Alex Garnett's Bunch of Five - Andromeda

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2015

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:59

Size: 138,6 MB

Art: Front

( 6:06)  1. So Long

(10:28)  2. Charlie's World

( 7:18)  3. Andromeda

( 5:48)  4. Delusions of Grandma

( 6:48)  5. Early Autumn

(10:00)  6. Her Tears

( 5:37)  7. Holmes

( 7:50)  8. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

Taking on a two tenor line-up can be a bit of challenge. The weight of jazz history can hang heavily on the shoulders of the ‘challengers’ having to follow such potent combinations as Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon and Wardell Grey to pick just a couple. In this, his second album for Whirlwind Recordings, Alex Garnett and fellow tenorist, Tim Armacost achieve this with some strong compositions, some cast iron playing and healthy dose of good humour thrown in, and indeed the Bunch of 5 band comes together from a mixture of determination and good fortune and coincidences over an extended period of time in getting the US based Armacost this side of the pond. The repertoire contains a couple of standards in ‘Early Autumn’ with the saxophonist acknowledging his admiration for Stan Getz, and Irving Berlin’s ‘I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm’; but it the originals that keep the flame burning throughout this fine set. Garnett maintains that writing for two tenors is actually easier than writing for other more usual combinations, and proceeds to put his money where his mouth is in presenting some tough blowing vehicles the humorously titled ‘Delusions of Grandma’ and the clever title track that exhibits great subtly and warmth in the opening phrases, with the two horns weaving intricately around each other. Liam Noble also gets in a delightful solo, perfectly mirroring the feeling that has gone before. Careful listening soon establishes the differences between the two tenors, with Armacost exhibiting the more abrasive tone, and Garnett complimenting this by following a more conventional route through the chords. Throughout, the rhythm section if somewhat subservient to the needs of the saxophonists driving things along nicely, yet manage to find their place in the music that draws the ear. This a fine album from Garnett and his Bunch of 5 that unusually for a two tenor front line resists the temptation for combative duelling, and the net result is a set that reveals more with each listening. ~ Nick Lea http://www.jazzviews.net/alex-garnettrsquos-bunch-of-5-ndash-andromeda.html

Personnel:  Alex Garnett & Tim Armacost (tenor saxophone); Liam Noble (piano); Michael Janisch (double bass); James Maddren (drums)

Andromeda

---

George Masso Allstars - The Wonderful World Of George Gershwin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:26
Size: 175.0 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 1992/1999
Art: Front

[ 7:27] 1. Strike Up The Band
[11:51] 2. But Not For Me
[ 6:47] 3. Summertime
[ 7:26] 4. Soon
[ 4:44] 5. Lady Be Good
[ 9:06] 6. Porgy And Bess
[11:36] 7. Somebody Loves Me
[ 5:49] 8. I've Got A Crush On You
[11:35] 9. 's Wonderful

Bass – Len Skeat; Clarinet – Kenny Davern; Drums – Jake Hanna; Piano – Eddie Higgins; Tenor Saxophone – Danny Moss; Trombone – George Masso; Trumpet – Randy Sandke.

For the initial release on the German Nagel-Heyer label, trombonist George Masso heads an all-star mainstream septet that also includes clarinetist Kenny Davern, trumpeter Randy Sandke, the fine Engligh tenor Danny Moss, pianist Eddie Higgins, bassist Len Skeat and drummer Jake Hanna. Together they jam on eight George Gershwin songs plus Higgins plays a "Porgy and Bess Medley." Although the liner notes (unlike later releases) are in German, the music easily comunicates; highlights include a blazing "Strike Up the Band," "Soon," and 11-1/2-minute versions of "Somebody Loves Me" and "S'Wonderful." ~Scott Yanow

The Wondeful Of George Gershwin

---

Karen Lane - Once In A Lifetime

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:58
Size: 144.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[7:28] 1. On Green Dolphin Street
[3:36] 2. Devil May Care
[6:03] 3. The Good Life
[4:06] 4. Lullaby Of Birdland
[3:30] 5. Sometimes I'm Happy
[4:49] 6. Love Is In Bloom
[3:38] 7. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
[5:06] 8. Memory Serves
[4:50] 9. Here's To Life
[3:31] 10. This Is It
[5:27] 11. Till Death Do Us Part
[5:36] 12. Love Me Or Leave Me
[5:11] 13. Once In A Lifetime

Arriving in London through Perth in western Australia, song stylist and singer/songwriter Karen Lane serenades her listeners with a light, expressive, but highly personal voice that delivers each tune with coquettish emotion. She's like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar and getting away with it coyly with a wry smile. She possesses a built-in sense not only of melody and lyricism, but for the rhythmic feel of the music. Listen to a rather misnamed "Till Death Do Us Part," a catchy tune with a calypso beat where her second voice fades in and out with Robin Aspland's Fender Rhodes. Dave Colton's guitar makes "Lullaby of Birdland" one of the swingier cuts on the CD. On the other side, there is a good deal of pain and heavy breathing leading into her version of the classic "On Green Dolphin Street." This is a prime example of the images a singer with an expressive voice can create. Here in one's minds eye, there's a picture of Lane not only swaying vocally, but bodily as well. On this cut, the vibes of Milo Fell carry the main instrumental load. For her first album, she has wisely hooked up with some of London's young modern creative jazz, blues, and rock musicians. Aspland has worked with Claire Martin and Van Morrison, and sax player Derek Nash with the Peter Green Splinter Group. Lane and her cohorts have succeeded where many have tried and failed, bringing together elements of jazz and contemporary pop in a way that is mature and well constructed rather than shallow and contrived. Recommended. ~Dave Nathan

Once In A Lifetime

---

The Bucky Pizzarelli Trio - Three For All

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:55
Size: 148.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. All The Things You Are
[7:50] 2. Body And Soul
[5:00] 3. Avalon
[5:41] 4. Snowfall
[5:17] 5. Stompin' At The Savoy
[7:12] 6. If I Had You
[3:01] 7. Stage Fright
[3:08] 8. It's Been A Long, Long Time/Don't Take Your Love From Me
[5:28] 9. Undecided
[3:10] 10. In The Dark
[5:38] 11. I'm Confessin'
[5:31] 12. Three For All
[2:38] 13. I Got Rhythm

Whose line is it anyway? No matter. Whether it’s jazz patriarch Bucky Pizzarelli or his son, fellow seven-string guitar master John, fashioning melodic embellishments and spinning single-note improvisations on Three for All, the level of musicianship is consistently high. What’s more, the same can be said for guitarist Ed Laub’s knowing support, scarcely a surprise given his long association with père Pizzarelli.

Not surprising, too, are the songs chosen for this date. “Body and Soul,” “I Got Rhythm,” “All the Things You Are” and “Avalon” are among the vintage pop classics, while lesser-known tunes, including the Dick McDonough-Carl Kress treat “Stage Fright,” round out the collection. Even the most weathered selections, however, have a fresh allure after Bucky and John get their fingers on them. Strings of choruses dart along, then dovetail, then dart again. Blue notes tweak the melodies, harmonic substitutions add texture and color, tricky contrapuntal passages abound, and frequent surges of rhythmic propulsion make for some exhilarating moments. Offsetting the most vibrant trio performances are some soulful interludes, a dash of melancholy lyricism and the occasional, deftly executed duet, including a Bucky and Ed pairing. ~Mike Joyce

Three For All

---

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra - L.A. Treasures Project

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:48
Size: 146.1 MB
Styles: Standards, Big band
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:22] 1. I Love Being Here With You
[3:57] 2. Exactly Like You
[5:04] 3. The Jug And I
[6:42] 4. Hat's Dance
[5:21] 5. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[3:47] 6. Got To Get Back To L.A
[6:20] 7. Goodbye Portpie Hat
[4:26] 8. River's Invitation
[3:19] 9. Beautiful Friendship
[7:17] 10. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues
[4:54] 11. Time After Time
[4:38] 12. Fever
[4:35] 13. Jazz Party

John Clayton: arco bass, Jeff Clayton: alto saxophone; Jeff Hamilton: drums; Bijon Watson: trumpet; Gilbert Castellanos: trumpet; James Ford: trumpet; Brian Swartz: trumpet; Jamie Hovorka: trumpet; Ira Nepus: trombone; George Bohanon: trombone; Ryan Porter: trombone; Maurice Spears: trombone; Keith Fiddmont: alto saxophone; Ricky Woodard: tenor saxophone; Charles Owens: tenor saxophone; Lee Callet: baritone saxophone; Tamir Hendelman: piano; Christopher Luty: bass; Graham Dechter: electric guitar; Ernie Andrews: vocals; Barbara Morrison: vocals.

For nearly thirty-years now the Grammy-nominated Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (CHJO) has been easily recognizable as one of the best big bands in the business. Led by bassist John Clayton, saxophonist and brother Jeff Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, the group embarked on a mission to document their various rehearsals with West Coast vocal legends Ernie Andrews and Barbara Morrison, and do so with The L.A. Treasures Project recorded live in the famous Showroom of Alva's Dance Studio and Music Store in San Pedro, California.

Presenting a mixture of instrumentals and vocal numbers, the opening "I Love Being Here With You" seemed an appropriate start and message for the intimate crowd in the Showroom and features excellent solos from each member of the trombone section. Having 20 recordings to her credit, Morrison steps up to lay down a soulful rendition of the Dorothy Fields classic "Exactly Like You" with a little solo help from Lee Callet on the baritone saxophone. The crisp vocals of local legend Andrews takes over the music with a bluesy and sprite interpretation of the Percy Mayfield standard "The Jug and I," superbly aided by the big band orchestrations of the CHJO.

Co-leader Hamilton and pianist Tamir Hendelman take center stage on their composition "Hat's Dance" with the duo playing the lead as the band grooves gently behind them in fine support for one of the tender moments of the disc. The Clayton brothers take their turn in the spot light on the Charles Mingus piece "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" as Jeff Clayton's bluesy alto flute begins the journey that eventually leads to brother John's bowed bass play in unison with Christoph Luty's own bass performance. The two singers get back to form with Andrews getting sentimental on the standard "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," while the swinging Gospel vocalist Morrison belts the lyrics to "Got To Get Back To L.A.," one of her own compositions telling the world how she feels about the City.

Morrison delivers the lyrics on "River's Invitation" and the classic "Fever" as the veteran Andrews does the same on "Beautiful Friendship" and the Sammy Cahn favorite "Time After Time" completing their vocal contribution to this historic night but, the CHJO was not finished. The ensemble plays a powerful opening statement on "I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues" only to turn it over to the electric guitar of Graham Dechter as he picks his way all through this terrific blues. In fitting form the CHJO ends the evening with "Jazz Party" elevating the excitement level with salvos fired by saxophonists Rickey Woodard and Charles Owens accompanied by one final pounding drum solo by Hamilton.

It's obvious that The L.A. Treasures Project refers to singers Andrews and Morrison but, not to be overlooked, is the CHJO, an unquestioned treasure that this time delivers a meaty program of standards and mainstream jazz with a vocal twist perfect as a precursor to the group's thirtieth anniversary in 2015. ~Edward Blanco

L.A. Treasures Project

---

Lara Luppi, Gypsy Soul Trio - We're Crazy, We're In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:36
Size: 109.0 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Retro Swing
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:21] 1. We're Crazy, We're In Love!
[2:55] 2. Everybody Loves My Baby
[2:43] 3. Dinah
[3:41] 4. Makin' Whoopee
[3:03] 5. Bye Bye Blues
[4:11] 6. The Way You Look Tonight
[2:35] 7. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[3:31] 8. I've Found A New Baby
[4:09] 9. Someday Sweetheart
[2:50] 10. You're Drivin' Me Crazy
[3:55] 11. St. James Infirmary
[4:33] 12. This Little Light Of Mine/Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho
[2:58] 13. Ain't She Sweet
[3:06] 14. J'attendrai

Lara Luppi voice with Gypsy Soul Trio: Luciano Poli (solo guitar), Hillary Katch (rhytmic guitar +voice on track 12), Mauro Sereno (bass).

Lara Luppi is an italian singer. She is mostly known and appreciated for her charisma as well as for her touching and creative performances. She sings jazz, blues, swing and gospel and she has released eleven CDs featuring american and italian musicians. Plus she directed two theatre shows and actually many of her concerts are built up as shows including readings, visual aids, stage sets. She founded a Cultural Association, “Mu.S.E.” which promotes cultural events and music workshops. Finally, she presented some “vintage” festivals: after being the official presenter of the Summer Jamboree Festival, the most important festival in Italy about culture and music of the 40s and 50s, she presented the Parma Swing Festival in 2014 and Policoro in Swing in 2015. Among all her projects the strong passion for traditional jazz and swing has made her famous and so she sings in several bands concerning this music style (Laralù & The Vintage Kings, Jumpin’ Shoes, Blue Midnight Orchestra, Lino Patruno’s Blue Four, Gipsy Soul Trio and Paolo Alderighi Ensamble). With The Vintage Kings she’s in the theatre shows: “Swingin’Mirror” with Burlesque Diva Miss LouLou Leroy, and “Crazy about Swing! ” with the dancers “The Snatchers”. In 2014 she releases the cd “We’re crazy, we’re in love!” with Gypsy Soul Trio that becomes the soundtrack of the Parma Swing Festival.

We're Crazy, We're In Love

---

Clifford Jordan - Glass Bead Games

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:56
Size: 148,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Powerful Paul Robeson
(4:36)  2. Glass Bead Games
(4:15)  3. Prayer to the People
(2:43)  4. Cal Massey
(6:48)  5. John Coltrane
(4:19)  6. Eddie Harris
(5:34)  7. Biskit
(5:19)  8. Shoulders
(3:48)  9. Bridgework
(5:40) 10. Maimoun
(8:16) 11. Alias Buster Henry
(6:47) 12. One for Amos

Perennially underrated saxophonist Clifford Jordan recorded two of his best albums for the Strata East label and Glass Bead Games is arguably his greatest recording and one of the great albums of the 1970s. Everything is right about this date; Jordan never sounded so good, his tone rich and full, his improvisatory ideas taking the models of Coltrane and Rollins and giving them his own twist. Recorded on a "stormy Monday, October 29, 1973," it was originally issued as a double LP. On the album, Jordan works with two different rhythm sections: Stanley Cowell or Cedar Walton on piano and Bill Lee or Sam Jones on bass, with Billy Higgins manning the drum stool for both. The difference between the two rhythm sections is minimal (the Cowell/Lee group leans a little more toward the Trane model), probably due to Higgins' commanding presence in each.

Jordan spread the compositional chores around and everyone except Jones contributed. The first three tracks (which comprised side one of the original album) are the leader's and they are pitched somewhere between the Trane-derived spiritual mood that was prevalent at the time and the hard-driving bop with which Jordan is most commonly associated. Walton contributes two characteristic tricky melodic themes ("Shoulders" and "Bridgework") that give Jordan plenty to sink his chops into while Lee's funky "Biskit" and "Eddie Harris" (which has a kinship to Harris' "Listen Here") keep things invigorated. 

This disc also shines as one of the finest examples of the art of Higgins' drumming, the variety of moods and tempi inspiring some of his best playing. Glass Bead Games is a record that seems to have gotten better with age. In his liner notes, Stanley Crouch (a writer with whom I rarely agree) cites the fact that this album is a classic revered by many. Mention of this record to most any tenor player is guaranteed a favorable reaction. About the only complaint about this album would be the ordinary cover art for such extraordinary music. ~ Robert Iannapollo https://www.allaboutjazz.com/glass-bead-games-clifford-jordan-harvest-song-records-review-by-robert-iannapollo.php
 

Personnel: Clifford Jordan: tenor saxophone; Stanley Cowell: piano; Cedar Walton: piano; Bill Lee: bass; Sam Jones: bass; Billy Higgins: drums.

Glass Bead Games

---

Ruth Etting - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:08
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Love Me Or Leave Me
(2:50)  2. What We Do On A Dew-Dew-Dewy Day
(3:32)  3. The Song Is Ended, But The Melody Lingers On
(3:03)  4. Ramona
(3:14)  5. Happy Days And Lonely Nights
(3:03)  6. Beloved
(3:32)  7. Sonny Boy
(3:09)  8. You're The Cream In My Coffee
(3:17)  9. Ten Cents A Dance
(3:30) 10. Love Is Like That, What Can You Do?
(2:45) 11. Nevertheless I'm In Love With You
(2:52) 12. Shine On, Harvest Moon
(3:19) 13. A Faded Summer Love
(2:58) 14. Cuban Love Song
(3:17) 15. I'll Never Be The Same
(2:51) 16. Close Your Eyes
(2:40) 17. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(2:54) 18. Riptide
(2:49) 19. Easy Come, Easy Go
(3:01) 20. Goodnight, Sweetheart

From her contemporary, Annette Hanshaw) but a superior middle-of-the-road pop singer who was often accompanied by top jazz musicians. She recorded over 200 songs between 1926-1937, appeared on-stage, was in 35 film shorts and three full-length movies, and was a fixture on radio before her bad marriage cut short her career. She made a minor comeback in the late '40s and was still singing on an occasional basis in the mid-'50s when a semi-fictional Hollywood movie on her life (Love Me or Leave Me) was released. A superb torch singer with a cry in her voice even when she smiled, Etting recorded the definitive versions of "Ten Cents a Dance" and "Love Me or Leave Me." ~ Scott Yanow  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ruth-etting/id1364797#fullText

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

---

Alice Coltrane - A Monastic Trio

Styles: Harp And Piano Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:15
Size: 131,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:34)  1. Lord, Help Me to Be (bonus track)
(4:04)  2. The Sun (bonus track)
(7:53)  3. Ohnedaruth
(6:48)  4. Gospel Trane
(6:46)  5. I Want To See You
(6:55)  6. Lovely Sky Boat
(4:21)  7. Oceanic Beloved
(5:56)  8. Atomic Peace
(6:55)  9. Altruvista (previously unreleased bonus track)

Alice Coltrane's 1968 solo debut on Impulse still stands tall in the artist's excellent discography. Coltrane had already gained a considerable education playing in the band of her late husband John during one of his boldest and most exploratory periods. The searching quality underpinning the saxophonist's last albums is also present on A Monastic Trio, as are the Eastern modalities and the balance between density and expansiveness often associated with Trane.  But to consider Coltrane's debut a mere offshoot of her late husband's inventions is to do her a great disservice. Coltrane distinguishes herself as a composer (all the tunes on the album are hers), and as an instrumentalist (her harp playing, in particular, is noteworthy). A Monastic Trio also benefits from a superb personnel list, including Rashied Ali on drums, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and the irrepressible Pharoah Sanders on saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet. This recording remains one of the landmark debuts in avant-garde jazz. ~ Rovi Staff http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-monastic-trio-mw0000601109

Personnel: Alice Coltrane (harp, piano); John Coltrane (spoken vocals); Pharoah Sanders (tenor saxophone, flute, bass clarinet); Jimmy Garrison (bass); Ben Riley, Rashied Ali (drums).

A Monastic Trio

---

David Hazeltine Quartet - 4 Flights Up

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 60:35
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. I Should Care
(8:37)  2. Betcha By Golly Wow
(5:53)  3. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(5:37)  4. Ann's Mood
(6:27)  5. Pentimento
(6:51)  6. Four Flights Up
(9:30)  7. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(5:44)  8. Air Conditioning
(6:43)  9. Confluence

David Hazeltine is a veteran jazz pianist who seems to be one of the best kept secrets in jazz. This 1995 studio session for Sharp Nine adds seasoned trombonist Slide Hampton to complement a tight trio rounded out by the heavily in-demand bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Killer Ray Appleton. This post-bop date kicks off with an angular approach to the timeless ballad "I Should Care," in which Hampton slips in several licks from "Four" (which was allegedly written by Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and stolen by Miles Davis). Many listeners' eyes and ears would glaze over at the prospect of sitting through a jazz arrangement of the lightweight pop tune "Betcha By Golly Wow," but the creative scoring by Hazeltine and Gerald Cannon make this brisk treatment work beautifully. Appleton's hot drumming propels the hot version of "You Stepped Out of a Dream." The quartet doesn't neglect ballads, delivering a mellow interpretation of Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye." Neither is Hazeltine a slouch as a composer. His lovely waltz, "Ann's Mood," (which the trombonist sits out), the infectious Latin-flavored "Pentimento," and the catchy "Four Flights Up" are all excellent vehicles for improvisation. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/four-flights-up-mw0000610878

Personnel:  David Hazeltine (piano); Slide Hampton (trombone); Peter Washington (bass); Killer Ray Appleton (drums).

4 Flights Up

---

Nigel Price Organ Trio - Heads & Tales, Volume 2 Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: Heads & Tales, Volume 2  Disc 1

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 143,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:55)  1. Blue Genes
(6:08)  2. Wet & Dry
(6:24)  3. Up and Out
(7:30)  4. Parker 51
(6:20)  5. War
(6:07)  6. R&R
(6:43)  7. Majority
(5:49)  8. Junk
(8:44)  9. Smokescape

Nigel Price's second volume of Heads & Tales is, quite literally, a game of two halves. As with the first volume, released in 2011, it incorporates two CDs each containing different versions of standards. The first disc, where Price is accompanied by Matt Home on drums and Ross Stanley on Hammond organ, plus guest saxophonists Alex Garnett and Vasilis Xenopoulos, utilises the same device as on the first volume. The standards are given new heads and titles but follow the same or similar underlying structures as the originals. The second disc comprises more faithful interpretations of the standards but here Price plays solo guitar, mostly accompanied by double tracked guitar ("Come Rain Or Come Shine" is a single guitar solo exception).

This straight ahead, hard bop influenced set belies Price's history as a member of both the acid jazz James Taylor Quartet and the funky jazz band known collectively as The Filthy Six. But Price, influenced by the likes of Wes Montgomery and George Benson is unquestionably a terrific jazz guitarist as this album attests. The main point of the album and its predecessor is the way in which a standard can be played with a different melody and then separately given a more conventional treatment too, so it really does become a two-for-one album. Price also rechristens titles with typical dry humour so Gigi Gryce's "Minority" becomes "Majority," Harold Arlen's "Come Rain Or Come Shine" becomes "Wet & Dry" and Frank Loesser's "Slow Boat to China" is transmuted into "Junk" (a Chinese boat!).  On the first disc (Heads) the unrestrained ebullience of the opener "Blue Genes" (a version of Duke Pearson's "Jeannine") is immediately apparent and fixes in the memory like glue. But Price's talent also extends to consummate blues playing too as evidenced on the sultry "Smokescape" (a version of Kenny Burrell's "Midnight Blue") and the breezier "Fragment Of Blues." The only anomaly on the album is Jimmy Raney's "Parker 51" which remains in its original arrangement.

On the solo disc (Tales), the numbers are performed with crystalline precision and sensitivity. Take for example, Horace Silver's "Peace," where Price comes close to emulating such great jazz guitarists as Joe Pass and Tal Farlow, or Ray Noble's "Cherokee," on which Raney's "Parker 51" was based.  One interesting aspect of Price's playing is his unadulterated guitar tone (for guitarists, he's playing a D'Angelico NYL-5) which utilises no effects pedals, (in an excellent 2012 interview for the Huffington Post, Price referred to these as "talent boosters"). Indeed the tone and to some extent the style Price obtains on "Up And Out" is not unlike that found on John McLaughlin's 1969 debut album Extrapolation, but Price still retains his own characteristically pure and punchy style. In truth it's fair to say that Nigel Price is probably the most dynamic and gifted guitarist on the British jazz scene today and this is the proof. ~ Roger Farbey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/heads-and-tales-volume-2-nigel-price-whirlwind-recordings-ltd-review-by-roger-farbey.php

Personnel: Nigel Price: guitar; Matt Home: drums; Ross Stanley: Hammond organ; Plus: Alex Garnett: alto & tenor saxophone; Vasilis Xenopoulos: tenor saxophone.

Heads & Tales, Volume 2 Disc 1

---

Album: Heads & Tales, Volume 2  Disc 2

Year: 2016

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 49:16

Size: 114,4 MB

(6:18)  1. Cherokee

(5:05)  2. Have You Met Miss Jones

(5:43)  3. Jeannine

(4:20)  4. Peace

(5:52)  5. Come Rain or Come Shine

(4:53)  6. Minority

(5:00)  7. Fragment of Blues

(5:24)  8. Slow Boat to China

(6:37)  9. Midnight Blue

Heads & Tales, Volume 2 Disc 2

---

Janet Seidel - Don't Smoke In Bed

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:38
Size: 138.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2002/2016
Art: Front

[5:07] 1. Blues In The Night
[3:11] 2. I Don't Know Enough About You
[4:33] 3. Bella Notte La Lu Lu
[3:47] 4. Mr Wonderful
[2:22] 5. Bye Bye Blues
[3:01] 6. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
[4:20] 7. Street Of Dreams
[3:42] 8. Don't Smoke In Bed
[3:17] 9. You Do Something To Me
[2:48] 10. He's A Tramp
[2:22] 11. Things Are Swingin'
[5:16] 12. Fever
[4:13] 13. Johnny Guitar
[4:04] 14. It Takes A Long Train With A Red Caboose
[5:48] 15. Black Coffee
[2:42] 16. Why Don't Ya Do Right

Lounge and cabaret performer and all-around ace singer Janet Seidel's Don't Smoke in Bed honors the important contributions of Peggy Lee to the vocal art. Australia's Seidel doesn't stop at entries from the Great American Songbook that Lee liked to sing, and includes her significant contributions to that document as a composer. In addition to the title tune, "Don't Smoke in Bed," there are five more Lee pieces on the play list. Through her personal appearances and many recordings, Seidel is a virtual institution in that country down under. This album is understandably somewhat jazzier -- and a lot torchier -- than her previous release, which was a nod to another one her favorites, Doris Day. Thus, you have a swinging, lilting "Street of Dreams," a sassy "I Don't Know Enough About You," and a very smoky version of a Lee classic, "Black Coffee." Kevin Hunt and Chris Morgan on piano and guitar, respectively, add just the right amount of the jazz feel for this cut, especially Morgan's intense, smoldering guitar. Another interesting element added by Seidel and cohorts is that the songs are not just limited to Lee's big recordings, such as the always enduring "Fever," but those she sang in her early days with Benny Goodman and some from her movie work, such as the films The Lady and the Tramp and Johnny Guitar. As always, Seidel is backed by top musicians. In addition to Hunt and Morgan, reed player Don Burrows is on a couple cuts. Her brother, David Seidel, carries on with his usual bass duties, helped along by Adam Pache on drums. Seidel by no means replicatesLee's way of doing this material, but presents it Seidel style. So this release offers the best of two worlds, literally: Peggy Lee and Janet Seidel. ~Dave Nathan

Don't Smoke In Bed

---

Tony O'Malley - Back At The Bag

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:29
Size: 133.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. Back At The Bag
[5:40] 2. Fall In Love
[3:11] 3. Millie Baby
[5:21] 4. Hey Girl
[3:57] 5. Common Sense
[4:55] 6. You Just Can't Smile It Away
[4:24] 7. Leave
[4:04] 8. True To My Soul
[3:26] 9. Fine And Beautiful
[5:10] 10. Bein' Green
[5:16] 11. Living In The Bubble
[4:09] 12. Learning Curve
[3:17] 13. If I Could Only..

The ball started rolling for this project back in January 2011, when top sound engineer Haydn Bendall suggested we get together to make a record. Astonishingly, the wheels were in motion within a few weeks when Tony Cronk offered to finance the recording of the bunch of songs at Ralph Salmins' lovely little studio in Welwyn Garden City. That was at the end of February 2011, with Neil Hubbard & Adam Phillips featuring on guitars, Mel Collins on sax, Steve Pearce on bass and Ralph Salmins on the drums. With the invaluable help of Gary McCulloch & Mark Lewis, several sessions of overdubs followed in Haydn's studio at Strongroom Studios in Shoreditch, East London. But it wasn't until the owner of the Bag O'Nails Club in London, Malik Ishmuratov, stepped in to help that we were able to finish the recordings in October 2014.

Finally, special words of thanks are due to a fine Yorkshireman. Without Mike Henderson's loyalty and assistance, this project could never have been completed. Cheers, Mike! In fact, big love and huge thanks go to ALL contributors, family and friends, especially Haydn, and to all the great musicians and singers who gave of themselves so generously. Here's to the next one...Tony

Back At The Bag

---

Tok Tok Tok - 2 albums: I Wish / Revolution 69

Formed in Germany in the late '90s, contemporary jazz and soul duo Tok Tok Tok feature vocalist Takunbo Akinro and saxophonist Morten Klein. Akinro and Klein first met while studying music in college. After performing in various ensembles, the duo came up with the concept of Tok Tok Tok and began focusing on a mix of acoustic soul, pop, and jazz. They released their debut album, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, on BHM in 1999. Since then they have released a handful of albums. ~bio by Matt Collar

Album: I Wish
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:58
Size: 162.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
[3:48] 2. Day Tripper
[5:11] 3. Have A Talk With God
[4:36] 4. Walk On The Wild Side
[0:19] 5. Her Majesty
[5:33] 6. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
[4:15] 7. The Jack
[5:00] 8. Alone Again
[5:12] 9. Hallelujah
[3:48] 10. Look Of Love
[5:01] 11. Monkey-See And Monkey-Do
[5:33] 12. Boogie Woogie Bossa Nova
[4:31] 13. I Wish
[3:50] 14. Waters Of March
[7:23] 15. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
[3:12] 16. Eleonor Rigby

I Wish

---

Album: Revolution 69
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:24
Size: 110.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Come Together
[3:01] 2. We Can Work It Out
[2:15] 3. Blackbird-The Fool On The Hill
[2:56] 4. Taxman
[1:56] 5. Get Back
[4:15] 6. Dear Prudence
[1:40] 7. I Will
[2:53] 8. Lady Madonna
[2:57] 9. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!
[2:24] 10. She's Leaving Home
[4:12] 11. Help!
[3:40] 12. Run For Your Life
[3:03] 13. Why Don't We Do It In The Road
[3:14] 14. Revolution 1
[2:22] 15. I'll Follow The Sun
[4:56] 16. Workin' Day And Night

Revolution 69

---

Neil Young - Everybody's Rockin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:54
Size: 57.0 MB
Styles: Album rock
Year: 1983
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Betty Lou's Got A New Pair Of Shoes
[2:12] 2. Rainin' In My Heart
[3:09] 3. Payola Blues
[2:59] 4. Wonderin'
[1:51] 5. Kinda Fonda Wanda
[1:58] 6. Jellyroll Man
[2:17] 7. Bright Lights, Big City
[2:39] 8. Cry, Cry, Cry
[2:46] 9. Mystery Train
[1:56] 10. Everybody's Rockin'

By following the hi-tech Trans after only seven months with a rockabilly album, Neil Young baffled his audience. Just as he had followed the sales peak of Harvest in 1972 with a series of challenging, uncommercial albums, Young had now dissipated the commercial and critical acceptance he had enjoyed with 1979's Rust Never Sleeps with a series of mediocre albums and inexplicable genre exercises. Everybody's Rockin', credited to "Neil & the Shocking Pinks," represented the nadir of this attempted career suicide. Running less than 25 minutes, it found Young covering early rock evergreens like "Betty Lou's Got a New Pair of Shoes" and writing a few songs in the same vein ("Kinda Fonda Wanda"). If he had presented this as a mini-album at a discount price, it would have been easier to enjoy the joke Young seemed to intend. As it was, fans who already had their doubts about Young dropped off the radar screen; Everybody's Rockin' was his lowest-charting album since his 1969 solo debut, and he didn't release another album for two years (his longest break ever between records). ~William Ruhlmann

Everybody's Rockin'

---

Barry Harris - Barry Plays Tadd Dameron

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:08
Size: 96.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1975/2015
Art: Front

[4:30] 1. Hot House
[5:39] 2. Soultrane
[5:10] 3. The Chase
[5:02] 4. Ladybird
[8:23] 5. Casbah
[5:28] 6. If You Could See Me Now
[3:36] 7. The Tadd Walk
[4:16] 8. Our Delight

Bass – Gene Taylor; Drums – Leroy Williams; Piano – Barry Harris. Recorded June 4, 1975.

Barry Harris, arguably the top bebop pianist of the 1970s, '80s and '90s, was particularly in prime form throughout his Xanadu recordings. The perfect player to interpret Tadd Dameron's music (of which he had full understanding), Harris performs eight of the influential composer's songs on this 1975 album with bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Leroy Williams. Highlights of the highly recommended (but probably difficult-to-find) set include "Hot House," "The Chase," "Casbah" and "Our Delight." ~Scott Yanow

Barry Plays Tadd Dameron

---

Misha Tsiganov - The Artistry Of The Standard

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:43
Size: 148,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:41)  1. Fall
(9:19)  2. Get Out Of Town
(7:04)  3. The Song Is You
(7:01)  4. Au-Leu-Cha
(5:35)  5. This Is For Albert
(6:37)  6. Four On Six
(7:48)  7. Falling In Love With Love
(6:41)  8. Mr. Day
(6:52)  9. Make Sure You're Sure

Standards represent so many things. They can be a fallback for those short on ideas or a springboard for those willing to invest a bit of themselves into the music. They're a representative historical sampling of what jazz has been and done, reminding all of those on the bandstand of who and what came before, but they can be so much more. Considering all of that, it's hard to imagine why a segment of players often prefer not to address them at all.  Plenty of modernists have abandoned standards or choose to simply use them as garnish around their own dishes. Some are willing to buck the trend and do all-standards programs, but they often do so by making simple adjustments to the established formulas or retreating into the comfortable confines that these songs offer in their original state(s). Pianist Misha Tsiganov does no such thing on The Artistry Of The Standard. Tsiganov pulls history in his direction, altering the shape and scope of these pieces without abandoning what made each one so special in the first place.  The Artistry Of The Standard marks the first time that Tsiganov has ever imagined and written a program with specific musicians in mind, and it's easy to see why he's so enthused about these men. Drummer Donald Edwards can navigate his way through any course with grace and drive; bassist Boris Kozlov is as dynamic and supportive as they come; Seamus Blake's terpsichorean tenor can bound along with glee, sing sweet songs, and outpace nearly anybody in a sprint; and trumpeter Alex Sipiagin brings both focused potency and a sense of warmth to the party, changing hats for different scenarios.

This may be the debut of this particular quintet, but Tsiganov's comrades-in-arms are no strangers to one another. They've crossed paths in various settings and they make up four-fifths of Opus 5, the collectively-operated quintet that also includes pianist David Kikoski. They're well-attuned to one another and it shows on these natty rewrites. Lesser musicians, and even some fine players, would likely stumble and falter on the twisting and turning version of saxophonist Wayne Shorter's "Fall" that opens the album. That song gets the ball rolling and it never stops. As the program continues, the band winds its way through Cole Porter country ("Get Out Of Town"), Tsiganov steps out front to introduce the work of Jerome Kern ("The Song Is You"), and everybody adds a little attitude to a Charlie Parker classic ("Ah-Leu-Cha"). Tsiganov has no problem molding fan favorites to his liking, as demonstrated on the aforementioned numbers and a charged take on guitarist Wes Montgomery's "Four On Six," but he also works his magic on lesser-covered gems like Stevie Wonder's "Make Sure You're Sure." Sipiagin's muted trumpet work, Blake's beautiful tenor, and the leader's classy trappings all come together wonderfully on that one.  Many of these songs have come to define jazz for a certain segment of listeners, but they need not be viewed as sacrosanct vessels. A song, be it a standard or any other type, is simply source material, and it's up to the musicians to do with them as they please. That's where artistry comes into play when addressing the standards, and Tsiganov truly gets that. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/misha-tsiganov-the-artistry-of-the-standard-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Misha Tsiganov: piano;  Alex Sipiagin: trumpet, flugelhorn;  Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone;  Boris Kozlov: bass;  Donald Edwards: drums.

The Artistry Of The Standard

---

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

---

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

---

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

---