musical circles these players inhabit. McGarry is, in fact, the first voice heard on Hollenbeck's expansive version of Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman," and his instincts are justified from the first note she sings, combining pure and reverent delivery with understated interpretation. It's a song that's been covered many times but never so cinematically. McGarry shares the tune with Bleckmann, and if the two are ideal on their own, it's how their timbres complement each other even though they rarely sing together that further makes them such astute choices. As for his arrangement, Hollenbeck's skill at taking small but defining motifs from an original song and use them as starting points for broader orchestrations is what makes this set of eight tunes so successful. If "Wichita Lineman" is cinematic, then Hollenbeck's arrangement of Webb's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" is positively IMAX. Opening intimately, with McGarry's voice and Versace's piano alone together, a layer of flutes slowly insinuates itself into the arrangement, followed by a minimalist Steve Reichian pulse from Hollenbeck, on marimba, and guitarist Martin Scales that soon becomes an undercurrent over which the episodic piece builds, over fourteen minutes, to a breathtaking climax of swirling melodies that, despite the seven-second gap between them, seems to run conceptually into an equally unfettered arrangement of "Man of Constant Sorrow," made popular in the new millennium by the Coen Brothers' popular film Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). 

The traditional folk tune's tempestuous intro all low horns and tumultuous drums seems to make perfect sequential sense, even as it leads to a second section of strummed acoustic guitar and Bleckmann's delivery of the familiar tune: the call to McGarry's response. It is, however, more Midwestern, perhaps, than Deep South, especially when saxophonist Julian Arguelles' tenor solo soars over Scale's rapid strumming to recall the spirit of guitarist Pat Metheny's classic 80/81 (ECM, 1980). There's plenty more, from Hollenbeck's rubato arrangement of Ornette Coleman's "All My Life" laying bare the alto saxophonist's inherent lyricism, despite coming from the more extreme Science Fiction (Columbia, 1971) to a version of Queen's "Bicycle," which is clever without being coy, and Hollenbeck's sole compositional contribution, "Chapel Files," closing the album on a gentler note. These may be songs Hollenbeck likes, but it's how he hears them and, subsequently, arrange them for this large ensemble that's indicative of an unerring ability to find good music in any corner, nook or cranny, turning it into something personal without ever losing what made it so good in the first place. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/john-hollenbeck-songs-i-like-a-lot-by-john-kelman.php
 

Personnel: John Hollenbeck: arranger, conductor, mallet percussion, bicycle; Theo Bleckmann: voice; Kate McGarry: voice; Gary Versace: piano. Organ; Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn: alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Oliver Leicht: alto saxophone, clarinet, alto clarinet, flute; Steffan Weber: tenor and soprano saxophone, flute; Julian Argüelles: tenor and soprano saxophone, flute; Rainer Heute: bass saxophone, bass clarinet; Frabk Wellert: trumpet, flugelhorn; Thomas Vogel: trumpet, flugelhorn; Martin Auer: trumpet, flugelhorn; Axel Schlosser: trumpet, flugelhorn; Günter Bollman: trombone; Peter Feil: trombone; Christian Jaksjø: trombone, tenor horn; Manfred Honetschläger: bass trombone; Maretin Scales: guitar; Thomas Heidepriem: bass; Jean Paul Höchstädter: drums.

Songs I Like a Lot

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Pepper Adams - California Cookin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 50:18
Size: 81,3 MB
Art: Front

(12:39)  1. Valse Celtique
( 9:58)  2. Summertime
( 7:10)  3. Last Resort
(10:30)  4. Now In Our Lives
( 9:59)  5. Oleo

Pepper Adams handled the baritone saxophone with the driven facility of hard bop and fueled the big horn with a propulsive intensity that caused him to be nicknamed "the Knife" for his "slashing and chopping technique," which had a humbling effect upon musicians fortunate enough to gig with him. From 1954 until shortly before his passing in 1986, Pepper Adams existed as an indispensable ingredient in the North American jazz ensemble, releasing more than 20 albums as a leader, emanating a special warmth as a featured soloist, and serving as a strongly supportive sideman and an often overlooked accompanist, for he anchored many an ensemble behind vocalists such as Brook Benton, Aretha Franklin, Jon Lucien, Carmen McRae, Helen Merrill, Esther Phillips, Dakota Staton, Joe Williams, and Jimmy Witherspoon. Often mentioned in the same breath with Serge Chaloff, Gerry Mulligan, and Cecil Payne, his powerhouse approach was closer to that of Harry Carney and Leo Parker. Born Park Adams III on October 8, 1930, in Highland Park, MI, he was five years old when his family moved to Rochester, NY, where he soon developed a passionate interest in jazz by listening to Fats Waller, Jimmie Lunceford, Duke Ellington, and Cab Calloway on the radio. At 12 he was blowing clarinet and tenor sax and was soon sitting in with local bands, including one led by veteran reedman Ben Smith. Pepper's primary inspiration was tenor archetype Coleman Hawkins, and Harry Carney inspired him to take up the baritone. Moving back to Detroit in 1946, he played in a group led by Lucky Thompson and worked in the house band at the African-American-owned Bluebird Inn with Barry Harris, Billy Mitchell, and Thad and Elvin Jones while holding down a job manufacturing automobiles. He blew tenor with Lionel Hampton for a while and served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953, including a spell in Korea. Resuming his routine at the Bluebird, he developed his stamina while working with Miles Davis, Sonny Stitt, and Wardell Gray, whose influence he always acknowledged.

Adams worked in a group led by guitarist Kenny Burrell, then recorded with alto saxophonist Lennie Niehaus. His most memorable session of 1955 was with bassist Paul Chambers and emerging tenor John Coltrane. Moving to New York in January 1956, he recorded with Kenny Clarke, Curtis Fuller, and Quincy Jones. Pepper toured with Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson and while on the West Coast he jammed with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars. During 1957 Adams made records with harmonica ace Toots Thielemans; pianists Hank Jones and Ahmad Kharab Salim; trumpeters Shorty Rogers and Lee Morgan; and saxophonists Dave Pell, John Coltrane, Frank Wess, Coleman Hawkins, Hank Mobley, and Shafi Hadi (later reissued with the complete Debut recordings of Charles Mingus). In 1958 Adams worked with Benny Goodman, Johnny Griffin, Chet Baker, Manny Albam, Gene Ammons, and Donald Byrd, with whom he would co-lead a band and cut quite a number of albums over the years. In 1959 Pepper put out an LP with trombonist Jimmy Knepper and led a group that was recorded live at the Five Spot. He supported Art Pepper and Sonny Red on their album Two Altos and sat in on Philly Joe Jones' Showcase. Adams helped solidify the orchestra that appeared with Thelonious Monk at Town Hall and served as a sort of living furnace among trombonist Jimmy Knepper and saxophonists Jackie McLean, John Handy, and Booker Ervin during the session that resulted in Blues and Roots, the album that virtually defines the artistic legacy of Charles Mingus. He began the 1960s by recording with multi-instrumentalist Herbie Mann, pianist Herbie Hancock, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, and trumpeters Howard McGhee and Freddie Hubbard. He also recorded with pianists Duke Pearson and Red Garland, helped saxophonist Pony Poindexter cut his first album, and appeared live with Mingus at New York's Town Hall and Birdland.

In 1963 Pepper Adams Plays Charlie Mingus was co-produced by Mingus and vibraphonist Teddy Charles. Other collaborations from this period include Ben Webster's See You at the Fair, Oliver Nelson's More Blues and the Abstract Truth, and dates led by pianist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. In 1966 Thad Jones and Pepper Adams co-led the album Mean What You Say. This coincided with the first of the Monday night performances at the Village Vanguard by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, an 18-piece unit that would stay together for ten years. Throughout the late '60s Pepper Adams performed with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, with Dizzy Gillespie at the Vanguard, behind organist Jimmy Smith on Stay Loose...Jimmy Smith Sings Again, and on various albums by saxophonists Lou Donaldson, Hank Crawford, Zoot Sims, Houston Person, and Roland Kirk. He closed out the decade by sitting in with bassist Richard Davis, with guitarist George Benson on the album Giblet Gravy, and in a large band behind Mose Allison on the LP Hello There, Universe. Pepper Adams showed up on several Blue Note sessions presided over by Elvin Jones from 1969 to 1973, on two albums with soul-jazz organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith, and with composer and multi-instrumentalist David Amram on various projects that materialized throughout the 1970s. Adams demonstrated terrific adaptability as he assisted Felix Cavaliere and the Rascals with their jazz-rock crossover Peaceful World and even signed on with comedian Martin Mull, appearing on his 1974 album, Normal, where he lent ballast to a tidy big-band arrangement of "Flexible" with Phil Bodner, Thad Jones, Jimmy Knepper, and Joe Farrell. Further engagements during the 1970s (including tours of the U.K. and Europe) involved pianists Arif Mardin, Ben Sidran, and Mickey Tucker; guitarist Eric Gale; saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr.; and Lalo Schifrin's disco album Black Widow. A return to jazzier turf came about on Nick Brignola's Baritone Madness, on sessions with pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., and on Charles Mingus' last albums Me, Myself an Eye and Something Like a Bird in 1978. 

Pepper's Urban Dreams came out in 1981, ushering in what would be his last five years of artistic productivity. He assisted with Teo Macero's Impressions of Charles Mingus and recorded with pianist Bess Bonnier, guitarist Peter Leitch, pianists Hank Jones and Hod O'Brien, and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. Pepper's last recording, The Adams Effect, brought him together with saxophonist Frank Foster and a rhythm section of Tommy Flanagan, Ron Carter, and Billy Hart. A lifelong tobacco addict, Pepper Adams died of lung cancer in Brooklyn, NY, on September 10, 1986. ~ arwulf arwulf http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pepper-adams-mn0000255377/biography

Personnel: Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Ted Curson (trumpet); Victor Feldman (piano); Carl Burnette (drums).

California Cookin'

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Ethan Iverson - The Purity Of The Turf

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:45
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:32)  1. The Purity Of The Turf
(5:20)  2. Song For My Father
(4:44)  3. Darn That Dream
(5:46)  4. Along Came Betty
(3:34)  5. Graduation Day
(6:16)  6. Confirmation
(5:36)  7. Kush
(4:56)  8. Sent For You Yesterday
(4:24)  9. Strange Serenade
(5:02) 10. Little Waltz
(5:12) 11. Einbahnstrasse
(3:18) 12. So Hard It Hurts

The Purity of the Turf is kind of a 'bucket list' moment for Ethan Iverson, who has always wanted to make a record with famous bassist Ron Carter. Iverson, pianist of the famous trio 'The Bad Plus', chose drummer Nasheet Waits to fill out the trio, because Waits represents the avant-garde as well as swing. Criss Cross records are level playing field, with everyone recording in the same studio in a single day: Thus the sporting title, 'The Purity of the Turf. ' The repertoire is mostly originals and jazz classics. A surprise highlight is the solo piano tribute to the late Paul Bley, 'So Hard it Hurts' by Annett Peacock. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Purity-Turf-Ethan-Iverson/dp/B01IAQC0I0

Personnel: Ethan Iverson – piano;  Ron Carter – bass;  Nasheet Waits – drums

The Purity Of The Turf

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The George Shearing Quintet - Latin Rendezvous

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1963

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 31:01

Size: 75,4 MB

Art: Front

(2:38)  1. I Left My Heart In San Francisco

(2:15)  2. Just Goofin'

(2:26)  3. Yours Is My Heart Alone

(2:54)  4. Barandanga

(2:19)  5. Quiet Nights

(2:42)  6. Mambo Serenade

(2:24)  7. With Feeling

(2:18)  8. I Wished In The Moon

(2:56)  9. Tie Me Donkey

(2:34) 10. All Through The Night

(2:50) 11. Mambo At The Blackhawk

(2:42) 12. More

For a long stretch of time in the 1950s and early '60s, George Shearing had one of the most popular jazz combos on the planet so much so that, in the usual jazz tradition of distrusting popular success, he tended to be underappreciated. Shearing's main claim to fame was the invention of a unique quintet sound, derived from a combination of piano, vibraphone, electric guitar, bass, and drums. Within this context, Shearing would play in a style he called "locked hands," which he picked up and refined from Milt Buckner's early-'40s work with the Lionel Hampton band, as well as Glenn Miller's sax section and the King Cole Trio. Stating the melody on the piano with closely knit, harmonized block chords, with the vibes and guitar tripling the melody in unison, Shearing sold tons of records for MGM and Capitol in his heyday. The wild success of this urbane sound obscures Shearing's other great contribution during this time, for he was also a pioneer of exciting, small-combo Afro-Cuban jazz in the '50s. Indeed, Cal Tjader first caught the Latin jazz bug while playing with Shearing, and the English bandleader also employed such esteemed congueros as Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Armando Peraza. As a composer, Shearing was best known for the imperishable, uniquely constructed bop standard "Lullaby of Birdland," as well as "Conception" and "Consternation." His solo style, though all his own, reflected the influences of the great boogie-woogie pianists and classical players, as well as those of Fats Waller, Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, and Bud Powell and fellow pianists long admired his light, refined touch. He was also known to play accordion and sing in a modest voice on occasion.

Shearing, who was born blind, began playing the piano at the age of three, receiving some music training at the Linden Lodge School for the Blind in London as a teenager but picking up the jazz influence from Teddy Wilson and Fats Waller 78s. In the late '30s, he started playing professionally with the Ambrose dance band and made his first recordings in 1937 under the aegis of fellow Brit Leonard Feather. He became a star in Britain, performing for the BBC, playing a key role in the self-exiled Stéphane Grappelli's London-based groups of the early '40s, and winning seven consecutive Melody Maker polls before emigrating in New York City in 1947 at the prompting of Feather. Once there, Shearing quickly absorbed bebop into his bloodstream, replacing Garner in the Oscar Pettiford Trio and leading a quartet in tandem with Buddy DeFranco. In 1949, he formed the first and most famous of his quintets, which included Marjorie Hyams on vibes (thus striking an important blow for emerging female jazz instrumentalists), Chuck Wayne on guitar, John Levy on bass, and Denzil Best on drums. Recording briefly first for Discovery, then Savoy, Shearing settled into lucrative associations with MGM (1950-1955) and Capitol (1955-1969), the latter for which he made albums with Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee, and Nat King Cole. He also made a lone album for Jazzland with the Montgomery Brothers (including Wes Montgomery) in 1961, and began playing concert dates with symphony orchestras. After leaving Capitol, Shearing began to phase out his by-then-predictable quintet, finally breaking it up in 1978. He started his own label, Sheba, which lasted for a few years into the early '70s and made some trio recordings for MPS later in the decade. In the '70s, his profile had been lowered considerably, but upon signing with Concord in 1979, Shearing found himself enjoying a renaissance in all kinds of situations. He made a number of acclaimed albums with Mel Tormé, raising the singer's profile in the process, and recorded with the likes of Ernestine Anderson, Jim Hall, Marian McPartland, Hank Jones, and classical French horn player Barry Tuckwell. He also recorded a number of solo piano albums where his full palette of influences came into play. He signed with Telarc in 1992 and from that point through the early 2000s continued to perform and record, most often appearing in a duo or trio setting. Shearing, who had remained largely inactive since 2004 after a fall in his New York City apartment, died of congestive heart failure at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital on February 14, 2011. He was 91. ~ Richard S.Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-shearing-mn0000642664/biography

Personnel:  George Shearing – p;  Warren Chiasson – vib;  Dick Garcia – g;  Ralph Pena – b;  Vernell Fournier – d;  Armando Peraza - perc

Latin Rendezvous

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Irene Kral - Second Chance

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:33
Size: 126,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:20)  1. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(3:52)  2. Second Chance
(2:42)  3. Something To Remember You By
(3:34)  4. Misty Roses
(6:11)  5. A Time For Love/Small World, Isn't It
(2:36)  6. Oh You Crazy Moon
(5:18)  7. Never Let Me Go
(2:10)  8. It Isn't So Good It Couldn't Get Better
(5:10)  9. Sometime Ago
(2:27) 10. Unlit Room
(5:17) 11. Star Eyes
(4:52) 12. This Masquerade
(6:13) 13. Something In Your Smile/When I Look In Your Eyes
(1:44) 14. Nobody Else But Me

Singer Irene Kral (1932-1978) communicated with her audience through more than just music; she could make everyone in the room believe in what she had to say and take the message home with them for keeps. Recorded in 1975, this program of jazz standards features a nightclub performance with vocalist, acoustic piano trio and swirling emotions. The lyrics of "Second Chance," by Andre Previn and Dory Langdon Previn, make it clear that she believed in letting her feelings tell the story. All of her work came loaded with that kind of sincere expression; Kral knew how to persuade. On this release of ballads and up-tempo romps, the singer fills the room with her message. Piano, double-bass and drums give her plenty of support, but it's a singer's session and Kral is the star. She delivers funny lines, such as the Tommy Wolf, Fran Landesman ditty, "It Isn't So Good It Couldn't Be Worse" as well as classic love ballads such as "Never Let Me Go" and "This Masquerade," which both move dramatically with purpose. Kral is at her best with lyrics. Some wordless fill gives the program an aside, and brief instrumental bridges span one chorus to another with seamless integrity. Frank Severino's stand-out brushwork and Alan Broadbent's wholesome piano cascades add substance to the session, but it's Kral's way with words that lead to her remarkable success. Of course, the music drives much of the program, as in Bob Dorough's brisk "Unlit Room," where rhythm keeps it interesting, and "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes," where walking bass and a classic jazz trio heartbeat help drive the message. Kral is in the best of company here and her performance stands out as a fine remembrance of her being one of the greatest jazz singers. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/second-chance-irene-kral-jazzed-media-review-by-jim-santella.php
 

Personnel: Irene Kral: vocals; Alan Broadbent: piano; Peter Marshall: bass; Frank Severino: drums.

Second Chance

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Ray Brown Trio With Ulf Wakenius - Summertime

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:58
Size: 152,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. West Coast blues
(6:42)  2. Summertime
(5:24)  3. Topsy
(4:44)  4. Yours is my heart alone
(7:52)  5. It's only a papermoon
(7:22)  6. My one and only
(8:34)  7. Reunion blues
(3:31)  8. Watch what happens
(5:09)  9. The more I see you
(7:44) 10. Honeysuckle rose
(4:06) 11. Cakes blues

Ray Brown's latest release introduces Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius to a wider audience. Wakenius joins the bassist again for a set of familiar standards (he also appeared on Brown's 1995 Telarc release, Seven Steps To Heaven ). Showing a strong Wes Montgomery influence with embedded blues, Wakenius shares the spotlight with the trio, which now includes pianist Geoff Keezer as well as drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Brown takes the solo line on "It's Only a Paper Moon," swinging as usual, before turning the familiar melody over to guitar and piano. He continues to feature his bass playing through the remainder of that familiar gem and on several other tracks. Brown, who turned 71 late last year, just keeps getting better and better. To introduce George Gershwin's "My One and Only," the bassist picks up the bow and gently weaves the melody before turning it over to his piano and guitar coworkers. Drummer Hutchinson is in fine form, stretching out on "The More I See You," trading fours elsewhere, and supplying the proper texture throughout. He picks up the brushes on "Honeysuckle Rose" to introduce Keezer's lead on the familiar melody. The 27-year-old pianist plays it slow and relaxed, showing a maturity that has come through his decade of experience, starting out with Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, and continuing with his handful of releases as leader. The final track, Ray Brown's rhythmic and funky "Cakes' Blues," reveals the pianist's Monk-inspired playfulness and snappy experimentation."Yours Is My Heart Alone" is performed up-tempo with fire, showing the guitarist's blazing technique. With two releases as leader, Wakenius is yet another rising star among the many that Ray Brown has nurtured. "Watch What Happens" is done up-tempo with a swinging rhythm, comfortable melodic work from each member, and a cohesiveness that has always been there to mark Ray Brown's ensembles. Highly Recommended. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/summertime-ray-brown-telarc-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Ray Brown (bass); Geoff Keezer (piano); Ulf Wakenius (guitar); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

Summertime

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Kenny Drew - Home Is Where The Soul Is

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:55
Size: 105,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Work Song
(7:21)  2. Prelude to a Kiss
(5:23)  3. West of Eden
(4:40)  4. It Could Happen to You
(3:57)  5. Only You
(6:29)  6. Three and Four Blues
(6:16)  7. Ending
(5:41)  8. Yesterdays

The fine bop-based pianist Kenny Drew permanently left the United States in 1961 to live in Europe and eventually Copenhagen. He only recorded back in his homeland during a 1978 visit that resulted in a pair of Xanadu LPs. For this date Drew teamed up with bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Frank Butler for three familiar standards, an obscurity, and three of his straight-ahead originals. The years overseas had not hurt the pianist in the least and he had clearly grown as an improviser. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/home-is-where-the-soul-is-mw0000865959

Personnel: Kenny Drew (piano); Frank Butler (drums).

Home Is Where The Soul Is

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Ulf Wakenius - Vagabond

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:03
Size: 122,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. Vagabond
(6:16)  2. Message in a Bottle
(5:01)  3. Bretagne
(4:36)  4. Psalmen
(6:35)  5. Breakfast in Baghdad
(3:21)  6. Song for Japan
(4:31)  7. Birds and Bees
(3:54)  8. Praying
(5:07)  9. Chorinho
(5:25) 10. Witchi-Tai-To
(2:54) 11. Encore

Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius is perhaps best known for his ten year stint in pianist Oscar Peterson's trio, following in the footsteps of guitarists Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis and Joe Pass. Wakenius clocked up enough road miles with Peterson to have traveled to the moon and back, and he also toured extensively and recorded with bassists Ray Brown and Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen. These heavyweight associations have tended to overshadow his own projects as leader, which date back more than two decades to his group with drummer Jack DeJohnette, saxophonist Bill Evans (saxophone), trumpeter Randy Brecker, pianist Niels Lan Doky and bassist Lars Danielsson.  Since signing to ACT Music in the mid-2000s, Wakenius has paid singular tribute to two of the most influential pianists of the last forty years, Keith Jarrett on Notes from the Heart (ACT Music, 2005) and the late, sorely lamented Esbjorn Svensson on Love is Real (ACT Music, 2008). In the process, Wakenius has demonstrated his proclivity for interpreting a tune with originality and respect. The acoustic Vagabond is a halfway house between original material and covers, and explores a wide range of stylistic and emotional terrain. English guitarist John McLaughlin once wrote that Wakenius sounded as if he was born with a guitar in his hands, and in truth he has never sounded better.

Wakenius' virtuosity is a given, though his lightening fast runs which pepper the set could slacken the jaws of the most jaded guitar aficionados. However, even his most fluid lines, on pianist Lyle Mays's lovely "Chorinho" or Attila Zoller's infectious "Birds and Bees, (a duet with son Eric), have tremendous melodic narrative. Wakenius demonstrates subtlety and lyricism on a beautiful interpretation of Jarrett's "Encore" and on the self-penned "Song for Japan," where damped strings create the sound of a Japanese lute, on this moving ode.  Wakenius conjures the troubled Middle East on the dramatic "Breakfast in Baghdad." Danielsson's bass brings powerful counterpoint to the guitarist's darting lines, while accordionist Vincent Peirani reprises the role singer Youn Sun Nah performed with Wakenius on her own Same Girl (ACT, 2010). Wakenius and Nah have formed a striking partnership in recent years and she lends her seductive vocals to a beautifully simple but affecting take on The Police classic "Message in a Bottle," with guitarist Nguyen Le adding wavy, singing lines. Peirani and Danielsson make significant contributions throughout; the accordionist weaves delightful French, Argentinean and Arab textures his playing on the dramatic title track is exceptional while the bassist lends two striking compositions in the form of the blues-tinged nostalgia of "Psalmen" and the gentle, Iberian-flavored "Praying."  Wakenius pays personal tribute to saxophonist Jim Pepper on "Witchi-Tai-To," complete with memorable Native American chants. Wakenius' star shines brightly on these 11 cuts, though it is the space he allows for all the voices on Vagabond which ultimately makes it such a resounding success. Uniformly strong compositions and wonderful, empathetic playing from all mark this recording out as one of the guitarist's finest efforts. One more time to the moon and back, please. ~ Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/vagabond-ulf-wakenius-act-music-review-by-ian-patterson.php
 

Personnel: Ulf Wakenius: acoustic guitars, oud, chant; Vincent Peirani: accordion, accordina, voice; Lars Danielsson: bass, cello; Eric Wakenius: acoustic steel string guitar; Michael Dahlvid: darbuka, cajon; Youn Sun Nah: vocals (2); Nguyen Le: electric guitar (2).

Vagabond

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The George Masso Tentet - At Long Last Love

Size: 152,5 MB
Time: 65:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. At Long Last Love (5:43)
02. Everytime We Say Goodbye (4:40)
03. Only Trust Your Heart (8:28)
04. Black Butterfly (5:36)
05. Day In - Day Out (8:27)
06. I'll Never Be The Same (7:53)
07. All By Myself (7:55)
08. But Beautiful (6:07)
09. Pick Yourself Up (5:09)
10. Bonnet Strut (5:43)

Veteran trombonist/arranger George Masso's 10-piece group sounds a lot like a hip dance band. Some of the leader's 10 arrangements suggest a scaled-down version of the kind of conservative charts Woody Herman and others often used for dances. Here they serve mainly as vehicles for extensive soloing by the leader and an excellent group of improvisers that includes tenorist/clarinetist Dick Johnson, trumpeter Lou Colombo, guitarist Jon Wheatley and baritonist/clarinetist/flutist Mark Phaneuf. But among the arrangements of songs by such composers as Cole Porter, Sammy Kahn, Duke Ellington ("Black Butterfly"), Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern are some that attract attention to themselves because of Masso's interesting voicings. One example is Porter's "Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye," which features a gently swinging trombone quartet with the baritone saxophone subbing for the fourth trombone.

Although the rhythm section operates more or less in a swing-oriented mode, the improvisations tend to blur the line between swing and modern jazz. Masso, who has been called the "Bobby Hackett of the trombone," clearly owes allegiance to the earlier styles and Colombo's playing displays elements of both. But Wheatley and the two saxophonists lean more toward the modern mainstream in varying degrees. They all have in common a high degree of competence and professionalism. ~by David Franklin

At Long Last Love

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Anna Kolchina - Dark Eyes

Size: 106,5 MB
Time: 45:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Dark Eyes (3:16)
02. The Shadow Of Your Smile (4:28)
03. If You Never Come To Me (3:33)
04. My Old Flame (3:42)
05. Beautiful Love (5:10)
06. Let's Face The Music And Dance (3:05)
07. Time After Time (4:21)
08. Angel Face (4:42)
09. Witchcraft (4:04)
10. Just Squeeze Me (2:58)
11. Since I Feel For You (1:45)
12. 'S Wonderful (2:10)
13. They Say It's Wonderful (2:06)

Personnel:
Anna Kolchina, vocal
Massimo Farao, piano
Aldo Zunino, bass
Marco Tolotti, drums
Alessandro Fabbri, drums
Claudio Chiara, alto sax
Fulvio Albano, baritone sax

Anna Kolchina is a Jazz Singer. Currently lives in St. Petersburg and collaborates with the best Russian and European musicians.

Dark Eyes, Anna Kolchina's second album, was released in 2016. Recorded in collaboration with pianist Massimo Farao' and his band in Italy in March 2016. Mixed, mastered and produced by Tetsuo Hara in Japan at Venus Records.

Dark Eyes

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George Kelly - Plays The Music Of Don Redman

Size: 102,5 MB
Time: 36:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1994/2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Mickey Finn (3:56)
02. Chant Of The Weed (5:36)
03. Cherry (4:52)
04. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (5:03)
05. How'm I Doin (4:27)
06. I Heard (4:04)
07. My Girl Friday (4:32)
08. If It's True (4:05)

When people hear George Kelly play for the first time, the normal reaction is to wonder why they haven't heard of him before. There are many musicians around who, like George Kelly, are fine players but somehow never got the recognition due them. Born in Florida in 1915, George Kelly was one of the members of the original Savoy Sultans, led by Al Cooper, as well as having worked with Tiny Grimes, Jay McShann, and Panama Francis. He has been quoted as saying, 'I think like Lester Young and play like Coleman Hawkins'; his robust sound definitely evokes The Bean, but it is true that his meandering harmonic sense is more akin to players like Prez. This rare studio album features the compositions of a diminutive man, who was essentially the father of the modern Big Band, Don Redman. Redman penned several great songs, such as Cherry and Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You, a fact that is not well-known, so this is an historic recording in more than one way. Joined by Mr. Kelly are a great lineup featuring Glenn Zottola, Richard Wyands, Bucky Pizzarelli, George Duvivier, and Butch Miles.

Plays The Music Of Don Redman

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Lolo Gervais - Lolo's Holiday

Size: 137 MB
Time: 25:05
File: Flac
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Straight Up (2:37)
02. Hey Soul Sister (4:24)
03. Evil Gal (2:41)
04. What A Feeling (3:57)
05. Summertime (3:42)
06. The Power Of Love (3:51)
07. Rock The Casbah (3:51)

Featuring Lorraine Gervais - vocals, Jacob Aginsky - keys, Mike McMullen - horns, Ananda Vaughan - guitar, Charlie Faber - bass & Beau Askew - drums.

Stirring up a mix of classic modern pop, rock and soul tunes into a fun Neo Vintage party soundtrack— vocalist Lorraine Gervais belts out over the backdrop of a mean ragtime/boogaloo/stride piano, standup bass, horn riffs, gypsy guitar & slammin drumbeats — creating a great party wherever they end up.

Lolo Gervais takes tunes of one style and then recreates them into roaring 20's, swinging 30's, New Orleans funky boogaloo style, swanky 50's & 60's, classic early Motown & beyond. Everything is fair game as they bend musical genres into whole new grooves that are hot to hear and fun to play.

Think Paula Abdul meets Louis Armstrong, or Daft Punk, Michael Jackson and Sting running headlong into a funky 1920's swing, Kenny Loggins grooving over an old New Orleans style beat, or Pharrel Williams, the Clash, and Train gettin all jazzed up into 50's swank with a touch of old school Jackson 5 or African Highlife grooves laid over the top. A great rhythm ride down the track of a party you want to go to!

Lolo Gervais began in 2015 after Lorraine Gervais & Jacob Aginsky, as kindred musical spirits who've separately worked alongside the likes of Zap Mama, Mavis Staples, Pink, Chris Isaak, Etta James, Taj Mahal, Charlie Hunter & Pete Escovedo, realized that they both gravitated towards taking tunes from one era and antiquing them into anything from classic swing to vintage funky boogie beats of all kinds. Under Jacob's music direction with Lorraine as frontswoman and a hot rhythm section behind them— the band goes off into musical territories where few others dare…

Lolo's Holiday

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Buddy Greene - A Few More Years

Size: 133,9 MB
Time: 56:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Folk, Country, Gospel
Art: Front

01. Twelve Gates To The City (3:51)
02. Headed For The Promised Land (2:33)
03. A Few More Years (5:40)
04. How Can I Keep From Singing (4:36)
05. Denomination Blues (4:46)
06. Hard Times (5:31)
07. Shall We Gather At The River (4:08)
08. The God Who Rescued Me (3:05)
09. All My Tears (5:19)
10. What Are They Doing In Heaven Today (4:25)
11. O, The Precious Blood Of Jesus (4:04)
12. Where Cross The Crowded Ways Of Life (4:30)
13. Twelve Gates (Reprise) (0:32)
14. In The New Jerusalem (3:49)

One day, during the recording of A Few More Years, my assistant asked me to explain why I was so excited about this batch of songs. I reflected for a moment over the last 2 to 3 years - a period which involved buying and selling houses, moving, experiencing our first child leaving the nest, walking with more and more friends and family who were suffering from disease and other hardships, and knowing the grief of not a few loved ones dying. I then told her that during this period these songs helped me hear what I needed to hear, that is, aspects of the gospel that shored me up and helped me deal with the stress and emotional upheaval that was accompanying all of our circumstances. They were a balm for the weariness I felt, reminders of the steadfast love of God for his children, and the hope that comes from trusting in that love to bring me through whatever life in this fallen world may bring. They were also reminders of the things to come, of the new heaven and the new earth, and the New Jerusalem, the city of God, coming down. They were reminders of a God who sets things right, finally and completely in the age to come, but also even today as his children pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” and act accordingly. With that in mind I’d like to offer some brief commentary on each of these songs.

A Few More Years

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Michela Lombardi & Piero Frassi Trio - Solitary Moon (Inside The Music Of Johnny Mandel)

Size: 154,1 MB
Time: 66:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Close Enough For Love (6:11)
02. A Time For Love (5:32)
03. Cinnamon And Clove (5:40)
04. Little Did I Dream (3:27)
05. I Never Told You (6:12)
06. The Shining Sea (5:54)
07. Where Do You Start (7:05)
08. Solitary Moon (6:43)
09. I Won't Beleive My Eyes (6:02)
10. Don't Look Back Every Day Is A New Day (4:38)
11. Unless Is You (3:47)
12. The Shadow Of Your Smile (5:03)

Michela is an outstanding singer, a terrific new talent.
She sounds like a hip angel. She writes great lyrics too.
Working with her was a revelation."
(Phil Woods)

She teaches Jazz Vocals at La Spezia Conservatory and Sassari Conservatory. Ever since her debut on the jazz scene with the cd “Small Day Tomorrow” (Philology, 2004), she was mentioned among the “Best Musicians” in the TOP JAZZ POLLS on Musica Jazz magazine. She recorded nine cds as a leader – two of them feature legendary saxophone player Phil Woods.
Michela’s signature also appears close to Burt Bacharach’s below the title of a recent song written by the great American songwriter (“How The Heart Knows”) as she wrote the official Italian lyrics. She’s been performing in festivals both in Europe (especially at Duc Des Lombards, Paris, in 2005) and Israel (she sang at the Opera House in Tel for the Jazz season opening in 2009).
She was among the twelve finalists at Brussels International Young Jazz Singers Competition in 2006 and she received a Special Mention at Crest Jazz Vocal Concours (France) in 2007. As a composer, she won the Audience Prize at the Italian Competition for Female Jazz Composers "Note di Donna" at Piacenza Jazz Club in 2009.

Solitary Moon

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Ulf Wakenius - New York Meeting

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:55
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. Berni's Tune
(9:11)  2. The way you look tonight
(5:53)  3. Crazy he calls me
(7:43)  4. Nature of business
(5:11)  5. Spartacus
(7:38)  6. New York Meeting
(6:47)  7. Jet Lag
(6:19)  8. Angel Eyes
(9:22)  9. Georgia On My Mind

Even though he has had a spot with the Oscar Peterson Quartet since 1997 and has been on four Ray Brown CDs, including Some of My Best Friends Are...Guitarists, Ulf Wakenius has not yet gained the name recognition accorded to other European guitarists such as Philip Catherine. It's hard to figure out why, given his prodigious talent, which he displays in the company of fine New York jazz musicians, plus Danish pianist Niels Lans Doky. Wakenius favors the cleaner-cut to guitar. Individual notes can be heard and chords are not overly complex. He shows his harmonic creativity on such cuts as "The Way You Look Tonight." This cut has Wakenius making exceptional use of space, understanding that the guitar has to stop and breathe every now and then rather than demonstrating how fast and furious the axe can be played. Wakenius shows a kinder and gentler side on a sort of off-center offering of "Crazy He Calls Me" where he gets a more resonant electric sound on his acoustic guitar. The rhythm section of Ira Coleman and Billy Hart keeps the momentum going on a tough rendition of "Nature of Business," with Hart using cymbals, snares, and bass drums to control the motion of the music. The piece de resistance is a nine-minute excursion by solo guitar of "Georgia on My Mind" where the melody is more often than not hinted at rather than explicitly stated. It's quite amazing as the guitar player reveals aspects of Hoagy Carmichael's rather uncomplicated piece of music that one was never aware of. Wakenius has been active since 1975, so he's no new kid on the block. This album should get this fine Swedish guitarist the recognition he has earned. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-meeting-mw0001273219

Personnel: Ulf Wakenius - electric/acoustic guitar;  Niels Lan Doky – piano;  Ira Coleman – bass;  Billy Hart - drums

New York Meeting

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Anjani - Blue Alert

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:36
Size: 93,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Blue Alert
(3:15)  2. Innermost Door
(3:08)  3. The Golden Gate
(4:06)  4. Half The Perfect World
(3:00)  5. Nightingale
(4:09)  6. No One After You
(4:36)  7. Never Got To Love You
(3:07)  8. The Mist
(4:51)  9. Crazy To Love You
(4:38) 10. Thanks For The Dance

With its program of popular songs by Leonard Cohen and Anjani Thomas, Blue Alert settles in gently for an audience in love. Don't look for sheets of riveting sound to fill the room with propulsive action, or thunderous backbeats to shake your bones in a fascinating rhythmic groove. This is not that kind of album. Anjani's performance brings out the beauty of each song through natural means as she warms with piano and keyboard in support of her evocative vocals. Anjani's clear alto voice creates a beautiful session that sparkles with natural charm. She pours country feeling and blue emotions into each selection, interpreting lyrics convincingly and offering wordless phrases to complement her tales with a solid caress. The accompaniment is kept to a minimum, so that we may remain in touch with her voice. And it works. The lovely session reveals a natural voice in touch with a broad audience. She touches everyone with her unique ballad interpretations. Born in Honolulu and schooled at Berklee, Anjani plays piano and keyboards to accompany her dreamy vocals. She sings with the honesty of a folk singer in love with her songs. "Thanks for the Dance comes with a mesmerizing waltz-time rhythm. "The Golden Gate takes a look back at fond memories with a positive glow. "No One After You professes undying love through poignant lyrics that Anjani interprets convincingly. "Crazy to Love You adds a string quartet for a dash of color; however, the focus remains on Anjani's lovely voice and her vivid interpretations. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blue-alert-anjani-columbia-records-review-by-jim-santella.php
 

Personnel: Anjani: vocals, piano; John Lissauer: baritone saxophone, clarinet, keyboards; Greg Liesz: lap steel guitar; Danny Frankel: drums; Bruce Dukov, Brian Leonard: violin; Pam Goldsmith: viola; Larry Corbett: cello.

Blue Alert

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Eliot Zigmund Trio - Standard Fare

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:53
Size: 140,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:46)  1. Lullyby Line
(7:53)  2. In Your Own Sweet Way
(5:49)  3. Tenderly
(6:39)  4. Luisa
(4:31)  5. This I Dig Of You
(5:20)  6. You Don't Know What Love Is
(5:55)  7. Monk's Dream
(5:20)  8. Lazy Bird
(6:09)  9. Tangerine
(6:27) 10. Yardbird Suite

Recently I've been listening to Breeze, drummer Eliot Zigmund's 2008 release on the SteepleChase label. In part my interest in the recording stems from catching a couple of Zigmund's sideman gigs at The Turning Point Café in Piermont, NY. On those occasions I couldn't get a handle on all of the things that felt right about his playing. And describing some of the highlights in a live performance review didn't come close to capturing the essence of his style. The elements that initially intrigued me about Zigumnd's drumming came into clearer focus on three of the record's nine tracks, "School Night," "Homeland" and "Mathew, In Three." Zigmund is a refreshing change from the ever-growing number of trapsters who rule with an iron fist. There's a shadowy, indirect side to his playing that makes for an interesting contrast to his more assertive, straightforward traits. He functions very well at low dynamic levels, utilizes a minimum of strokes, avoids clutter, and often implies rather than explicitly states the beat. Zigumud's style encompasses grace and grit you often hear both qualities in the course of just a few bars. He excels at listening, responding to and complementing tenor and soprano saxophonist Mike Lee, pianist Gary Versace and bassist Phil Palombi. Aside from playing a supportive role his drumming makes sense on its own terms. When Zigmund is at his best, you rarely notice his technique and execution. Instead, you feel his effect on the music and realize that he projects a distinct personality in ways that don't necessarily draw a lot of attention.

The head of Mike Lee's composition, "School Night," the disc's opening track, is a prime example of Zigmund's resourcefulness. Utilizing every component of the drum set, he steps up and takes his place alongside Lee's tenor, yet never sounds particularly busy. Throughout the course of the swinging, thirty-two bar tune, Zigmund delineates time, plays substantial portions of the melody by way of accents on the snare, toms, bass drum and cymbal, and offers a number of stimulating comments. On the bridge his repetitive two and three stroke fills to the snare and tom-toms blithely bounce away from the melody and create a shuffle-like feel. Zigmund's comping during Lee's solo actively shapes the music. Snare accents some nimble, others chomping interact with and work their way around Lee's somewhat deliberate lines. In the instances when the saxophonist becomes verbose, the drummer's commentary all but disappears. Working at a dynamic level below Palombi's bass line, in the early stages of Versace's improvisation Zigmund's snare tap dances and his cymbal sizzles. He then handles the pianist's brief upheavals in different ways. During one of Versace's adamant passages the drummer offers firm snare strokes in near unison and tops them off with a brief, scrambled fill. Another eruption elicits light, carefully placed snare accents followed by the broad hiss of the cymbal and stout hits to the snare and bass drums.

During Versace's slow, dream-like introduction to his composition "Homeland," Zigmund deftly executes neat pecks to the cymbals, brief buzz rolls, and single strokes to the snare. All are played at a very low volume. He's not just accompanying the pianist; there's an element of independence which makes the music a little larger and a little more certain. Offering only a hint of a steady pulse, his drumming is neither random nor schematic. It's all the more effective for what's left unsaid. Any more strokes would be too busy; any less would run the risk of sounding disjointed or haphazard. At times during Lee's solo on his "Mathew, In Three," Zigmund is a model of restraint, gently patting the cymbal and adding the occasional well-placed accent. Often several bars go by in which he barely makes a ripple. In other instances Zigmund transforms the lovely waltz into something a lot more vigorous. Rim shots sound like a nail gun; the kick drum resembles a boot stomping on a wood floor. There's more than one fill in which impudent strokes are jammed into tight spaces. During these periods, the insistent, somewhat stiff quality of his drumming always swings. ~ David A.Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/eliot-zigmund-eliot-zigmund-by-david-a-orthmann.php

Standard Fare

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Danny Walsh - D's Mood

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1997
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 60:58
Size: 111,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:23)  1. D's Mood
(6:54)  2. Danny Boy
(9:59)  3. You Stepped out of a Dream
(5:54)  4. Daydream
(7:35)  5. Shiny Stockings
(9:09)  6. I Hear a Rhapsody
(5:54)  7. Sweet Bubby
(7:07)  8. Fizzology

Leave it to SteepleChase producer Nils Winther to have the fortitude for discovering and then giving recording opportunities to the likes of Ari Ambrose, Michael Cochrane, Dave Ballou, and George Colligan in recent years. Now add to this list the name of alto and tenor saxophonist Danny Walsh. Although he has been heard these days with Joe Locke, Lenny White, Elvin Jones, and Charles Fambrough, Walsh remains largely unknown outside of New York circles. It is therefore hoped that the new U.S. release of his 1997 SteepleChase set, D’s Mood will turn the tides of popularity for this professional who has been an active musician for over two decades now.  First and foremost, Walsh is a compelling tenor man with a persuasive and bristling sound and a heady imagination. His solo spot on the title track is chock full of melodic and textural ideas that he logically develops in a manner that is bracing and agreeable at the same time. Then, he’s no slouch on the alto horn either. 

As he starts his several choruses on “I Hear a Rhapsody,” the piano and guitar drop out and Walsh subsequently cooks with just the backing of bass and drums, spurred on by the audible vocal encouragement of his crew. This is not the only tune where Walsh is accompanied solely by the strolling of Anderson and Drummond and it just goes to prove how strong a soloist he can be. The closing “Fizzology” also sports a Walsh and Drummond duo moment that catches fire immediately. Even as assured a player as Walsh clearly is, his supporting troupe is equally worthy of a mention. Pianist Joey Calderazzo and guitarist Dave Stryker are no strangers to fans of the current jazz scene and each one brings a vivacity and conviction of purpose to the proceedings that seem to keep everyone on their toes, bolstered so artfully by drummer Billy Drummond. While a bit lean on originals, Walsh’s statements on D’s Mood are of such a high caliber that this one comes highly recommended. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ds-mood-danny-walsh-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php
 

Personnel: Danny Walsh- tenor & alto saxophone, Joey Calderazzo-piano, Dave Stryker- guitar, Jay Anderson- bass, Billy Drummond- drums

D's Mood

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Club Des Belugas - Nine Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: Nine   Disc 1

Styles: Soul, Nu Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:08
Size: 145,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. It's Only Music feat. Ashley Slater
(4:04)  2. Pogo Porn feat. Karlos Boes
(4:39) 3. Ai Mi Morena (Mo'Horizons / Club Des Belugas Remix)
(5:46)  4. Quiet Dawn (The Cosmic Surf Club / Club Des Belugas Remix)
(3:27)  5. What the Butler Heard
(3:15)  6. I Just Want to Make Love to You feat. Brenda Boykin
(3:45)  7. Les Boulevards de Paris (Antoine Villoutreix / Club Des Belugas Remix)
(4:11)  8. Full Crazy feat. Brenda Boykin
(4:32)  9. Mirando Al Mar (Bahama Soul Club / Club Des Belugas Remix)
(3:39) 10. Manteca (WDR Big Band & Arturo Sandoval / Club Des Belugas Remix)
(5:29) 11. Some Like it Hot (Jojo Effect & Gardener of Delight Remix)
(4:14) 12. The Beat Goes On (Jojo Effect / Club Des Belugas Remix)
(4:32) 13. Wheelspin (Los Cuatro de la Sala / Club Des Belugas Remix)
(4:47) 14. Hip Hip Chin Chin (Schizoid Sista Remix)
(2:56) 15. Animal Parade

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Album: Nine   Disc 2

Time: 66:39

Size: 153,9 MB

(6:49)  1. Hard Swing Travellin' Man (Brenda Boykin / Club Des Belugas Remix)

(4:39)  2. Serious Woman feat. Brenda Boykin

(4:06)  3. Not with me (Jojo Effect / Club Des Belugas Remix)

(3:38)  4. Save a Little Love for Me (Zouzoulectric Remix)

(6:41)  5. Better Run feat. Dean Bowman

(4:00)  6. Mambo Tonight (Iain Mackenzie / Club Des Belugas Remix)

(4:46)  7. Iko Iko (Papa Cobana Remix)

(5:02)  8. But Rich Rhythms (Bahama Soul Club / Club Des Belugas Remix)

(3:37)  9. Quicker with the Trigger feat. Anna Luca

(4:31) 10. You and I (Audiogold / Club Des Belugas Extended Remix)

(3:39) 11. Round Around (Zouzoulectric / Club Des Belugas Remix)

(5:03) 12. Under The Neon Light feat. Veronika Harcsa

(4:09) 13. Moon Lagoon

(2:04) 14. Mojo's Walk

(3:48) 15. Bye Bye Baby I Won't Come Back feat. Anna Luca

Club des Belugas is one of the leading lounge & nujazz projects in Germany, perhaps in Europe. They combine Contemporary European Lounge & Nujazz Styles with Brazilian Beats and American Black Soul of the fifties, sixties and seventies, using their unique creativity and intensity. Main members are Maxim Illion & Kitty the Bill, with such exquisite guests as the Californian Jazz Lady Brenda Boykin, trumpeter Reiner Winterschladen (Nighthawks), Swedish singer anna.luca, London based Jazz singer Iain Mackenzie, Anne Schnell from Jojo Effect, Dean Bowman from New York and trumpet player Thomas Siffling.

Club des Belugas started their career in 2002 with their first album "Caviar at 3 a.m." In 2003 they released their 2nd album "Minority Tunes", which included the German Club Charts no.1 hits "hiphip chinchin" and "Gadda Rio". In 2006 Club des Belugas enriched the world of music with a real masterpiece called "apricoo soul". The 12" vinyl "Wildcats gotta move" reached German Club Charts #3 and stayed in the Top Ten for 8 weeks (march & april 2006). The Album included Club des Belugas' Remix of Dean Martin's "Mambo Italiano" and was the first worldwide legal remix of any Dean Martin track, authorized by Capitol/EMI and the Dean Martin Family themselves . Club des Belugas tracks have been licensed for compilations more than 220 times. They have also been licensed for advertisements and TV commercials from companies like: Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus (Toyota), Ford Mondeo, Smart, KIA motors, Campari, Martini, Strenesse, The German National Soccerteam, Kaufhof, Burlington, Unilever, Telekom Germany, Telekom South Korea, IGEDO…This time the stress is more on jazz, less on electronics with use of interesting samples, and featuring vocalists Dean Bowman, Iain Mackenzie, Anna Luca, and Brenda Boykin.  http://www.last.fm/music/Club+Des+Belugas/+wiki

Nine Disc 1, Disc 2

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