Nikki Yanofsky - Nikki

Styles: Jazz, Vocal

Year: 2010

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 46:46

Size: 108,5 MB

Art: Front

(3:33)  1. Take The "A" Train

(2:28)  2. Never Make It On Time

(3:45)  3. I Got Rhythm

(2:52)  4. For Another Day

(5:05)  5. God Bless The Child

(3:23)  6. Cool My Heels

(4:18)  7. You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini)

(3:50)  8. Bienvenue Dans Ma Vie

(3:06)  9. First Lady

(2:40) 10. On The Sunny Side Of The Street/Fool In The Rain

(3:22) 11. Grey Skies

(3:11) 12. Try Try Try

(5:08) 13. Over The Rainbow

With Norah Jones choosing to pursue a career as a Bohemian singer/songwriter (and Nellie McKay revealing herself to be too artfully camp to even consider the mainstream), the door was wide open for a singer like Nikki Yanofsky: a bright, cheerful jazz-pop traditionalist happy to sing those old songs once again. And so she does on here 2010 debut, Nikki, produced in tandem by the legendary Phil Ramone and Jesse Harris, the guitarist/songwriter who came to prominence via his work on Jones’ debut Come Away with Me, where he penned her breakthrough hit “Don’t Know Why.” Harris performs a similar function on Yanofsky’s debut, co-writing the bulk of the non-classics here with the assistance of Ron Sexsmith and Yanofsky herself, crafting smooth, assured soft rock that’s of a piece with the sultriness of Come Away with Me (with the notable exception of the cabaret swing of “Bienvenue Dans Ma Vie”). But Nikki Yanofsky is clearly not Norah Jones: she possesses a puppy-dog eagerness that jibes with her 16 years, happy to perform and please. Her status as a show biz kid can occasionally grate whenever she succumbs to scatting, or does a too-cute mashup of “On the Sunny Side of the Street” and Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain,” she gives the impression of that too-talented, over-coached kid who dominates drama club but there’s also an innate brightness to her persona that is beguiling, particularly when she’s singing those numbers written with Harris and Sexsmith, songs that feel timeless and contemporary and take full advantage of her sunny nature. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/nikki-mw0001977293

Nikki

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Jeff Cascaro - The Soul Of Jeff Cascaro

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:11
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. I Feel Fine
(3:27)  2. Soul Of A Singer
(5:22)  3. Love Is In The Air
(3:39)  4. The Sun Is Shining For Our Love
(5:57)  5. Love Will Find A Way
(3:56)  6. Follow You, Follow Me
(3:31)  7. Try
(5:57)  8. When She Sings To Me
(8:17)  9. Holler / I'm Talking To You Baby (Live Swr 1 Headphones Concert)
(5:37) 10. Tripping Out (Live Swr 1 Headphones Concert)

Cascaro won at the age of 18 years the national competition Jugend jazzt and since then as a professional musician working. He has master classes with Jay Clayton , Rachel Gould , Marjorie Barnes and Walter Norris through. He has performed with most German radio big bands (including NDR Bigband and RIAS Big Band ) and groups such as the Fantastic Four , the Guano Apes , H-Blockx , the New Rock Conference and Klaus Doldinger Passport. He also worked with Till Brönner , Ute Lemper , Sasha , Joe Sample , Howard Johnson , Georgie Fame , Herb Geller , Bobby Shew , Horst Jankowski and Götz Alsmann together.  Since 2000 he has been a professor in jazz singing at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt . At the talent show Germany seeks the superstar he worked as a vocal coach (including for Thomas Godoj ) with. After albums with the trio of Martin Sasse (Let's Fall In Love!) And the hr-Bigband (The American Songs of Kurt Weill with Silvia Droste ) was published in 2006 his first solo album Soul of a Singer (with Christian von Kaphengst as producer and bassist Ulf Kleiner , piano, Bruno Müller, guitar, Peter Luebke and Roland Peil , drums, and Michael Heupel , flute). In 2008 he was the album Mother and Brother. Translate by Google https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cascaro&prev=search

The Soul Of Jeff Cascaro

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Martin Jacobsen - At The Jazzhouse

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 63:02
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:42)  1. Reggie Of Chester
(10:50)  2. Forest Flower
( 8:35)  3. Stairway To The Stars
( 7:40)  4. U. M. M. G.
( 9:56)  5. In A Sentimental Mood
( 9:49)  6. Witchcraft
( 8:26)  7. This I Dig Of You

Although Danish-born Martin Jacobsen considers Paris his home base, the busy saxophonist travels extensively throughout Europe and abroad, performing with such notable jazz performers as David Sanborn. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, he began playing the tenor saxophone at the relatively late age 19, driven by a strong urge for musical expression after listening to jazz for about a year, especially the Miles Davis group with John Coltrane of the 1950s. He received a few lessons from fellow tenorman Tomas Franck, but largely taught himself to play. "It isn't always the best way to learn because you can make mistakes, do things wrong and then you have to waste time correcting bad technique. But also, doing it the hard way, you can make discoveries. You definitely find out what is really important." Through the 1990s, Martin worked with a host of talented young jazz players on the Copenhagen scene and was heard with the Bust'n Bloopers Big Band with among others Bob Mintzer and formed his quartet with guitarist Jacob Fischer in 1993. In 1995, he took the advice of saxophonist Bob Rockwell who suggested he move to either New York or Paris. Martin plumped for "Paree" and has since been performing and recording CDs, radio and television shows with Doug Raney, Bobby Durham, David Sanborn, Gil Goldstein, Rick Hollander, Jesse van Ruller, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Antonio Farao, Mark Taylor, Yutaka Shiina and many others.  Martin Jacobsen has his base in Paris, but is a busy traveler in Europe and abroad and has performed in more than 25 countries, including Japan, Italy, England, Germany, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia, Singapore, China, Mongolia, Macedonia, Albania, Scotland, South Korea, Canada, Indonesia, Spain, UAE, Mozambique, Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Netherlands, Belgium, Lebanon and of cause in Denmark. http://www.martinjacobsen.com/biography.htm

Personnel:  Martin Jacobsen, tenor sax;  Doug Raney, guitar; Jesper Lindgaard, bass;  Rick Hollander, drums

At The Jazzhouse

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Jeff Richman - Aqua

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 56:30
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Everything About You
(6:21)  2. Kahuku
(4:31)  3. Priceless
(6:56)  4. The Big Step
(5:22)  5. Aqua
(4:55)  6. Where I Belong
(6:12)  7. Storm Before The Calm
(5:58)  8. Peace of Work
(5:17)  9. The Nest
(5:17) 10. Down by the River

Taking a decisive turn down his own creative path, Jeff Richman’s latest CD “Aqua” is an evocative and emotional presentation from this artist better known for edgier fusion styles. After producing six tribute CDs for the Tone Center record label, “Aqua” is his first release of new material since 2004 and Richman felt it was time to do something completely new and self-inspired.

Jeff’s Comments:  I wanted to reflect the peaceful, calming sensation of the ocean which I grew up around in the overall sound for this album and each song is a part of that whole concept. I really knew what I wanted for this album, from the warm and jazzy sound of my guitar, to each of the musicians who appeared. This CD came out better than I ever expected. Each musician on this album were my first and only choice because they know how to interpret my music. Individually and collectively, they helped me with my vision and the result is what I feel to be my best work to date. Two world-class and uniquely different drummers, Simon Philips and Will Kennedy blend funk, blues, rock and jazz, perfectly on this album. Dean Taba and I have been recording and playing together for over fifteen years. Abraham Laboriel is a legend and brings a unique magic to every project he’s involved with. Mitchel Forman and Jeff Babko are my two favorite keyboard players because their creativity always compliments what I do. Jeff Beal and Brandon Fields on horns have the creative strength to interpret my music. I’ve worked with Walfredo Reyes since my first album “Himalaya” in 1985 and his percussion adds depth and dimension to the music. Chris Wabich was recommended to me for steel drums and he really pulled off the ideas I had giving me the sound I was looking for. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jeffrichman5

Aqua

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Di Anne Price - Wild Women

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:27
Size: 115.5 MB
Styles: Blues piano & vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[5:05] 1. Wild Women Don't Get The Blues
[5:44] 2. The Soul Of A Man
[8:52] 3. Wrong Key Hole
[3:05] 4. Tonight's The Night
[3:32] 5. Fisherman's Blues
[4:26] 6. I Didn't Like It The First Time Don't Save It Too Long
[3:19] 7. Fishin' In The Sea Of Matrimony
[4:02] 8. Knocking Myself Out
[3:33] 9. Will My Man Be Home Tonight
[4:22] 10. Blues Have Been Good To Me
[4:22] 11. Pig Meat

Memphis pianist-vocalist Di Anne Price channels the spirit of classic blues divas Ida Cox, Alberta Hunter, Sippie Wallace and Memphis Minnie on Wild Women. A profoundly soulful singer, Price's expressive voice is etched with pain on "The Soul of a Man" and brimming with sly humor on the calypso-flavored "Fishin' in the Sea of Matrimony" and the naughty "Wrong Key Hole." She is equally adept at tickling the ivories and is particularly sharp on the rolling "Fisherman's Blues," the two-fisted shuffle "I Didn't Like It the First Time" and the boogie woogie workout "Pig Meat." A new talent well worth checking out. ~Bill Milkowski

Wild Women

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Nnenna Freelon - Better Than Anything

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:30
Size: 131.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. Better Than Anything
[4:31] 2. I Won't Dance
[3:22] 3. Straighten Up And Fly Right
[4:12] 4. Nature Boy
[5:07] 5. Them There Eyes
[4:14] 6. I Say A Little Prayer
[4:52] 7. Body And Soul
[4:56] 8. Button Up Your Overcoat
[7:25] 9. The Tears Of A Clown
[5:10] 10. Ooh Child
[3:56] 11. One Child At A Time
[4:48] 12. Balm In Gilead

Nnenna Freelon has recorded for the Concord label since 1996. Better Than Anything has some of the high points from her first nine years with the company, drawing its dozen selections from six previously released CDs. Freelon had developed into an individual voice and a subtle improviser before she hooked up with Concord but she has grown in depth ever since, being increasingly willing to take chances and stretch herself into other idioms while staying true to her jazz vision. On Better Than Anything, seven of the dozen selections are jazz standards, with "I Say a Little Prayer" and "Balm in Gilead" being among the exceptions. But even such tunes as "Them There Eyes" (taken from a project that had modernized versions of Billie Holiday-associated songs) and "Body and Soul" sound different than expected. The most joyful performance is "Straighten Up and Fly Right," which teams Freelon with Take 6. They should record a full-length project someday. Better Than Anything is an excellent all-round sampler, although Nnenna Freelon's best fans will prefer to obtain her original CDs individually. ~Scott Yanow

Better Than Anything

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Reid Jamieson - The Presley Sessions Revisited

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:44
Size: 58.9 MB
Styles: Country-pop
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
[2:26] 2. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
[2:29] 3. Mystery Train
[2:58] 4. I Only Have Eyes For You
[2:10] 5. I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
[1:53] 6. Only You
[2:42] 7. Trying To Get To You
[2:38] 8. It Is So Strange
[2:12] 9. When I Hear It Now
[3:09] 10. In Dreams

All vocals & instruments performed by Reid Jamieson. Track 9 with additional vocals by Carolyn Victoria Mill.

The Presley Sessions Revisited is a musical love letter to the greats of the 50s era, including songs made popular by Elvis, Roy Orbison, The Platters and The Flamingos. Following up on his rather unintentional hit 'The Presley Sessions' - a homespun recording originally intended as a birthday present for his then sweetheart (now wife) - this incredible vocalist has once again captured the essence of a magical moment in music history. Playing every instrument himself (and standing in for the Jordanaires all by his lonesome), this record showcases an artist of exceptional talent. Expect a boatload of memories plus the swingin' new original 'When I Hear It Now' featuring the missus - Carolyn Victoria Mill. Some records were created for one simple reason only - to make people happy. We hope you enjoy listening to the Presley Sessions as much as we enjoyed making it.

The Presley Sessions Revisited

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Seamus Blake Quintet - Live at Smalls

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:34
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:15)  1. Subterfuge
(12:26)  2. Amuse Bouche
( 8:00)   3. Consequence
(11:05)  4. Stranger in Paradise
(13:45)  5. Fear of Rooming

Recorded at the Greenwich Village club on August 31st and September 1st 2009, Live At Smalls showcases the inventive sound of English-born, Canadian-raised and New York-based Seamus Blake. The tenor saxophonist's career to date includes membership in the Mingus Big Band, BANN and the Victor Lewis Quintet, as well as his own combos. Live At Smalls finds Blake leading a sharp and swinging quintet on a series of post-bop originals and a cover of "Stranger in Paradise." The quintet on these dates also appears on Bellwether (Criss Cross, 2010). The musicians work well together, as an ensemble and also in the soloist/rhythm section format, always complementary in their approach. Blake is a strong player, capable of fast and fairly wild solos, without any danger of losing control. He's also able to craft a more romantic and reflective sound, as he shows on "Stranger in Paradise" or his own "Consequence."  Guitarist Lage Lund is also impressive, both for his precise and crystal clear picking and his fluid and melodic sound. Lund's solos on "Subterfuge" and "Amuse Bouche" are lovely examples of these qualities, bringing well-deserved whoops of pleasure from the crowd.  

The tight and flexible rhythm section underpins Blake and Lund's lead work with flair. Bill Stewart and Matt Clohesy set up stylish rhythms on the ballads and the more up-tempo tunes alike. Stewart's drumming is at the front of the mix occasionally too far to the front, to the detriment of Clohesy's bass sound. Pianist David Kikoski's spacious comping is always effective, while his solo work on "Consequence" and his interplay with Blake on "Stranger in Paradise" are lyrical and romantic.  Live At Smalls documents a quintet on top form in front of an appreciative crowd. Spike Wilner's production ensures that the live atmosphere infuses the entire album, giving a real sense of "jazz as it happens" in this classic venue. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-smalls-seamus-blake-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php
 

Personnel: Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone; Lage Lund: guitar; Dave Kikoski: piano; Matt Clohesy: bass: Bill Stewart: drums.

Live at Smalls

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Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson - Ella and Oscar

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:45
Size: 158,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Mean to Me
(4:59)  2. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(4:57)  3. When Your Lover Has Gone
(4:37)  4. More Than You Know
(4:58)  5. There's a Lull in My Life
(3:40)  6. Midnight Sun
(5:12)  7. I Hear Music
(4:08)  8. Street of Dreams
(8:40)  9. April in Paris
(5:01) 10. How Long Has This Been Going On? (take 5)
(4:36) 11. More Than You Know (take 1)
(3:41) 12. Midnight Sun (take 1)
(8:40) 13. April in Paris (take 2)

Although Ella Fitzgerald worked in many different settings, from big bands to guitar-and-voice duets to sets with nearly every piano player in the business (from Duke Ellington on down), one could make a case that her best recordings were made with Oscar Peterson and his small bands. Released in 1976, Ella and Oscar is one of those classic recordings, an album that's as spare and intimate as any that the pair ever issued. 

In fact, the only other performer featured on this set is Peterson's longtime bassist Ray Brown, whose contributions are minimal. These songs, from the mellifluous "Mean to Me" to a languid "April in Paris," are simple and beautiful. http://www.allmusic.com/album/ella-oscar-mw0000649509

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Oscar Peterson (piano); Ray Brown (bass).

Ella and Oscar

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Frank D' Rone - Frank D' Rone Sings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:38
Size: 61,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:45)  1. Love And The Weather
(2:05)  2. Yesterdays
(2:11)  3. I Could Write A Book
(3:46)  4. Everything Happens To Me
(2:01)  5. My Foolish Heart
(2:03)  6. Fascinating Rhythm
(2:09)  7. The Moon Is Blue
(3:22)  8. Sophisticated Lady
(2:38)  9. Joey, Joey, Joey
(2:36) 10. Spring Is Here
(1:57) 11. The Way You Look Tonight

Chicago singer Frank D'Rone recorded four LPs for Mercury during the late '50s and early '60s, one of them (After the Ball) with name arranger Billy May. A swinging vocalist having much in common with Bobby Darin, D'Rone was originally a band guitarist before making his debut on Mercury in 1957 with a trio of short sessions. His first LP, Frank D'Rone Sings, was followed in 1959 by Blue Velvet. D'Rone made a trip to Los Angeles in order to record with Billy May for 1960's After the Ball, but his time with Mercury ended in 1962 after In Person. D'Rone has continued to perform and record into the 21st century, with his latest CD, Double Exposure, slated for release in January 2012. The album includes big-band arrangements featuring Phil Kelly & the Northwest Prevailing Winds. ~ John Bush  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-drone-mn0000190407/biography

Frank D'Rone Sings

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Cynthia Miller - A Simple Christmas

Size: 103,5 MB
Time: 41:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Xmas
Art: Front

01. O Come All Ye Faithful (4:03)
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (3:23)
03. I'll Be Home For Christmas (3:26)
04. Little Drummer Boy (3:58)
05. O Holy Night (4:41)
06. Heaven Everywhere (3:26)
07. Mary Did You Know (4:11)
08. My Favorite Things (3:57)
09. What Child Is This (3:53)
10. The Christmas Song (Feat. Calvin Norton) (3:01)
11. Go Tell It On The Mountain (3:18)

Cynthia Miller grew up singing with her sister and family around the piano as her father played and taught her to sing harmony. As a little girl in California she volunteered as much as she could in school to sing the song “This Land” after the Pledge. Her family relocated to Texas after her grandfather passed away. He pastored a church in Houston.

Cynthia always loved singing but like every artist she had her challenges. Early on she recognized her need to learn how to accept compliments while at the same time finding her place in music. And that she did find.

From her basic training to a professional career, she found herself on stage singing. Her voice opened many doors to sing the National Anthem for almost every major Houston sporting event, including The Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show, Houston’s Freedom Over Texas 4th of July events, and even NASCAR.

She recorded a five-song demo in 2003 titled “Reflections” with more of a gospel sound. This was followed by a self-titled CD in 2008 showcasing a jazzy-pop sound. In 2014, her Christmas CD entitled “A Simple Christmas” got back to basics and allowed the dynamic range of her voice to carry the emotion and nostalgia of Christmas.

A Simple Christmas

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Ruby Braff & Dick Hyman - Fireworks

Size: 104,8 MB
Time: 44:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1983/2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Somebody Loves Me (6:14)
02. Bidin My Time (4:30)
03. High Society (3:57)
04. They Cant Take That Away From Me (7:21)
05. Lady Be Good (5:42)
06. Liza (Piano Solo) (5:38)
07. Swan Lake (5:23)
08. Sugar (6:09)

This 1983 concert performance at the New School in New York City by cornet player Ruby Braff and pianist Dick Hyman is one where fortune smiled on the two swing era-styled jazz musicians. Performing as a duet since 1975, calling tunes here on-stage, with no P.A. system and nothing but a cassette player to document the performance, Braff and Hyman winged it with a fairly satisfying result. The tape changed hands several times before being mastered and turned into this original Inner City LP, now available on CD. A program consisting mainly of Gershwin tunes, the honesty and mutual trust between these great traditional jazz masters clearly shines through, even if the sound is a bit muffled. Well-known songs like "Somebody Loves Me," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," and "Lady Be Good" are all masterfully done, respectively with luscious interplay and Braff stepping up in pronounced volume levels, working on an easygoing chamber level, or in the case of the cornetist, using vocal-type, chatty techniques that are his signature sound. Hyman is really the ultimate versatile jazz piano genius in his ability to support, supplant, or supercharge these tunes. He hops up the remarkably hot "High Society" in stride fashion, goes deep in post-worry blues during the simple and easy "Sugar," and plays solo in various keys, mixed pacings, phrasings, and tempos on the Gershwin evergreen "Liza" which could never sound staid or stale in his hands. A five-minute version of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" is adapted and arranged into a form reminiscent of "St. Louis Blues" with Braff's chortling and guffawing horn again striking a singing pose. Digitally cleaned up, Fireworks is an improvement on the vinyl version, and is a good reminder of how swing was still valid 50 years after the fact, and in very good hands via Braff and Hyman. ~by Michael G. Nastos

The Fireworks

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Diane Armesto - The Intimate Side

Size: 121,1 MB
Time: 52:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Nearness Of You (Radio Edit) (3:39)
02. I Don't Want To Love You (Radio Edit) (3:38)
03. If You Could See Me Now (Radio Edit) (3:03)
04. My Dear Friend (Radio Edit) (3:34)
05. For All We Know (Radio Edit) (4:14)
06. The Nearness Of You (7:06)
07. I Don't Want To Love You (6:45)
08. If You Could See Me Now (5:59)
09. My Dear Friend (6:15)
10. For All We Know (7:59)

The daughter of composer/Eastman School of Music graduate, John Armesto (John Burke), and of soprano, Isabelle Rinker Armesto (prior manager of Buffalo Chamber Music Society), Diane Armesto has an early back ground in classical music. At six years old Diane started piano lessons. At around age nine she was playing violin. Around this same time, Diane began listening to Peggy Lee and Cannonball Adderley. As a teenager, Diane’s record collection included LPs by Mile Davis, Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans — and recordings with arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, Torre Zito, Claus Ogerman, and Quincy Jones's "Walking In Space”.

In her twenties, Diane Armesto moved from New York to California with aspirations of attending UCLA to study screen-writing. It was then that she met and eventually became involved with jazz trombonist Frank Rosolino who at the time was living with mutual friends of theirs in the San Fernando Valley.

Appreciative of Armesto’s keen ear for music, Rosolino delighted in exposing Diane to the many greats he knew and for whom he had the highest regard. At a very early age Diane Armesto had the honor and privilege of listening to and being in the company of band leaders and arrangers such as Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Quincy Jones, Michelle LeGrand; pianists Horace Silver, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans; vibraphonist Milt Jackson who had been a school mate of Frank’s at Miller High in Detroit; bassists Ray Brown; drummers Art Blakey, Buddy Rich, Elvin Jones; saxophonists James Moody, Stan Getz, “Cannonball” Adderley; trumpet players Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Chet Baker; trombonists Kai Winding, JJ Johnson, Jimmy Cleveland; harmonica player Toots Thielemans; singers Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Sarah Vaughan, June Christy, Carmen McRae — the list is endless. Conversations with musicians and singers such as this would prove to be invaluable.

Recognizing Diane Armesto’s talent for writing, Frank Rosolino also encouraged her to compose a lyric to an orchestral composition, “Violets”, written by Dutch composer Jerry Van Rooyen. This music, dedicated to Mr. Rosolino, had been recorded by him with the Metropole Orchestra in Holland, 1975. Diane Armesto (AKA Diane Rosolino), was present during this session. Afterward, Frank repeatedly told his fiancé the music was calling for words. With time, Diane created a lyric and “Violets”, became “Once I loved". After listening, Rosolino enthusiastically took Armesto to Sage & Sound Recording studios in Hollywood, California to overdub the words. This would be Diane’s first attempt at singing. Diane's vocal rendition of this song has yet to be released.

A self--taught burgeoning, Jazz drummer, but not interested in pursuing a career in music herself, Diane Armesto was content to be Frank Rosolino’s manager. With time, she became a booking agent, serving other renowned musicians such as trumpeter Conte Candoli, saxophonists Rudolf Johnson (with Ray Charles), Bob Berg and Joe Farrell, pianists Larry Willis and Cedar Walton, drummer Billy Higgins, organist Jimmy McGriff — and more.

It was during her protracted recovery from the tragic death of Frank Rosolino, that Diane Armesto eventually returned to the world of music she loves. With a passion now to express herself as a vocalist, Armesto formed her own group. With time and enough experience, Diane Armesto would become known by many musicians, critics and fans for her expressive contralto voice, her unique approach to singing jazz, her talent for writing lyrics - and eventually music.

The Intimate Side

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Boots Randolph - Boots With Strings

Size: 103,1 MB
Time: 36:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1966/2016
Styles: Jazz, Easy Listening
Art: Front

01. The Shadow Of Your Smile (3:10)
02. What Now My Love (2:57)
03. Days Of Wine & Roses (3:00)
04. Yesterday (2:14)
05. You've Lost That Loving Feeling (4:04)
06. What Kind Of Fool Am I (2:39)
07. Moon River (2:45)
08. Michelle (2:44)
09. Stranger On The Shore (3:48)
10. I Left My Heart In San Francisco (2:38)
11. Dear Hearts (3:04)
12. Unchained Melody (3:07)

Tenor saxophonist Boots Randolph was an important contributor to the Nashville sound, the set of pop-flavored textures that dominated country music in the late '50s and early '60s. He was born in Paducah, KY, but grew up in small-town Cadiz, in Trigg County. Born Homer Louis Randolph III, he acquired the nickname "Boots" in childhood from his brother Bob. Randolph began playing the trombone in school and learned several other instruments, but by the time he was 16 he had begun to focus seriously on the sax. He honed his chops as a member of the U.S. Army Band during World War II.

After the war, Randolph returned home and performed semi-professionally for some years around Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. In the late '50s, Jethro Burns heard him play and suggested he move to Nashville. Burns introduced Randolph to Chet Atkins, who signed him to the RCA label. Randolph also quickly made the acquaintance of Atkins rival Owen Bradley and performed on many recordings Bradley helmed as producer. Nashville's new corps of session musicians spent its leisure time in the Printer's Alley section of the city's downtown, an actual alley (between First and Second avenues) that offered entrance to various basement barrooms, and Randolph became one of the group. Like other Nashville players, he took enthusiastically to jazz and rock & roll in addition to country music.

One single, the 1963 instrumental "Yakety Sax," showed Randolph putting all these influences together and delivering an extremely catchy tune; it became his only real hit. But Randolph was a consistent seller of LP albums (with 13 charted releases) in the 1960s and 1970s; offering pleasant saxophone covers of material from various genres of music, he became a counterpart to Atkins on guitar and Floyd Cramer on piano. He moved from RCA to the Monument label in 1966. For well over a decade, in addition, he averaged 200-300 studio sessions a year on recordings made by others. The saxophone heard on Elvis Presley's later records is likely to be Randolph's.

In 1977, Randolph opened a successful club of his own in Printer's Alley; it endured into the 1990s and spawned another club in the Opryland U.S.A. area. Randolph remained active as an entertainer into the 2000s, and in 1994 the original Yakety Sax album was admitted into the unofficial country canon; it was reissued by Germany's Bear Family label. Randolph suffered a brain hemorrhage in late June 2007 and remained in a coma until his passing at the age of 80 on July 3, 2007. ~by James Manheim

Boots With Strings

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Julie London - Easy Does It

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:17
Size: 87.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1968/2012
Art: Front

[2:40] 1. Show Me The Way To Go Home
[3:00] 2. Me And My Shadow
[3:28] 3. This Can't Be Love
[2:58] 4. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
[2:38] 5. Soon It's Gonna Rain
[3:40] 6. I'll See You In My Dreams
[3:20] 7. April In Paris
[3:53] 8. Bidin' My Time
[3:29] 9. The Man I Love
[3:36] 10. It Had To Be You
[3:03] 11. We'll Be Together Again
[2:27] 12. The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)

There are singers who let it fly from deep within and pour out red-faced bellows complete with bulging eyes and pulsating neck cords. They rip it up with big bands and belt it out until the sun comes up, then follow with swashbuckling encores that bring down the house with slaps-on-the-back and flamenco table top dances.

Then there's Julie. No gala musical fanfare or big-sound glitter. No jokes, no jugglers, no soft-shoe. Just a blues guitar, a well-placed bass, a drummer's light brush... and Julie. The combo provides a mere musical skeleton, a framework that serves only to complement the singer; it doesn't try to compete. The combination is distinctively blues... and distinctively Julie.

Julie is a mysterious, sultry woman with a moist-eyed singing style and real feeling for loneliness. She can take a variety of material and adapt it perfectly to her nostalgic blue mood. Her rendition of "This Can't Be Love" is one of the best examples. The slight musical accompaniment serves only to enhance Julie's vocal mood. Even old timers like "Me And My Shadow" and "Bidin' My Time" come across like they were written especially for her. Julie won't change her style with the whims of the musical world - her "It Had To Be You" and "The Man I Love" will always be provoking and easy to understand. And people will always want to hear her. .. whenever they get in that Julie mood. No, she doesn't strain above the percussion and brass, and she has no aspirations to win the battle of the bands or shatter fine crystal with her vocal vibrations. Her music is for the candlelight people - people who light fires in fireplaces and pull down bottles of Spanish Port from musty cupboards. She sings the way lonely people feel. And there's not a grin in the place. ~Al Stoffel

Easy Does It

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Oliver Jones - Just 88

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:57
Size: 151.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. It Could Happen To You
[7:19] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[4:09] 3. But Not For Me
[3:59] 4. Blues For Laurentian U
[6:19] 5. My Old Flame
[4:21] 6. Dizzy-Nest
[4:47] 7. Insensitive
[6:28] 8. After All These Years
[4:33] 9. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[5:33] 10. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[7:53] 11. Passing Thoughts
[5:11] 12. How High The Moon

Oliver Jones was already in his fifties when he was discovered by the jazz world. He had started playing piano when he was seven and at nine, he studied with Oscar Peterson's sister Daisy; the Peterson influence is still felt in his style. Jones played with show bands and worked with pop singer Ken Hamilton (1963-1980), much of the time in Puerto Rico. It was not until he returned to Montreal in 1980 that he committed himself to playing jazz full-time. Since the mid-'80s, Oliver Jones has recorded extensively for Justin Time and established himself as a major modern mainstream player with impressive technique and a hard-swinging style. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Just 88

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Tinez Roots Club - Something You Got

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:46
Size: 88.8 MB
Styles: Jump blues, R&B
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Just Be Cool
[2:10] 2. Something You Got
[3:19] 3. I Long For You
[3:19] 4. Lovely Latina
[2:36] 5. Flat Rat
[1:46] 6. High Jump
[3:44] 7. Buick '53
[3:04] 8. I Don't Want You No More
[3:38] 9. More Happiness
[2:23] 10. She's So Fine
[2:24] 11. Sweet And 17
[3:43] 12. If I Could
[3:08] 13. Crazy Mule

Tinez Roots Club has been founded by Martijn 'Tinez' van Toor in 2009. His 1st cd entitled "Something You Got" (with Jan Kanis - guitar, Frans Hellemans - double and hoffner bass, Pieter Bakker - drums), is very well received everywhere and has been reissued by the German label Rhythm Bomb. This band plays a raw and high energy mix of 50's Rhythm 'n Blues, 60's Soul, jazzy licks and wild Rock 'n Roll.

Something You Got

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Caetano Veloso - A Foreign Sound

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:16
Size: 172.3 MB
Styles: Standards, Traditional pop
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:31] 1. The Carioca
[5:30] 2. So In Love
[3:42] 3. Always
[4:16] 4. Come As You Are
[4:32] 5. Feelings
[2:37] 6. Love For Sale
[4:09] 7. The Man I Love
[2:38] 8. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[3:10] 9. Cry Me A River
[2:44] 10. Jamaica Farewell
[1:58] 11. Nature Boy
[4:18] 12. [nothing But] Flowers
[3:58] 13. Manhattan
[3:29] 14. Diana
[2:33] 15. Summertime
[6:07] 16. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
[3:22] 17. Love Me Tender
[3:31] 18. Body And Soul
[3:05] 19. If It's Magic
[1:31] 20. Detached
[1:38] 21. Something Good
[2:46] 22. Blue Skies

When an international artist records an English-language album, crossover is usually in the cards. For Caetano Veloso, however, it's an entirely different matter. The statesman of Brazilian pop, a musical giant who is on track to record more in his fifth decade of artistic striving than in any other (not to mention his accompanying exploits in literature), Veloso has no need to begin an American campaign. He also has shown no wish to. Caetano Veloso has never courted an American audience, though he has drawn a sizeable one because of his prescient, emotionally charged songwriting and a performance style that can be studied or unhinged depending on the circumstances required. A Foreign Sound is not only an English-language album but an American songbook, one that explores Veloso's long fascination with the greatest composers in American history. It began when he was a child in the '40s and '50s enamored of American culture, was strengthened when his hero João Gilberto began championing the great American songbook, and has remained steady if not continuous through his artistic career. The record is perhaps his most ambitious project ever, a 22-song album that ranges for its material from emperors of Broadway to the denizens of folk music, from the cultured (Rodgers & Hart's "Manhattan") to the torchy (Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") to the gritty (Nirvana's "Come as You Are"). Veloso's high tenor has only strengthened 30 years after his other English-language record -- an eponymous 1971 LP, recorded in London as a forlorn postcard to the country he had been forcibly removed from by Brazil's fascist-leaning government. Although few recordings in his discography (or any other's) can rival that one's emotional power, A Foreign Sound comes very close. Veloso transforms these standards by a clever combination of his subtle interpretive gifts, his precise, literate delivery, and his ability to frame each song with an arrangement that fits perfectly (usually either a small group led by his acoustic guitar or a small string group, though "Love for Sale" is given a spine-tingling a cappella treatment). Out of 22 songs, only Bob Dylan's "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" sounds like a mistake; every other performance here is nearly irresistible, the perfect valentine to a country with a strong songwriting tradition that Veloso unites and celebrates with this album. ~John Bush

A Foreign Sound

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Mal Waldron - My Dear Family

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:45
Size: 123,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:48)  1. Foot Prints
(8:18)  2. Left Alone
(4:02)  3. Sassy
(9:03)  4. Sakura Sakura
(7:43)  5. Here's That Rainy Day
(6:30)  6. Jeann Pierre
(7:59)  7. Red Shoes
(5:19)  8. My Dear Family

This date is notable for the pairing of pianist Mal Waldron and smooth jazz reedman Grover Washington, Jr.. Washington was always over-qualified to play his particular brand of instrumental pop, and it is a joy to hear him stretch out a bit on this straight-ahead session. His supple tone mixes well with trumpeter Eddie Henderson and both musicians take full harmonic advantage of performing with the moody and expansive Waldron. The only disappointment here is the overall somber quality of the selections. Despite an inspired version of "Footprints" and an unexpected choice in the funky "Jean Pierre" off Miles Davis' 1981 We Want Miles -- the album lags. "Left Alone" features Washington's trademark soprano sax sound and is a pretty ballad, but is followed up with the mid-tempo "Sassy" negating the prior tune's impact. Waldron could have earned more kudos with his inclusion of the Japanese traditional song "Sakura Sakura"  an interesting foray into world jazz -- if he had only bookended it with some bright up-tempo numbers. Still, this is a superbly performed album by stellar, world-class musicans and should please most hardcore jazz fans. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-dear-family-mw0000186671

Personnel: Mal Waldron (piano); Grover Washington, Jr. (soprano saxophone); Eddie Henderson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Pheeroan akLaff (drums).

My Dear Family

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Barbara Cook - You Make Me Feel So Young: Live At Feinstein's

Styles: Vocal, Cabaret
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:28
Size: 116,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:11)  1. Are You Havin' Any Fun?
(2:56)  2. You Make Me Feel So Young
(3:05)  3. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
(2:16)  4. Wait 'Til You're Sixty-Five
(3:18)  5. The Frim Fram Sauce
(3:52)  6. When I Look In Your Eyes
(3:25)  7. What Did I Have That I Don't Have
(3:20)  8. Live Alone And Like It
(2:22)  9. This Can't Be Love
(3:32) 10. I've Got You Under My Skin
(1:43) 11. Love Is Good For Anything That Ails You
(5:26) 12. I'm A Fool To Want You
(4:57) 13. Here's To Life
(4:03) 14. I Got Rhythm
(3:55) 15. Imagine

Barbara Cook confesses at the outset of this live recording, made in June 2011 at Feinstein's at the Regency in New York, that she has run out of ideas for themes for her nightclub sets and this time has just picked a batch of good songs she's never sung before. This isn't quite true, but it is understandable that Cook wouldn't want to state the show's theme specifically since, as the title You Make Me Feel So Young suggests, that theme concerns aging, and the perpetually young singer is 83. But why should she acknowledge that if she doesn't feel it or, especially, sound like it? Cook's voice is remarkably intact on these songs, whether she is intoning the long lines of a sad ballad like "I'm a Fool to Want You" or bouncing along to the lively rhythms of the opener, "Are You Havin' Any Fun?" But that song states the evening's throughline when the singer reminds her listeners, "You aren't gonna live forever." Other songs, such as Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane's "Wait ‘Til You're Sixty-Five" and "Here's to Life" also explore the matter of seniority, and even when the point is not made in so many words, it often is by implication, as in "What Did I Have That I Don't Have?," another Lerner/Lane composition. Cook makes a point of dedicating Stephen Sondheim's "Live Alone and Like It" to her divorced listeners, including herself in the category. It's true that not every song is about the concerns of getting and being old, but those that aren't tend to be change-of-pace palate clearers like Nat King Cole's "The Frim Fram Sauce," for which Cook breaks out a kazoo and does a solo. Even before then, her backup band has given much of the music a 1920s hot jazz feel, especially in the woodwind work of Steve Kenyon. Musical director Lee Musiker, meanwhile, has his own fast solo in "This Can't Be Love." The entire band gets a workout on a closing version of "I Got Rhythm" that might be called "The ‘I Got Rhythm' Variations." As a coda, Cook reasonably looks to a hopeful future with a songwriter outside her usual realm, turning in a precise and unadorned version of John Lennon's "Imagine" over Musiker's piano. It shows that, at whatever age one may be, idealism is still possible. ~ William Ruhlmann http://www.allmusic.com/album/you-make-me-feel-so-young-mw0002197372

Personnel: Barbara Cook (vocals, kazoo); Steve Kenyon (woodwinds); Lee Musiker (piano); Warren Odze (drums).

You Make Me Feel So Young: Live At Feinstein's

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