Jed Levy - One Night At The Kitano

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 71:14
Size: 133,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:55)  1. A Great Week
(14:00)  2. Fallen Eagle
( 9:57)  3. Reversible You
(10:07)  4. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
(13:16)  5. Limited Means
( 8:32)  6. Match Point
( 6:25)  7. Blues Excerpt

Some live jazz albums transport the listener. If you shut your eyes, you can picture the dim lights of the candles on the tables, the clinking sound of ice cubes falling into glass tumblers... you might even find yourself looking around for someone to take your drink order. One Night at The Kitano makes you feel like you are out at the midtown jazz spot.  Joined by Bill Mays on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Billy Drummond on drums, saxophonist Jed Levy delivers one of the most enjoyable albums of the year. It's also accessible, straight-ahead music that everyone can enjoy. Novice listeners will say "now, that's jazz I'd pay to see live." That's not to say that it won't appeal to seasoned jazz veterans. Musical complexity and inventiveness abound, especially on the Levy original "Reversible You," which (as the title suggests) applies some structural adjustments to a familiar standard to superb effect. The set consists of six Levy compositions, as well as one standard: a ten-minute rendition of Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing," with the leader and Mays at their most inspired. The disc's opening number, "A Great Week," pays tribute to an engagement Levy once played with the late John Hicks. The loving homage offers a lively, up-tempo celebration of the pianist's legacy, with excellent support from Mays. The rest of the program features a number of mid-tempo swingers that afford plenty of solo time for the featured players. Levy's tenor doesn't recall the gruff aggressiveness of a Dexter Gordon or a Ben Webster, being more akin to that of Stan Getz. He's able to navigate the high register and achieve a mellow, romantic tone that, at times, makes you think he's switched over to alto.~ George Kanzler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/one-night-at-the-kitano-jed-levy-steeplechase-records-review-by-george-kanzler.php?width=1600
 

Personnel:  Billy Drummond: drums; Jed Levy: tenor sax;  Bill Mays: piano; Ugonna Okegwo: bass.

One Night At The Kitano

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Grant Green - Alive

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:57
Size: 87,9 MB
Art: Front

( 8:42)  1. Let The Music Take Your Mind
(11:19)  2. Time To Remember
(11:10)  3. Sookie, Sookie
( 6:45)  4. Down Here On The Ground

Alive! is the hardest funk LP Grant Green recorded during the later phase of his career, capturing a storming gig at Newark's Cliché Lounge. The sweaty club atmosphere adds something to the music that's difficult to pin down, yet unmistakably present a certain organic quality that isn't as noticeable on Green's studio albums of the time. Moreover, Green sounds more like the captain of his ship, with greater assurance in his musical direction and more strut on the R&B material. Drummer Idris Muhammad is a monster in this live setting, and he helps push Green (plus the rest of the band, which includes organist Ronnie Foster) even farther with his kinetic, continually evolving funk rhythms. That's especially true on the swaggering Kool & the Gang cover "Let the Music Take Your Mind," but Don Covay's "Sookie, Sookie" grooves almost as powerfully. What's most surprising about the set, though, is that Green finds ways to work in bits of the modal style he had been pursuing in the mid-'60s on slower pieces like the Earl Neal Creque ballad "Time to Remember" and "Down Here on the Ground," which was later sampled by jazz-rap pioneers A Tribe Called Quest. Green's continued interest in modal jazz is reinforced on the CD reissue, which contains a spacy, grooving cover of Herbie Hancock's classic "Maiden Voyage" as a bonus track (the other two are contemporary R&B covers "Hey, Western Union Man" and "It's Your Thing"). Still, this is the most convincing and consistent Green had been as a funkster and, while nearly all of his albums from the early '70s feature at least some worthwhile material for acid jazz and beat-sampling junkies, Alive! is probably the best place to start. ~ Steve Huey http://www.allmusic.com/album/alive!-mw0000101535

Personnel: Grant Green (guitar); Claude Bartee, Jr., Claude Barlee (tenor saxophone); Neal Creque, Ronnie Foster (organ); Billy Bivens, William Bivens (vibraphone); Idris Muhammad (drums); Joseph Armstrong (congas).

Alive

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Eric Dolphy - Music Matador

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:11
Size: 111,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:13)  1. Jitterbug Waltz
( 9:28)  2. Music Matador
(13:29)  3. Alone Together
( 6:29)  4. Come Sunday
( 8:13)  5. Ode To C.P.
( 3:17)  6. Love Me

Amazing work from Eric Dolphy a record that's come out on a number of different labels, under a number of different names but which is one of his most perfectly-realized sessions of the 60s, and one of his most spiritual albums ever! The record features a shifting lineup of players almost presaging the ensemble modes that would rise more strongly in the post-Coltrane years and Dolphy's chosen a strong group of associates, including Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Clifford Jordan on soprano sax, Prince Lasha on flute, and Sonny Simmons on alto and bass clarinet. Dolphy plays flute, alto, and bass clarinet and titles include "Love Me", a solo alto tune by Dolphy; "Alone Together", a duet with Davis' bass; a seminal take on "Jitterbug Waltz", completely reinventing the tune for new generations; and the massive "Music Matador". © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/812508?incl_oos=1&incl_cs=1&kwfilter=Bobby+Hutcherson

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Sonny Simmons;  Bass – Eddie Kahn, Richard Davis (2);  Drums – Charles Moffet, J.C. Moses;  Flute – Prince Lasha;  Flute, Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy;  Soprano Saxophone – Clifford Jordan;  Trumpet – Woody Shaw;  Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson

Music Matador

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Ralph Sutton - Ralph Sutton With Ted Easton Jazzband

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:51
Size: 114.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Dixieland
Year: 1975/2002
Art: Front

[4:23] 1. I'll Be A Friend With Pleasure
[3:49] 2. The Curse Of An Aching Heart
[4:38] 3. Blues In My Heart
[4:54] 4. South Rampart Street Parade
[5:42] 5. Sunshine Of Love
[5:20] 6. Blue Turning Grey Over You
[4:36] 7. Ain't Misbehavin'
[2:39] 8. The Sheik Of Araby
[4:25] 9. Emaline
[2:55] 10. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
[2:39] 11. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
[3:46] 12. Hony Tonk Train Blues

The great stride pianist Ralph Sutton was in Europe when he recorded this live concert with Dutch drummer Ted Easton's quintet. The repertoire is mostly filled with Dixieland and New Orleans warhorses (the exceptions are Benny Carter's "Blues in My Heart," "Sunshine of Love," and "Emaline"), but the musicians make the music sound fresh and generally exciting. Sutton, who was always very consistent, excels as usual and there are fine solos along the way by trumpeter Bob Wulffers, trombonist Henk Van Muyen, and clarinetist Frits Kaatee. Highlights include "I'll Be a Friend With Pleasure," "South Rampart Street Parade," "Emaline," and "Honky Tonk Train Blues," the latter one of four unaccompanied Sutton piano solos. An excellent Dixieland date from the mid-'70s; the 1975 date is an educated guess. ~ Scott Yanow

Ralph Sutton With Ted Easton Jazzband

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The Platters - The Best Of The Platters

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:49
Size: 68.3 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[2:38] 1. The Great Pretender
[2:44] 2. Twilight Time
[2:37] 3. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:40] 4. Only You (And You Alone)
[2:44] 5. My Prayer
[2:28] 6. (You've Got) The Magic Touch
[2:38] 7. You'll Never Never Know
[2:52] 8. I'll Never Smile Again
[3:11] 9. Harbor Lights
[2:20] 10. Red Sails In The Sunset
[2:51] 11. Enchanted

A vocal talent of astonishing range and emotion, Tony Williams led the Platters through nearly two dozen Top 40 pop hits, starting in 1955. The Platters drew inspiration from predecessors such as the Mills Brothers, yet had a style all their own that came to be treasured by the first generation of rock & roll and doo-wop fans. This set features the group's Top 10 smashes "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "The Great Pretender," "Only You," "(You've Got) The Magic Touch," and several others. Shy of the two-disc Magic Touch: An Anthology, this is about as good a Platters best-of as you can find right now--and at a budget price, no less. ~Daniel Durchholz

The Best Of The Platters

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Dave Pell - Dave Pell Remembers John Kirby & The Big Small Bands

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 69:57

Size: 160.1 MB

Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Then I'll Be Happy

[3:15] 2. A Smoo-O-O-Oth One

[2:36] 3. In An 18th Century Drawing Room

[3:16] 4. Summit Ridge Drive

[2:22] 5. At The Codfish Ball

[3:04] 6. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid

[3:02] 7. Popo

[3:11] 8. Boplicity

[3:30] 9. Dark Eyes

[3:34] 10. Viva Zapata

[3:37] 11. Walking Shoes

[2:50] 12. Mountain Greenery

[3:09] 13. Rose Room

[2:50] 14. Royal Garden

[2:32] 15. Anita's Dance

[2:53] 16. It Feels Good

[2:58] 17. Tootsie Roll

[2:45] 18. Double Walk

[3:01] 19. Undecided

[2:52] 20. Blue Skies

[3:31] 21. Coquette

[2:54] 22. Opus 5

[3:11] 23. 20th Century Closet

Twofer: Tracks #1-12 from the Capitol 12" album "The Big Small Bands" (ST 1309). Track #13-23 from the Capitol 12" album "I Remember John Kirby" (ST 1687). Dave Pell (ts, bs), Jack Sheldon, Don Fagerquist (tp), Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb), Abe Most (cl), Art Pepper (as), Ronny Lang (bs), Marty Paich, André Previn, John T. Williams (p), Bob Gibbons (g), Red Mitchell (b), Frank Capp, Shelly Manne (d).

In these two albums, Dave Pell presents swinging memories of the bands small in size, but grand in stature that traced the history of the jazz combo and accounted for some of the greatest hit recordings of their times.

In The Big Small Bands, we can enjoy exciting and authentic re-creations of tunes made famous by groups such as those of John Kirby, Artie Shaw, Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, Shorty Rogers. Although the tunes start with early sounds, the sequence is varied a little to provide a more interesting programming line-up.

On I Remember John Kirby, Pell, who was a legitimately schooled clarinetist like Buster Bailey, had virtually abandoned the instrument as a solo medium until he had undertook this project. Here he plays with complete command to lead this Kirby-inspired sextet featuring Benny Carter, who gets a beautiful projection of the buoyant lilt that Russell Procope put in his alto solos.

Dave Pell Remembers John Kirby & The Big Small Bands

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Nóis 4 - Gente

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:49
Size: 116.4 MB
Styles: Brazilian rhythms
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:38] 1. Influência Do Jackson
[4:58] 2. Relampiano
[4:06] 3. Choro Bandido
[4:04] 4. Com A Perna No Mundo
[5:15] 5. Canção Em Modo Menor
[4:49] 6. Chá De Panela
[5:09] 7. Sobre O Papel
[4:17] 8. Leve
[3:51] 9. A Flor E O Espinho
[5:27] 10. Canta Pra Cira
[4:09] 11. Why

With their second album NOIS 4 ('Us Four') recount their own poetic tales of Brazil and pay homage to the country's most enduring heritage, the people themselves ('Gente'): Brazilian Music as a popular, collective experience. They've even recorded it in Sao Paulo, to make it as close to the real thing as possible. Brazil comes across in all its warmth, delivered with the lightness of touch that is typical of Nois 4. Carnivalesque grooves alternate with melancholic songs; original tunes with absolute classics (Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes; Chico Buarque). One can dive into "Com a Perna no Mundo", and imagine what it is to be part of a Beija Flor parade (one of Rio's most prominent schools of samba).

With "Chá De Panela", Nois 4 pay homage to Brazilian jazz legend Hermeto Pascoal (listen out for the trademark accordion and triangle; the circular pulse; and a lyrical nod to the very core of the Pascoal philosophy: 'All things are musical'). Their collective journey takes on a more personal hue with "Canto pra Cira". Monica Vasconcelos' voice blossoms with a sweet melancholy in this poignant tribute to her mother. But it is the presence of guitarist Guinga, a legendary figure of the MPB scene (Brazilian Popular Music) that adds a hefty weight to the ensemble. His love and knowledge of both classic and popular Brazilian musical traditions is a precious gift to NOIS 4's sound. On the other hand, saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock's wonderfully subtle soprano tone is worth a mention, as well as her sensitive alto modulations that sweetly interweave with Monica's vocals. This is an enjoyablealbum that brims with a love and understanding of Brazilian music. ~Lara Bellini

Gente

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The Michael Silverman Blues Piano Trio - The Blues, The Whole Blues And Nothin' But The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:18
Size: 147.2 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz piano
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Blues For A Rainy Day
[2:36] 2. Blues For Miles Davis
[2:38] 3. Blues For Miles Pt. 2
[3:17] 4. Blues For Thelonius Monk
[2:24] 5. Blues For Thelonius Monk Pt. 2
[3:08] 6. Central Park Blues
[3:11] 7. Blues Jazz Swing
[2:11] 8. Blues Solo Piano
[2:07] 9. Tickling The Ivories
[2:44] 10. Fast Blues Piano
[1:50] 11. Funky Blues Piano
[2:05] 12. Jazz Blues Piano
[3:15] 13. Kind Of Blue Kind Of Blues
[1:46] 14. Latin Jazz Explosion
[2:19] 15. New Orleans Blues
[2:43] 16. New York Blues
[1:48] 17. The Shuffle Blues
[3:18] 18. Slow Blues
[2:50] 19. Slow Blues In G
[3:16] 20. Slow Roasted Blues
[1:53] 21. Solopiano Blues
[1:35] 22. Swing Blues Piano
[2:34] 23. That Blues Feeling
[1:21] 24. The Entertainer
[1:28] 25. Upbeat Blues
[3:17] 26. Vibraphone Blues

This album is great for parties, relaxing and travelling. Good combination of slow piano blues and some upbeat. Michael Silverman is exceptional on this cd. ~Carrmen C.

The Blues, The Whole Blues And Nothin' But The Blues

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Jed Levy - Evans Explorations

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 68:28
Size: 111,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. Blue In Green
(5:55)  2. Very Early
(5:56)  3. Jazz Samba
(8:05)  4. Time Remembered
(7:04)  5. The Dolphin
(8:51)  6. Laurie
(7:12)  7. Twelve Tone Tune
(7:13)  8. Interplay
(6:18)  9. Re: Person I Knew
(6:02) 10. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

Explorations (Riverside, 1961) is one of two landmark studio recordings from the Bill Evans trio that, through chordal voicings, a classically-based style and egalitarian instrumental interplay, moved the jazz piano trio toward impressionism and away from a rhythmic approach. It still sounds amazingly contemporary and the task that tenor saxophonist Jed Levy has set for himself in his explorations of a piece of the Evans digest using his tenor trio is a daunting one. Levy succeeds remarkably well through his own impressionistic gentle touch, Francois Moutin's up-in-the-mix yet perceptively sensitive bass and the drumming of Evans grad Eliot Zigmund.  While a non-traditional bop-ish treatment of the classic "Blue in Green" starts things off and a swinging interpretation of the standard "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" closes things out, this trio thrives when it is painting with broader sonic brush strokes. This is witnessed on a touching depiction of "Laurie" and a melodiously moving "Re: Person I Knew." Moutin and Levy are a superb pairing on these tunes and remain true to this music with neither overpowering nor assertive one-upmanship. 

They blend harmoniously, as in the wonderfully open "Interplay" that serves as an unfettered forum for improvisation and opportune time for Levy to switch to flute. Likewise, the arco bass/tenor doubling that opens "Twelve Tone Tune" captures that beautiful dreamy quality that helped define the Evans trio. These qualities are also apparent on "Very Early" and "Time Remembered," the latter's spaciousness benefiting from Levy's tenor and flute playing. "Jazz Samba," given a fairly fiery treatment courtesy of Zigmund and Moutin's rhythm, and "The Dolphin," portrayed in a traditional breezy manner that again has Moutin sharing center stage, round things out and are representative of Evans' Latin stylings. This is a unique depiction of Evans' songbook.~ Elliott Simon https://www.allaboutjazz.com/evans-explorations-jed-levy-steeplechase-records-review-by-elliott-simon.php
 

Personnel:  Jed Levy: tenor sax, flute;  Francois Moutin: bass;  Eliot Zigmund: drums.

Evans Explorations

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Jeanette Lindstrom - Whistling Away The Dark

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:32
Size: 157,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:22)  1. Whistling Away The Dark
(5:26)  2. My One & Only Love
(6:05)  3. You Go To My Head
(4:43)  4. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(3:04)  5. Jitterbug Waltz
(4:46)  6. The Nearness Of You
(5:42)  7. Lush Life
(2:17)  8. Misty
(3:55)  9. Nature Boy
(4:49) 10. Peace
(6:07) 11. Night & Day
(3:27) 12. Too Marvelous For Words
(5:57) 13. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
(4:14) 14. When There Is Love
(3:30) 15. Grow Old With Me

Jeanette Lindström was born and raised in Sweden, but there have been times when her phrasing might lead those who haven't seen her picture to think she could be African-American, although one would have been unlikely to make that mistake if they'd heard her singing jazz in Swedish with bassist Anders Jormin. African-American singers have clearly had a great impact on Lindström, whose impressionistic approach brings to mind Dianne Reeves and Abbey Lincoln, and whose Caprice CDs are best described as post-bop with R&B overtones. Born in Östersund, Sweden, a few hours north of Stockholm, Lindström studied at the University of Lund and earned a degree from the Royal Music Academy of Stockholm when she was 23 in 1995. After attracting attention on the Swedish jazz scene, where she sang with everything from big bands to more experimental groups, Lindström went to Copenhagen in neighboring Denmark in 1995 to record her debut album, Another Country, for Caprice. The following year, she was documented in more of an avant-garde setting when Jormin featured her prominently on his Dragon date, Once. While that disc found Lindström singing in both English and Swedish, she stuck to English on Another Country and her equally appealing sophomore effort, I Saw You (1997). ~ Alex Henderson https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/jeanette-lindstrom/id65885213#fullText

Personnel:  Double Bass – Palle Danielsson;  Drums – Magnus Öström;  Organ – Bobo Stenson (tracks: 12);  Piano – Bobo Stenson (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7), Jonas Östholm (tracks: 3, 10, 11, 13 to 15);  Vocals – Jeanette Lindström

Whistling Away The Dark

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Chris Byars - Photos in Black, White and Gray

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:13
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:05)  1. Aquarian Epoch
(7:27)  2. Milton
(7:14)  3. Safe at Home
(9:30)  4. Acoustic Phenomenon
(7:51)  5. Manhattan Valley
(6:48)  6. Cliff Diving
(6:40)  7. Riddle of the Sphinx
(6:35)  8. A.T.

Saxophonist Chris Byars has made a name for himself as one of many promising neo-bop musicians who perform on a regular basis at Smalls in New York City, while also appearing on a number of CDs (as either a sideman or leader) issued by the Smalls label. He has played since the age of seven and earned a Masters degree at the Manhattan School of Music at the age of twenty. For his third date as a leader, Byars is joined by several of the label's regulars, including pianist Sacha Perry, bassist Ari Roland and drummer Andy Watson. A talented player, Byars is clearly finding his own voice on each of his three instruments (alto, tenor and soprano sax) and his program of originals is well-paced with a fair amount of variety. He shows a bit of playfulness in "Aquarian Epoch," while the brisk samba "Manhattan Valley" is another obvious highlight. Byars' robust tenor is on display in the pulsating piano-less setting of "A. T." (dedicated to the late drummer Art Taylor). He then switches to soprano sax for the enticing ballad "Safe at Home." Perry, who studied with Barry Harris, is a solid bop pianist who pushes the leader with his driving accompaniment. Roland provides a firm foundation, his arco bass technique inviting comparison to recorded Paul Chambers. Watson is a refreshingly restrained drummer who effortlessly keeps a strong beat, though he is no slouch when he takes the opportunity to solo in "A. T.."~ Ken Dryden https://www.allaboutjazz.com/photos-in-black-white-and-gray-chris-byars-smalls-records-review-by-ken-dryden.php
 

Personnel: Chris Byars: alto, tenor and soprano saxophones; Sacha Perry: piano; Ari Roland: bass; Andy Watson: drums.

Photos in Black, White and Gray

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Courtney Pine - Underground

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet And Flute Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:10
Size: 164,4 MB
Art: Front

(1:11)  1. Intro - Inhale
(6:59)  2. Modern Day Jazz
(6:15)  3. Tryin' Times
(5:55)  4. Oneness Of Mind
(5:37)  5. Invisible (Higher Vibe)
(9:50)  6. The Book Of ... (The Dead)
(5:55)  7. Children Of The Sun
(4:52)  8. The In-Sense Song
(7:50)  9. Silver Surfer
(6:57) 10. Underground
(0:56) 11. Outro - Xhale
(3:46) 12. Save The Children

The first thing that becomes clear on Courtney Pine's Underground is that the hip-hop-jazz hybrids of the 1990s (such as Digable Planets, A Tribe Called Quest, US3, or even the Dream Warriors) missed their target; the combination is much stronger when it's jazz-hip-hop, and the latter becomes a textural element. Pine sticks to his guns-frenetic melodies, engaging song structures, and a keen ability to keep his jazz cool and never lite. Those talents shine further when given the icing of exquisite samples, particularly when the rapid-fire cuts and sharp sense of humor show a respect for turntablism. And lest Pine's jazz fans be dismayed, tracks like "Invisible" seamlessly slip back into Pine's masterful (more traditional) jazz persona. 

Of particular note is "Tryin' Times," one of the few tracks with vocals, which acts as both a lounge singer vehicle as well as venue for Pine's dizzying saxophone acrobatics. Underground is a great introduction to Pine's work, and if there's any justice, will someday be recognized as a benchmark jazz-hip-hop hybrid experiment. ~ Jaime Vázquez http://www.allmusic.com/album/underground-mw0000595653

Personnel: Courtney Pine (soprano & tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, flute); Jhelisa (vocals); Nicholas Payton (trumpet); Cyrus Chestnut (acoustic piano, Hammond B-3 organ, Wurlitzer electric piano); Mark Whitfield (guitar); Reginald Veal (acoustic bass); Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums); DJ Pogo (DJ).

Underground

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Jan Akkerman & Claus Ogerman - Aranjuez

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:30
Size: 107,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Adagio from 'Concierto de Aranjuez'
(4:53)  2. Nightwings
(5:09)  3. Modinha (preludio)
(5:36)  4. Espanoleta
(6:48)  5. Pavane pour une infante defunte
(3:38)  6. Love remembered
(5:40)  7. The seed of god (from 'Magdalena')
(5:45)  8. Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5

This is a reissue of a 1978 release by Dutch rock guitarist Jan Akkerman. The album mystified listeners at the time with its still-unusual combination of electric guitar and lush string arrangements, and it remains something of an oddity from a rock perspective. The orchestral writing by the underrated German arranger Claus Ogerman, however, is quite unusual, and the album has a following among Ogerman's fans. Indeed, although Akkerman gets top billing, the partnership is equal or even tilted a bit toward Ogerman. The opening Adagio from Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is perhaps the most interesting, and it differs entirely in effect from Miles Davis' presentation of the same music. Akkerman is in the foreground here, of course, but the music is a sort of double fantasy, with Akkerman slightly altering Rodrigo's guitar line and Ogerman providing much deeper hues to the orchestral parts. 

The rest of the music is given over to adaptations of other classical pieces, three of them by Heitor Villa-Lobos, and one original each by Ogerman and Akkerman. The string writing contains some of the richest and most harmonically intricate examples in the entire genre of orchestral pop, and it paradoxically seems to overwhelm the rock guitar at times. However, the continuing interest in the album is easy to understand: it offers a musical idea that makes intuitive sense rock, it has often been suggested, is at bottom a Romantic music yet has been little explored.~James Manheim http://www.allmusic.com/album/aranjuez-mw0000259976

Personnel:  Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen;  Guitar – Jan Akkerman

Aranjuez

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Jim Hall - Concierto

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:34
Size: 150.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1975/2011
Art: Front

[ 7:04] 1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[ 3:48] 2. Two's Blues
[ 7:37] 3. The Answer Is Yes
[19:19] 4. Concierto De Aranjuez
[ 6:09] 5. Rock Skippin'
[ 2:34] 6. Unfinished Business
[ 7:25] 7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[ 5:33] 8. The Answer Is Yes
[ 6:02] 9. Rock Skippin'

Guitarist Jim Hall is the sort of musician who displays such technical expertise, imaginative conception, and elegance of line and phrase that almost any recording of his is worth hearing. Still, Concierto ranks among the best albums of his superb catalog. For starters, the personnel here is a jazz lover's dream come true. Paul Desmond (saxophone), Chet Baker (trumpet), Roland Hanna (piano), Ron Carter (bass), and Steve Gadd (drums) are on board, creating -- along with Hall -- one of the highest profile lineups ever put to tape. Yet Concierto is not about star power and showboating. As subtle, nuanced, and considered as any of Hall's output, the ensemble playing here demonstrates great group sensitivity and interplay, giving precedence to mood and atmosphere over powerhouse soloing. Conductor and arranger Don Sebesky evinces a chamber ambience from the sextet on "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," the smoky "The Answer Is Yes," and the Hall centerpiece "Concierto de Aranjuez." ~Anthony Tognazzini

Concierto

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Don Redman & His Orchestra - The Very Best Of Don Redman & His Orchestra

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:47
Size: 109.4 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:51] 1. Puddin' Head Jones
[3:02] 2. I Found A New Way To Go To Town
[3:02] 3. My Old Man
[2:49] 4. Keep On Doin' What You're Doin'
[2:45] 5. Shuffle Your Feet Bandanna Babies
[3:13] 6. Chant Of The Weed
[2:57] 7. How Ya Feelin'
[2:53] 8. She's Not Bad
[3:13] 9. Underneath The Harlem Moon
[2:51] 10. It's A Great World After All
[3:21] 11. Got The South In My Soul
[2:54] 12. After Sundown
[2:52] 13. Our Big Love Scene
[2:57] 14. Try Getting A Good Night's Sleep
[2:55] 15. Two Time Man
[3:04] 16. Tired Of It All

Redman was born in Piedmont, Mineral County, West Virginia. His father was a music teacher, his mother was a singer. Don began playing the trumpet at the age of three, joined his first band at the age of six and by the age of 12 was proficient on all wind instruments ranging from trumpet to oboe as well as piano. He studied at Storer College in Harper's Ferry and at the Boston Conservatory, then joined Billy Page's Broadway Syncopaters in New York City. (He was the uncle of saxophonist Dewey Redman, and thus great-uncle of saxophonist Joshua Redman and trumpeter Carlos Redman.)
Career

In 1923, Redman joined the Fletcher Henderson orchestra, mostly playing clarinet and saxophones. He soon began writing arrangements, and Redman did much to formulate the sound that was to become swing. A trademark of Redman's arrangements was that he harmonized melody lines and pseudo-solos within separate sections; for example, clarinet, sax, or brass trios. He played these sections off each other, having one section punctuate the figures of another, or moving the melody around different orchestral sections and soloists. His use of this technique was sophisticated, highly innovative, and formed the basis of much big band jazz writing in the following decades.

In 1927 Jean Goldkette convinced Redman to join the Detroit, Michigan-based band McKinney's Cotton Pickers as their musical director and leader. He was responsible for their great success and arranged over half of their music (splitting the arranging duties with John Nesbitt through 1931). Redman was occasionally featured as their vocalist, displaying a charming, humorous vocal style.

Redman then formed his own band in 1931, which got a residency at the famous Manhattan jazz club Connie's Inn. Redman signed with Brunswick Records and also did a series of radio broadcasts. Redman and his Orchestra also provided music for the animated short I Heard, part of the Betty Boop series produced by Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount. Redman composed original music for the short, which was released on September 1, 1933. The Brunswick records Redman made between 1931–1934 were some of the most complex pre-swing hot jazz arrangements of popular tunes. Redman's band didn't rely on just a driving rhythm or great soloists, but it had an overall level of arranging sophistication that was seldom heard by other black bands of the period. The popular vocalist, Harlan Lattimore, provided about half of the vocals during this period.

The Very Best Of Don Redman & His Orchestra

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Dinah Shore - 16 Most Requested Songs

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:47
Size: 107.1 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[2:00] 1. Buttons And Bows
[3:21] 2. Georgia On My Mind
[3:08] 3. Two Silhouettes
[2:39] 4. Dear Hearts And Gentle People
[3:12] 5. Willow Weep For Me
[2:40] 6. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[2:51] 7. Shoo Fly Pie And Apple Pan Dowdy
[3:00] 8. Tess' Torch Song (I Had A Man)
[3:08] 9. Doin' What Comes Natur'lly
[2:56] 10. Taking A Chance On Love
[3:08] 11. Mad About The Boy
[2:59] 12. Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)
[2:54] 13. It's De-Lovely
[3:16] 14. I'm Yours
[3:09] 15. They Didn't Believe Me
[2:19] 16. Baby, It's Cold Outside

Dinah may now be remembered more as a TV star, but she was one of the most successful female pop singers of the 1940's. This collection and it's companion volume, 16 greatest hits Encore!, contain all the essential hits that Dinah recorded for Columbia from 1946 to 1950. Some lesser hits have been omitted to allow the inclusion of some high quality recordings (like Willow weep for me) that were not hits - perhaps they were B-sides.

Dinah's biggest hit, the lightweight but brilliant Buttons and bows (#1 for ten weeks), opens this collection, which includes the major hits Shoo fly pie and apple pan dowdy (#6), The gypsy (#1), Doin' what comes naturally (#3), Dear hearts and gentle people (#2) and Baby it's cold outside (with Buddy Clark) (#4). Some of these songs faced stiff competition from other versions of the same song and it wasn't always Dinah's version that charted highest, but Dinah's versions are all of a high quality. The 1940's were a particularly strong decade for female singers, but Dinah was certainly among the best of them. This CD and it's companion provide a wonderful introduction to her music. ~ Peter Durward Harris

16 Most Requested Songs

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Jack Teagarden - Think Well Of Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 36:13

Size: 82.9 MB

Styles: Trombone jazz

Year: 1962/2016

Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Where Are You

[3:49] 2. Cottage For Sale

[3:35] 3. Guess I'll Go Back Home This Summer

[3:36] 4. I'm A Fool About My Mama

[3:22] 5. Don't Smoke In Bed

[3:53] 6. In A Little Waterfront Cafe

[2:44] 7. Think Well Of Me

[2:48] 8. Old Folks

[3:43] 9. Country Boy Blues

[2:40] 10. Tain't So Honey, Tain't So

[3:04] 11. Round The Old Deserted Farm

In the years between leaving Louis Armstrong's All-Stars and his death (1952-1963), the great trombonist and singer Jack Teagarden led a Dixieland-oriented sextet. Most of his recordings during that time period, while quite worthy, featured the usual standards and swing songs that had been associated with Teagarden since the '30s. But this particular project, which in 1998 was reissued as a limited-edition CD, was something quite different. Willard Robison was an unusual composer whose nostalgic and wistful songs usually extolled the virtues of country life; best-known among his tunes are "Old Folks," "Cottage for Sale," and "Tain't So, Honey Tain't So." For what would be his next-to-last album in January, 1962, he recorded ten Robison songs (plus the slightly out of place non-Robison standard "Where Are You") while backed by a string orchestra that included both a harp and his trumpeter Don Goldie. Bob Brookmeyer and Russ Case contributed all but one arrangement, and although the strings were certainly not necessary (since they do not add much to the music), the prestigious setting must have pleased the trombonist. All of the songs except for "I'm a Fool About My Mama" have vocals by Teagarden, and he puts plenty of restrained feeling into such obscure tunes as "Guess I'll Go Back Home This Summer," "Think Well of Me," and "'Round My Old Deserted Farm." His short solos are often quite exquisite, and this often touching, somewhat rare date is one of the strongest of his final period. ~Scott Yanow

Think Well Of Me

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Nicholas Payton - Dear Louis

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:16
Size: 161,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:59)  1. Potato Head Blues
(8:30)  2. Hello, Dolly
(4:35)  3. I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You
(7:07)  4. Tight Like This
(0:42)  5. Interlude (St. James Infirmary)
(4:04)  6. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(6:03)  7. Dear Louis
(3:49)  8. Blues In The Night
(5:25)  9. The Peanut Vendor
(2:53) 10. Mack The Knife
(6:06) 11. Tiger Rag
(4:59) 12. I'll Never Be The Same
(7:58) 13. West End Blues

At the risk of stating the obvious, the best tribute albums involve musicians with their own personalities capable of interpreting the material in such a way as to bring something new and fresh to the table. That is exactly what Nicholas Payton does with Dear Louis. And things could have come out quite to the contrary considering that on the surface this has all the trappings of a major label concept album. You know how that works, a rotating cast of characters, including some big name vocalists. Not that Dr. John or Dianne Reeves add anything all that considerable to the whole, but they certainly don't distract from what has to be Payton's most ambitious work to date. On most of the numbers, Payton writes charts for a large ensemble that gets a major boost in the lower register by the addition of Bob Stewart's tuba. "Tiger Rag" makes the most of this, with Scott Robinson adding even more bottom end via his use of a contrabass saxophone. The same track is also one of several to feature Melvin Rhyne on B-3 organ. 

Not to be missed are the roles that Payton's regular band plays in this affair, namely the rock solid support of bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Adonis Rose. "Hello, Dolly" escapes any degree of its kitsch quality, as Payton turns it into a bossa nova. The same goes for the approach to "I'll Never Be the Same," with the trumpeter flexing his own vocal chords (he does the same on "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You," with jubilant results). Even the most overtly apparent nods to Satchmo, such as a verbatim introduction to "West End Blues" from Payton, give way to more modern territory. Again, this leads Payton to explore his own pastures on this greatly varied and immensely satisfying disc.~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dear-louis-nicholas-payton-verve-music-group-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Nicholas Payton: trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals, Fender Rhodes electric piano; Paul Stephens: trumpet, flugelhorn; Ray Vega: trumpet; Vincent Gardner: trombone; Bob Stewart: tuba; Bill Easley: clarinet, alto saxophone, flute; Scott Robinson: bass clarinet, baritone and contrabass saxophones, flute; Tim Warfield: tenor and soprano saxophones, flute; Peter Bernstein: guitar; Melvin Rhyne: organ; Anthony Wonsey: piano; Walter Payton: bass; Reuben Rogers: bass; Adonis Rose: drums; Kenyatta Simon: percussion; Dr. John: vocals; Dianne Reeves: vocals.

Dear Louis

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Jenny Evans - Nuages

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:07
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:05)  1. Mad About The Boy
(5:47)  2. Remember Me
(3:28)  3. Nuages
(4:29)  4. Our Revels Are Now Ended
(5:49)  5. Within You, Without You
(5:43)  6. Flow My Tears
(5:02)  7. I'm Alone After All
(3:08)  8. The Feeling Of You
(4:37)  9. Veris Leta Facies
(4:49) 10. No Love Without Tears
(3:04) 11. What Joy

Born in London, England, in the lowly outskirts of Beckenham, Jenny Evans is a talented master of many trades. She is an unforgettable jazz singer, but she has also been an actress and lyricist, and she has run a jazz club for five years called Jenny's Place. She has been in musicals such as Blood Brothers, her voice has been used in films, and she even has a M.A. degree in linguistics to fall back on (as if she would ever need to). Evans moved to Munich, Germany, in 1976 to study to be a teacher of music and English. While working toward her degree, she became the lead singer for a band called Old Socks New Shoes. The ragtime numbers she performed with the group slowly blended toward classic jazz. Though she appears comfortable and capable singing anything from Gershwin songs to numbers by the Beatles, her sultry voice seems made just for jazz. In 1997, Evans released her debut album for ENJA Records, Shiny Stockings. The album won her good reviews by many. Girl Talk hit the stores in 1999 with tracks like "Love for Sale," "Mr. Bojangles," and "I Wanna Be Near to You." Evans keeps busy between recordings, playing at many clubs and festivals, and touring in Europe, Germany, Australia, Russia, and Japan. ~ Charlotte Dillon  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jenny-evans/id58282661#fullText

Nuages

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Jed Levy - Gateway

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:27
Size: 152,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Life of Riley
(8:24)  2. Irony
(9:23)  3. Gateway
(7:18)  4. Lost April
(8:44)  5. Positivity
(6:01)  6. Chorale
(8:01)  7. How Am I To Know
(6:43)  8. Afterthought Blues
(6:14)  9. Carillon

Some players seem to enjoy the adventure of not knowing with whom they are going to play with next, while others would rather develop the interpersonal communication that can only come with time. Since jazz is, at its core, an improvisational art, playing in the moment is the ideal, with different kinds of music requiring different musical reflexes. Jed Levy, as demonstrated on the most attractive Gateway, lives in the mainstream world, but one that is filled with unexpected twists and turns while bringing together musicians who had never played together as a quartet. However, the interpersonal chemistry which one might think would be lacking is more than balanced by the extremely high level of musicianship present at the session. What is clear from the music is that these players really listen to each other and are so quick of musical thought that they have more than enough time to negotiate the detours in the road while reacting to what is happening around them.

Levy's tunes cannot be called adventurous, but neither are they totally predictable. Odd phrase lengths abound, as do changes in meter, but they never sound overtly shocking for their own sake. In the notes, Levy actually speaks of his compositions as representing the natural outcome of what he is hearing at the moment and not any artificial constructs. As the tunes of Gateway each flow by, the record's pacing moves from the up tunes through ballads and back. Jazz that has that warm comfort level, which comes from recognizable structures, exists simultaneously with the excitement of players who are so facile that they can play around within Levy's music. This facility comes at a price however, since everyone makes it sound so easy. Someone who looks to jazz for the shock of the new or who wants to listen in the moment as the players play in that moment will not find it here. But, then again, that is not what Gateway is about, which is simply to present good music and to play it honestly and directly.~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/gateway-jed-levy-steeplechase-records-review-by-budd-kopman.php
 

Personnel: Jed Levy: tenor saxophone;  George Colligan: piano;  Ugonna Okegwo: bass;  Billy Drummond: drums.

Gateway

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