Joshua Redman - Beyond

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:38
Size: 169,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:34)  1. Courage (Asymmetric Aria)
( 5:50)  2. Belonging (Lopsided Lullaby)
( 4:27)  3. Neverend
( 9:06)  4. Leap Of Faith
( 9:05)  5. Balance
(11:00)  6. Twilight ... And Beyond
( 6:13)  7. Stoic Revolutions
( 6:22)  8. Suspended Emanations
( 7:05)  9. Last Rites Of Rock 'N' Roll
( 6:52) 10. A Life?

Joshua Redman debuts a new quartet on this formidable set of originals. Pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson quickly establish themselves as a killer unit on "Courage (Asymmetric Aria)" and "Belonging (Lopsided Lullaby)", two fast and busy odd-metered romps. Interestingly, Redman plays alto on the latter, as well as on the gripping "Stoic Revolutions." Goldberg's solos are sparkling throughout, especially on "Courage" and the medium-fast "Last Rites of Rock 'n' Roll." Fellow tenor man Mark Turner sits in for the lively "Leap of Faith." The remaining tracks range from the inspired balladry of "Neverend" to the ineffable hipness of "Suspended Emanations." Although it is probably Redman's finest album to date, Beyond still doesn't rise to the level of true greatness in the field of composition. It would be hard for even a genius to measure up to the industry hype that has surrounded Redman for nearly a decade. But this makes it even more essential that critics evaluate Redman's work just as they would that of any other brilliant and hard-working, yet far more obscure, figure on the scene. This is not to take anything away from Redman, but rather to keep matters in their proper perspective. We might see Redman's face on far more magazine covers, but is his writing better than, say, Reid Anderson's or Patrick Zimmerli's? Redman himself would likely be the first to say no.~ David Adler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/beyond-joshua-redman-warner-bros-review-by-david-adler.php

Personnel: Joshua Redman (soprano, alto & tenor saxophones); Mark Turner (tenor saxophone); Aaron Goldberg (piano); Reuben Rogers (bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

Beyond

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Skip Wilkins - Father & Son

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 55:49
Size: 102,6 MB
Art:

(7:40)  1. Witness & Muse
(7:22)  2. Elegant Lady
(5:33)  3. A House In the Village (Green)
(5:41)  4. Kindness
(4:17)  5. Message to Maruska
(7:35)  6. Reckless Not Feckless
(5:43)  7. And Now…
(6:07)  8. Butterfly of Steel
(5:46)  9. Not Really

Dan Wilkins' musical journey started at home, playing with his father, pianist Skip Wilkins.  First taken by the haunting ballads of Stan Getz and Dexter Gordon, Wilkins naturally took to the tenor saxophone.  Teachings of David and Caris Liebman, proved invaluable to his continuous musical pursuit.  In 2008, Wilkins moved to New York City to attend the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with saxophonists Steve Wilson and Rich Perry, and pianists Garry Dial and Phil Markowitz. Throughout his tenure at MSM, Wilkins worked and toured with the collaborative group COLONY, performing around the New York area at 92nd St Y Tribeca, Cornelia St. Cafe, and the Iridium Jazz Club, among others.  In October 2012, Wilkins was featured as Artist of the Month at the Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap. Internationally, Wilkins has been performing at clubs and festivals around the Czech Republic, Germany,  and Greece and educating at summer Festivals such as the Czech Jazz Workshop 2012 and 2013, and the Kryoneri Jazz Workshop 2013.

Father and Son, released on Steeplechase Look Out in 2011 features lyrical compositions by Skip Wilkins.  The two are complimented by bassist Scott Lee and drummer Jeff Hirshfield.  The quartet performs on stages such as the Deer Head Inn, the COTA Festival in Delaware Water Gap, and Lafayette College's Williams Center for the Arts. Currently, the Dan Wilkins Group features Patrick McGee on soprano saxophone, Vaughn Stoffey and Mike Bono on guitars, Kevin Bernstein and Dave Lantz on keyboards, Daryl Johns on bass, and Jimmy Macbride on drums.  This group is a vehicle for composition, breaking away from idiomatic instrumental roles observed in traditional and modern jazz. Wilkins believes in the power of spiritual rejuvenation and healing through the arts, and studies and practices neuro-muscular bodywork in Bethlehem, PA. http://www.danwilkinsmusic.com/about-1/

On Father & Son, Skip and his son Daniel join forces with the other members of Skip’s New York Trio, bassist Scott Lee and drummer Jeff Hirshfield, for a set of Skip’s compositions. A brilliant, young saxophonist, Dan studied at the Manhattan School of Music and is otherwise very active with a range of his own groups in New York and Pennsylvania, and as a sideman there and in Europe, where he has toured extensively. Together, Skip and Daniel have headlined at festivals and clubs in Prague, Berlin and beyond, playing music penned by each of them. https://www.amazon.com/Father-Son-Skip-Wilkins/dp/B0093OK572

Personnel:  Dan Wilkins (saxophone); Skip Wilkins (piano); Scott Lee (bass), Jeff Hirshfield (drums)

Father & Son

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Al Caiola - The Caiola Connection: The Creative World Of Al Caiola

Size: 182,9+183,7 MB
Time: 77:26+77:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz, Country, Rock
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. A String Of Pearls (2:48)
02. American Patrol (3:22)
03. Goodbye (2:49)
04. King Porter's Stomp (2:53)
05. Honky-Tonk (Part 2) (2:35)
06. Hearts Of Stone (1:59)
07. Tango Of The Roses (2:20)
08. Woodpecker Song (2:22)
09. Around The World In 80 Days (2:01)
10. Midnight In Moscow (2:44)
11. The Sound Of Music (2:24)
12. Cherokee (3:06)
13. Joey's Song (2:10)
14. Malaguena (2:12)
15. Dipsy Doodle (2:39)
16. Mambo Jambo (2:29)
17. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie (1:51)
18. Serenade In Blue (4:36)
19. Don't Worry 'Bout Me (4:48)
20. Moments Like This (5:02)
21. Early Autumn (4:11)
22. Black And Blue (3:40)
23. Indian Summer (5:00)
24. Blue The Night (4:20)
25. Drambuie (2:54)

CD 2:
01. Eager Beaver (2:52)
02. Begin The Beguine (2:53)
03. Jumpin' At The Woodside (2:53)
04. 720 In The Books (3:09)
05. Intermission Riff (2:41)
06. 9.20 Special (3:18)
07. Mexican Hat Dance (2:13)
08. Under Paris Skies (2:33)
09. Ram-Bunk-Shush (1:54)
10. Oh Marie (2:14)
11. Chitarra Romana (2:25)
12. Cumana (2:29)
13. I Love You (2:15)
14. Bim Bam Bum (2:38)
15. Idaho (1:36)
16. Hindustan (2:03)
17. El Cumbanchero (2:55)
18. Love Letters (4:09)
19. There'll Never Be Another You (3:53)
20. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (4:26)
21. Everything Happens To Me (4:30)
22. Deep In A Dream (4:35)
23. You Are Too Beautiful (4:18)
24. I Got A Crush On You (3:51)
25. Thunderbird (4:54)

Included is a wide spectrum of material from Caiola's work for RCA Victor, United Artists, and Savoy.

Caiola presents a creative approach to such dynamic titles as A String of Pearls, American Patrol, King Porter's Stomp, Hearts of Stone, Around the World in 80 Days, The Sound of Music, Mambo Jambo, Midnight in Moscow, Jumpin' at the Woodside, Hindustan, Honky-Tonk (Part 2), Malaguena, and a wide variety of other titles.

Each disc culminates with a highly-collectable full album Caiola recorded for Savoy Records in the mid-'50s.

This is definitely one of the greatest releases of all time of the works of the great AL CAIOLA!

The Caiola Connection CD 1
The Caiola Connection CD 2

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Leesila Dawkins - Dreamer's Lounge

Size: 104,8 MB
Time: 44:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Feeling Good (Feat. Walter Beasley) (4:32)
02. Prelude To A Kiss (4:29)
03. My Funny Valentine (4:00)
04. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (Feat. Charlie Austin & Rubim De Toledo) (4:24)
05. Summertime (4:50)
06. More Than You Know (4:48)
07. God Bless The Child (4:36)
08. Dream A Little Dream Of Me (3:14)
09. Georgia On My Mind (4:36)
10. Summertime Jam (Feat. Charlie Austin, Rubim De Toledo & Sandro Dominelli) (1:08)
11. Moon River (Feat. Audrey Ochoa) (4:16)

Dreamer's Lounge birthed from a dream to sing and record the beautiful Jazz ballads of the American Songbook. Leesila Dawkins, a music teacher, wife and mother of two boys, longed to fulfill this dream and share her gift.

Leesila's love of Jazz began in Vocal Jazz ensembles in high school and throughout university. Leesila performed at jam sessions at the local "Yardbird Suite" in Edmonton and completed training at the Stanford Vocal Jazz Residency in California.

The classic selections in Dreamer's Lounge exemplify Leesila's smooth, authentic, warm and captivating sound which draw emotion and bring connection. Leesila's vocals will touch your soul with her power and grace.

Leesila Dawkins is accompanied by a stellar Jazz trio with Charlie Austin on piano, Rubim de Toledo on bass, Sandro Dominelli on drums, featuring Walter Beasley on saxophone and Audrey Ochoa on trombone. Sandro Dominelli mixed, mastered and produced the album. Dreamer's Lounge was recorded at Edmontone by Owen Hamilton and additional tracking at Dominelli Studios.

Charlie Austin says, "Leesila is a bright shining light of a personality who deeply understands the value of a positive outlook! The same light that shines out of her eyes is expressed in her beautiful voice and her personal insight into every lyric she sings. Leesila sings from the heart and truly raises the self esteem of anyone who listens to her perform."

Dreamer's Lounge

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Her Name & Mine - Live In Copenhagen

Size: 100,3 MB
Time: 36:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Turtle Blues (4:13)
02. Blue Drag (3:55)
03. Comes Love (4:38)
04. Everybody Loves My Baby (1:36)
05. My Funny Valentine (3:16)
06. Hesitation Blues (3:25)
07. Fine And Mellow (4:23)
08. When I Get Low I Get High (3:25)
09. Cry Me A River (4:43)
10. Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down (3:09)

Vocalist Pernille Koch was born in Jylland and grew up on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic sea. Pernille began singing at the age of 6 and was quickly singled out as a child soloist in various local projects. When she in her early teens heard Billie Holiday her heart was lost to vocal jazzmusic and the blues. 18 years old, she became leadsinger in a local jazzband with a regular spot every friday. She has forever kept performing in number of contexts, by full force as a singer, but with a notable addition of acting and dancing. Pernille ’s influences is jazz from the early 1900's til 1950'ies and her main inspirations are Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald. Her voice is raw and unschooled, and she puts great pride in interpretation of the lyrics and improvisation on the melody, and strives allways to keep authenticity in her expression as a singer.

Guitarist Fredrik Mikkelsen, born 1981 in Bergen, Norway. Largely, he is an autodidact musician, apart from specializing in music during high school, which he claims gave him the fundamental tools to understand music and continue studying on his own accord. His musical career has brought him through a variety of genres, including traditional styles like balkan, klezmer, arabic and east african music.The latter years however, has been spent mainly with studying jazz of the swing era inspired by guitarists like Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian and Barney Kessel. Paralell though, he has been sampling the world of bluegrass, american folk, and of course, the blues.

He maintains a solid technical proficiency on both the guitar and lap steel guitar, but his most interesting musical point is his lack of musical indoctrination. Together with his ability to draw upon the different styles he has visited over the years, he creates an innovative and personal sound.

Live In Copenhagen

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Beegie Adair - The Ultimate Christmas Playlist

Size: 181,6 MB
Time: 77:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz, Xmas
Art: Front

01. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (3:15)
02. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (4:25)
03. White Christmas (2:23)
04. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (3:39)
05. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (4:06)
06. The Christmas Song (3:43)
07. Deck The Halls (3:00)
08. The Little Drummer Boy (5:04)
09. The Christmas Waltz (3:14)
10. Sleigh Ride (3:59)
11. Jingle Bells (2:31)
12. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (2:09)
13. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (2:54)
14. Toyland - O Christmas Tree (3:50)
15. Winter Wonderland (3:54)
16. Home For The Holidays (3:48)
17. I'll Be Home For Christmas (3:59)
18. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (2:23)
19. Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Up On The Housetop (3:20)
20. Mistletoe And Holly (3:38)
21. Christmas Time Is Here (3:32)
22. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (4:09)

Beegie Adair is a prolific, award-winning jazz pianist and arranger known for her interpretations of jazz and popular standards and show tunes. She has sold over two-million recordings globally. Her melodic, fleet-fingered style reflects the sounds of her major influences, including George Shearing, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Erroll Garner.

Adair grew up in Cave City, Kentucky, where she began taking piano lessons at age five. She continued to study piano throughout college, earning a B.S. in Music Education at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. During and after college, she played in jazz bands, and spent three years teaching music to children before moving to Nashville, where she became a session musician, working at WSM-TV and on The Johnny Cash Show (1969-1971). She and her husband also started a jingle company to write music for commercials.

In 1982, she and saxophonist Denis Solee formed the Adair-Solee Quartet, which evolved into the Be-Bop Co-Op, a jazz sextet. In 1998, she released Escape to New York, her first trio-led date with a rhythm section consisting of Bob Cranshaw and Gregory Hutchinson.

She signed to the fledgling Hillsboro label for 2001's Dream Dancing: The Songs of Cole Porter; bassist Roger Spencer and drummer Chris Brown joined her. Dream Dancing was the first of dozens of themed albums devoted to songwriters and singers. In 2002, she was named a Steinway Artist.

Most of Adair's recordings have been issued by the independent jazz label Green Hill Productions. They include 2008's Yesterday: A Solo Piano Tribute to the Music of the Beatles, 2010's Swingin' with Sinatra, and 2012's The Real Thing (which spent 20 weeks on the jazz charts and was chosen one of the year's best 100 jazz albums). In 2015, her trio collaborated with saxophonist Don Aliquo on Too Marvelous for Words.

Since 2011, Adair and her trio have played Birdland in New York. While visiting, they have often collaborated with vocalist Monica Ramey. In the spring of 2016, that partnership bore fruit on the album Some Enchanted Evening. ~by William Ruhlmann

The Ultimate Christmas Playlist

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Jennifer Hayes - And So It Goes

Size: 100,6 MB
Time: 37:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. It's A Good Day (1:59)
02. Caravan (3:04)
03. And So It Goes (4:00)
04. The Look Of Love (3:46)
05. Too Darn Hot (3:53)
06. You Belong To Me (3:45)
07. Little Bird (3:46)
08. Wake Up Everybody (4:13)
09. Glory Box (4:18)
10. Ring Them Bells (4:17)

Jennifer Hayes is a Vancouver-based jazz/pop singer-songwriter. During the course of her career, Hayes has experienced numerous honours — including singing for the FIFA 2015 Women’s World Cup Soccer and 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games — as well as performing alongside numerous celebrities such as Dal Richards, Jim Byrnes, Michael Kaeshammer and Bria Skonberg, among others. She has performed around the world at various festivals and events in China, the USA and Canada including the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and Harmony Arts Festival. Hayes holds a degree in Jazz Studies from Capilano University along with RCM certificates in piano.

And So It Goes

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Archie Shepp, Michel Marre Quintet - Passion

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:58
Size: 119.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1990/2016
Art: Front

[12:04] 1. Passion
[ 5:06] 2. Prelude To A Kiss
[ 5:18] 3. We'll Be Together Again
[ 5:10] 4. For Heaven's Sake
[ 8:46] 5. You're My Thrill
[ 9:07] 6. Little Folks
[ 6:23] 7. Never Thought

Michel Marre, born in 1946, is a french jazz trumpet, tuba and Buglist, a composer and a director. He also plays euphonium.

Michel Marre studied piano and discovered jazz in the Dixieland Jazz Band '' Hot Peppers ". In 1971, he left for two years in West Africa for a musical journey. Upon his return, he studied Occitan and Breton music and recorded several discs with the Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra of François Tusques.

In 1979 he founded the group Cossi Anatz (Afro-jazz /occitan fusion ) and plays in several festivals. In 1985 he met Archie Shepp, they recorded an album, Passion, Tribute to Billie Holiday. Since the 90s, he's more interested in great orchestral jazz.

Passion

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Joe Van Enkhuizen, Horace Parlan - Ellington Ballads

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:56
Size: 118.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1990/2000
Art: Front

[5:57] 1. Blue Reverie
[3:47] 2. Prelude To A Kiss
[4:09] 3. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
[5:11] 4. Creole Blues Tonight I Shall Sleep
[4:32] 5. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[4:16] 6. Melancholy
[6:49] 7. I Got It Bad
[4:02] 8. Serenade To Sweden
[4:54] 9. Day Dream
[3:52] 10. Sophisticated Lady
[4:23] 11. What Am I Here For

Piano – Horace Parlan; Tenor Saxophone – Joe Van Enkhuizen.

A nice little record that's very much along the lines of the duet sessions that pianist Horace Parlan cut with Archie Shepp – done with a similar open, soulful style that really brings a lot of personal energy to these tunes penned by Duke Ellington! This might be the first time we've ever heard tenorist Joe Van Enkhuizen, but he's a surprisingly great player – and one who carves out these raspy lines on his instrument that fit really well with the well-crafted lines from Parlan's piano – a lot more subtle and spacious than during his Blue Note years, but maybe even more powerful because of that.

Ellington Ballads

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Sarah Morrau - Here's To Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:42
Size: 95.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. Pure Imgination
[3:29] 2. Woodstock
[2:49] 3. I Think It's Going To Rain Today
[3:21] 4. Still Time
[5:56] 5. Vincent
[4:38] 6. Those Were The Days
[2:20] 7. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:07] 8. I'll Catch The Sun
[3:17] 9. Away
[3:21] 10. Go Light Your World
[4:27] 11. Here's To Life

Fargo singer-songwriter Sarah Morrau recorded her third CD, "Here's To Life," at Raptor Studios throughout 2008, releasing it just in time for the holiday season. Her previous two releases, "Storm Warning" (1997) and "To Hold You" (1999) were both recorded at Raptor Studios and produced by Mike Coates. Sarah's regional fans have been waiting a long time for another collection of Sarah's trademark warm and intimate vocals, exquisite acoustic arrangements and appealing mix of cover tunes and originals.

Sarah writes in her liner notes, "'Here's to Life' is a mixture of songs that I've grown up with, songs of nostalgia, and songs about moving forward. They are about the inevitable passage of time, but ultimately about hope. Even the sadder songs have an element of hope. We can at times be moved to tears by music but also moved to smiling, dancing and remembering. In this CD, there is acknowledgement of the pain and changes of life, but also encouragement that we still have what's ahead of us and that, to me, is hopeful."

Here's To Life

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Reid Jamieson - Dear Leonard: The Cohen Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:55
Size: 77.6 MB
Styles: Singer-Songwriter
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. Dance Me To The End Of Love
[3:09] 2. Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye
[4:44] 3. Tower Of Songs
[2:46] 4. Bird On The Wire
[5:11] 5. Alexandra Leaving
[5:03] 6. Suzanne
[4:03] 7. Dear Leonard
[4:39] 8. Hallelujah

Though still primarily known in and around his native Vancouver, singer-songwriter Reid Jamieson is a frequent flyer here at Cover Lay Down thanks to a grinning, gorgeous way with the songs of others and an especially prolific penchant towards interpretation: he’s previously published an album of Elvis songs and dozens of single-shot coverage tracks; in 2011, we offered his tribute to the songs of 1969, recorded for his wife’s birthday, as a release-day exclusive. Reido’s newest homage Dear Leonard: The Cohen Collection takes on the songs of Leonard Cohen lovingly and gleefully, and we’ve been stuck on it since it dropped in March. Like most of his work, it is deceptively light; the intros hit like Caribbean elevator music, and Reido’s husky tenor is sweet and plaintive as always. But there’s a huge diversity here, and something truly triumphant about the brightening of sound in songs like Suzanne, which tingles with robust steel drum rhythms and spousal harmonies, the driving countrified romp of Tower Of Song, and Hey That’s No Way To Say Goodbye, which gets turned on it’s ear, transforming the somber, pensive original into a bright and upbeat trainsong, chugging along light and lively with perfect layers of overdubbed harmony, gentle guitars and brushes. Elsewhere, ukes, brushes, and fiddle hold sway, adding flourishes and finishing touches to a sweet, sweet EP from somewhere under the sunniest of cowboy skies.

Dear Leonard: The Cohen Collection

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Mose Allison - Your Mind Is On Vacation

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz

Year: 1976

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:34

Size: 91,1 MB

Art: Front

(2:37)  1. Your Mind Is On Vacation

(2:56)  2. Foolin' Myself

(3:40)  3. No Matter

(4:33)  4. One Of These Days

(2:28)  5. I Feel So Good

(2:59)  6. Fires Of Spring

(2:47)  7. If You Only Knew

(4:01)  8. I Can't See For Lookin'

(3:24)  9. What Do You Do After You Ruin Your Life

(4:11) 10. Swingin' Machine

(3:33) 11. Perfect Moment

(2:17) 12. Your Molecular Structure

It seems strange to realize that this was Mose Allison's only recording during the 1973-1981 period. In addition to his trio with bassist Jack Hannah and drummer Jerry Granelli, such guests as altoist David Sanborn, Al Cohn, and Joe Farrell on tenors and trumpeter Al Porcino pop up on a few selections. However, Mose Allison is easily the main star, performing ten of his originals (including a remake of the famous title cut, "What Do You Do After You Ruin Your Life," and "Swingin' Machine") plus renditions of the standards "Foolin' Myself" and "I Can't See for Lookin'."~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/your-mind-is-on-vacation-mw0000051625

Personnel: Mose Allison (vocals, piano); David Sanborn (alto saxophone); Al Cohn, Joe Farrell (tenor saxophone); Al Porcino (trumpet); Jack Hannah (bass); Jerry Granelli (drums).

R.I.P.
Born: November 11, 1927 
Died: November 15, 2016

Your Mind Is On Vacation

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J.R. Monterose - The Message

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:49
Size: 86,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Straight Ahead
(2:47)  2. Violets for Your Furs
(5:14)  3. Green Street Scene
(5:38)  4. Chafic
(6:18)  5. You Know That
(5:44)  6. I Remember Clifford
(6:36)  7. Short Bridge

J.R. Monterose (not to be confused with fellow tenor Jack Montrose) is most famous for a gig that he personally did not enjoy, playing with Charles Mingus in 1956 and recording on Mingus' breakthrough album Pithecanthropus Erectus. He grew up in Utica, NY, played in territory bands in the Midwest, and then moved to New York City in the early '50s. Monterose played with Buddy Rich (1952) and Claude Thornhill and recorded with (among others) Teddy Charles, Jon Eardley, and Eddie Bert. After leaving Mingus (whom he did not get along with), Monterose played with Kenny Dorham's Jazz Prophets and recorded a strong set for Blue Note as a leader. Although he performed into the 1980s (doubling on soprano in later years), Monterose never really became famous. In addition to his Blue Note date, he led sets for Jaro (a 1959 session later reissued by Xanadu), Studio 4 (which was reissued by V.S.O.P.), a very obscure 1969 outing for the Dutch label Heavy Soul Music (1969), and, during 1979-1981, albums for Progressive, Cadence, and two for Uptown. ~ Scott Yanow  https://itunes.apple.com/ie/artist/j.r.-monterose/id2750934#fullText

Personnel:  J R Monterose (ts), Tommy Flanagan (p), Jimmy Garrison (b), Pete La Roca (d)

The Message

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Junior Cook - You Leave Me Breathless

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 66:11
Size: 106,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:37)  1. Junior's Cook
( 8:17)  2. Envoy
( 9:02)  3. Warm Valley
( 7:22)  4. Sweet Lotus Lips
(10:01)  5. Vierd Blues
(12:09)  6. You Leave Me Breathless
( 6:53)  7. Fiesta Español
( 5:47)  8. Mr. P.C.

Tenor saxophonist Junior Cook's final recording, cut less than two months before his death, finds the veteran hard bop stylist in surprisingly prime form, taking upbeat solos and swinging hard. On this CD, one can really hear the mutual influence that Cook had on Joe Henderson. Trumpeter Valery Ponomarev is also in particularly fine form, and the rhythm section (pianist Mickey Tucker, bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth) is somewhat obscure but excellent. Three group originals, Cedar Walton's "Fiesta Espanol" and four standards (including a warm tenor feature on "Warm Valley" and a hard-swinging "Mr. P.C.") comprise what was one of Junior Cook's finest sessions as a leader; he definitely exited on top.~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/you-leave-me-breathless-mw0000050689

Personnel: Junior Cook (tenor saxophone); Valery Ponomarov (trumpet); Mickey Tucker (piano); John Webber (bass); Joe Farnsworth (drums).

You Leave Me Breathless

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Bobby Short - Late Night at the Cafe Carlyle

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:16
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:21)  1. Do I Hear You Saying 'I Love You'?
(4:28)  2. Tea for Two
(2:03)  3. Night and Day
(3:00)  4. Too Marvelous for Words
(3:16)  5. Love Is Here to Stay
(2:53)  6. Drop Me Off in Harlem
(4:08)  7. Body and Soul
(4:33)  8. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(2:58)  9. I Can Dream, Can't I?
(3:36) 10. I Get a Kick Out of You
(5:38) 11. Satin Doll
(3:14) 12. Street of Dreams
(3:25) 13. The Nearness of You
(2:19) 14. Paradise
(2:21) 15. Easy to Love
(2:37) 16. After You, Who?
(3:19) 17. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

After more than three decades, off and on, Bobby Short moved from Atlantic Records to the audiophile Telarc label, which wisely began the new association by tracking him to his lair, the Cafe Carlyle of the Carlyle Hotel on Manhattan's Upper East Side, where he had been entertaining patrons for a quarter-century. Captured over three nights in June 1991, the 66-year-old singer/pianist presented a ballad set appropriate to the "late night" billing of the title. He doesn't worry about repeating tracks from his many modest sellers for Atlantic, revisiting Rodgers & Hart's "Do I Hear You Saying 'I Love You'" (first heard on Speaking of Love in 1958) at the outset, and also including new versions of the Gershwins' "Love Is Here to Stay," Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick out of You," and the standard "Body and Soul," all of which have graced previous discs. It doesn't matter, of course. Short was more a live performer than a recording artist, despite his extensive catalog, and his job was to give you heartfelt, animated, and sophisticated readings of evergreens like "Night and Day," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," and "Too Marvelous for Words" (the last of which, come to think of it, he did previously on the home video At the Carlyle, filmed in the late '70s and released in 1986). Telarc was studious about getting a digital signal direct to disc, resulting in great clarity, all the better to hear the glasses clink during quiet passages. The album was released on the label's jazz division and Donald Elfman's liner notes use the word "jazz" frequently. But of course Short, who bills himself as "a saloon singer," was no more a jazz artist than ever, even though he obligingly threw in an instrumental version of Duke Ellington's "Satin Doll" on which bassist Beverly Peer and drummer Robert Scott get to do solos. (The marketing strategy worked, however. The album earned a placing in Billboard's jazz chart.) ~ William Ruhlmann http://www.allmusic.com/album/late-night-at-the-cafe-carlyle-mw0000071894

Personnel: Bobby Short (vocals, piano); Robert Scott (drums); Beverly Peer (bass).

Late Night at the Cafe Carlyle

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Megan Hilty - Live at the Cafe Carlyle

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:36
Size: 98,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. They Just Keep Moving the Line
(2:49)  2. Bye Bye Baby
(2:43)  3. The Best Is yet to Come
(3:53)  4. Someone to Watch over Me
(6:17)  5. Autumn Leaves / When October Goes
(3:15)  6. That's Life
(4:31)  7. Second Hand White Baby Grand
(3:46)  8. The Man That Got Away
(5:27)  9. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
(3:23) 10. Get Happy
(3:19) 11. Rainbow Connection

Stage and television actress/singer Megan Hilty is best known for her turns on Broadway as Glinda in Wicked and Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5: The Musical, and for her role as Ivy Lynn on NBC's musical drama Smash. Born in Bellevue, Washington, Hilty started her vocal training at age 12 and studied at Redmond's Washington Academy of Performing Arts Conservatory High School. After graduating from the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, she moved to New York City, making her Broadway debut in August 2004 as the standby for Glinda, the Good Witch of the North in the Oz-themed musical Wicked, which was based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Hilty took over the role in 2005 and after ending her run in 2006, played Glinda in Wicked's first national tour and in a sit-down production in Los Angeles throughout 2007 and 2008. Late that year, Hilty joined the production of the musical adaptation of the film 9 to 5 in the role of executive secretary Doralee Rhodes, which was played in the 1980 film by Dolly Parton. With songs composed and written by Parton, the production included Hilty's Wicked collaborators actress Stephanie J. Block and director Joe Mantello, along with Allison Janney and Marc Kudisch. For her performance as Doralee, Hilty earned acting nominations from the Outer Critics Circle Awards, the Drama League Awards, and the Drama Desk Awards. 

At the same time, Hilty was establishing herself on the stage, she was also accumulating several television credits, with parts on shows ranging from children's fare such as The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Phineas and Ferb to comedies like American Dad!, Family Guy, and Louie to dramas including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Desperate Housewives. Starting in Feburary 2012, Hilty starred as veteran stage actress Ivy Lynn on Smash, a musical-within-a-musical that followed the development of a Broadway production about Marilyn Monroe; one of the songs she and co-star Katharine McPhee performed, "Let Me Be Your Star," was nominated for an Emmy and a Grammy that year. Early in 2013, Smash's second season premiered, and Hilty's debut album It Happens All the Time which featured songs by written Damien Rice, Ne-Yo, and Carrie Underwood arrived shortly after. ~ Heather Phares https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/megan-hilty/id322970148#fullText

Live at the Cafe Carlyle

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Bobbi Humphrey - Blacks And Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:32
Size: 90.5 MB
Styles: Jazz-funk
Year: 1974/1999
Art: Front

[6:33] 1. Chicago, Damn
[7:49] 2. Harlem River Drive
[6:32] 3. Just A Love Child
[4:35] 4. Blacks And Blues
[5:13] 5. Jasper Country Man
[8:48] 6. Baby's Gone

Backing Vocals, Arranged By [Vocal Arrangements] – Fred Perron, Larry Mizell & Fonce Mizell; Clavinet, Trumpet – Fonce Mizell; Congas – King Errison; Drums – Harvey Mason; Electric Bass [Fender] – Chuck Rainey, Ron Brown; Flute, Vocals [Solo] – Bobbi Humphrey; Guitar – David T. Walker, John Rowin; Percussion – Stephanie Spruill; Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Jerry Peters; Synthesizer [Arp] – Fred Perren. Recorded June 7 & 8, 1973 at Sound Factory, Hollywood, California.

Bobbi Humphrey scored her biggest hit with her third album Blacks and Blues, an utterly delightful jazz-funk classic that helped make her a sensation at Montreux. If it sounds a lot like Donald Byrd's post-Black Byrd output, it's no accident; brothers Larry and Fonce Mizell have their fingerprints all over the album, and as on their work with Byrd, Larry handles all the composing and most of the arranging and production duties. It certainly helps that the Mizells were hitting on all cylinders at this point in their careers, but Humphrey is the true star of the show; she actually grabs a good deal more solo space than Byrd did on his Mizell collaborations, and she claims a good deal of responsibility for the album's light, airy charm. Her playing is indebted to Herbie Mann and, especially, Hubert Laws, but she has a more exclusive affinity for R&B and pop than even those two fusion-minded players, which is why she excels in this setting. Mizell is at the peak of his arranging powers, constructing dense grooves with lots of vintage synths, wah-wah guitars, and rhythmic interplay. Whether the funk runs hot or cool, Humphrey floats over the top with a near-inexhaustible supply of melodic ideas. She also makes her vocal debut on the album's two ballads, "Just a Love Child" and "Baby's Gone"; her voice is girlish but stronger than the genre standard, even the backing vocals by the Mizells and keyboardist Fred Perren. Overall, the album's cumulative effect is like a soft summer breeze, perfect for beaches, barbecues, and cruising with the top down. ~Steve Huey

Blacks And Blues

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Ray Brown - With My Friends Herb Ellis & Serge Ermoll

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:01
Size: 80.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:36] 1. Tristé
[4:38] 2. I Love You
[3:33] 3. Au Privave
[5:29] 4. Autumn Leaves
[5:28] 5. All The Things You Are
[3:46] 6. Doxy
[6:28] 7. My Funny Valentine

The huge and comfortable sound of Ray Brown's bass was a welcome feature on bop-oriented sessions for over a half-century. He played locally in his native Pittsburgh in his early days.

Arriving in New York in 1945, on his first day in town Brown met and played with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Bud Powell. He was hired by Gillespie for his small groups and his big band; "One Bass Hit" and "Two Bass Hit" were early features, and he can be seen with Dizzy Gillespie in the 1947 film Jiving in Bebop. Although not a soloist on the level of an Oscar Pettiford, Brown's quick reflexes and ability to accompany soloists in a swinging fashion put him near the top of his field. After playing with Jazz at the Philharmonic, he married Ella Fitzgerald (their marriage only lasted during 1948-1952), and for a time led his own trio to back the singer. Brown recorded with an early version of the Modern Jazz Quartet (under Milt Jackson's leadership), and then became a permanent member of the Oscar Peterson Trio (1951-1966).

With Peterson, the bassist traveled the world, guested with other top jazz artists, was featured on JATP tours, became famous, and recorded constantly. He began playing cello in the late '50s, and used it on a few of his own dates. After leaving Peterson, Brown settled in Los Angeles, worked in the studios, continued recording jazz, and worked as a manager of several artists (including the Modern Jazz Quartet and Quincy Jones). He played with the L.A. Four starting in 1974, did a great deal to revive the careers of Ernestine Anderson and Gene Harris, and recorded extensively for Pablo and Concord. The Ray Brown Trio featured pianists Gene Harris, Benny Green, and Geoff Keezer, along with drummers Jeff Hamilton and Greg Hutchison, and recorded for Concord and Telarc. He continued touring up until his death, dying in his sleep while napping before a show in Indianapolis on July 2, 2002. His last batch of sessions, working as a trio with pianist Monty Alexander and guitarist Russell Malone, were released that fall. ~bio by Scott Yanow

With My Friends Herb Ellis & Serge Ermoll

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The Intruders - Playlist: The Very Best Of The Intruders

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:25
Size: 97.1 MB
Styles: R&B, AM Pop
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Together
[2:54] 2. A Love That's Real
[2:50] 3. (We'll Be) United
[2:37] 4. Cowboys To Girls
[2:19] 5. Me Tarzan, You Jane
[2:54] 6. Friends No More
[2:24] 7. Slow Drag
[2:44] 8. (Love Is Like A) Baseball Game
[1:54] 9. Sad Girl
[3:20] 10. When We Get Married
[2:44] 11. Jack Be Nimble
[2:43] 12. (You'd Better) Check Yourself
[6:28] 13. I'll Always Love My Mama
[3:32] 14. Energy Of Love

From 1966 through 1975, Philly soul group the Intruders placed two dozen singles on the R&B chart, roughly a dozen of which are missing from the 14-track Playlist: The Very Best of the Intruders. Despite all the missing highlights, most of the group’s well-known songs are included. Casual fans are likely to expect Top Ten R&B hits like “Together,” “Cowboys to Girls” (the group’s lone number one), “(Love Is Like A) Baseball Game,” “When We Get Married,” and “I’ll Always Love My Mama,” and they will get them here, along with a smattering of relatively minor singles that are not filler. Those who want a more thorough overview should check Cowboys to Girls: The Best of the Intruders, originally released in 1995 and reissued years later. ~Andy Kellman

Playlist: The Very Best Of The Intruders

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Anita O'Day & Cal Tjader - Thanks For The Memories

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:51
Size: 72.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Thanks For The Memories
[2:59] 2. It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream
[2:46] 3. Just In Time
[2:22] 4. Under A Blanket Of Blue
[2:52] 5. That's Your Red Wagon
[3:02] 6. Peel Me A Grape
[2:27] 7. An Occasional Man
[2:20] 8. The Party's Over
[2:23] 9. I Believe In You
[1:55] 10. Mr. Sandman
[3:23] 11. Spring Will Be A Little Late
[2:32] 12. I'm Not Supposed To Be Blue

Anita O'Day (born Anita Belle Colton; October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006) was an American jazz singer widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances that shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer". Refusing to pander to any female stereotype, O'Day presented herself as a "hip" jazz musician, wearing a band jacket and skirt as opposed to an evening gown. She changed her surname from Colton to O'Day, pig Latin for "dough," slang for money.

O'Day, along with Mel Tormé, is often grouped with the West Coast cool school of jazz. Like Tormé, O'Day had some training in jazz drums (courtesy of her first husband Don Carter); her longest musical collaboration was with jazz drummer John Poole. While maintaining a central core of hard swing, O'Day's skills in improvisation of rhythm and melody put her squarely among the pioneers of bebop.

She cited Martha Raye as the primary influence on her vocal style, also expressing admiration for Mildred Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday. She always maintained that the accidental excision of her uvula during a childhood tonsillectomy left her incapable of vibrato, and unable to maintain long phrases. That botched operation, she claimed, forced her to develop a more percussive style based on short notes and rhythmic drive. However, when she was in good voice she could stretch long notes with strong crescendos and a telescoping vibrato, e.g. her live version of "Sweet Georgia Brown" at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, captured in Bert Stern's film Jazz on a Summer's Day.

Thanks For The Memories

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