Orrin Evans - Faith In Action

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:38
Size: 128,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. Don't Call Me Wally
(5:03)  2. Faith In Action
(5:50)  3. Wheel Within A Wheel
(4:44)  4. Appointment In Milano
(5:05)  5. Matthews Song
(5:56)  6. Beattitudes
(4:54)  7. MAT Matt
(7:04)  8. Love Remains
(8:11)  9. Two Steppin With Dawn
(5:49) 10. Why Not

Orrin Evans, a Philadelphia jazz pianist with superior blues/bebop prowess, displays his strengths on Faith In Action, a tribute record to saxophonist Bobby Watson. Back in the 1980s, fueled by the corporate marketing machines, there was a resurgence of classic, mainstream jazz. As the Marsalis family benefitted from this traditionalist resurgence, other players forged their own paths. Such was the story of Watson who, like trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, was an Art Blakey alum, but who eschewed conservatism for a funky, edgier, blues sound. Watson recorded the stellar Italian sessions Appointment In Milano (Red, 1985) and Love Remains (Red, 1986) before forming possibly the best hard bop band of the late-1980s/early-1990s, Horizon. Watson's work this century included Orrin Evans as pianist. In Evans, Watson has found a kindred spirit who has seemingly been more appreciated in Europe than the US. His 12 discs for the Dutch Criss Cross label (half as leader) are well worth seeking out.

Evans, in this trio format, finds partners Luques Curtis (bass) and Nasheet Waits (drums) operating on his same groove-bop wavelength. Their combined motion brings to life the Watson compositions that make up half of this session. The players balance the integrity of Watson's compositions against their desire to play off each other. "Wheel Within A Wheel" calls for a dose of melodic swing that can either be dispensed with lightness or a thumping weight. Between Evans and Waits, the pulse can either drive down or rise into feathery flight. Similarly, "Appointment In Milano" finds Evans hammering notes not with sloppiness, but with a funky, knowing swing, simultaneously reminiscent of McCoy Tyner and Bud Powell. 

Even when the trio switches gears, as on the balladic "Matthew's Song" with drummer Gene Jackson sitting in that hint of sly funk persists. Evans creates a playful groove that is steeped in the blues, but without the clichéd blue licks. His original, "MAT-Mat," fights against standard time signatures, grabbing odd angles with its stop/start logic and skewed beauty. When the trio goes for the heart strings on Watson's "Love Remains," the bittersweet is served with sincerity and just enough tasty groove to summon the jazz soul. ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/faith-in-action-orrin-evans-posi-tone-records-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel: Orrin Evans: piano; Luques Curtis: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums (1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10); Rocky Bryant: drums (3); Gene Jackson: drums (5, 9).

Faith In Action

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Thomas Marriott - Urban Folklore

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:07
Size: 99,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Apophis
(4:03)  2. The Tale of Debauchery
(5:27)  3. Room 547
(3:32)  4. Mo-Joe
(6:23)  5. What Emptiness Can Do
(3:23)  6. Locked Up (Theme From "The Shot Caller")
(6:01)  7. Living on the Minimum
(3:44)  8. I'm Vibing You
(6:14)  9. Washington Generals

Nothing has hit quite as hard as recent music from the trio of pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis and Drummer Donald Edwards. The three musicians seek out (or probably are sought by) collaborators of equal weight and energy. It is not surprising that this recording of nine compositions, led by trumpeter and Seattle native Thomas Marriott, is a knockout from the opening number. Urban Folklore is Marriott's ninth as leader, and follows Dialogue (Origin Records, 2012) a live date in which Evans was a guest artist. "Apophis" whirls with the trumpeter's gentle yet passionate tone, drawing the trio into the mix, only to open into a blistering post-bop run. Marriott draws upon the shared language the three exhibited on Evans' trio disc ..."It was beauty" (Criss Cross, 2013) and also Edwards Evolution Of An Influenced Mind (Criss Cross, 2014), which included saxophonist Walter Smith III and guitarist David Gilmore.  Fans of Evans' Captain Black and Tarbaby bands will have much to celebrate here. Marriott stands toe-to-toe on the burners, including the funk-laid foundation of "The Tale Of Debauchery," a Freddie Hubbard mid-sixties inspired "Mo-Joe," and the ever-so-hip bouncing of "Living On The Minimum." He also delivers on the tender ballad "What Emptiness Can Do," with a benevolent trumpet sound that could easily be mistaken for a flugelhorn. Marriott's trumpet pulls from both the classic Blue Note hard bop sound and the modern textures heard from Dave Douglas and Ron Miles. With Urban Folklore the West Coast-meets-East Coast sound is the new cool. ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/urban-folklore-thomas-marriott-origin-records-review-by-mark-corroto.php
 

Personnel: Thomas Marriott: trumpet; Orrin Evans: piano; Eric Revis: bass; Donald Edwards: drums.

Urban Folklore

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Andrew Rathbun - Shadow Forms

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 65:02
Size: 119,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. Street Talk
(3:54)  2. To The Matt
(6:14)  3. Scatter Scott
(5:12)  4. Drewsie
(6:10)  5. Pass It In
(4:55)  6. Herbie At Sixty
(6:18)  7. Ripple
(4:09)  8. This Fall 9/11
(4:12)  9. Elmo
(8:08) 10. Look Again
(6:34) 11. Fifteen Minute Drill
(3:52) 12. Onmo

Canadian jazz musicians are frequently overlooked by American jazz fans unless they record for a US-based label, but ignore Andrew Rathbun at your own risk. There is a lot to like about Shadow Forms, as there are plenty of surprising twists within these intimate performances. This talented multi-instrumentalist, primarily heard on tenor sax, also doubles on soprano sax, clarinet and keyboards during this studio session, where he is joined by bassist Scott Lee and drummer Jeff Hirshfield, with veteran George Garzone adding a second tenor on several tracks. Rathbun and Lee contribute five originals each, in addition to interpretations of works by two contemporaries. The full quartet is heard on a brisker than usual setting of Joe Lovano's "Street Talk that features both tenor players delivering turbocharged solos. Their light-hearted run through Kenny Wheeler's "Onmo is something that Rathbun played with its composer on an earlier CD, so he thought it was worth revisiting.  Among the trio numbers, Lee's "Drewsie (a fine tribute to reed player Billy Drewes) showcases Rathbun's whimsical clarinet and the composer's humorous arco bass line, while Rathbun switches to soprano for the subdued ballad "Herbie at Sixty. Rathbun overdubs a soft keyboard line behind his robust tenor in his tense "Elmo, which is actually named for the famous puppet on Sesame Street. This outstanding release remains fresh with each hearing, as new facets of these performances become apparent to the listener. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allaboutjazz.com/shadow-forms-andrew-rathbun-steeplechase-records-review-by-ken-dryden.php
 

Personnel: Andrew Rathbun: tenor and soprano saxophone, clarinet, keyboards; George Garzone: tenor saxophone; Scott Lee: bass; Jeff Hirshfield: drums.

Shadow Forms

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Van Morrison - Into The Music

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:26
Size: 142.9 MB
Styles: Soft rock, Album rock
Year: 1979/2008
Art: Front

[ 3:46] 1. Bright Side Of The Road
[ 3:14] 2. Full Force Gale
[ 5:27] 3. Stepping Out Queen
[ 4:41] 4. Troubadours
[ 2:53] 5. Rolling Hills
[ 4:09] 6. You Make Me Feel So Free
[ 6:51] 7. Angeliou
[ 8:02] 8. And The Healing Has Begun
[ 5:09] 9. It's All In The Game
[ 5:39] 10. You Know What They're Writing About
[ 7:00] 11. Stepping Out Queen
[ 5:30] 12. Troubadours

Into the Music may not seem like a great Van Morrison record, one of his very best, upon first listen, especially if you're trying to compare it to such masterpieces as Astral Weeks and Moondance, or even Tupelo Honey. Yet this is certainly one of his best records, one that is quietly winning and thoroughly ingratiating, sounding stronger, even irresistible, with each new spin. In a sense, this is the definitive post-classic-era Morrison, since it summarizes all of his attributes while showcasing each at a peak. Musically, this is a little harder and rootsier than its two predecessors, but only a little; this is still remarkably relaxed music, where the charm is in its ease of delivery and compositions. The difference, there's more grit in the performances, more substance in the songs, letting Van the craftsman shine through along with his spirituality and grace. There may be no masterworks on the level of his early-'70s records, but these are deft, subtle songs that are full-bodied songs, unlike their counterparts on this album's immediate predecessors or successors. There's little question that this is not a knockout record, and some could even be excused if they find its charms elusive -- but once you've entered Van's sizable cult, few records sound as much like Morrison as this, a record that served as culmination of where he was coming from and served as blueprint for where he was going. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

new link: Into The Music

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Various - Bebop

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:29
Size: 99.5 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Dizzy Gillespie - Love Is Here To Stay
[8:22] 2. Giants Of Jazz - Allen's Alley
[7:57] 3. John Coltrane - Three Little Words
[6:38] 4. Max Roach - Almost Like Me
[6:13] 5. Philly Joe Jones - Salt Peanuts
[4:51] 6. Sonny Stitt - Koko
[6:41] 7. Thelonious Monk - Evidence

Part of Atlantic's extensive jazz series, Atlantic Jazz: Bebop takes in some of the innovators of 52nd Street over the course of seven nicely selected cuts. And while more astute listeners will want to check out something like Proper's multi-disc Bebop Spoken Here collection, this set still delivers a respectable mix of bop performances. This is no jazz history lesson, what with the glaring absence of Parker, Navarro, Dameron, Bud Powell, et al., not to mention the lack of original '40s performances. But what listeners do have is a stellar trio rendition of Monk's "Evidence" with Art Blakey, Coltrane, Sonny Stitt's whirlwind go at Bird's "Ko-Ko," and a few other gems. Best seen as a general jazz mix and not as any kind of definitive chronicle of the music. ~Stephen Jones

Bebop

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Ella Fitzgerald - Things Ain't What They Used To Be

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:45
Size: 97.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1970/2013
Art: Front

[5:15] 1. Sunny
[3:47] 2. Mas Que Nada
[3:14] 3. A Man And A Woman
[2:19] 4. Days Of Wine And Roses
[4:25] 5. Black Coffee
[3:13] 6. Tuxedo Junction
[3:42] 7. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
[4:04] 8. Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me
[3:08] 9. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[4:36] 10. Willow Weep For Me
[2:27] 11. Manteca
[2:30] 12. Just When We're Falling In Love

Ella Fitzgerald's most eclectic and stylish LP, Things Ain't What They Used to Be is a delightful mosaic of contemporary soul hits, perennial standards, and bossa nova numbers that capture the full breadth of the singer's genius. Produced by Norman Granz and arranged by Gerald Wilson, the album follows on the heels of the full-blown pop session Ella, adopting a similarly groove-oriented contextual approach but drawing on a more diverse pool of material -- evergreens like "Black Coffee," "Tuxedo Junction," and the sublime "Don't Dream of Anyone but Me" are made fresh and new, revitalized by Wilson's deeply soulful arrangements and Fitzgerald's breathtaking vocal acrobatics. Hits including "Sunny" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" are no less rewarding -- Fitzgerald's command of the songs is absolute, adding wrinkles and nuances the hit versions never imagined. ~Jason Ankeny

Things Ain't What They Used To Be

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Donald Byrd - Off To The Races

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:38
Size: 86.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1959/2006
Art: Front

[6:49] 1. Lover Come Back To Me
[5:01] 2. When Your Love Has Gone
[6:51] 3. Sudwest Funk
[7:06] 4. Paul's Pal
[6:34] 5. Off To The Races
[5:16] 6. Down Tempo

Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean; Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Bass – Sam Jones; Drums – Art Taylor; Piano – Wynton Kelly; Trumpet – Donald Byrd. Recorded December 21, 1958.

From the crackling opening notes of "Lover Come Back to Me," it's clear that Off to the Races is one of Donald Byrd's most invigorating sessions of the late '50s. Working with a stellar supporting band -- Jackie McLean (alto sax), Wynton Kelly (piano), Pepper Adams (bari sax), Sam Jones (bass), Art Taylor (drums) -- Byrd turns in one of his strongest recordings of the era. Throughout the album, Byrd switches between hard bop, ballads, laid-back blues, and soul-jazz. Two of the numbers are standards, one is a cover, and three are Byrd originals, but what matters is the playing. Over the course of the album, Byrd proves he has matured greatly as a soloist, capable of sweet, melodic solos on the slower numbers and blistering runs of notes on the faster songs. McLean is just as vigorous and lyrical, contributing some fine moments to the record, as do Adams and Kelly. There's nothing surprising about Off to the Races; it's simply a set of well-performed, enjoyable hard bop, but sometimes that's enough. ~Stephen Thomas Erelewine

Off To The Races

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Cris Delanno - Grandes Cancoes: Classicos De Tom Jobim

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:54
Size: 107.4 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Brazilian jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Chega De Saudade
[3:38] 2. Corcovado
[4:00] 3. A Felicidade
[3:16] 4. Ela É Carioca
[2:59] 5. Garota De Ipanema
[2:52] 6. Só Danço Samba
[4:19] 7. Desafinado
[2:19] 8. Samba De Uma Nota Só
[3:05] 9. Samba Do Aviao
[3:51] 10. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
[3:20] 11. Meditação
[3:49] 12. Este Seu Olthar
[4:00] 13. Wave (Vou Te Contar)
[1:40] 14. Se Todos Fossem Iguais A Você

Born in the U.S. but raised in Brazil, Cris Delano began singing in a children's chorus before becoming a backup vocalist for local numbers. In 1999, she published a book called Mais Nunca E Preciso Cantar (More Than Ever Is Necessary to Sing). Delano made her debut with Em Tom Maior, a tribute to local star Tom Jobim. The album was produced in 2000 by composer/arranger Roberto Menescal, founder of Brazilian label Albatroz. The independent Filha Da Pátria followed in 2001. ~ Drago Bonacich

Grandes Cancoes: Classicos De Tom Jobim

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Pee Wee Ellis - What You Like

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:29
Size: 134,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. The Prophet
(5:21)  2. Take Me To The River
(4:53)  3. Soul Pride
(2:42)  4. I Will Be There [feat. Van Morrison]
(5:09)  5. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(6:02)  6. 2 Dock C
(5:31)  7. (Your Love Is) So Doggone Good
(6:49)  8. Far From Home
(6:12)  9. Tune With A View [feat. Fred Wesley]
(3:46) 10. Step
(6:02) 11. What You Like

Leading the German NDR Big Band, saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis turns in a competent, occasionally stilted collection of soul-jazz and classic funk. The production and the playing is a bit too mannered for the music to actually catch fire, but there are moments  such as Fred Wesley's cameo on "Tune with a View" or Van Morrison's vocal spotlight on "I Will Be There" that make the disc a worthwhile listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/what-you-like-mw0000693549

Personnel: Pee Wee Ellis (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone);  Jenni Evans, Van Morrison (vocals);  Tony Remy (guitar); Peter Bolte (reeds, alto saxophone);  Lutz Büchner (reeds, tenor saxophone);  Edgar Herzog, Fiete Felsch, Steffen Schorn (reeds); Ingolf Burkhardt, Claus Stötter, Lennart Axelsson, Reiner Winterschladen (trumpet); Lucas Schmid, Fred Wesley, Wolfgang Ahlers, Jon Welch, Egon Christmann, Joe Gallardo (trombone); Detlev Beier (acoustic bass); Mike Mondesir (drums).

What You Like

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Bob Rockwell - Reconstruction

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 67:01
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:18)  1. Straight On
( 7:35)  2. All Or Nothinbg At All
( 7:26)  3. As Blues
( 7:30)  4. Jo
( 7:43)  5. Deedle Lum
(10:54)  6. How Long Has This Been Going On
( 8:49)  7. Reconstruction
( 4:34)  8. Love Eyes
( 7:09)  9. Serenata

Rockwell was raised in Minneapolis, and in his early career he toured the U.S. in various rock and rhythm and blues bands. He worked in Las Vegas in the late 1960s and early 1970s, then moved to New York City, where he played with Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Tito Puente, Ben Sidran, Freddie Hubbard, Ray Drummond, Billy Hart, Rufus Reid, Victor Lewis, Ron McClure, Tom Harrell, Chuck Israels, John Hicks, Al Foster, Anthony Cox, Bill Dobbins, Keith Copeland, Clint Houston, and Richie Beirach.  After settling in Copenhagen, Rockwell released a large number of albums on jazz label SteepleChase Records. He has also worked in Europe with Ernie Wilkins, Kenny Drew, Alex Riel, Marilyn Mazur, Kenny Wheeler, Jan Kasperson, and Jesper Lungaard.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Rockwell

Personnel: Bob Rockwell (soprano & tenor saxophones); Joe Locke (vibraphone); Rufus Reid (bass); Victor Lewis (drums)

Reconstruction

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Kenny Burrell - The Artist Selects

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:32
Size: 170.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:55] 1. This Time The Dream's On Me
[6:01] 2. Delilah
[3:46] 3. But Not For Me
[4:39] 4. Phinupi
[4:43] 5. Love, Your Spell Is Everywhere
[7:56] 6. Scotch Blues
[4:40] 7. Weaver Of Dreams
[9:33] 8. Swingin'
[5:25] 9. Chitlins Con Carne
[2:39] 10. Soul Lament
[3:58] 11. Midnight Blue
[5:26] 12. These Foolish Things
[5:57] 13. Hackensack
[4:48] 14. Freedom

Kenny Burrell's The Artist Selects features tracks the Detroit native culled himself from the best of his '50s and '60s output for Blue Note. This superb collection includes such well-known tracks as "Midnight Blue" and "Chitlins Con Carne" as well as lesser-known cuts like "Phinupi." While there are similar single-disc collections of this material, the personal aspect of the collection makes it a noteworthy addition to Burrell's various compilation albums. ~Matt Collar

The Artist Selects

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Aretha Franklin - Take A Look: The Clyde Otis Sessions

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:56
Size: 123.5 MB
Styles: Soul
Year: 1964/2011
Art: Front

[2:51] 1. I'll Keep On Smiling
[3:14] 2. Shangri-La
[2:32] 3. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
[4:16] 4. People
[2:32] 5. A Mother's Love
[2:15] 6. Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)
[2:56] 7. But Beautiful
[1:49] 8. That's Entertainment
[2:39] 9. Take A Look
[4:41] 10. (Ah, The Apple Trees) When The World Was Young
[2:27] 11. Jim
[2:57] 12. Sweet Bitter Love
[4:52] 13. Only The Lonely
[4:05] 14. My Coloring Book
[2:53] 15. I Wish I Didn't Love You So
[4:19] 16. People (Mono Mix0
[2:29] 17. A Mother's Love (Mono Mix)

Initial July 1964 sessions with Clyde Otis were productive but Columbia didn’t release the material as an album. Those efforts are represented here by The Clyde Otis Sessions. It’s amazing that so much quality material was left aside, including the song which gives the box set its title. “Take a Look” predates “What’s Going On?” and other socially-conscious songs (“Lord, what’s happening to this human race?/I can’t even see one friendly face…”) that drew headlines in the years to come. In spite of a powerful, pointed statement (“Take a look at your children…”) and ending summation (“Nobody wins when the price is hate”), “Take a Look” perhaps didn’t have a great impact because of its string-drenched arrangement that didn’t speak to the youth culture upon its release by Columbia in 1967 after Franklin’s departure for Atlantic.

Take A Look: The Clyde Otis Sessions

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One For All - Optimism

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:37
Size: 159.4 MB
Styles: Neo-bop, Straight ahead jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[ 8:22] 1. Optimism
[ 6:59] 2. Stranger In Moscow
[ 7:21] 3. Straight Up
[11:12] 4. All For One
[ 6:07] 5. Pearl's
[ 7:15] 6. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
[ 7:55] 7. What Kind Of Fool Am I
[ 8:06] 8. The Prevaricator
[ 6:16] 9. These Foolish Things

This is the second album by One for All, an all-star sextet of young jazz veterans totally steeped in the hard bop tradition and group dynamic of Art Blakey and Horace Silver's classic ensembles. Eric Alexander, the rising tenor sax phenom, trombonist Steve Davis (Jazz Messengers, Jackie McLean, Chick Corea's Origin), and Peter Washington, the talented and ubiquitous bassist, are probably the best known players here. But all the band's members are respected figures on the New York scene with long lists of impressive credits. And these guys really know what they're doing, whether it's reworking standards like "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," "What Kind of Fool Am I?" and "These Foolish Things," or tearing through a number of fine neo-hard-bop originals. ~Joel Roberts

Optimism

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Various - Les Enfants De Django

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:27
Size: 143.0 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Jacques Verieres - Mon Pote Le Gitan
[5:52] 2. Babik Reinhardt - Troublant Boléro
[5:00] 3. Babik Reinhardt - Miroir
[3:56] 4. Marc Fosset - Rêverie
[2:35] 5. Marc Fosset - Liberchies
[2:18] 6. Laurent Bajata - Daphné
[2:21] 7. Laurent Bajata - Nouvelle Adresse
[3:41] 8. Raphaël Faÿs - Improvisation N3
[2:44] 9. Raphaël Faÿs - Berceuse
[2:26] 10. Patrick Saussois - Webster
[3:57] 11. Patrick Saussois - Theo
[2:41] 12. Dorado Schmitt - Blue Drag
[4:26] 13. Dorado Schmitt - Flora
[2:38] 14. Francis-Alfred Moerman - Valse Manouche
[2:11] 15. Francis-Alfred Moerman - La Chafouine
[4:46] 16. Romane - Nuages
[4:11] 17. Romane - Bibiguine
[3:29] 18. Jacques Verieres - Au Temps D'edith Et Django

Gypsy jazz inherited of Django Reinhardt, sometimes called Gypsy swing, is the only non-american form of jazz recognized by the people who created Jazz. A purely French Jazz, that has crossed many borders, a festive and happy music that now belongs to more than a people’s patrimony. Different generations of his most brilliant heirs shares with us their love for this music, their approach, their relationship with Django, and how they think it is evolving.

Les Enfants De Django

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John Hicks, Elise Wood, Walter Booker, Jack Walrath - Single Petal of a Rose

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:28
Size: 150,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. Sometime Ago
(8:45)  2. Infant Eyes
(4:16)  3. Yes or No
(3:51)  4. Ballad of Black Man
(4:34)  5. Ghosts of Yesterday
(5:59)  6. Portraits
(5:33)  7. Topaz
(7:06)  8. A Child Is Born
(4:57)  9. Single Petal of a Rose
(9:31) 10. Embraceable You
(5:25) 11. Virgo

The flute has always seemed an odd instrument for jazz. There is something so subtle and predictable about its tone that I never feel the player has enough room to really improvise. On this recording the fine pianist John Hicks teams up with flutist Elise Wood for a variety of ballads that provide a mellow and romantic, candle-lit dinner kind of sound. The title track, composed by Duke Ellington, is played with simplicity and elegance by the duo. Bassist Walter Booker helps out on a number of tracks and provides a steady foundation for the two to encircle. On the tender David Murray composition, "Ballad of a Black Man," trumpeter Jack Walrath joins Hicks-Woods and the three improvise together as coequal voices. Walrath also joins in with a muted trumpet on the final track "Virgo." Hicks is at his best on Gershwin’s "Embraceable You" and I kept wanting to hear more of him alone throughout the CD.~ Mark Craemer http://www.jellyroll.com/05/johnhicks.html

Personnel: John Hicks (piano); Elise Wood (flute); Jack Walrath (trumpet); Walter Booker (bass).

Single Petal of a Rose

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Pamela Rose - Every Time I'm With You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:33
Size: 95,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Every Time I'm With You
(4:51)  2. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(3:21)  3. Whether to Stay or Go
(3:34)  4. Consider Me
(5:09)  5. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:04)  6. Love For Sale
(2:51)  7. It's Only a Paper Moon
(5:21)  8. Never Known a Morning
(4:08)  9. You Came a Long Way From St. Louis
(2:59) 10. I'm Just a Lucky So and So

For her second CD, San Franciscan Pamela Rose has shifted the emphasis away from original material and blues to more familiar standard staples. While there are still a few originals, it's tunes by such major contributors to the Great American Songbook as Duke Ellington and Jimmy McHugh who get the singer's attention. And she does very well with them. "Bye Bye Blackbird," with Rob Sudduth's tenor laying down a soulful backdrop, is done at a much slower tempo than usual. Its arrangement and tempo are much like Mel Tormé's rendition, with Phil Woods' alto doing the sax honors. A jauntily arranged "Consider Me" is the best of the very good Rose/Nate Ginsberg originals with its catchy, swinging rhythms. Close behind is a graceful ballad, "Never Known a Morning." This time it's Jeff Ervin providing the necessary tenor sax backdrop over Ginsberg's piano. Another difference from Rose's first is that her voice has lost some of its nasal quality, becoming richer and fuller. This may well be due to the different kind of songs on this play list when compared to the previous CD. She is much more a torch singer with such songs as "On the Sunny Side of the Street," with an arrangement that transforms this old warhorse into a highly charged, emotional vehicle for Rose. But she still brings to the up-tempo material the same exuberance and sass that pour from the speakers in joyful vocal celebration. In addition to the tenor help, Ginsberg's trio, sometimes sounding like the old Art Van Damme Trio, does the bulk of the support work. This CD is another solid vocal outing for the very talented Pamela Rose and is recommended. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/every-time-im-with-you-mw0000648604

Every Time I'm With You

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Chris Byars - Jasmine Flower

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2013
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 64:24
Size: 103,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:56)  1. Shhh... It's A Library
(5:16)  2. Say you'll stay
(7:00)  3. Mustang
(6:36)  4. I Know It's You
(6:16)  5. Jasmine Flower (MO Li Hua)
(7:29)  6. Lucky Swing
(6:39)  7. The Wind On The Bridge
(7:21)  8. Rose Water
(4:35)  9. Bye, Sandy
(6:12) 10. Song From Morocco

Chris Byars is an award-winning saxophonist, composer, bandleader, conductor and educator based in New York City. He divides his artistic focus between development of original material and studying the vast repertoire of jazz composers of the 20th century. Chris plays alto, tenor and soprano saxophones, flute and clarinet. He performs with his band, which ranges from trio to octet, and as a sideman. Chris is also available to lead big bands and conduct full orchestras. For over two decades, he has been a staple of the New York City jazz scene, performing at the city's finest venues, including the Village Vanguard, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Smalls, Mezzrow, The Jazz Gallery and Iridium. Chris is an innovative and prolific composer. He has written for ensembles of all sizes, from trio to full orchestra. His twelfth commercially-released CD as a leader, The Music of Frank Strozier, is slated for release in January 2017. Chris is also an original and elegant arranger. He has been commissioned by the WDR Big Band to arrange a centennial celebration concert of Thelonious Monk’s compositions, to be performed in March 2017. As a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. State Department, Chris has traveled to over 50 countries to perform concerts and present educational workshops. Chris is an enthusiastic jazz educator. He teaches in affiliation with The New School and also privately, through his own studio or via Skype. He conducts jazz clinics at colleges throughout the U.S., such as The School for International Teaching in Brattleboro, VT. http://www.chrisbyars.net/bio/

Personnel:  Chris Byars, alto sax;  Stefano Doglioni, bass clarinet;  Johm Mosca, trombone;  Ari Roland, bass;  Phil Stewart, drums;  James Byars, english horn (1,2,3,6,9);  Mine Sadrazam, piano (5)

Jasmine Flower

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Vincent Gardner - The Good Book Chapter Two: The Book Of Now

Styles: Trombone Jazz

Year: 2011

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:06

Size: 147,1 MB

Art: Front

(10:04)  1. A Servant Of The People

( 7:49)  2. Calypso

(10:02)  3. 466-64 (Freedom Fighters)

( 9:57)  4. Speak Low

( 8:39)  5. Like A Son

( 7:25)  6. Love Letters

( 9:08)  7. The Paper Chase

Vincent Gardner's The Good Book series is a refreshing change from many jazz CDs by up-and-coming artists, in that he is not only exploring standards and familiar jazz works, but also overlooked gems by musicians currently on the scene. The trombonist assembled a top-shelf quintet consisting of saxophonist Walter Blanding, pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Neil Caine, and drummer Ulysses Owens. It's not every day that someone records one of pianist Marcus Roberts' pieces, but his "A Servant of the People" is a perfect vehicle for Gardner's expressive chops. Fans of Kenny Barron will be very familiar with his "Calypso," a lighthearted, infectious work that showcases Goldberg, Blanding (on soprano), and the leader. Jimmy Heath's compositions have long been favorites of jazz musicians, so the breezy "Like a Son" is another uncovered treasure as well, a hip bop tune with a few twists. Kurt Weill's "Speak Low" has been a standard for decades and Gardner's spacious playing in this easygoing treatment is complemented by Blanding's rich soprano sax. Victor Young's "Love Letters" isn't as well known, though Goldberg's lush backing to Gardner's melancholy horn conveys its message without lyrics in the introduction, though a quick tempo change turns it into an upbeat cooker. It is clear that Vincent Gardner is destined to be one of the greats of his generation on trombone. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-good-book-chapter-two-the-book-of-now-mw0002195036

Personnel: Vincent Gardner (trombone); Walter Blanding (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Aaron Goldberg (piano); Ulysses Owens (drums).

The Good Book Chapter Two: The Book Of Now

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Donald Edwards - Evolution Of An Influenced Mind

Styles: Post Bop, Contemporary Jazz 
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:56
Size: 147,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:08)  1. American Drum Call To Mama
(7:19)  2. History Of The Future
(4:56)  3. Niecee
(6:55)  4. The Dream
(6:53)  5. The Essential Passion
(5:18)  6. Dock's House
(5:30)  7. Nichtmare Of Fun
(6:52)  8. When
(6:58)  9. Culmination For Now
(5:24) 10. Not Really Gumbo
(5:37) 11. Truth Of Consequence

Donald Edwards is one of those drummers that seem to be taken for granted. He's constantly being called upon to support others, shaping moods and grooves on record for everybody from saxophonist Dayna Stephens to trombonist Conrad Herwig to vocalist Carolyn Leonhart, but he's largely avoided being in the spotlight. He's only released two other leader dates in his two-plus decades as a professional drummer, and both records went largely unnoticed. Now, after serving as a sideman on a half dozen Criss Cross sessions, Edwards is stepping out with his own date for the venerable Dutch label.  Evolution Of An Influenced Mind finds Edwards fronting and backing a fiery quintet of like-minded musicians on a program of original music; ten of the eleven pieces on the album are credited to the drummer, and "When" comes from the pen of the pianist on the date the incomparable Orrin Evans. 

After hearing this material, it's hard to understand why Edwards hasn't occupied the driver's seat more often. Edwards, Evans, and the rest of the cast guitarist David Gilmore, tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, and bassist Eric Revis aren't known for pussyfooting around, and this music reflects each man's assuredness and strength(s). These qualities can be manifested in edgy post-modern scenarios ("History Of The Future"), frantic burners ("The Essental Passion"), measured swing, and mutable constructs. Tempos aren't always of the metronome busting variety, yet things rarely feel relaxed here; Gilmore's tonal tweaks, Smith's sense of unpredictability, and the fantastic flights undertaken by each of these men see to that. Strict time is occasionally dispensed with, as when Edwards marries his drums to chants ("American Drum Call To Mama"), or when the band visits spiritually-charged material that reaches for a higher plane ("When"), but rhythm remains Edwards' business. Mid-tempo swing fits him like a glove, laid-back funk futurism sounds just fine when he plays it ("Culmination For Now"), and aggressive environments suit him. Edwards may be selfless when he works for others, but this man has a strong sense of self that shines through on Evolution Of An Influenced Mind. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/evolution-of-an-influenced-mind-donald-edwards-criss-cross-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Donald Edwards: drums; Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; David Gilmore: guitar; Orrin Evans: piano; Eric Revis: bass. 

Evolution Of An Influenced Mind

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Sam 'The Man' Taylor - Jazz For Commuters / Salute To The Saxes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:49
Size: 153.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Bucks County Bounce
[8:29] 2. Long Island Railroad Blues
[3:03] 3. Westchester Waltz
[3:40] 4. Rockland County Round Trip
[3:11] 5. Westport Wail
[4:10] 6. Lester Leaps In
[3:51] 7. Body And Soul
[6:30] 8. Air Mail Special
[4:19] 9. All Too Soon
[3:31] 10. Flyin' Home
[2:32] 11. Taylor Made
[2:29] 12. Sam's Blues
[2:34] 13. Ride, Sammy, Ride
[2:51] 14. Do-A-Lu
[2:27] 15. Road Runner
[2:38] 16. Lock Out
[2:46] 17. The Big Beat
[2:32] 18. Cloudburst

Charlie Shavers, Thad Jones (tp), Frank Rehak, Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Sam Taylor, Georgie Auld (ts), Budd Johnson (ts, bs), Haywood Henry (bs), Hank Jones (p), Barry Galbraith, Billy Bauer (g), Milt Hinton (b), Panama Francis (d). All sessions recorded in New York. Album tracks were recorded on October 15 & 22, 1958. The Bonus tracks (11-17) came from different sessions cut between March, 1955 and June, 1956

Sam The Man Taylor is a saxophonist as adept at swinging jazz as he is at the blues and R&B for which he is most famous. With his unending drive and energy, he stood out in the bands he was in, including those of Cootie Williams, Cab Calloway and others. During the 50s he spent much of his time playing R&B sessions, but he also performed and recorded often with his own combo and, ten years later, he achieved wide recognition in Japan thanks to his ballads.

This CD, however, presents an exultant Taylor, deeply rooted in the most genuine jazz, during a swinging 1958 session with great jazzmen like Charlie Shavers, Georgie Auld, Budd Johnson and Hank Jones. As a bonus, there is an example of his more rocking side, fronting a group that exudes Taylors typically soulful essence.

Jazz For Commuters/Salute To The Saxes

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