Ari Ambrose - On Another Day

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 68:52
Size: 110,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:23)  1. Bang
(7:53)  2. Who Can I Turn To?
(9:16)  3. Clueless
(7:45)  4. I Fall in Love Too Easily
(7:53)  5. Samsara
(5:47)  6. Never Let Me Go
(6:09)  7. Vai Chegar
(6:45)  8. On Another Day
(9:56)  9. If I Had You

Ari Ambrose ( 1974 ) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and bandleader. Ambrose studied in Washington, DC and played there with local bands. From 1991 he continued his studies at the Manhattan School of Music and played with musicians like the trumpeter Ryan Kisor . At the end of the 1990s, he became known for his own band projects; The trio album " Introducing Ari Ambrose" was composed for SteepleChase Records with bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Billy Hart in 1998. It is based on the trio session of Sonny Rollins (1957) or Joe Henderson's Village Vanguard concert in 1985 .  Subsequently, he presented five other albums for the label, created with musicians such as pianist George Colligan , bassist Jay Anderson, or drummer Billy Drummond .  According to the critic C. Hovan, Ambrose is based on models like Ben Webster , Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp and Joe Henderson. 

Personnel:  Ari Ambrose (tenor sax);  Joe Magnarelli (trumpet);  Gary Versace (Hammond B-3 organ);  Mark Ferber (drums).

On An Other Day

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Amy Sky & Olivia Newton-John & Beth Nielsen Chapman - Liv On

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:34
Size: 96,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. My Heart Goes out to You
(4:10)  2. Live On
(3:21)  3. Stone in My Pocket
(4:28)  4. Sand and Water
(4:48)  5. Forever Blue
(3:24)  6. Immortality
(3:27)  7. Don't Know What to Say
(3:27)  8. Impossible
(4:58)  9. I Will Take Care of You
(3:59) 10. Grace and Gratitude
(2:44) 11. There's still my joy

'LIV ON,' a collaboration of GRAMMY®-Award winner Olivia Newton-John and fellow songwriters Beth Nielsen Chapman and Amy Sky, is an album that uses the power of music to heal and offer comfort to those experiencing grief and loss. The 11 songs carry a message of support, compassion and hope, to aid those in time of need, which was the intention of the album's creators. Its theme of love underscores the strength for healing in order for people to overcome their obstacles and live on! ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Olivia-Newton-John-Neilsen-Chapman/dp/B01LP5HS4O

Personnel:  Accordion – Austin Hoke;  Acoustic Guitar – Beth Nielsen Chapman, Kerry Marx, Michael Thompson (tracks: 2);  Bass – Matt McKenzie;  Cello – Austin Hoke;  Choir – Ezra Jordan (tracks: 2), Kenna Ramsey (tracks: 2), Liisi Lafontaine (tracks: 2), Marc Jordan (tracks: 2), Nita Whitaker (tracks: 2);  Drums – Mark Beckett; Electric Guitar – Kerry Marx, Michael Thompson (tracks: 2); Flute – John Ragusa; Harp – Hattie Webb; Keyboards – Dane Bryant, Kirby Shelsdad; Lead Vocals – Amy Sky (tracks: 5, 9), Beth Nielsen Chapman (tracks: 4, 7), Olivia Newton-John (tracks: 2, 8, 10, 11);  Pedal Steel Guitar – Dan Dugmore;  Percussion – Mark Beckett;  Piano – Amy Sky (tracks: 5, 6), Dane Bryant

Liv On

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Don Grusin - Raven

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:59
Size: 126,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Flight Of The Raven
(4:32)  2. Two Lives
(4:43)  3. Hip Hop Be Bop
(6:03)  4. Oracle
(5:28)  5. Outback Oasis
(4:44)  6. Light in the Window
(5:32)  7. Zuma Noon
(5:12)  8. Um Beijo (A Kiss)
(4:24)  9. Graffiti-Bird
(4:14) 10. Highline
(5:26) 11. Catwalk

As he proved in his production of David Benoit's 1989 smash Urban Daydreams, the younger brother of Dave Grusin is a master at texturing various synth textures with the acoustic piano. On his solo debut Grusin once again does a remarkable job of this, mixing up his styles along the way to include bits and pieces of funk, Brazilian and mainstream jazz, along with healthy doses of the obligatory pop jazz formulas. Though the ballads here, such as "Oracle," are likable, Grusin the player is most at home on funky and frisky numbers like the stealthy "Catwalk," which features some tasty acoustic improvisations layered sparingly amidst a contagious synth groove. The best cut is another funkfest, "Graffiti Bird," which features the very punchy solo chops of saxman Eric Marienthal. The horns of Gary Herbig, Gary Grant, and Jerry Hey brass up this cut, as well as the softer line of "Light in the Window," while Sal Marquez's trumpet (which added so much to The Fabulous Baker Boys) adds a mainstream touch to songs like the title cut. The Brazilian vocalizing by Djavan makes "Two Lives" a memorable experience as well. And let's not forget kudos for the solid backbeat by bassist Flim Johnson and skinmaster Tommy Brechtlein. GRP was the smooth jazz mecca for many years, but once in a while the label released a project like this which added a lot of twists to the tried and true. ~ Jonathan Widran http://www.allmusic.com/album/raven-mw0000207728

Personnel:  Don Grusin - Producer, Arranger, Piano, Piano (Acoustic), Synthesizer, Vocals;  Ricardo Silveira – Guitar; Tom Brechtlein – Drums;  Eric Marienthal - Saxophone (Alto), Saxophone (Soprano);  Gary Herbig - Saxophone (Alto), Saxophone (Soprano), Saxophone (Tenor), Flute (Alto);  Kate Markowitz - Vocals, Vocals (Background);  Marilyn Scott - Vocals, Vocals (Background);  Sal Marquez – Trumpet;  Djavan – Vocals;  Jim Gilstrap - Vocals, Vocals (Background);  Gary Grant - Flugelhorn, Trumpet, Flute (Alto);  Jerry Hey - Flugelhorn, Trumpet;  Jimmy Johnson – Bass.

Raven

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Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins & Sonny Stitt - Duets

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:38
Size: 136.5 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1957/2010
Art: Front

[08:44] 1. Wheatleigh Hall
[10:22] 2. Sumphin'
[09:07] 3. Con Alma (Alt)
[09:20] 4. Con Alma
[11:29] 5. Anythin'
[10:34] 6. Haute Mon

Alto Saxophone – Sonny Stitt (tracks: 5); Bass – Tommy Bryant; Drums, Percussion – Charlie Persip; Piano – Ray Bryant; Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins (tracks: 1, 2), Sonny Stitt (tracks: 3, 4, 6); Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie. Recorded at Nola Studios, New York City on December 11, 1957.

The product of a day's worth of recording at Nola Studios in 1957, this album is essentially the same as a much older release of the same on Verve, but the master tapes had been found and remastered into stereo along with the addition of a couple of tracks previously left off the album. Presumably, these are the same sessions that spawned the Sonny Side Up album. Here, Dizzy works separately with each of the Sonnys for a couple of tracks. "Wheatleigh Hall" is something of a tour de force for both Rollins and Gillespie, and the "Con Alma" tracks are certainly worthwhile listens for a glimpse of Stitt's prowess. Finally, the album ends with "Haute Mon'," a themeless blues in G minor. Before that, however, is the addition of a newly discovered yet unlabeled track from the same sessions, which was belatedly titled "Anythin', Ha Ha" by Gillespie prior to the release of this album. Overall, the highlights are many, and one would probably be better off with this album than the original release (in mono, no less). On a related note, however, one would probably be better off with the Sonny Side Up album instead of this one (given only one choice), due to the simultaneous collaboration with both sax players (and for no other reason than the sheer beauty of "Eternal Triangle"). ~Adam Greenberg

Duets

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Lurlean Hunter - Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:02
Size: 77.9 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:56] 1. Georgia On My Mind
[2:21] 2. What A Difference A Day Made
[2:01] 3. Have You Met Miss Jones
[3:05] 4. That Old Feeling
[3:49] 5. It's The Talk Of The Town
[2:34] 6. Gentleman Friend
[3:21] 7. Night Life
[2:35] 8. It Could Happen To You
[2:58] 9. Moondrift
[1:57] 10. Sunday
[2:56] 11. Like Someone In Love
[2:24] 12. This Time The Dream's On Me

Singer Lurlean Hunter made five albums on her own during the second half of the '50s, starting out as a Lonesome Gal on RCA and winding up still feeling Blue & Sentimental for Atlantic. She was discovered in Chicago where she had been singing in many clubs, including a collaboration with drummer Red Saunders that held forth at the Club DeLisa. Hunter's move to New York City in 1955 was prompted by RCA's interest in recording her. The singer's recording career actually began before she left the Windy City at the behest of indie jazz labels, some of them quite short-lived -- such as Seymour, with a catalog topping out at four releases. The press described Hunter as a "blues thrush" in announcing her interpretations of three numbers actually written by the label's owner, producer and record store owner Seymour Schwartz.

The latter promotional blurb inevitably told some truth about Hunter's stylistic traits, if not her relation to winged fauna. Her recordings were more about rhythm & blues and pop than jazz, yet were done in an era when such sessions often involved fine mainstream jazz players in the accompaniment. The 1956 Night Life, for example, featured pianist Hank Jones and tenor saxophonist Al Cohn. Blue & Sentimental -- with arrangements by the progressive Jimmy Giuffre -- was reissued in 2000 as a split CD also including an album by fellow singer Betty Bennett, a former wife of pianist André Previn. Hunter's final recordings were done in 1964, at which point she was still well under 40 years old. She is known to have died young, although details of this tragedy are murky. In one version of the story she was knocked off by a mobster lover, yet whether anybody was really that mean to Lurlean cannot be completely confirmed. ~bio by Eugene Chadbourne

Greatest Hits

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Larry Carlton - 2 albums: Collection / Collection Vol 2

Album: Collection
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:46
Size: 141.4 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[5:40] 1. Small Town Girl
[5:47] 2. Smiles And Smiles To Go
[4:57] 3. Minute By Minute
[5:09] 4. For Heaven's Sake
[5:19] 5. Nite Crawler
[5:24] 6. Blues For T.J
[5:05] 7. 10 P.M
[4:34] 8. Sleepwalk
[4:08] 9. Tequila
[4:33] 10. Bubble Shuffle
[5:22] 11. Hello Tomorrow
[5:43] 12. High Steppin'

Larry Carlton is one of the few great guitarists whose style is so distinctive that you recognise it the moment you hear it. His smooth, expressive tone is what many guitarists can only dream of coming close to. He is also probably one of the most requested session musicians ever. His early work with Steely Dan was just brilliant and here on this disc, although you don't get the Steely Dan stuff, you get a very good representation of his first 12 years in the business.

As is expected of a GRP recording, the sound quality is excellent coming from a digital master and there are two never before released recordings as well. The best track is "Sleepwalk" which shows you just what great phrasing the guy has, probably one of the hardest things for any musician to achieve is good phrasing and LC achieves this with ease. A brilliant musician and a great disc! ~Frederick Baptist

Collection

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Album: Collection Volume 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:37
Size: 129.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[5:37] 1. Osaka Cool
[4:22] 2. Heart To Heart
[5:16] 3. March Of The Jazz Angels
[5:05] 4. Honey Samba
[5:30] 5. Pure Delight
[5:28] 6. Ridin' The Treasure
[4:16] 7. Those Eyes
[6:16] 8. Lots About Nothin'
[4:43] 9. Farm Jazz
[5:12] 10. The Gift
[4:47] 11. Remembering J.P

It's cool. It's upbeat. It's danceable. It's the much accomplished Larry Carlton's Collection Volume 2, gathering the cream from his releases The Gift, Kid Gloves, Discovery, On Solid Ground, Alone / But Never Alone, and Larry & Lee (that would be Ritenour).

Carlton is a superb guitarist. His phrasing is impeccable, his ear for melody sound. His competent brand of cool collected-ness is no doubt what attracted the ear of Steely Dan, who had Carlton in now and again to take care of the fretwork. One chief difference is that Steely Dan had a sound, a readily identifiable style. Carlton's playing is faultless, but these tracks seem to melt into one another without much to distinguish them. Moreover, after listening to this disc I'm still not entirely sure what Larry Carlton has to say. I'm not sure who he is — despite his virtuoso chops, much of this music could have been made by any number of smooth jazzmen. Of course, that may be all Mr. Carlton is after. He is notably effective on "Honey Samba," touching on "The Gift," delicately precise on "Pure Delight," and charming on "Farm Jazz," which does sound a little different (in a chugging faux -hillbilly direction) from the rest of the fare.

Guest stars on this compilation include Kirk Whalum, who contributes some standard smooth-fusionary licks and a few memorable phrases, especially on "March of the Jazz Angels," which began by reminding me of the Seventies pop hit "How Long Has This Been Going On?" Larry Carlton is a virtuoso, but is never flashy for its own sake. Amid the synthesizer gauze of these tracks he himself plays brilliantly, and is, of course, the major attraction. ~Robert Spencer

Collection Volume 2

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Phil Woods, Lee Konitz - Phil & Lee: Two Brothers In Three Flats

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:27
Size: 138.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2004/2010
Art: Front

[5:59] 1. Alone Together (Take 1)
[5:36] 2. Just Friends
[7:28] 3. My Old Flame
[7:30] 4. Alone Together (Take 2)
[3:01] 5. Scattin' With Phil & Lee
[5:01] 6. I Remember You
[1:57] 7. Cherokee
[9:47] 8. Everything Happens To Me
[6:38] 9. In Walked Bud
[3:35] 10. Donna Lee
[3:52] 11. Free With Phil & Lee

What looks on the surface to be a fairly straightforward set by Phil Woods and Lee Konitz during their several days performing together at the 2003 Umbira Jazz Festival in Pescara, Italy, is anything but that. Konitz invites the audience to hum a sustained note to support his intricate free improvisation, with Woods joining him after a bit, gradually segueing into an intriguing take of "Alone Together." This sets the table for most of the CD, as the alto saxophonists play freely as they slowly work their way into other standards including "Just Friends," "Cherokee," and a full reprise of "Alone Together." Konitz is unaccompanied in the dissonant exploration of "I Remember You," while Woods is mesmerizing with his dash through "Cherokee." Each alto saxophonist takes a turn at the piano as well in support of his partner, Woods in "My Old Flame" and Konitz during the wild finale "Free With Phil & Lee." The unusual "Scattin' With Phil & Lee" finds the two men putting down their instruments and scatting improvised lines together, with Konitz playing a bit of piano as well. Stefano Bollani takes over the piano for a powerful duet of "Everything Happens to Me" with Konitz. Franco D'Andrea is at the keyboard for the jaunty duet with Woods of "In Walked Bud." This is one of the assets of a small independent label; it would be hard to imagine a major jazz label issuing a CD such as this brilliant effort, let alone simultaneously releasing three other CDs by the same pair of musicians recorded during the same festival. The excellent sound adds to the considerable value of this adventurous meeting between Phil Woods and Lee Konitz. ~Ken Dryden

Phil & Lee: Two Brothers In Three Flats

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Sharon Bourbonnais - A Girl's Gotta Play

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:47
Size: 86.5 MB
Styles: Piano & vocal jazz-blues
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. Down That Road
[4:29] 2. Move On
[3:55] 3. Gator Tuff
[3:57] 4. Up Your Game
[3:26] 5. Metaphor
[4:12] 6. Breakup Text
[2:54] 7. Another Friday Night
[3:50] 8. Back Against The Wall
[3:24] 9. A Girl's Gotta Play
[3:58] 10. Only A Dream

Sharon Bourbonnais Piano & Vocals, Tom Wells Drums, Pat Harris Dbl Bass, Tijuana Trainwreck Horns-Mark Wilson & Tiger Anaya, Beth Galiger Flute & Sax, Kris Brown Guitar.

Somewhere in between jazz and blues you'll find the music through the heart of Sharon Bourbonnais. When you see her fingers glide effortlessly across 88 keys and hear her sultry voice inviting you to share in clever, insightful stories, you immediately sense this is not your typical singer/songwriter fare. Sharon describes her brand as Texas Jazz fused with Nola Blues.

Sharon and her band Tres Bourbonnais have been featured at SXSW and the Cutting Edge Music Conference in New Orleans. Her music has taken her across the South, Midwest, Northeast and Hawaii. Favorite haunts include a residency at the historic Driskill Hotel, the legendary Elephant Room in Austin and McGonigel's Mucky Duck in Houston. Sharon plans to tour extensively to support her new release out Jan 2017 ~ "A Girl's Gotta Play".

A Dallas native, Sharon is a graduate of the University of Texas school of music, creating many opportunities to share her love of music through teaching and directing, while continuing to write and perform. Sharon started her music career in the Rio Grande Valley, performing on South Padre Island and attending Texas Southmost College where she was the pianist for the TSC Jazz Band before moving to Austin. Irie Jane, a popular all female reggae band recruited Sharon for a successful run, twice accepted to the famed SXSW music conference. Tropical winds of change swept Sharon to the North Shore of Oahu, HI for a decade. There she honed her songwriting while living an idyllic beachfront lifestyle, bringing back the spirit of Aloha when she returned home to Austin Texas. In 2015 she entered the studio with new producer Josiah Hoskins, who has been crafting a refined and definitive sound, centered around Sharon's piano and voice, surrounded by a who's-who of world-class Austin musicians.

A Girl's Gotta Play

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Lambert, Hendricks & Ross - High Flying

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:13
Size: 92,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Come On Home
(3:11)  2. The New A B C
(2:36)  3. Farmer's Market
(3:10)  4. Cookin' at the Continental
(2:53)  5. With Malice Toward None
(3:48)  6. Hi-Fly
(4:30)  7. Home Cookin'
(2:21)  8. Halloween Spooks
(4:52)  9. Popity Pop
(3:55) 10. Blue
(3:19) 11. Mr. P. C.

High Flying, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross' third album for Columbia, features more of the group's inventive and playful vocalese, including a vocal adaptation of John Coltrane's "Mr. P.C." The group's active imagination leaves no stone unturned, finding musical inspiration in the alphabet ("The New ABC"), shopping at the "Farmer's Market," and shivering through the seasonal hijinks of "Halloween Spooks." Dave Lambert and company cover kindred soul Slim Gaillard's "Popity Pop," and answer their critics with a disarmingly straightforward vocal group performance on "With Malice Toward None." The Ike Isaacs Trio provides instrumental accompaniment on this delightful outing that was the group's final album with Annie Ross. The album was reissued in its entirety with different cover art as The Way-Out Voices of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. ~ Greg Adams http://www.allmusic.com/album/high-flying-mw0000894932

Personnel:  Bass – Ike Isaacs;  Drums – Jimmy Wormworth;  Piano – Gildo Mahoneys;  Vocals – Annie Ross, Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks .

High Flying

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Rich Perry - East of the Sun and West of 2nd Avenue

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 62:03
Size: 100,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:45)  1. I thought about you
(6:33)  2. The touch of your lips
(8:00)  3. My ideal
(7:08)  4. East of the sun
(7:59)  5. Soul eyes
(5:52)  6. Yours and mine
(6:31)  7. My shining hour
(6:38)  8. Falling in love
(6:32)  9. Three little words

Rich Perry is that rarest of tenor saxophonists a complete musician with an understanding of space and timing, a palpable sense of color and humor and absolutely no need to showboat or compromise. Whether he's a featured soloist in a big band or leading a quartet date (as heard here), he makes jazz that's adventurous and highly listenable with a smart and sympathetic band playing standards not frequently performed and in new ways of playing in the tradition. Listen, for example, to the approach to Ray Noble's "The Touch of Your Lips. Through an almost rubato statement of the theme and then into some elaborate improvisation, Perry plays both the tune and its changes in his soloing, giving it a different and new life. It's almost impressionistic the melody is more hinted at and around, than played right out.  

Perry takes on music by Jimmy Van Heusen, Harold Arlen and Harry Ruby from the world of popular song and tackles some intriguing and rarely essayed jazz tunes from Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes to Thad Jones' "Yours and Mine and the very rare "Falling Love by Victor Feldman. He has also chosen wisely in his bandmates, seasoned veterans who don't sound as if they played every tune a million times before. Listen to what this great group does with "My Shining Hour it's up-tempo and engaging because we have to listen to find what the leader and the company he keeps do with the melody. All the tunes are played as if they were new and never improvised on before and that makes for the best kind of jazz. ~ Donald Elfman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rich-perry-and-harold-danko-east-of-the-sun-and-trilix-by-donald-elfman.php

Personnel:  Rich Perry (tenor sax); Harold Danko (piano); John Hebert (bass); Jeff Hirshfield (drums).

East of the sun and west of 2nd avenue

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Don Grusin - Native Land

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:02
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Ritual
(4:58)  2. Smilin'
(4:42)  3. Catch The Spirit
(5:28)  4. Khalifa
(4:45)  5. Madala
(4:58)  6. Native Land
(5:39)  7. Road Town
(4:35)  8. Dreamland
(4:35)  9. Onde (Own-gee)
(5:13) 10. Totem

Don Grusin has truly immersed his musical skills in the growing popularity of world music, music indigenous to people of different cultures throughout the world. On Native Land, Grusin has crafted a sound of music that drifts from one corner of the world to the other. He is supported by such outstanding instrumentalists as Alex Acuna, drums and percussion; Abraham Laboriel, bass; Ricardo Silveira, guitar; and Judd Miller, with a variety of exotic instruments such as the pennywhistle, fletchorn, oboe, Astorian, tuben, and taegum. Always performed with passion and sensitivity, this recording is fresh and daring to be different. http://www.allmusic.com/album/native-land-mw0000100178

Personnel: Don Grusin (vocals, piano, synthesizer, percussion, programming); Judd Miller (oboe, tuben, taegum, fletchorn, Astorian, pennywhistle, Shawmettes); Dave Gruisin (piano); Ricardo Silveira (guitar); Abraham Laboriel (bass); Armand Sabal-Lecco (vocals, bass, talking drum, percussion, piccolo bass, talk box); Alex Acuna (drums, percussion).

Native Land

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Jose Feliciano - Fantastic Feliciano

Size: 164 MB
Time: 32:03
File: FLAC
Released: 1966
Styles: Pop, Rock, Jazz
Art: Front

01. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (2:30)
02. Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) (2:42)
03. (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over (3:34)
04. You Know You Don't Want Me (So Why Don't You Leave Me Alone ) (2:08)
05. Goody Goody (2:14)
06. Nature Boy (2:50)
07. To Each His Own (2:48)
08. Quit While You're Ahead (2:05)
09. I Wish You Love (Remastered) (3:05)
10. Somebody Else Is Taking My Place (2:02)
11. I Miss You So (2:36)
12. Bye Bye Blackbird (3:24)

José Feliciano continues to refine his folk-jazz aesthetic via Fantastic Feliciano, a scattershot set of pop standards that pushes the singer in a series of new creative directions, some considerably more successful than others. Feliciano lends his signature stamp to familiar tunes like "Nature Boy," "For Sentimental Reasons," and "The Masquerade Is Over," shifting easily from stark, simple arrangements that spotlight his intricate guitar playing to fuller, R&B-inspired contexts that underline the soulfulness of his vocals. Not all of it works, and the album fails to hang together as a whole, but the pieces of the puzzle are in place, enabling his signature sound to achieve critical mass over the course of subsequent LPs. ~by Jason Ankeny

Fantastic Feliciano

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Eve Fleishman - Atmospheric Epic

Size: 121,0 MB
Time: 37:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Folk Vocals
Art: Front

01. Atmospheric (Windy Day) (4:07)
02. Lullaby Of The Leaves (3:07)
03. Carolina Girl (2:12)
04. Leavin' Tennessee (4:20)
05. So Many Tears Must Fall (3:35)
06. City Light (2:19)
07. Fog (3:32)
08. I Don't Have A Song (3:26)
09. You Gotta Go Through (4:04)
10. California (3:50)
11. Peace On Earth (3:11)

Eve Fleishman serves up an “old soul” sound, weaving together elements of smoky jazz, motowny pop, showtunes and even a dab of country folk to create a most unique listening experience. “I like a little bit of everything,” admits Fleishman. Since her days as a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Eve has honed her craft as a multi-faceted singer and songwriter.

Eve spent many years in Nashville, releasing four CDs in rapid succession: a collection of jazz standards; two albums of original kids’ music with her duo, Eve and Mare; and her solo album, Peace or Drama. Eve’s music has been played on radio stations world-wide (including XM) and she has appeared live on both TV and radio, including NPR, Mitch Albom Show and Art of the Song. She has graced the stage of renowned venues such as Eddie’s Attic (Atlanta), Cain’s Ballroom (Tulsa), The Salon (Philadelphia), Ryman Auditorium (Nashville), The Mint (Los Angeles) and Cairo Jazz Club (Egypt).

Atmospheric Epic

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Ruby Braff - Where Is Freddie (Remastered)

Size: 128,1 MB
Time: 55:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1968/2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Don't Blame Me ( 4:22)
02. Mean To Me ( 6:27)
03. You've Changed ( 4:31)
04. Hear Me Talkin' To Ya ( 5:46)
05. No One Else But You ( 5:43)
06. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out ( 6:08)
07. Where's Freddy ( 6:24)
08. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (10:24)
09. Smart Apex Blues ( 5:39)

One of the great swing/Dixieland cornetists, Ruby Braff went through long periods of his career unable to find work because his music was considered out-of-fashion, but his fortunes improved by the 1970s. A very expressive player who in later years liked to build his solos up to a low note, Braff's playing was instantly recognizable within seconds. Braff mostly worked around Boston in the late '40s. He teamed up with Pee Wee Russell when the clarinetist was making a comeback (they recorded live for Savoy), and after moving to New York in 1953, he fit easily into a variety of Dixieland and mainstream settings. Braff recorded for Vanguard as a leader, and with Vic Dickenson, Buck Clayton, and Urbie Green. He was one of the stars of Buck Clayton's Columbia jam sessions, and in the mid-'50s worked with Benny Goodman. But, despite good reviews and occasional recordings, work was hard for Braff to come by at times. In the 1960s, he was able to get jobs by being with George Wein's Newport All-Stars and at jazz festivals, but it was not until the cornetist formed a quartet with guitarist George Barnes, in 1973, that he became more secure. Afterward, Braff was heard in many small-group settings, including duets with Dick Hyman and Ellis Larkins (he had first met up with the latter in the 1950s), quintets with Scott Hamilton, and matching wits with Howard Alden. He remained one of the greats of mainstream jazz until his death in 2003. ~ Scott Yanow

Where Is Freddie

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Serena Jewkes - The Carriage House Sessions (Feat. Noel Jewkes)

Size: 104,7+100,2 MB
Time: 45:16+37:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Stairway To The Stars (6:08)
02. Darn That Dream (5:23)
03. Estate (7:05)
04. Moonlight In Vermont (5:49)
05. But Not For Me (5:24)
06. Them There Eyes (3:46)
07. Found Again (5:31)
08. You're Blase (6:09)

CD 2:
01. Get Out Of Town (4:53)
02. When I Fall In Love (5:49)
03. Skylark (4:22)
04. Tenderly (4:22)
05. Autumn In New York (6:46)
06. You Don't Know What Love Is (5:26)
07. Azalea (5:22)

Selection of Jazz Standards performed by Joe Bagg (piano), Chris Colangelo (bass), Kendal Kaye (drums), Noel Jewkes (horns, reeds, flute, vocal) & Serena Jewkes (vocals).

We recorded at The Carriage House Studio, an historic Angelean architectural relic that was once my family’s first home. It now belongs to the rare, wry and gifted Sheldon Gomberg, who recorded and produced this album. Sheldon, our dear friend/groomsman/son’s godfather, tenderly captained these songs to find our right interpretation.

With these songs I have stepped into my father’s world. This process revealed a home for us enjoy together. I had always known of my father’s musical virtuosity but had never experienced it. For this project I asked my father to play 7 different instruments. And so we packed up his car and drove them from his home in San Francisco to the studio in Los Angeles. The road trip, our time, the instruments, the experience of his sheer skill, all this memory lives in these songs. We know each other differently now and I will be forever grateful.

I had always wanted this. To record this music with an extraordinary backing band. To document these beautiful songs with my father for myself and for my family.

I am so grateful to my parents who, by their own example, have always inspired me to make music important in my life. I am nurtured by my husband and my son who bring the gift of artistry and music to our home. Huge love for you all!

I hope you enjoy these songs.
Sincerely,
Serena

My The Carriage House Sessions CD 1
My The Carriage House Sessions CD 2

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Tom Waits - My Father's Place

Size: 180,5 MB
Time: 77:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Blues, Rock, Jazz
Art: Front

01. Standin' On The Corner (Live) ( 6:43)
02. I Never Talk To Strangers (Live) ( 4:01)
03. Pasties And G-Strings (Live) ( 6:31)
04. Invitation To The Blues/Eggs And Sausage (Live) ( 8:23)
05. Jitterbug Boy (Live) ( 6:24)
06. Step Right Up (Live) ( 5:19)
07. I Wish I Was In New Orleans/Small Change (Live) (11:55)
08. The Piano Has Been Drinking (Live) ( 3:47)
09. Emotional Weather Report (Live) ( 4:57)
10. Muriel (Live) ( 5:00)
11. Jack & Neal California, Here I Come (Live) ( 6:01)
12. Tom Traubert's Blues (Live) ( 8:36)

Music is likely the most universal of all arts. People play it in every city, village, berg, back-assed hole in the jungle hovel the world over. Albums are cut everyday in nearly every country in the universe. Usually those albums are simply released in their country of origin. For example if you sign to an American label you'll likely only see your album released in the US. Folks living elsewhere will have to have someone send it to them or just be out of luck.

If you are a rather popular artist, or are signed to a bigger label your record might get released in other countries. For some reason those release dates are often different than the initial release dates in the country or origin. Sometimes other countries also get bonus tracks tacked on. I don't really understand the reasons for this (especially in a time in which anybody with an Internet connection can grab the songs at any time) or the full machinations of it. I just know it happens.

I also know when I'm browsing Amazon looking for interesting new releases I often see albums with a little Import tag which tells me that album is being released elsewhere at the moment, not here. Again I don't understand the ins and outs of this, nor why Amazon only lists certain albums like this and not every album being released in the UK or wherever that doesn't have a proper US date. Perhaps some releases Amazon buys up and imports automatically with a willingness to sell it to you at a mark-up. Or maybe its something else, I dunno.

Normally I just ignore imports figuring they don't belong in an article about new releases in the good old US of A. But this week something really caught my eye.

Tom Waits is brilliant, just brilliant. He's a carnival barker, a preacher of sinners, patron saint of the underbelly. He writes beautiful songs about the ugly sides of life. In concert he is a master. He rarely tours anymore but from the many bootlegs I have of his, he is absolutely someone to catch anytime you can. I actually have the bootleg for this recording at tiny club in New York. It is an amazing piece of work. Recorded in 1977 Waits had only been performing for a few years and had but four eclectic albums under his belt. Still he already had his schtick down to an art and it is really quite something to hear here.

For most of the show he is in full on carnival barker of the damned mode barking out songs of sex, alcohol and the seedier sides of living. His songs are dark and sad and hilarious. Waits chats some between songs and he already shows he knows how to hold an audience in his palm.

Though it is an import I'm thrilled to see this classic show from Tom Waits at My Father's Place in New York City is getting an official release. Which is why I'm making it my Pick of the Week. ~Mat Brewster

My Father's Place 

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Ike Quebec - Blue And Sentimental

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:10
Size: 114.9 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1962/2015
Art: Front

[7:24] 1. Blue And Sentimental
[6:35] 2. Minor Impulse
[7:00] 3. Don't Take Your Love From Me
[6:44] 4. Blues For Charlie
[5:18] 5. Like
[6:15] 6. Count Every Star
[6:02] 7. It's All Right With Me
[4:49] 8. Old Black Magic

Ike Quebec's 1961-1962 comeback albums for Blue Note were all pretty rewarding, but Blue and Sentimental is his signature statement of the bunch, a superbly sensuous blend of lusty blues swagger and achingly romantic ballads. True, there's no shortage of that on Quebec's other Blue Note dates, but Blue and Sentimental is the most exquisitely perfected. Quebec was a master of mood and atmosphere, and the well-paced program here sustains his smoky, late-night magic with the greatest consistency of tone. Part of the reason is that Quebec's caressing tenor sound is given a sparer backing than usual, with no pianist among the quartet of guitarist Grant Green, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. It's no surprise that Green solos with tremendous taste and elegance (the two also teamed up on Green's similarly excellent Born to Be Blue), and there are plenty of open spaces in the ensemble for Quebec to shine through. His rendition of the Count Basie-associated title cut is a classic, and the other standard on the original LP, "Don't Take Your Love from Me," is in a similarly melancholy vein. Green contributes a classic-style blues in "Blues for Charlie," and Quebec's two originals, "Minor Impulse" and "Like," have more complex chord changes but swing low and easy. Through it all, Quebec remains the quintessential seducer, striking just the right balance between sophistication and earthiness, confidence and vulnerability, joy and longing. It's enough to make Blue and Sentimental a quiet, sorely underrated masterpiece. [Some reissues add three bonus cuts, all standards, which fit the program very nicely indeed.] ~Steve Huey

Blue And Sentimental

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Marian McPartland - After Dark

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:19
Size: 80.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1955/2011
Art: Front

[2:26] 1. Poor Little Rich Girl
[3:08] 2. Chelsea Bridge
[3:03] 3. I Could Write A Book
[2:49] 4. For All We Know
[2:27] 5. Sand In My Shoes
[3:01] 6. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
[3:14] 7. Easy Come, Easy Go
[2:43] 8. Falling In Love With Love
[3:36] 9. If I Love Again
[2:48] 10. Royal Garden Blues
[3:00] 11. I'll Be Around
[2:58] 12. Everything But You

Bass – Bill Crow; Cello – Lucian Schmit; Drums – Joe Morello; Harp – Betty Glamann, Margaret Ross; Piano – Marian McPartland.

The cover of this Marian McPartland record may give some the impression that this is an easy listening affair; that is definitely not the case. This 1955 studio date features her with her regular trio (bassist Bill Crow and drummer Joe Morello), which performed as the house band at the Hickory House in New York City during this period. Augmenting the trio on several numbers is one of two harpists, Betty Glaman and Margaret Ross, and occasionally cellist Lucien Schmit, who primarily seems to be present to add harmonies by playing arco and doesn't improvise. Highlights include a lush take of "Chelsea Bridge," swinging trio versions of "I Could Write a Book" and "Struttin' With Some Barbecue," and the intriguing interplay with the harp on an early version of her good friend Alec Wilder's timeless "I'll Be Around." All of the songs have stood the test of time well, even if some of them are no longer as popular. Expect to pay a fairly good sum if you can locate a copy of this long unavailable LP. ~Ken Dryden

After Dark

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James Spencer - Blue Gardenia

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:46
Size: 113.9 MB
Styles: Jazz piano
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:46] 1. Blue Gardenia Sketch
[2:50] 2. The Dream's On Me
[4:26] 3. Easy Living
[6:07] 4. Last Summer
[5:21] 5. Play It Again, Jimmy
[2:45] 6. For Erroll
[3:43] 7. A Crush On You
[2:54] 8. Tenderly
[2:31] 9. Blue World
[2:15] 10. Southern Stars
[2:58] 11. When I Dance With You
[2:52] 12. Angel Eyes
[1:58] 13. Love Is Here To Stay
[2:34] 14. Laura Hunt
[3:38] 15. Autumn In N. Y

By popular demand, BLUE GARDENIA, the award winning 2013 cocktail jazz piano album arranged and performed by international recording artist James Spencer, is currently re-mastered for digital release by James Spencer and Gerald Adamowitcz with new album art by award winning artist Brandon Beane of Manhattan. Recorded on a Yamaha C-7 in Newport Coast and Westminster in Nov. of 2013, BLUE GARDENIA made the top 10 for jazz lounge charts in Sydney Australia. Debuting on THE COCKTAIL NATION with Koop Kooper (Sydney, Aus) with interview and radio play, BLUE GARDENIA soon got picked up by several radio stations specializing in lounge and vintage class jazz.

James Spencer is an internationally recognized piano coach, artist developer/agent. Currently residing in Southern CA, he teaches students of all ages in piano, digital keyboard, harpsichord, voice, acting, strings and theory composition.

Blue Gardenia

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Paul Kuhn Big Band - Live At The Philharmonic Cologne (2 Parts)

On this double CD, old master Paul Kuhl plays on the first CD with his friends, especially Gustl Mayer on his tenor saxophone. He always reminds me of his strong tone at Illinois Jacquet. On the 2nd CD Paul plays with his big band. Both CD`s were live from 1995-2009 live in the Kölner Philharmonie. And offer excellent swinging jazz, as is accustomed to by Paul Kuhn. ~Waldonez

Paul Kuhn (12 March 1928 – 23 September 2013) was a German jazz musician, band leader, singer and pianist. He was the band leader of the SFB Big Band, the orchestra of the Sender Freies Berlin, the TV-Station of West Berlin, part of ARD. He was the conductor of the German entry in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest. Kuhn was born the son of a croupier in Wiesbaden. In 1936, at the age of 8, he had a public gig at the 'Funkausstellung' in Berlin, playing the accordion. Some years later, he discovered jazz music (which was frowned upon during the nazi time (1933-1945)). In 1944, he was in Paris and had some gigs to entertain soldiers of the Wehrmacht, who still occupied Paris. After V-Day (8 May 1945), the USA formed an occupation zone in parts of Germany, amongst them the region around Frankfurt. Kuhn was hired by AFN (American Forces Network), he was live on radio almost every day, alone or with his band. He adopted the style and sound of Glenn Miller.

In the 1950s, he arranged and composed entertainment music. Around 1955, he increasingly launched pop songs, sung and played by himself. During the sixties, more and more west German households bought a TV; music shows, big bands and singers were very successful. In 1968, Kuhn was named head of the entertainment orchestra of Sender Freies Berlin. In 1980, this band was dissolved and Kuhn moved to Cologne and founded his own orchestra.

Album: Live At The Philharmonic Cologne (Part 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:42
Size: 177.9 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[ 5:19] 1. C. Jam Blues
[ 7:30] 2. Stitt's Tune
[ 4:51] 3. I Wish You Love
[ 7:48] 4. Broadway
[ 7:29] 5. Polkadots And Moonbeams
[10:42] 6. Take The A Train
[ 6:50] 7. Tenor Madness
[ 4:58] 8. Sister Sadie
[ 7:39] 9. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
[ 3:10] 10. When I Take My Sugar To Tea
[ 7:47] 11. Scrapple From The Apple
[ 3:34] 12. Leap Frog

Live At The Philharmonic Cologne (Part 1)

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Album: Live At The Philharmonic Cologne (Part 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:23
Size: 119.9 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:37] 1. You're Driving Me Crazy
[4:50] 2. Tuxedo Junction
[4:31] 3. So Easy To Love
[2:57] 4. Nightmare
[2:51] 5. Mr. Anthony's Boogie
[3:35] 6. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[6:59] 7. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[4:37] 8. Honeysuckle Rose
[6:20] 9. With A Song In My Heart
[4:18] 10. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[4:14] 11. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[3:29] 12. Apple Honey

Live At The Philharmonic Cologne (Part 2)

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