Dave Ballou - Insistence

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:29
Size: 150,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Restraint
(8:56)  2. MF
(7:36)  3. Insistence
(7:51)  4. Upon Reflection
(8:30)  5. Randy Starts
(9:27)  6. Once Round
(8:45)  7. Silly Dance and Coda
(6:49)  8. Finale

For his eighth recording for the SteepleChase label, trumpeter Ballou chose to take on perhaps the greatest challenge of all spontaneous collective improvisation with two musicians he has performed and recorded with before: bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Randy Peterson. Ballou came to the studio armed with written compositions just in case, but as he writes in his liner notes, “during the fourth take of the session…we found ourselves.” That fourth take is the first cut on Insistence, which presents takes four through eleven as recorded. Ballou gave titles to seven of the eight tracks after the session, “Once Round” being the exception only as it related to the predetermined structure, not content, of the piece. Listening to this lucid, well-conceived, flowing music, one comes away amazed that it is indeed freely improvised. “Restraint” features an attractive loping and bluesy melody line from Ballou, who even briefly quotes “It Ain’t Necessarily So” during his delightful solo. “MF,” with its tense, staccato theme, produces a strong, variegated Ballou solo, mixing vocalized bursts and low long-held notes. “Insistence” nearly swings in spots, and Formanek contributes a riveting fleet-fingered solo. “Upon Reflection” has a hymnlike melodic exposition by Ballou, as well as Peterson’s complementary cymbal-dominated support, and builds to a fulfilling climax and release. Formanek’s arco solo and supporting lines elevate “Randy Starts,” as does Ballou’s almost-braying, declarative improv, which never loses melodic substance. A highlight of “Once Round” is Ballou’s re-entry with an almost bagpipe-like sound quality, before bursting out with fat held-notes and then delicate, prodding tones. “Silly Dance and Coda” presents a theme reminiscent of an Ornette Coleman composition, with Ballou making like Don Cherry in his overtones and eerie breathiness. Peterson’s cymbal and drum work during “Finale” are exceptional; his multifaceted approach (check out his marvelous bass-drum accents) is an integral element to the overall success of this piece and the entire CD. This is stimulating, very accessible free jazz by three superb musicians in perfect rapport. ~ Scott Albin http://jazztimes.com/articles/19564-insistence-dave-ballou

Personnel:  Bass – Michael Formanek;  Drums – Randy Peterson;  Trumpet, Composed By – Dave Ballou

Insistence

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Nancy King, Steve Christofferson - Straight Into Your Heart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:21
Size: 93,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Moonray
(5:41)  2. Blue Beach
(3:27)  3. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(6:55)  4. Moonlight To You
(4:05)  5. Zanzibar
(4:43)  6. Waltz For Debby
(4:59)  7. Love Is What Makes Us All One
(5:23)  8. Straight Into Your Heart

An adventurous singer with an intriguing sense of humor, Nancy King stretches and extends the bebop tradition. After high school, she worked in San Francisco with Pharoah Sanders, Pony Poindexter, and a variety of local players. Resettling in the Pacific Northwest, the underrated vocalist has had an underground reputation among jazz singers. King released her first album, Impending Bloom, in 1991, followed five years later by Straight Into Your Heart. She also recorded two live dates, Moon Ray and Live at Jazz Standard, with pianist Fred Hersch; the latter was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2006. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nancy-king-mn0000366565/biography

Personnel: Nancy King (vocals); Steve Christofferson (melodica, piano).

Straight Into Your Heart

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Stan Getz - Dynasty Disc 1 And Disc 2

Verve's Originals series, which in late 2008 brought us tenor saxophonist Stan Getz's wonderful box set The Bossa Nova Albums (Verve, 2008), follows through with a remastered reissue of Dynasty, a double album recorded in 1971, a decade or so after Getz gave jazz its final, sustained hurrah in the pop charts with bossa nova. Relatively little known in the US, in part because the quartet which made it was refused permission to perform in the country, Dynasty is an enduring one-off deserving of attention by any discerning Getz fan.  The admirable Originals series is a no-frills affair which doesn't run to newly written liner notes, so a little background on Dynasty, and the group which recorded it, is in order. The album features Getz accompanied by the Paris-based trio of organist Eddy Louiss, guitarist Rene Thomas and drummer Bernard Lubat. Getz had heard the group perform at the city's Blue Note club in summer 1970 (he was in France to watch a tennis tournament), was knocked out by their "hard, swinging jazz" and invited them to record with him. Rehearsals took place in Paris in the autumn and the quartet debuted at the Le Chat Qui Peche club in December. 

In January 1971, the quartet travelled to London and began recording Dynasty. After the first few sessions, Getz's father died, and the saxophonist returned to New York for the funeral. Back in London a week later, Getz decided to complete the album during a residency at Ronnie Scott's club in March. It's likely Dynasty became a double album after the decision was made to record it live (though it's possible a couple of the shorter tracks come from the January studio sessions). The quartet toured Europe extensively during 1971, but was prevented from appearing in the US by the American Musicians Union's refusal to allow the three European musicians to perform in the country. Produced by George Martin, with superb sound and presence, and very little extraneous audience noise, Dynasty is a red-blooded, muscular set in which Getz once again defies the ill-conceived notion that he was ever an effete or passionless player. He solos with transporting lyricism and at full throttle throughout, propelled onward by the superb accompanying trio. Louiss and Thomas each make memorable use of the generous solo time they're given. The exuberant Louiss has the drive of Jimmy Smith combined with a touch of contemporary acid-rock organ (check Brian Auger Trinity's "Season Of The Witch" for resonance). He's also a sensitive accompanist with a finely tuned feel for dynamics, who never overpowers a soloist. Thomas' cascading, cleanly articulated, single-note runs are in a clear line of descent from Getz's one-time colleague Jimmy Raney, with a dash of gypsy jazz thrown in.  Together or separately, Louiss and Thomas wrote all the tunes bar Albert Mangelsdorf's "Mona" and Bronislau Kaper's "Invitation." There are two fast swingers, a brisk bossa nova, a funky near-blues, two Latin numbers and just three, relatively brief ballads. Dynasty cooks. ~ Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dynasty-stan-getz-verve-music-group-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel:  Stan Getz: tenor saxophone;  Eddy Louiss: organ;  Rene Thomas: guitar;  Bernard Lubat: drums.

Album: Dynasty Disc 1

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1971

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:13

Size: 111,4 MB

Art: Front

(13:18)  1. Dum! Dum! Dum!

( 9:15)  2. Ballad for Leo

(17:08)  3. Our Kind of Sabi

( 8:30)  4. Mona

Dynasty Disc 1

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Album: Dynasty Disc 2

Time: 39:52

Size: 92,6 MB

(11:25)  1. Theme for Emmanuel

( 4:37)  2. Invitation

( 3:12)  3. Ballad for My Dad

(10:52)  4. Song for Martine

( 9:42)  5. Dynasty

Dynasty Disc 2

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Ari Ambrose - Early Song

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 62:28
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:02)  1. Waiting
(10:38)  2. What Is the Meaning of This
( 8:05)  3. Useless Landscape
( 7:56)  4. The Song Is You
( 5:49)  5. Venus
(10:28)  6. Early Song
(10:27)  7. Twins

On his fourth CD for Steeplechase, tenor saxophonist Ari Ambrose who was just 27 years old at the time of the sessions displays a surprising maturity as both a player and composer. Ambrose is joined by pianist George Colligan, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Rick Montalbano, and the musicians play with the finesse of a regular working band while tackling an ambitious program. The saxophonist really wails in his striking opener, the twisting yet hard-driving "Waiting." Colligan's atonal "What Is the Meaning of This" keeps the musicians on their toes as they navigate this difficult post-bop chart. Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Useless Landscape" is hardly one of the Brazilian master's better-known compositions, yet this young quartet devours it, even adding a touch of boogaloo. Their brisk rendition of Jerome Kern's "The Song Is You" suggests the influence of Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins. "Early Song" is another original by Ambrose, a cheerful number with a bit of a Latin feeling. It gets tiresome to say, but European jazz labels (along with small American independents) seem far more interested in discovering talented artists like Ari Ambrose and George Colligan; the majors in the U.S. seem to remain clueless. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/early-song-mw0000968468

Personnel: Ari Ambrose (saxophone); George Colligan (piano).

Early Song

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The Benny Goodman Sextet - Featuring Charlie Christian

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 54:28

Size: 124.7 MB

Styles: Big Band, Swing, Guitar jazz

Year: 1989

Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Flying Home

[3:14] 2. Stardust

[3:10] 3. Memories Of You

[2:27] 4. Soft Winds

[2:48] 5. Shivers

[2:47] 6. Ac Dc Current

[2:57] 7. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)

[3:15] 8. The Sheik Of Araby

[2:49] 9. Poor Butterfly

[2:58] 10. I Surrender, Dear

[3:11] 11. These Foolish Things

[2:52] 12. Good Enough To Keep (Air Mail Special)

[3:14] 13. Breakfast Feud

[3:22] 14. I Can't Give You Anything But Love

[2:34] 15. Gilly

[3:30] 16. On The Alamo

[2:41] 17. Gone With What Draft

[3:16] 18. A Smo-O-O-Oth One

Clarinet, Leader – Benny Goodman; Electric Guitar – Charlie Christian; Georgie Auld - Sax (Tenor); Artie Bernstein - Bass; Dudley Brooks, Johnny Guarnieri, Fletcher Henderson, Ken Kersey - Piano; Nick Fatool, Harry Jaeger, Jo Jones, Dave Tough - Drums; Lionel Hampton (Guest Artist) - Vibraphone; Cootie Williams - Trumpet. All tracks recorded in New York, from October 1939 to March 1941.

Over the course of Benny Goodman's career, the stars often lined up right and he found himself working in tandem with someone every bit as talented as he, whether it was Bunny Berigan, Fletcher Henderson, Harry James, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton or Teddy Wilson. For a brief period after most of the above had left his employ, Goodman hooked up with guitarist Charlie Christian and the jazz world was never the same. Christian played in the big band and his "Solo Flight" was one of the first big-band staples built around the then new electric guitar, but his best work came with a handful of finely wrought gems as a member of Goodman's sextet. Sharing solo space with Goodman and Hampton, Christian gave the electric guitar a place in the music on sides like "Flying Home," "Air Mail Special," "Stardust" and "AC-DC Current," where his instrument seems to be bursting with ideas and ceaseless invention. Along with sides by Eddie Lang and Django Reinhardt's Hot Club of France, these are the recordings that made jazz guitar history. ~Cub Koda

Featuring Charlie Christian

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Etta Jones - The Complete 1944-1960 (2-Disc Set)

Etta Jones' Early Srudio Recordings In Their Entirety Include Two Original Albums As Well As 27 Rare Titels Including 25 Which Were First Released As 78/45 Rpm Records. Both CD's Have Been Remastered With The Greatest Care.

Album: The Complete 1944-1960 (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 68:29

Size: 156.8 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2011

[4:21] 1. Yes Sir, That's My Baby

[3:50] 2. Don't Go To Strangers

[4:03] 3. I Love Paris

[5:53] 4. Fine And Mellow

[3:42] 5. Where Or When

[3:51] 6. If I Had You

[3:44] 7. On The Street Where You Live

[3:45] 8. Something To Remember You By

[3:15] 9. Bye Bye Blackbird

[4:40] 10. All The Way

[2:40] 11. Sweethearts On Parade

[2:29] 12. You Call It Madness But I Call It Love

[2:44] 13. Mountain Greenery

[2:15] 14. Don't Worry 'bout Me

[1:51] 15. S'posin

[2:22] 16. I Thought About You

[2:48] 17. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart And Throw Away The Key

[1:54] 18. Since I Fell For You

[2:21] 19. When I Fall In Love

[2:52] 20. White Cliffs Of Dover

[2:59] 21. People Will Say We're In Love

The Complete 1944-1960 (Disc 1)

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Album: The Complete 1944-1960 (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 74:25

Size: 170.4 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Salty Papa Blues

[2:57] 2. Evil Gal Blues

[2:34] 3. Blow Top Blues

[2:48] 4. Long, Long Journey

[2:46] 5. You Ain't Nothin' Daddy

[2:47] 6. So Tired

[2:49] 7. Solitude

[2:44] 8. I May Be Wonderful (But I Think You're Wrong)

[2:39] 9. Man Wanted

[2:58] 10. Blues To End All Blues

[2:36] 11. Among My Souvenirs

[2:42] 12. Mean To Me

[2:28] 13. Osculate Me, Daddy

[2:45] 14. My Sleepy Head

[2:46] 15. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman

[2:59] 16. The Richest Guy In The Graveyard

[2:34] 17. Ain't No Hurry Baby

[3:15] 18. What Ev'ry Woman Knows

[2:57] 19. Overwork Blues

[2:51] 20. Misery Is A Thing Called Moe

[2:25] 21. This Is A Fine Time

[2:36] 22. One Night In Trinidad

[3:01] 23. Stop

[2:52] 24. One O'clock Jump

[2:26] 25. Kisses All Night Long

[2:11] 26. I Got A Feeling

[2:50] 27. Moolah! Moolah!

The Complete 1944-1960 (Disc 2)

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Roberto Magris Europlane - Check-In

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:41
Size: 132.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[ 7:15] 1. I Remember You
[12:26] 2. Blues For My Sleeping Baby
[ 9:32] 3. African Mood
[ 6:17] 4. Luci Lontane
[ 5:23] 5. What Blues
[ 5:57] 6. Why Did I Choose You
[ 7:23] 7. I Concentrate On You
[ 3:24] 8. Che Cosa C'e'

Tony Lakatos--Saxophones; Michael Erian--Saxophones; Roberto Magris; Robert Balzar--Bass; Gabriele Centis--Drums; Fulvio Zarfet--Congas.

Roberto Magris's Check-in began its life as a self-produced recording reviewed earlier in these pages. Now with a new label sponsorship and distribution, this fine recording may find its larger audience. Magris is a pianist born in Trieste, Italy in 1959. Beginning his professional career in the late '70s, Magris went on to front several notable jazz combos, including Europlane (the jazz project from Central European Countries under the sponsorship of INCE-CEI Central European Initiative), the Roberto Magris quartet/quintet/orchestra, Dma Urban Jazz Funk and Alfabeats Nu Jazz.

Check-in finds the versatile Magris leading a nominal quintet fronted by saxophonists Tony Lakatos and Michael Erian. The two saxophonists kick off the festivities with a swinging contrapuntal duet introducing the Schertzinger/Mercer standard, "I Remember You. For almost two blissful minutes, the two saxists weave around one another in brilliantly traded eights, hinting at the melody, but never giving it away until closing the introduction in unison before the entire band comes in. Magris proves the superb comping pianist as he allows the reeds full reign. At least until the pianist solos and Magris spins out Monk notes without the dissonance. His time is quirky and never allows the listener's attention to wander elsewhere.

Conveniently positioned after this introductory salvo is the lengthiest piece on the disc, the minor blues, "Blues for My Sleeping Baby, which is a darkly lilting lullaby. All soloists turn introspective and the results are a light, flowing perfume of melody; this is no "Birk's Works. This highlights the impression that the Italian brand of jazz is always spiced con brio. Magris's approach for the remainder of the disc is seated firmly in the mainstream, while exerting a heady free spirit. His solos are always a surprise, with no predictability whatsoever. The pianist proves to be the most provocative soloist, throwing serrated lines through the expert comping of his rhythm section. He illustrates this best on the original compositions, such as, "African Mood and "What Blues.

The sonics have also improved with Magris's move to a label. The piano is sharp and well-defined. The cymbals are crisp and sharply demarcated. The bass is expansive. This is a thrilling release that, from start to finish, should satisfy the stingiest of listeners! I heartily recommend Check-In. ~C. Michael Bailey

Check-In

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Gil Evans - Priceless Jazz Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 130.0 MB
Styles: Progressive jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[ 5:09] 1. Where Flamingos Fly
[ 5:49] 2. Push De Button
[ 3:10] 3. Cheek To Cheek
[15:31] 4. La Nevada
[ 2:58] 5. Trav'lin' Light
[ 4:04] 6. Cocoanut Sweet
[ 4:10] 7. The Bilbao Song
[ 2:51] 8. Aren't You Glad You're You
[ 3:49] 9. Savannah
[ 4:16] 10. Sunken Treasure
[ 4:54] 11. Napolean

One of the most significant arrangers in jazz history, Gil Evans' three album-length collaborations with Miles Davis (Miles Ahead, Porgy and Bess, and Sketches of Spain) are all considered classics. Evans had a lengthy and wide-ranging career that sometimes ran parallel to the trumpeter. Like Davis, Gil became involved in utilizing electronics in the '70s and preferred not to look back and re-create the past. He led his own band in California (1933-1938) which eventually became the backup group for Skinnay Ennis; Evans stayed on for a time as arranger. He gained recognition for his somewhat futuristic charts for Claude Thornhill's Orchestra (1941-1942 and 1946-1948) which took advantage of the ensemble's cool tones, utilized French horns and a tuba as frontline instruments, and, by 1946, incorporated the influence of bop. He met Miles Davis (who admired his work with Thornhill) during this time and contributed arrangements of "Moon Dreams" and "Boplicity" to Davis' "Birth of the Cool" nonet. After a period in obscurity, Evans wrote for a Helen Merrill session and then collaborated with Davis on Miles Ahead. In addition to his work with Davis (which also included a 1961-recorded Carnegie Hall concert and the half-album Quiet Nights), Evans recorded several superb and highly original sets as a leader (including Gil Evans & Ten, New Bottle Old Wine, and Great Jazz Standards) during the era. Among the albums he worked on in the '60s for other artists were notable efforts with Kenny Burrell and Astrud Gilberto. After his own sessions for Verve during 1963-1964, Evans waited until 1969 until recording again as a leader. That year's Blues in Orbit was his first successful effort at combining acoustic and electric instruments; it would be followed by dates for Artists House, Atlantic (Svengali), and a notable tribute to Jimi Hendrix in 1974. After 1975's There Comes a Time (which features among its sidemen David Sanborn), most of Evans' recordings were taken from live performances. Starting in 1970 he began playing with his large ensemble on a weekly basis in New York clubs. Filled with such all-star players as George Adams, Lew Soloff, Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson, Chris Hunter, Howard Johnson, Pete Levin, Hiram Bullock, Hamiet Bluiett, and Arthur Blythe among others, Evans' later bands were top-heavy in talent but tended to ramble on too long. Gil Evans, other than sketching out a framework and contributing his keyboard, seemed to let the orchestra largely run itself, inspiring rather than closely directing the music. There were some worthwhile recordings from the '80s (when the band had a long string of Monday night gigs at Sweet Basil in New York) but in general they do not often live up to their potential. Prior to his death, Gil Evans recorded with his "arranger's piano" on duets with Lee Konitz and Steve Lacy and his body of work on a whole ranks with the top jazz arrangers. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Priceless Jazz is a good midline sampler of highlights from Gil Evans' recordings for MCA and GRP. Although this isn't a definitive collection, it offers representative material to make this a good introduction to these recordings for curious listeners on a budget. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Priceless Jazz Collection

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Larry Coryell, Paolo Morello, Andreas Dombert, Helmut Kagerer - Night Of Jazz Guitars

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:02
Size: 153.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:59] 1. Cookin' At The Continental
[4:31] 2. Koala
[6:03] 3. They Loved You More In Paris
[6:38] 4. Like Someone In Love
[4:40] 5. Jailbreak
[7:03] 6. Tender Tears Theme & Variations
[3:59] 7. Noites Cariocas
[4:51] 8. Blue In Green
[4:12] 9. Blues For Bireli
[5:53] 10. I Think It Is Too Late Now
[4:13] 11. Tadd's Delight
[7:50] 12. Bolero
[3:04] 13. All The Things You Are

Chamber music? Without any doubt! Consciousness of tradition? Definitely! Courage to be innovative? Yes, indeed! Team spirit? Of course! Soloist individuality? Can’t do without it! Thus, same procedure as any time when guitarists get together in a jazz context? Under no circumstances! For Helmut Kagerer, Paulo Morello, Andreas Dombert and guest star Larry Coryell their teamwork means much more than a blue print of the formula “Great Guitars”. These gentlemen define the pure distillation of their stringed work, the intermingling of ideas and chords in a completely new way. Not only in terms of the line-up. Since in modern jazz you have to examine the scene with a fine-tooth comb if you look for a guitaristic quartet. Here four excellent virtuoso and visionary players unify their strength for a fearless highwire act, for exiting and electrifying dialogues. They built an elaborated dramaturgy with plenty of space to improvise. These "four musketeers“ know each other, also know their limits and how to gain more possibilities beyond these limits with every live show they play. When they act on stage you witness adventures which captivate musicians as well as audience. Never before has jazz guitar experienced such a mighty renaissance. Four individualists with distinct personalities melt together for a creative power station and provide new steam for the often cited magic of the strings. These are four outstanding instrumentalists, representing four generations rooted in four different directions. They find a common grounding in standards and original compositions, and they create a very special, warm and breathtaking music which is seldom found in these days.

Night Of Jazz Guitars

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Aaron Neville - My True Story

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:22
Size: 87.9 MB
Styles: R&B, Adult Contemporary
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Money Honey
[2:59] 2. My True Story
[2:30] 3. Ruby Baby
[3:28] 4. Gypsy Woman
[2:47] 5. Ting A Ling
[3:48] 6. Be My Baby
[2:39] 7. Little Bitty Pretty One
[3:30] 8. Tears On My Pillow
[2:53] 9. Under The Boardwalk
[3:05] 10. Work With Me Annie
[4:30] 11. This Magic Moment True Love
[3:16] 12. Goodnight My Love (Pleasant Dreams)

Back in 1985, Aaron Neville offered fans a glimpse of his love of doo wop with the EP Orchid in the Storm. Over a quarter-century later, he returns to it on My True Story. Doo wop pre-dates rock & roll. Its reliance on the human voice in group harmony communicates not only melody but rhythm, and influenced the sounds of Motown, Stax, and early rock & roll. Even Frank Zappa claimed it as a prime influence. Co-produced by Keith Richards and Blue Note label boss Don Was, the dozen tunes here make prime use of Neville's voice, placing his high, smooth, vulnerable tenor way up front; he is backed by vintage-era doo wop singers and an all-star band that includes Richards and Greg Leisz on guitars, Benmont Tench on keyboards, bassist Tony Scherr, and drummer George R. Receli. Lenny Pickett helps out on horns and winds on a number of tracks as well. The production is clean, the musical backing used more as texture and color than as real support -- Neville and his vocalists offer all the impetus needed to pull this off (indeed one wonders what this set might have sounded like a cappella). The tunes are all classics. Standouts include Lieber & Stoller's "Ruby Baby," a medley of Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman's "This Magic Moment" and "True Love," Hank Ballard's "Work with Me Annie" (featuring a guest appearance from Art Neville on B-3), Sylvester Bradford's and Al Lewis' "Tears on My Pillow," and Curtis Mayfield's "Gypsy Woman." The latter marries doo wop to early Chicago soul, and Neville celebrates this in his reading. "Be My Baby," which will forever be associated with the Ronettes and Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, is stripped back to the source music that inspired its authors, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Spector -- even when adding a Pickett flute solo to the chart. Ultimately, My True Story is a smooth, mostly laid-back, and soulful recording by Neville. He provides a healthy -- sometimes overly -- reverential respect for the original material. Coupled with his vocals, these restrained yet imaginative arrangements offer some surprising twists and turns. ~Thom Jurek

My True Story

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Sandra King, Richard Rodney Bennett - Making Beautiful Music Together

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:10
Size: 126.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[2:39] 1. Love Of My Life
[4:19] 2. Blame It On My Youth
[3:04] 3. Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me
[2:53] 4. There Is No Music
[2:54] 5. A Beautiful Friendship/We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together
[3:27] 6. Second Chance
[3:37] 7. I'm Way Ahead Of The Game
[3:07] 8. On Second Thought
[3:50] 9. I Never Know When
[3:58] 10. I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do
[3:09] 11. Early To Bed
[3:41] 12. Empty Space
[3:21] 13. Boy Wanted
[4:03] 14. If You Never Come To Me
[3:20] 15. I Have The Feeling I've Been Here Before
[3:41] 16. I'll Always Leave The Door A Little Open

Sandra King vocals, Richard Rodney Bennett piano, Greg Cohen bass.

Sandra King treasures the memory of a day in the mid-1970s when she came to Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London to rehearse for an engagement. As she and her accompanist Pat Smythe ran through Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood," King noticed a man watching her from the back. He came closer, and she found herself face to face with Stan Getz. He proceeded to tell her how much he admired her singing. "Stan was finishing a two-week booking there that night," she recalls. "He asked me if I'd like to join him on stage to sing a couple of songs. I was terrified, but I went down there and sang while he played behind me. It's an experience I'll never forget."

Making Beautiful Music Together

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Sonny Criss Quartet - Featuring Wynton Kelly

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:37
Size: 79.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Sweet Lorraine
[3:59] 2. You Don't Know What Love Is
[5:35] 3. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[4:02] 4. Butts Delight
[3:49] 5. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[7:39] 6. Sylvia
[5:51] 7. (Back Home Again In) Indiana

Sonny Criss (as), Wynton Kelly (p), Bob Cranshaw (b), Walter Perkins (d), Ole Hansen (tb). Recorded in Chicago, 1959.

Recorded in Chicago in 1959, this date places the great underappreciated altoist Sonny Criss in the company of Miles Davis' pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Walter Perkins, with some help from Norway's Ole Hansen on trombone. The program consists of straight late-'50s ballads and hard bop. Most of the program belongs to standards, such as "You Don't Know What Love Is," "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" (a staple of Criss' live set throughout his life), and Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad." But the real surprises here are the originals. Criss' crew really rocks it on "Butts Delight," playing stellar sprinting hard bop with incredible soloing by the leader. "Sylvia," his other number, is a strolling blues with requisite swing and beautifully articulated interplay between the saxophone and trombone. For the all too few Criss lovers out there, these sessions are essential. In addition to the material, the presentation and sound are excellent -- something rather uncharacteristic for Fresh Sounds as a label. ~Thom Jurek

Featuring Wynton Kelly

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Mick Goodrick, David Liebman, Wolfgang Muthspiel - In The Same Breath

Styles: Guitar And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:54
Size: 148,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:07)  1. Hope
( 5:00)  2. Nardis
( 7:14)  3. Throughout
( 7:27)  4. Mothers and Daughters
( 9:46)  5. Visiones
( 5:51)  6. The Crusher
( 4:45)  7. Liebeslied
( 7:06)  8. The Three Stages
(10:34)  9. Ad Liebitum

Breathe in, breathe out, breathe out. When Liebs' sweetly purling soprano saxophone infiltrates the Mick 'n Wolfie guitar duo, what seemed a perfectly natural process suddenly becomes an out-of-body experience. Goodrick and Muthspiel have honed a mesmerizing mutual plectral hypnosis that levitates and transmigrates with each tune, whirling round and round the globe. They began it in small rooms like Ryle's Upstairs in Somerville, MA, and have taken it at least halfway 'round the Northern Hemisphere, as this album was recorded in Germany. When they invite in a third electronically adventuresome master instrumentalist, worlds collide and subside, pulses escalate. As saxophonist/teacher/writer Dave Liebman explains, concisely, with creative syntax: "The soprano immersed within the strings; the single line within the polyphony; the similar range of color for all three; the intensity and diversity of the rhythm-quite a large universe!" The three ply smooth and near waters (M. Davis' "Nardis") as well as those stormy and distant ("The Crusher"), two gorgeous waltzes (by Muthspiel and Kurt Weill). They sing in clear, brave voices in many tongues... Oh, let's let Liebs tell it: "The trio's range of expression moves from "Liebeslied" (swirling and harmonic) to "The Crusher" (textural) to "Mothers and Daughters" (polytonal) to the classic "Nardis" (swinging) to "Hope" (lyrical) to "Ad Liebitum" (rhythmical). This is one of the most pleasant and listenable recordings that I have ever been part of." ~  Fred Bouchard http://jazztimes.com/articles/8882-in-the-same-breath-mick-goodrick-dave-leibman-woflgang-muthspiel

Personnel:  Mick Goodrick – guitar;  David Liebman - soprano saxophone, wooden flute, piano;  Wolfgang Muthspiel - guitar, electric nylon string guitar, guitar synth, violin

In The Same Breath

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Greta Matassa - I Wanna Be Loved

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:14
Size: 150,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Broadway
(5:39)  2. Chan´s Song
(4:56)  3. Alone In The World
(6:42)  4. I Wanna Be Loved
(5:37)  5. Nothing Like You
(5:27)  6. You´ll See
(5:57)  7. Save Me
(5:49)  8. Two For The Road
(6:33)  9. The Night Mist
(4:22) 10. Would You Believe
(6:05) 11. All Night Long

Greta Matassa made her mark performing in the Pacific Northwest as a jazz vocalist, with a great insight into the Great American Songbook and strong scatting abilities. Both are on display in this big-band session, with arrangements by the promising young pianist Tamir Hendelman and an all-star group. Following a swinging "Broadway" that also includes a healthy dose of scat, she is draped in strings and complemented by Steve Wilkerson's soprano sax in a lively take of Herbie Hancock's "Chan's Song" that sounds like it could have come from a movie soundtrack. There are several little-known songs that Matassa makes her own, including Jerry Goldsmith's moving ballad "Alone in the World" (written for the soundtrack to the film Russia House and performed with just the rhythm section, Carroll Coates' luxurious ballad "You'll See," and a touching setting of Cy Coleman's "Would You Believe." If there's a weak spot, it is Al Jarreau's "Save Me," which is undermined a bit by its uninspired lyrics and the questionable use of a harmonica synthesizer (perhaps no jazz harmonica player was available at the time?). Greta Matassa makes a strong statement with this memorable recording. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-wanna-be-loved-mw0000817563

Personnel: Greta Matassa (vocals); Bruce Forman (guitar); Christian Howes (violin); Cameron Patrick, Gina Kronstadt, Susan Chatman (strings); Steve Wilkerson (reeds); Steve Wilkerson & Andrea Baker (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Willie Murillo (trumpet); Darin Clendenin & Friends, Darin Clendenin, Tamir Hendelman (piano); Bob Leatherbarrow (vibraphone, drums); Clipper Anderson (bass instrument).

I Wanna Be Loved

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John Nugent - Taurus People

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:08
Size: 140,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. Taurus People
(6:48)  2. Monk's Dream
(6:23)  3. Star Crossed Lovers
(7:42)  4. Picadilly Lilly
(5:28)  5. Beija Flor
(9:18)  6. 12 Tone Poem
(5:10)  7. The Final Push
(8:20)  8. Bright Piece
(6:46)  9. Four of a Kind

Sharing the mike on four tunes with sopranist/tenorman Dave Leibman, his former teacher and continued good friend, tenorman John Nugent is here making his first bid for national attention. That he is doing this at the now comparatively advanced age of 35 seems to indicate a bit of well-advised caution and patience, a sign of maturity not shared by many other of our newer names. Stylistically, Nugent comes out of an essentially post-Coltrane/Shorter bag, but this is not to say that he is devoid of a personal sense of direction. He seems to be at his best on the tracks upon which he is the only hornman, i.e., "Monk's Dream," "Star Crossed Lovers," "Beija Flor," pianist Bruce Barth's "The Final Push," and Nugent's own "Four of a Kind."  Throughout, the contributions of Barth, bassist Doug Weiss, and drummer Al Foster present a flowing stream of time, while Liebman's soprano solos on the up-tempo "12 Tone Poem" and "Bright Piece" are typical of this idiosyncratic improviser. But on the occasions when he joins Nugent on tenor ("Taurus People" and "Picadilly Lily") there are noticeable differences of opinion regarding intonation, especially on unison passages. ~ Jack Sohmer http://jazztimes.com/articles/10553-taurus-people-john-nugent-quartet

Personnel: John Nugent (saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Liebman (saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Bruce Barth (piano); Al Foster (drums, snare drum).

Taurus People

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Jack Walrath - Master Of Suspense

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:23
Size: 111,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Meat!
(5:19)  2. Children
(5:58)  3. No Mystery
(4:50)  4. A Study In Porcine
(3:52)  5. I'm Sending You A Big Bouquet Of Roses
(3:09)  6. The Lord's Calypso
(9:06)  7. I'm So Lonemsome I Could Cry
(5:27)  8. Monk On The Moon
(6:34)  9. A Hymn For The Discontented

The biggest news of this CD by trumpeter Jack Walrath is that Willie Nelson sings and plays guitar on two numbers: "I'm Sending You a Big Bouquet of Roses" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." The other selections feature Walrath (who composed all but the two Nelson features) with a larger group than normal; a septet that includes altoist Kenny Garrett, tenor saxophonist Carter Jefferson, trombonist Steve Turre, pianist James Williams, bassist Anthony Cox and drummer Ronnie Burrage. As usual Walrath's music stretches the boundaries of hard bop without tossing away its roots. Among the more memorable titles are "Meat," "The Lord's Calypso" and "Monk on the Moon." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/master-of-suspense-mw0000193705

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Kenny Garrett;  Bass – Anthony Cox;  Drums – Ronnie Burrage;  Guitar, Vocals – Willie Nelson ;  Piano – James Williams ;  Tenor Saxophone – Carter Jefferson;  Trombone – Steve Turre;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jack Walrath

Master Of Suspense

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Donald Edwards - Prelude To Real Life

Styles: Post Bop, Contemporary Jazz  
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:11
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:57)  1. Taking Shape
(6:23)  2. Incantation
(1:00)  3. Hop Scotch
(8:09)  4. Apple Street
(8:08)  5. Way to Her
(0:38)  6. King
(7:37)  7. Queen and the Princess
(7:58)  8. Stablemates
(8:56)  9. Beautiful Intuition
(6:57) 10. Thought for the Day
(4:34) 11. Skippy
(4:47) 12. Prelude to Real Life

On his second Criss Cross leader date, Prelude to Real Life, drummer Donald Edwards picks up where he left off with the next installment of an autobiographical narrativ in notes and tones. Whereas in his debut, Evolution of an Influenced Mind, Edwards conveyed the story of his formative years as a musician with eleven original compositions, here he addresses themes of love, family and fatherhood with an engaging suite comprising six kinetic, diverse originals of his and one by Alex Sipiagin, two personalized standards (Thelonious Monk's Skippy; Benny Golson's Stablemates); and three textural drum interludes. Rejoining him from the first date are pianist Orrin Evans and tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, both Criss Cross veterans, guitarist David Gilmore, while rising star Luques Curtis assuming the bass chair. Edwards' old friend Nicholas Payton plays keyboards on three tracks, and eminent New York singer Vivian Sessoms lends her voice to three selections. https://www.amazon.com/Prelude-Real-Life-Donald-Edwards/dp/B019A1AZJU

Personnel: Donald Edwards (drums); David Gilmore (guitar); Walter Smith III (tenor saxophone); David Stoller (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, organ); Nicholas Payton (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Orrin Evans (piano).

Prelude To Real Life

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Various - Soul Summit

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:04
Size: 169.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[9:13] 1. Jack McDuff - Tubby
[5:01] 2. Gene Ammons - Dumplin'
[4:34] 3. Jack McDuff - When You Wish Upon A Star
[6:02] 4. Jack McDuff - Shuffle Twist
[5:42] 5. Jack McDuff - Sleeping Susan
[6:45] 6. Jack McDuff - Out In The Cold Again
[5:09] 7. Jack McDuff - Love, I've Found You
[4:27] 8. Etta Jones - But Not For Me
[3:57] 9. Oliver Nelson, Clark Terry, Red Holloway - Too Marvelous For Words
[4:22] 10. Etta Jones - If You're But A Dream
[7:41] 11. Jack McDuff - Scram
[6:13] 12. Jack McDuff - Ballad For Baby
[4:50] 13. Etta Jones - Cool Cool Daddy

The two early-'60s LPs in the Soul Summit series featured some of the many collaborations of tenors Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, who are joined by organist Jack McDuff and drummer Charlie Persip. Their six performances are primarily riff tunes, with "When You Wish Upon a Star" taken at a medium pace and "Out in the Cold Again" the lone ballad. The second half of this CD, which features both volumes, features Ammons on two songs ("Love, I've Found You" and a swinging "Too Marvelous for Words") with a big band arranged by Oliver Nelson, jamming "Ballad for Baby" with a quintet, sitting out "Scram" (which stars McDuff and the tenor of Harold Vick), and backing singer Etta Jones on three numbers, of which "Cool, Cool Daddy" is the most memorable. Overall, this is an interesting and consistently swinging set that adds to the large quantity of recordings that the great Ammons did during the early '60s. ~Scott Yanow

Soul Summit

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Flora Purim - That's What She Said

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:24

Size: 81.0 MB

Styles: Fusion, Latin jazz

Year: 1978/2001

Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Look Into His Eyes

[4:31] 2. Juicy

[5:07] 3. Hidden Within

[3:29] 4. You On My Mind

[5:02] 5. What Can I Say

[4:44] 6. Love's The Way I Feel 'bout Cha

[3:52] 7. That's What She Said

[4:04] 8. You Are My Heart

Accompanied By/With – Airto, Alphonso Johnson, Byron Miller, Ernie Watts, George Bohanon, George Duke, Jay Graydon, Leon Ndugu Chancler, Oscar Brashear. Recorded (mostly in 1976) at Paramount Recording Studios, Holywood.

Toward the close of her Milestone years, Flora Purim teamed up with producer/keyboardist George Duke -- and the imprint of Duke, then entering his funkified "Dukey Stick" period, is heavy enough to dominate the record. Very often, Duke uses his then rhythm section of bassist Byron Miller (alternating with Alphonso Johnson) and drummer Ndugu Chandler to give the grooves a definite '70s funk feel -- and percussionist Airto adapts his talents seamlessly to this way of life. Duke's electronic keyboard arsenal is all over the record, occasionally going gonzo on the Moog synthesizer, draping a then-still-fashionable ARP string synthesizer over the landscape, comping on the Rhodes electric piano or Yamaha electric grand. Joe Henderson turns up with a funk-bop tenor solo on the Brazilian/funk groove on "What Can I Say?" (what could he say?), part of a first-call L.A. studio horn section that includes trumpet Oscar Brashear, trombonist George Bohanon, and Ernie Watts on flute. And where does all of this instrumental activity leave Purim? Floating on top of the mix as usual, whether in a wordless vocalise, agile scatting with Duke's lead synth on the title track, or heavily accented English, sometimes in multiple overdubs. Nevertheless, the Brazilian feeling is not quite cancelled out by Duke's busy production hand -- and this Western Hemispheric amalgam would soon pave the way for groups like Azymuth. ~Richard S. Ginnell

That's What She Said

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Barney Wilen - Essential Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:03
Size: 162.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:06] 1. Valse Hot
[4:39] 2. Dig
[5:17] 3. Caravan
[7:27] 4. Granadas
[5:45] 5. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:54] 6. Blues Walk
[9:21] 7. No Problem '94
[5:03] 8. Estate
[7:02] 9. Jitterbug Waltz
[9:59] 10. My Ship
[5:26] 11. Passione

Barney Wilen's mother was French, his father a successful American dentist-turned-inventor. He grew up mostly on the French Riviera; the family left during World War II but returned upon its conclusion. According to Wilen himself, he was convinced to become a musician by his mother's friend, the poet Blaise Cendrars. As a teenager he started a youth jazz club in Nice, where he played often. He moved to Paris in the mid-'50s and worked with such American musicians as Bud Powell, Benny Golson, Miles Davis, and J.J. Johnson at the Club St. Germain. His emerging reputation received a boost in 1957 when he played with Davis on the soundtrack to the Louis Malle film Lift to the Scaffold. Two years later, he performed with Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk on the soundtrack to Roger Vadim's Les Liaisons Dangereuses (1960). Wilen began working in a rock-influenced style during the '60s, recording an album entitled Dear Prof. Leary in 1968. In the early '70s, Wilen led a failed expedition of filmmakers, musicians, and journalists to travel to Africa to document pygmy music. Later Wilen played in a punk rock band called Moko and founded a French Jazzmobile-type organization that took music to people living in outlying areas. He also worked in theater. By the mid-'90s, he was working once again in a bebop vein in a band with the pianist Laurent de Wilde. Much of Wilen's later work was documented on the Japanese Venus label. ~bio by Chris Kelsey

Essential Best

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