Stan Getz - Opus De Bop

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:26
Size: 74.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Cool jazz
Year: 1977/2009
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. Opus De Bop
[2:46] 2. Running Water
[2:40] 3. Don't Worry 'bout Me
[2:45] 4. And The Angels Swing
[2:36] 5. Fool's Fancy
[2:59] 6. Bebop In Pastel
[2:56] 7. Bombay
[2:47] 8. Ray's Idea
[2:25] 9. Eb-Pob
[2:53] 10. Goin' To Minton's
[2:21] 11. Fat Girl
[2:38] 12. Ice Freezes Red

Some of tenor-saxophonist Stan Getz's earliest recordings are included on this well-conceived LP. Getz displays a harder sound than one might expect on sextet sides with trombonist Kai Winding and trumpeter Shorty Rogers from late 1945 and on four selections with a quartet from mid-1946. The final four selections (from May 1949) are more typical as Getz (along with fellow tenors Al Cohn and Zoot Sims) plays hard-swinging cool bop; the three tenors can barely be told apart. Bop collectors will want this interesting music. ~Scott Yanow

Opus De Bop

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Steve Davis - Dig Deep

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:19
Size: 138.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. One For All
[6:52] 2. Dig Deep
[7:48] 3. Little Boy's Bossa
[6:24] 4. Blues Noble
[5:16] 5. Detour Ahead
[7:04] 6. I Should Care
[7:03] 7. Summertime
[7:05] 8. Payne's Window
[7:01] 9. Trippin'

Steve Davis, an excellent hard bop trombonist who is a successor style-wise of J.J. Johnson and Curtis Fuller, is in top form during his second Criss Cross CD as a leader. Once again Davis is teamed up with tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, this time in a sextet with trumpeter Jim Rotondi, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Davis contributed five of the nine songs (including "Payne's Window" for baritonist Cecil Payne), Alexander brought in the up-tempo romp "Trippin'," and the sextet also performs three standards (including "Detour Ahead" and "Summertime"). Davis, who deserves much greater recognition, shows that he is one of the top straight-ahead trombonists of the 1990s and blends in well with Rotondi and Alexander. Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

Dig Deep

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Joe Lovano Nonet - 52nd Street Themes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:08
Size: 153.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. If You Could See Me Now
[5:00] 2. On A Misty Night
[5:08] 3. Sippin' At Bells
[5:02] 4. Passion Flower
[7:09] 5. Deal
[3:47] 6. The Scene Is Clean
[3:55] 7. Whatever Possess'd Me
[8:05] 8. Charlie Chan
[5:47] 9. Theme For Ernie
[7:46] 10. Tadd's Delight
[2:04] 11. Abstractions On 52nd Street
[4:27] 12. 52nd Street Theme
[4:59] 13. Embraceable You

Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone; Steve Slagle: alto saxophone; George Garzone: tenor saxophone; Ralph Lalama: tenor saxophone; Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone; Tim Hagans: trumpet; Conrad Herwig: trombone; John Hicks: piano; Dennis Irwin: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

While Joe Lovano has played some decidedly non-mainstream music during his career, this record is a powerful reminder of the tenor giant’s debt to the tradition. Still, the music has that unmistakable Lovano edge. Joined by what is in essence a small big band, Lovano pays tribute to the legendary players and composers of the bebop era, with a concentration on the great Tadd Dameron. Willie "Face" Smith (not to be confused with the famed altoist who died in 1967) wrote the orchestrations.

Not every track features the full nonet. Strayhorn’s "Passion Flower" is a duet for Lovano and pianist John Hicks. Lovano plays Dameron’s "The Scene Is Clean" with only the rhythm section behind him. "Charlie Chan," a Lovano original based on "Milestones" changes, features a three-tenor duel between the leader, George Garzone, and Ralph Lalama. An up-tempo "Sippin’ at Bells" features a sextet with the frontline of Lovano, trumpeter Tim Hagans, and altoist Steve Slagle. And Lovano is unaccompanied on his own "Abstractions on 52nd Street," which segues directly into a full-throttle version of Monk’s "52nd Street Theme." The nonet is at its best on lushly orchestrated numbers such as "If You Could See Me Now," "Whatever Possess’d Me," and "Embraceable You." ~Dave Adler

52nd Street Themes

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Eydie Gormé - Gormé Sings Showstoppers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:21
Size: 76.4 MB
Styles: Latin pop, Bolero
Year: 1958/2011
Art: Front

[2:20] 1. I Don't Care
[2:58] 2. You're Just In Love
[4:06] 3. My Funny Valentine
[3:09] 4. You Can't Get A Man With A Gun
[2:59] 5. Always True To You In My Fashion
[3:02] 6. Guys And Dolls
[3:07] 7. I Can't Say No
[3:06] 8. Hello Young Lovers
[2:44] 9. Thou Swell
[3:14] 10. I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair
[2:32] 11. Baubles, Bangles And Beads

The Showstoppers are all show tunes on this collection of Broadway favorites from Eydie Gorme, her fifth album for ABC-Paramount Records. Appropriately given the title, the selections tend to be uptempo numbers, and that tends to put them right in the wheelhouse of this energetic performer. Gorme is at her best when she's belting, and she has that opportunity over and over as she takes on some of the big women's songs of the musicals of the ‘40s and ‘50s, shows like Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun ("You Can't Get a Man with a Gun") and Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! ("I Cain't Say No") and South Pacific ("I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair"). She even tries songs not specifically tailored for a distaff singer, notably the title tune from Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls, a composition that, it might be argued, isn't even sympathetic to women. There are ballads here as well, but they tend to be taken at a rhythmic pace. Gorme isn't interested in providing characterizations for these sometimes character-heavy songs; she does use accents where necessary to get rhymes across, but she is singing as herself, using her natural vivacity, powerful voice, and excellent enunciation to transfer these popular songs from the theatrical stage to the realm of nightclubs, where she is at home. Any one of them should fit into her act beautifully. ~William Ruhlmann

Gormé Sings Showstoppers

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Ben Sidran, Bob Rockwell Quartet - Walk Pretty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:40
Size: 136.6 MB
Styles: Smooth jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[4:21] 1. That's My Girl
[5:36] 2. Walk Pretty
[6:16] 3. Rain Rain
[4:45] 4. Lady Sings The Blues
[4:38] 5. The Winter Of My Discontent
[4:42] 6. South To A Warmer Place
[4:09] 7. While We're Young
[3:30] 8. Lovers And Losers
[4:42] 9. If Someday Ever Happens Again
[5:41] 10. I Like It Here
[4:49] 11. A Long Night
[6:25] 12. Moon And Sand

Bass – Billy Peterson; Drums – Kenny Horst; Piano, Vocals – Ben Sidran; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Rockwell. Recorded and mixed by Steve Wiese, April 28 and 29, 2002 at Creation Audio in Minneapolis.

Around the time that Mark Winkler started rummaging through the Bobby Troup songbook, saxophonist Bob Rockwell, now living in Denmark, was itching to honor another undersung hero of American jazz and pop, Alec Wilder. Fortunately for us, Rockwell's first call went out to his singer-pianist pal Ben Sidran. Wading into the elegant complexity of Wilder's work, Sidran spent three months absorbing the fragile beauty of such classics as "The Winter of My Discontent," "While We're Young" and "Lady Sings the Blues." Then, together with Rockwell, bassist Billy Peterson and drummer Kenny Horst, he traveled to Rockwell's hometown of Minneapolis to lay down the 12 tracks that fill Walk Pretty (Go Jazz). Result? A superbly thoughtful and intelligent tribute that's as profound as it is lyrical. (Wilder devotees may question the absence of his most famous composition, "I'll Be Around." I suspect, though, that Rockwell and company wisely recognized the song's severe overexposure.) Fans of Sidran's spare, sandy vocals (imbued with a whip-smart worldliness worthy of Mose Allison) might be similarly disappointed to learn that he sings on only five selections. Consider it a case of quality exceeding quantity. Rambling from the relaxed confidence of the title track, through the sly restlessness of "Discontent" and "South to a Warmer Place" and on to the sweet que sera sera fatalism of "If Someday Ever Happens Again" and resigned desolation of "A Long Night," Sidran proves himself, yet again, an inveterately resourceful troubadour. ~Christopher Loudon

Walk Pretty

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Irene Kral - The Band And I / Steveireneo!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:53
Size: 144.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:10] 1. I'd Know You Anywhere
[3:40] 2. Detour Ahead
[2:35] 3. Comes Love
[1:59] 4. Everybody Knew But Me
[2:52] 5. Lazy Afternoon
[2:58] 6. What's Right For You
[2:43] 7. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[2:55] 8. Memphis In June
[2:04] 9. This Little Love
[2:32] 10. The Night We Called It A Day
[2:29] 11. It Isn't So Good
[2:11] 12. Something To Remember You By
[2:21] 13. Too Late The Spring
[2:26] 14. Run (Don't Walk)
[2:27] 15. The Best Time Of The Day
[2:28] 16. Yes
[2:46] 17. There He Goes
[3:03] 18. And Even Then
[3:02] 19. Houseboat
[2:02] 20. Cool Blue
[2:30] 21. What Is A Woman
[2:49] 22. Spring Is Where You Are
[2:58] 23. Impossible
[2:42] 24. Pleasant Dreams

Twofer: Tracks #1-12 from the United Artists 12" LP "The band and I" (UAS 5016); Tracks #13-24 from the United Artists 12" LP "Steveireneo!" (UAS 6052). Irene Kral (vcl), with Herb Pomeroy, Lenny Johnson, Joe Newman (tp), Urbie Green (tb), Charlie Mariano, Zoot Sims, Danny Bank (saxes), Joe Venuto (vib), Ray Santisi, Hank Jones (p), Jimmy Raney (g), John Neves (b), Jimmy Zitano, Charlie Persip (d).

The Band and I was the debut album of the great Irene Kral. On it the outstanding young vocalist, who first came to prominence with Maynard Fergusons band, had the benefit of Herb Pomeroys celebrated big band which, though it had never featured a vocalist before, gave her a backing that no orchestra composed of studio musicians could match. She responded with innate jazz feeling, sensitive phrasing and a warm, unaffected sound. Singer and big band are well served by the excellent Al Cohn and Ernie Wilkins charts.

On Steveireneo!, her second album, she handles a dozen of Steve Allens songs with complete command. Under the direction of Al Cohn, the band ideally complements her singing; Cohns well-conceived arrangements are, like everything he did, extremely musical. And the front-rank East Coast personnel consistently deliver fine solos in a savoury showcase for a superior singer.

The Band I/Steveireneo!

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Rob Parton's Jazztech Big Band - Just One Of Those Things

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:35
Size: 147.9 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[5:19] 1. Lickety Split
[4:15] 2. Prelude To A Kiss
[4:50] 3. Heads Up
[5:29] 4. Infant Eyes
[5:22] 5. Black Nile
[4:09] 6. Joy Spring
[5:53] 7. You've Changed
[6:33] 8. It Might As Well Be Spring
[5:15] 9. I'll Close My Eyes
[4:51] 10. Just One Of Those Things
[4:42] 11. It Never Entered My Mind
[7:53] 12. Knee Deep In Rio

Rob Parton, leader, trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Wagstaff: trumpet; Kirk Garrison: trumpet; Mike McGrath: trumpet; Terry Connell: trumpet; Bob Frankich: alto sax; Bob Rzeszutko: alto sax (1, 3, 6, 8-10, 12); Ken Partyka: alto sax (2, 4, 5, 7, 11); Mark Colby: tenor sax; Brian Budzik: tenor sax; Ted Hogarth: baritone sax, bass clarinet; Tom Garling: trombone; Tim Coffman: trombone (1-3, 6, 8-10, 12); Andy Baker: trombone (2, 4, 5, 7, 11), Brian Jacobi: trombone; Tom Matta: bass trombone; JoAnn Daugherty: piano (1, 3, 6, 8-10, 12), Don Stille: piano (2, 4, 5, 7, 11); Tim Fox: acoustic, electric bass; Bob Rummage: drums (1-7, 9-11), Tom Hipskind: drums (8, 12); Evan Ryan, percussion.

There aren't many big bands that are as consistently impressive in a studio as they are in person. Here's one that is—trumpeter Rob Parton's strapping, Chicago-based JazzTech Big Band. Parton's secret? It's not hard to comprehend. Enlist the best players one can find, give them bright and elaborate charts to sink their chops into, then stand aside and let 'em roar. Except Parton does much more than stand aside. He also quarterbacks the ensemble's superlative trumpet section and produces splendid solos on both trumpet and flugelhorn ("You've Changed, Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes ). It never hurts the cause to have sharp-shooting soloists, and Parton has rounded up and deputized a number of the Chicago area's fastest and most sure-handed gunslingers. Tenor saxophonist Mark Colby scores well-aimed bull's-eyes on Tom Garling's "Lickety Split and Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things," as do trombonist Tim Coffman on Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss, trumpeter Terry Connell on Clifford Brown's "Joy Spring, pianist JoAnn Daugherty on "I'll Close My Eyes, and bass trombonist Tom Matta on his seductive arrangement of Rodgers and Hart's "It Never Entered My Mind. Colby, trumpeter Kirk Garrison, bassist Tim Fox and drummer Tom Hipskind empty their side arms on the breezy finale, "Knee Deep in Rio.

Trombonist Tom Garling composed and arranged "Lickety Split, "Heads Up and "Rio, and solos smartly with Daugherty on "Heads Up, Colby on "Black Nile and alto Bob Frankich on Don Schamber's sunny arrangement of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "It Might as Well Be Spring. Schamber also scored "I'll Close My Eyes, complementing admirable charts by Paul McKee ("Kiss, "Infant Eyes, "Black Nile ), Matta ("Joy Spring ), Chris Madsen ("One of Those Things ) and the late Frank Mantooth ("You've Changed ). Brass and reeds combine formidable power with due respect for color and dynamics, while the rhythm section, anchored on ten tracks by drummer Bob Rummage, on two by Hipskind, performs with the impeccable timing and reliability of a Swiss watch. Daugherty, the band's newest member, makes an auspicious debut as she shares keyboard duties with veteran Don Stille, while Fox and percussionist Evan Ryan provide indispensable balance. On Just One of Those Things, Parton's intrepid JazzTech Big Band readily enhances its proven stature as a world-class jazz ensemble. An early pacesetter in the Record of the Year sweepstakes. ~Jack Bowers

Just One Of Those Things

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Horace Silver - The Very Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:35
Size: 111.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:45] 1. Doodlin'
[4:19] 2. The Preacher
[6:59] 3. Senor Blues
[6:14] 4. Soulville
[6:15] 5. Sister Sadie
[7:13] 6. Song For My Father
[4:59] 7. The Cape Verdean Blues
[5:47] 8. The Jody Grind

As part of Blue Note's Very Best series, pianist Horace Silver is spotlighted on eight tracks recorded between 1954 and 1966. This set includes the Silver-penned classics "The Preacher," "Song for My Father," "Doodlin'," and "The Jody Grind." Silver's backing bands include fellow Blue Note alumni Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley, Blue Mitchell, Joe Henderson, and Junior Cook, among others, making this a quality sampler for the novice at a mid-line price. ~Al Campbell

The Very Best

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Various - Blue Note Beach Classics Presented By Jose Padilla (2-Disc Set)

Blue Note Beach Classics Presented By Jose Padilla is Jose's 18th album release and is a stunning representation of modern ambient, jazz and breaks. This new compilation album features tracks from French jazz pianist Michel Petrucciani to Oscar-and Grammy-winner Herbie Hancock.

Album: Blue Note Beach Classics (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:53
Size: 127.9 MB
Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012

[6:19] 1. Michel Petrucciani - Brazilian Suite #3
[6:18] 2. Andrew Hill - Poinsettia
[3:43] 3. Stacey Kent - Samba Saravah
[5:08] 4. Chico Hamilton - The Morning Side Of Love
[6:20] 5. Lee Morgan - Ceora
[9:15] 6. Herbie Hancock - Dolphin Dance
[4:25] 7. Chet Baker - I've Never Been In Love Before
[2:58] 8. Stan Getz - Autumn Leaves
[6:47] 9. Grant Green - Hurt So Bad
[4:37] 10. Bobbi Humphrey - Blacks And Blues

Blue Note Beach Classics (Disc 1)

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Album: Blue Note Beach Classics (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:26
Size: 145.2 MB
Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:30] 1. Quasimode - Waltz Ga Kikoete Feat. Miyuki Hatakeyama
[4:16] 2. Cannonball Adderley - Hummin'
[5:15] 3. Ike Quebec - Blue Samba
[4:08] 4. Miles Davis - Dear Old Stockholm
[6:52] 5. Big John Patton - The Shadow Of Your Smile
[7:33] 6. Donald Byrd - (Fallin' Like) Dominoes
[2:51] 7. Chet Baker - Moonlight Becomes You
[3:03] 8. Nancy Wilson - How Insensitive (Insensatez)
[4:21] 9. Jackie Mclean - Don't Blame Me
[5:46] 10. Horace Parlan - On The Spur Of The Moment
[6:48] 11. Donald Byrd - Book's Bossa
[6:57] 12. Dexter Gordon - Le Coiffeur

Blue Note Beach Classics (Disc 2)

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Bill Risby Trio - Looking Up

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:12
Size: 167.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[ 6:13] 1. Seek And You Will Find
[ 9:57] 2. Looking Up
[ 4:18] 3. Let Me Off!
[ 4:46] 4. Somalia
[ 9:26] 5. Away With You
[ 7:53] 6. Mass For Almassy Prelude Viii
[ 8:13] 7. Lost
[11:04] 8. A Gift
[11:20] 9. I' Ll Be Seeing You

Double Bass – Gary Holgate; Drums – Hamish Stuart; Piano – Bill Risby.

Few listeners will not succumb to the spell cast by the fragile beauty of Bill Risby's 'Seek And You Will Find'. Risby weights each note with the assurance of an expert concert pianist performing a Satie Gymnopedie, yet loads them with such a tangible sense of vulnerability that the emotional power stops you dead. We hear too little of Risby in such contexts. it was worth the 11 year wait since his lovely debut, STORIES, for this one, which, after that solo opening, is a collaboration with bassist Gary Holgate and drummer Hamish Stuart. The gentle tentative beginning to 'Looking Up' heralds a slow motion, building intensity over the next 10 minutes into something like a full blown spiritual. The upward energy slant continues with the abrupt drum punctuations and racing bass riff of 'Let Me Off!!' A rather folorn ballad called 'Lost' flutters into freer territory in mid-stream. Risby leaves us with the Celtic melancholy of 'I'll Be Seeing You'. If nothing quite rises to the heights of the first piece, this is still one fine album. ~John Shand

Looking Up

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Monica Borrfors & Sweet Jazz Trio - A Certain Sadness

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:23
Size: 124.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2001/2009
Art: Front

[5:36] 1. A Certain Sadness
[2:48] 2. For All We Know
[4:33] 3. Violets For Your Furs
[6:13] 4. Embraceable You
[4:09] 5. Yesterdays
[4:36] 6. I´ve Grown Accustomed To His Face
[4:13] 7. My Ideal
[5:28] 8. Once Upon A Summertime
[4:01] 9. Somebody Loves Me
[4:51] 10. My Foolish Heart
[2:47] 11. That Old Feeling
[5:02] 12. You´ve Changed

Monica Borrfors one of Sweden's foremost jazz singers and chamber jazz group Sweet Jazz Trio by Peter Nordahl and Patrik Boman of the record company Arietta brought together on a CD which was released in early September 2001 under the name "A Certain Sadness". Monica Borrfors that usually leads his own quintet - since 1980 - sings to the accompaniment of guitarist Mats Larsson, contra bassist Hans Backenroth and cornet player Lasse Törnqvist Sweet Jazz Trio.

Guest artist in three of the numbers is the English top trumpeter Guy Barker, who has played in Sweden with Peter Nordahl Trio and Patrik Boman Seven Piece Machine. In a number guest plays baritone saxophonist Gunnar Bergsten - Grammy winner who also received Lars Gullin price.

A Certain Sadness

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Michael Kaeshammer - No Filter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:59
Size: 64.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Letter From The Road
[3:27] 2. Nothing Seems To Reach You
[3:48] 3. Late Night Train (Feat. Denzal Sinclaire)
[2:15] 4. Westcoast Spirit
[5:03] 5. Everybody Catches Love Sometime (Feat. Randy Bachman)
[3:48] 6. Sweet Grace (Feat. Joel Parisien)
[3:13] 7. Back Into The Pen
[3:23] 8. Talk To Me, Baby

No Filter is the eleventh album from MICHAEL KAESHAMMER. This is the sound of an artist following his muse completely unhindered by thoughts of commercial imperatives or genre constraints. The prolific Vancouver Island-based singer/songwriter/pianist/producer has earned a loyal international following as a triple threat. He’s a piano virtuoso with a technical mastery of many different styles, an eloquent singer/songwriter, and a charming and engaging performer.

On No Filter, Michael mixes his well-crafted and melodic original songs with a couple of evocative piano instrumentals, and the result is a delightfully varied collection. Kaeshammer has completely come to terms with his eclectic taste in music, something showcased on the record. “The songs here are just things I wanted to write,” he explains. “If they sound as if they have been influenced by a lot of different things, then that is just the way it is. To me, it just sounds like my music.”

No Filter

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Joe Williams, Carmen McRae And Friends - Blues In My Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:03
Size: 142.1 MB
Styles: Urban blues, Jazz vocals
Year: 2001/2015
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Suivez Le Chef
[2:56] 2. Work Song
[3:11] 3. Blues In My Heart
[6:39] 4. Just The Way You Are
[4:52] 5. Rock Rhythm
[3:19] 6. It Don't Mean A Thing
[3:53] 7. Them There Eyes
[5:48] 8. Body And Soul
[4:48] 9. Bowling Green
[4:32] 10. 'tis Autumn
[2:20] 11. Bye Bye Blackbird
[5:21] 12. Jungle Trap
[2:52] 13. End Of A Beautiful Friendship
[6:58] 14. Backbone
[1:19] 15. For Jammers Only

Blues In My Heart

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Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:53
Size: 107.3 MB
Styles: Folk rock
Year: 1965/2013
Art: Front

[2:20] 1. Subterranean Homesick Blues
[2:46] 2. She Belongs To Me
[3:54] 3. Maggie's Farm
[2:50] 4. Love Minus Zero
[3:04] 5. Outlaw Blues
[2:34] 6. On The Road Again
[6:29] 7. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
[5:30] 8. Mr. Tambourine Man
[5:39] 9. Gates Of Eden
[4:12] 10. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
[7:29] 11. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)

With Another Side of Bob Dylan, Dylan had begun pushing past folk, and with Bringing It All Back Home, he exploded the boundaries, producing an album of boundless imagination and skill. And it's not just that he went electric, either, rocking hard on "Subterranean Homesick Blues," "Maggie's Farm," and "Outlaw Blues"; it's that he's exploding with imagination throughout the record. After all, the music on its second side -- the nominal folk songs -- derive from the same vantage point as the rockers, leaving traditional folk concerns behind and delving deep into the personal. And this isn't just introspection, either, since the surreal paranoia on "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" and the whimsical poetry of "Mr. Tambourine Man" are individual, yet not personal. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, really, as he writes uncommonly beautiful love songs ("She Belongs to Me," "Love Minus Zero/No Limit") that sit alongside uncommonly funny fantasias ("On the Road Again," "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream"). This is the point where Dylan eclipses any conventional sense of folk and rewrites the rules of rock, making it safe for personal expression and poetry, not only making words mean as much as the music, but making the music an extension of the words. A truly remarkable album. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Bringing It All Back Home

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Gerry Mulligan, Ben Webster - The Complete Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster Sessions (2-Disc Set)

Although an earlier CD added five previously unissued tracks to the original LP Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster, this Verve Master Edition two-CD set adds just about everything else recorded during the two sessions that produced the original record, and also features 20-bit sound. Even though Gerry Mulligan was outspoken against issuing material omitted from his original recordings, it is a treat to hear how the songs evolved in the studio. Webster and Mulligan seem mutually inspired throughout the sessions, and strong performances by pianist Jimmy Rowles, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Mel Lewis are of considerable help. The music is presented in the order in which it was recorded, with each CD devoted to a separate session. In both cases it is clear that the initial takes of music from the Ellington songbook ("In a Mellotone" and "Chelsea Bridge") are more focused than the follow-up versions. They only needed one try to nail "What Is This Thing Called Love?" (also left off the LP), in an understated setting that shows off their beautiful interplay. Their barely disguised reworking of "I Got Rhythm," called "Who's Got Rhythm," was likely an effortless performance, though Webster seems to briefly laugh in the middle of his solo. Webster's swinging "Fajista" opens the second date, followed by two takes of Mulligan's beautiful ballad "Tell Me When." Webster's "Blues in B-Flat" is another fine swinger inexplicably left off the LP, and Rowles kicks off the oldie "Sunday" with a brief stride piano introduction (something Webster played himself but rarely in a recording studio). Fans on a budget can probably make due with the earlier CD reissue but serious fans of Mulligan and/or Webster should invest in this very rewarding set instead. ~Ken Dryden

Album: The Complete Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster Sessions (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:35
Size: 147.9 MB
Styles: Cool jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[7:03] 1. In A Mellow Tone
[6:45] 2. In A Mellow Tone
[7:21] 3. What Is This Thing Called Love
[7:17] 4. Chelsea Bridge
[7:29] 5. Chelsea Bridge
[2:12] 6. Go Home
[9:58] 7. Go Home
[7:34] 8. Who's Got Rhythm
[5:40] 9. For Bessie
[1:44] 10. Go Home
[1:28] 11. Go Home

The Complete Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster Sessions (Disc 1)

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Album: The Complete Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster Sessions (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:09
Size: 162.9 MB
Styles: Cool jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[0:43] 1. Fajista
[6:21] 2. Fajista
[1:23] 3. Fajista
[5:46] 4. Fajista
[4:42] 5. Tell Me When
[5:02] 6. Tell Me When
[2:32] 7. Blues In B Flat
[8:04] 8. Blues In B Flat
[7:21] 9. Blues In B Flat
[3:14] 10. The Cat Walk
[5:38] 11. The Catwalk
[2:04] 12. The Catwalk
[5:41] 13. The Cat Walk
[5:09] 14. Sunday
[7:20] 15. Sunday

The Complete Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster Sessions (Disc 1)

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Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen - That's A Plenty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:29
Size: 138.5 MB
Styles: Dixieland
Year: 1999/2008
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. That's A Plenty
[3:41] 2. Sunday
[4:21] 3. Savoy Blues
[3:09] 4. Autumn Leaves
[3:33] 5. Blueberry Hill
[3:05] 6. At A Georgia Camp Meeting
[2:47] 7. Lazy River
[2:30] 8. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
[2:52] 9. You're Nicked
[4:41] 10. West End Blues
[3:46] 11. Ain't Misbehavin'
[3:17] 12. Get Out Of Here
[2:45] 13. My Blue Heaven
[6:16] 14. Tishmingo Blues
[4:09] 15. Beautiful Dreamer
[4:33] 16. Riverboat Shuffle

English jazz musician Kenny Ball was born Kenneth Daniel Ball on May 22, 1930 in Ilford, Essex, England. During his teens Ball first worked as a clerk in an advertising agency to make ends meet. At the same time, he also took trumpet lessons. When Ball was promoted as a salesman, he started performing in some bands as his sideline. In 1953, he became a professional trumpeter, performing with the bands of Sid Phillips, Terry Lighftoot, Charlie Galbraith and Eric Delaney.

After playing for several bands, Ball eventually formed his own band in 1958 called Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen. In 1961, the band recorded Cole Porter’s original “Samantha.” The song became a hit in the U.K. which peaked at #13. Later, a bigger success came with the release of “Midnight in Moscow.” It went to #2 on both US Billboard Hot 100 and the U.K. charts. It sold over a million copies and earned a gold disc. In 1962, it was followed by “March of the Siamese Children” which was included in The King and I soundtrack. It peaked at #4 on the U.K. charts.

One of Ball’s notable releases was The Best of Ball, Barber and Bilk, which he recorded with rival contemporaries Acker Bilk and Chris Barber. It soared to the top of the UK albums chart in 1966.

While Ball was being noted as a one-hit wonder in the U.S., he was hugely popular in the U.K. He had been on the cover of July 1962 issue of New Musical Express along with Cliff Richard, Craig Douglas, Brenda Lee, Joe Brown and Frank Ifield. In the winter of 1963, Ball performed in the biggest trad jazz event held in Alexandra Palace. Later that year, he appeared in Gene Vincent’s movie, Live It Up! and became the first English jazzman who was granted an honorary citizen of New Orleans. In 1968, he and his band toured with Louis Armstrong for his last European shows. During the 1970’s, he became a part of the first six series of BBC’s Morecambe and Wise Show. In 1981, he performed at the wedding reception of Prince Charles and Lady Diana which he considered the peak of his career.

That's A Plenty

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Joshua Breakstone - The Music Of Bud Powell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:02

Size: 128.3 MB

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 2000

Art: Front

[3:58] 1. Tempus Fugit

[6:29] 2. Una Noche Con Francis

[6:17] 3. Strictly Confidential

[4:20] 4. Elegy

[8:49] 5. Celia

[7:56] 6. Un Poco Loco

[4:30] 7. Sub City

[3:40] 8. Comin' Up

[6:30] 9. Time Waits

[3:30] 10. The Scene Changes

As Breakstone points out in his notes, Bud Powell is severely underrated as a composer. What credit he does get (and it is nowhere near enough) is as a soloist. A guitar-trio record wouldn't seem the ideal showcase for Bud's richly harmonized compositions, but the lines stand well on their own, and the setting of Un Poco Loco is most impressive.

Breakstone is a fluid and convincing soloist with a style perfectly suited to Bud's bop. His lines build logically and even at breakneck speed he's in command of his box. I like the way he paces himself, developing his ideas in a leisurely way even when they involve a long stream of eighth notes. I also like the way he refers back to the melodies and his penchant for sly, unobvious quotes (was that the "Harlem Nocturne" bridge in the middle of "Una Noche Con Francis"? Sure was.)

Keith Copeland proves his considerable worth as a big-eared drummer, and Earl Sauls has a great bass sound and understands the importance of staying out of the leader's way. The trio interplay is terrific, the guitar soloing top-notch, and the choice of material exemplary. How can you go wrong? ~Duck Baker

The Music Of Bud Powell                 

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Elaine Delmar, Brian Dee Trio - The Spirit Of The Song

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 54:51

Size: 125.6 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 1990

Art: Front

[3:48] 1. Honeysuckle Rose

[4:22] 2. Like A Lover

[2:07] 3. Old Man River

[3:28] 4. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face

[3:28] 5. All The Things You Are

[3:35] 6. Wait Till You See Him

[2:05] 7. If Love Were All

[3:55] 8. Just One Of Those Things

[4:58] 9. I Loves You Porgy

[3:15] 10. There'll Be Some Changes Made

[5:15] 11. Halcyon Days

[3:38] 12. Getting To Know You

[4:31] 13. Sophisticated Lady

[3:31] 14. Tea For Two

[2:47] 15. Guess Who I Saw Today

Bass – Mario Castronari; Drums – Frank Gibson; Piano – Brian Dee; Vocals – Elaine Delmar.

The daughter of late Jamaica-born jazz pianist Leslie "Jiver" Hutchinson, Elaine Delmar is one of England's truly loved entertainers. Having made her debut as a pianist on BBC radio show The Children's Hour at the age of 13, Hutchinson has gone on to balance a career as a solo performer on England's club circuit and appearances in musical theater productions. She appeared in a 1962 revival of Finian's Rainbow in Liverpool and has appeared in such London productions as No Strings, Cowardly Custard, Bubbling Brown Sugar, and The Wiz. She made her Broadway debut in the 1985 production Goes to Hollywood, featuring music by Jerome Kern. She toured with actor/singer Paul Jones in Let's Do It, celebrating the 100th birthday of Cole Porter, in 1991. Reuniting with Jones two years later, she appeared in a series of concerts, Hooray for Hollywood, that featured songs from Porgy & Bess, Annie Get Your Gun, and Top Hat. Delmar appeared as a princess in Ken Russell's 1974 biopic Mahler, based on the life of Austrian conductor/composer Gustav Mahler. A member of her father's band, while still in high school Delmar performed at United States Air Force bases in England throughout the late '50s. She was touring with the group when her father died in a fatal auto accident in 1959. ~ bio by Craig Harris

The Spirit Of The Song     

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Roberto Menescal - Jazz & Bossa 1 & 2

Roberto Menescal (born October 25, 1937) is a Brazilian composer, producer, guitarist/vocalist, important to the founding of bossa nova. In many of his songs there are references to things related to the sea, including his best-known composition "O Barquinho" ("Little Boat"). He is also known for work with Carlos Lyra, Nara Leão, Wanda Sá, Ale Vanzella, and many others. Menescal has performed in a variety of Latin music mediums, including Música popular brasileira (Brazilian pop), Bossa Nova and Samba. He was nominated for a Latin Grammy for his work with his son's bossa group Bossacucanova in 2002 and received the "2013 Latin Recording Academy Special Awards" in Las Vegas in November 2013.

Album: Jazz & Bossa
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:23
Size: 87.9 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Garota De Ipanema
[3:08] 2. The Lady Is A Tramp
[3:08] 3. Meditacao
[4:00] 4. Tenderly
[2:07] 5. Samba De Uma Nota Só
[3:21] 6. Take Five
[2:38] 7. Só Danço Samba
[4:11] 8. Secret Love
[2:59] 9. Samba Do Avião
[2:55] 10. Satin Doll
[3:20] 11. Só Tinha Que Ser Com Você
[3:32] 12. Corcovado

Jazz & Bossa

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Album: Jazz & Bossa 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:41
Size: 104.6 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:50] 1. Summertime
[3:06] 2. O Barquinho
[4:21] 3. Night In Tunisia
[4:45] 4. Água De Beber
[2:33] 5. Cheek To Cheek
[2:10] 6. Influência Do Jazz
[4:20] 7. My Funny Valentine
[3:18] 8. Ela é Carioca
[4:34] 9. All The Things You Are
[2:59] 10. Você
[4:16] 11. Round Midnight
[4:22] 12. Manhã De Carnaval

Jazz & Bossa 2

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John Donaldson, Oli Hayhurst, Asaf Sirkis - Music Box

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:36
Size: 106.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Trinkle Tinkle
[5:48] 2. Light Blue
[3:50] 3. Petrucciani
[1:48] 4. Unknown
[7:32] 5. Pearl's Song
[5:41] 6. What's New
[5:30] 7. Dis Here
[2:03] 8. Music Box
[7:43] 9. Hey There
[3:41] 10. We Will Meet Again

From top UK pianist a beautifully recorded New Piano Trio featuring Asaf Sirkis and Oli Hayhurst. Originals compositions, Monk Tunes and standards.

"The album is simply superb, fluent, flowing pianistics set against a busy, energetic polyrhythmic drum and bass support. Altogether a magnificent piano album." ~Chris Yates

Music Box

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