Dexter Gordon - Dexter Calling

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:57
Size: 98.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/2004
Art: Front

[7:42] 1. Soul Sister
[5:20] 2. Modal Mood
[5:17] 3. I Want More
[6:54] 4. The End Of A Love Affair
[4:51] 5. Clear The Dex
[4:13] 6. Ernie's Tune
[5:13] 7. Landslide
[3:23] 8. Smile

Bass – Paul Chambers; Drums – Philly Joe Jones; Piano – Kenny Drew; Tenor Saxophone – Dexter Gordon. Recorded on May 9, 1961.

Dexter Gordon's second recording for Blue Note is a solidly swinging affair, yet constantly full of surprises. It's not unexpected that Gordon's tenor at this time (1961) was one of the most enjoyable in mainstream jazz, but his transition from the cool California scene to the hotter music environs of New York City had energized his sound and attitude. A first-time pairing with bassist Paul Chambers has something to do with this, but it also inspires pianist Kenny Drew to a great extent, while drummer Philly Joe Jones is his reliable, energetic self, and always works well with Gordon. Where Gordon's fluent melodic sense is perfectly demonstrated during the simple-as-pie groove waltz "Soul Sister," the steady, steamy bopper "I Want More," and the familiar Charlie Chaplin evergreen "Smile," his sense of expanding the specific line upon soloing is truly remarkable. He constantly keeps the song form in mind, riffing on and on without violating the basic note structures, constantly reharmonizing, shuffling the chords like a card dealer and updating the song form. "The End of a Love Affair" takes this concept into an area where his deep, subtle voice is translated directly into the low-slung voicings of his horn. The remarkable "Modal Mood" combines hard bop with Drew's three-chord piano repetitions and Gordon's soulful, simplified sax, while the equally impressive "Clear the Dex" steamrolls the competition as the band -- cued by Jones -- skillfully pushes or pull tension and release elements, then busts loose into joyous swinging in a true signature tune that is immediately recognizable as only the long, tall tenor man. The sad ballad "Ernie's Tune" is based on a yin/yang theme via Freddie Redd's stage play The Connection and the crazy character that ran wild or tame. The excellent band, solid musicianship, and memorable music on every track make this one of the more essential recordings of Gordon's career. ~Michael G. Nastos

Dexter Calling

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The Gramophone Allstars - Just Delightin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:52
Size: 82.1 MB
Styles: Ska, Jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. In A Mellow Tone
[3:45] 2. Gettin' Hot
[3:17] 3. A Night In Tunisia
[2:58] 4. Taronja
[2:59] 5. Oh, No, Not My Baby
[3:01] 6. Mumps' Invasion
[2:58] 7. A Song For Pauleta
[4:34] 8. Round Trip
[2:53] 9. The Memphis Train
[2:14] 10. Vietnam
[3:18] 11. Makin' Love With Loneliness
[0:10] 12. What An Equinox

THE GRAMOPHONE ALLSTARS band was born in 2007 in Barcelona and their musical proposal is a mixture of ska music and jazz, but also keeping a close eye on styles like rocksteady, soul and boogaloo. All this musical universe can be found in their concerts. They also use the name of "SIDE B" for the shows in which the band experiments with diferent formats, new arrangements or curious sceneries.

Their first album entitled Just Delightin' (Silver Bullets-Brixton Records, 2008) features twelve tracks – eight own penned compositions and four covers – that display the most prominent styles practiced by Jamaican musicians during the sixties: ska, ska-jazz, rocksteady, reggae and a bit of soul and latin stuff. Although we are talking about a very young band, their members have long experience in the Jamaican music scene of Catalonia as well as playing other music styles such as jazz, fusion, rock, pop and funk.

Just Delightin'

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Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Swings Gently With Nelson

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:59
Size: 109.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1962/1993
Art: Front

[3:15] 1. Sweet And Slow
[3:29] 2. Georgia On My Mind
[3:35] 3. I Can't Get Started
[3:12] 4. Street Of Dreams
[3:47] 5. Imagination
[2:49] 6. The Very Thought Of You
[2:44] 7. It's A Blue World
[2:31] 8. Darn That Dream
[3:16] 9. She's Funny That Way
[2:46] 10. I Wished On The Moon
[2:37] 11. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight
[3:12] 12. My One And Only Love
[3:45] 13. Body And Soul
[3:32] 14. Call Me Darling
[3:21] 15. All Of Me

In 1961 Ella Fitzgerald recorded two albums with Nelson Riddle's Orchestra. Her voice was in peak form and, even if the backup band was somewhat anonymous, Fitzgerald uplifted the 15 songs on this set; "All of Me" was from a different obscure sampler and "Call Me Darling" was previously unissued. Although the accent is on ballads, several of the songs are taken at medium tempos and she swings throughout. Highlights include "Georgia on My Mind," "The Very Thought of You," "It's a Pity to Say Goodnight," "Darn That Dream," "Body and Soul" and a cooking "All of Me." ~Scott Yanow

Ella Swings Gently With Nelson

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Guido Basso - Lost In The Stars

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:48
Size: 155.2 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. Lost In The Stars
[5:07] 2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[6:22] 3. Smiles/Time On My Hands/Time On My Hands
[5:58] 4. The Continental
[4:54] 5. On The Town/Some Other Time
[5:13] 6. Besame Mucho
[5:46] 7. Portrait Of Guido
[5:03] 8. Don't Know Why
[5:20] 9. Waters Of March
[2:40] 10. 'round Midnight Overture
[3:42] 11. 'round Midnight
[6:42] 12. Tour De Force
[4:49] 13. Yesterday When I Was Young

Trumpet, flugelhorn. He's not Canada's best known jazz musician, but Guido Basso has been around since the mid-'60s, playing tart, hot licks, and heading large and small bands. He's made mellow mainstream sessions, done Afro-Latin and big band dates, plus bop and originals. ~ Ron Wynn

Lost In The Stars

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Joyce Cooling - Global Cooling

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:53
Size: 93.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. Grass Roots
[3:37] 2. Global Cooling
[4:16] 3. Save This Dance For Me
[4:36] 4. Cobra
[2:49] 5. What Are We Waiting For
[4:21] 6. Dolores In Pink
[3:05] 7. We Can
[4:27] 8. Rhythm Kitchen
[4:06] 9. The Red Rose
[3:59] 10. Chit Chat
[1:21] 11. In The Streets

Global Cooling features Cooling’s signature, colorful, body-moving sound, blending funky contemporary jazz with flavors and vibes from around the world. “It's eclectic - you can dance to it, you can trance to it. It's up to you." Global Cooling is like taking a transcontinental flight, touching down in fun, exciting and beautiful places. “We were inspired to travel into uncharted territory, so we really stretched ourselves to get our passports in order! We played with a lot of new instruments and layered tablas, congas, bongos, sitar, berimbau and even accordion over funk, rock and jazz. It was a trip.”

Joyce Cooling and songwriting partner, Jay Wagner, have crafted a stunning collection of songs that embody places, feelings and thoughts. “Cobra” and “The Red Rose” paint sound-scapes of exotic lands. Other songs are born of ideas and concepts near and dear to Joyce. In particular, the title track, “Global Cooling,” and “We Can” are driven by Cooling's optimism and love of things global and universal. “Jay and I wanted to make music in the spirit of that interconnectedness that I like to call our global neighborhood.” Cooling, who is known for her eclectic and swinging style, is recognized as one of the most dynamic and popular contemporary jazz guitarists in the world. She invites her fans to join her on the fantastic Global Cooling trek.

Global Cooling

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Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass - Brassy & Sassy

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:09
Size: 154,9 MB
Art: Front

(11:59)  1. Strike Up The Band
( 4:42)  2. Hey
( 7:11)  3. Very Early
( 7:04)  4. Things Ain't What They Used To
(11:23)  5. Scrapple From The Apple
( 5:50)  6. Embraceable You / Why Did I Ch
(18:57)  7. Blue Serge Suit(E)

This CD can serve as a perfect introduction to Rob McConnell's Boss Brass. The leader's arrangements (plus one by Ron Collier) uplift such standards as "Strike Up the Band," "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" and "Scrapple from the Apple"; trombonist Ian McDougall introduces his three-part, 19-minute "Blue Serge Suit(e)," and many veteran soloists are featured, including the tenors of Eugene Amaro and Rick Wilkins, trumpeters John MacLeod and Guido Basso, guitarist Ed Bickert, and McConnell himself on valve trombone. Throughout, the Boss Brass is heard in prime form. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/brassy-and-sassy-mw0000076889

Personnel:  Rob McConnell (valve trombone), Moe Koffman, John Johnson (soprano & alto saxophones, flute, clarinet), Eugene Amaro (tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet), Rick Wilkins (tenor saxophone, clarinet), Bob Leonard (baritone saxophone, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet), Arnie Chycoski, John MacCleod, Guido Basso, Dave Woods (trumpet, flugelhorn), Ian McDougall, Bob Livingston, Jerry Johnson (trombone), Ernie Pattison (bass trombone), Gary Pattison, James MacDonald (French horn), Don Thompson (piano), Ed Bickert (guitar), Steve Wallace (bass), Terry Clarke (drums), Brian Leonard (percussion).

Brassy & Sassy

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Lisa Stansfield - So Natural

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:29
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. So Natural
(5:02)  2. Never Set Me Free
(4:40)  3. I Give You Everything
(4:16)  4. Marvellous And Mine
(4:37)  5. Goodbye
(4:29)  6. Little Bit Of Heaven
(5:34)  7. Sweet Memories
(5:05)  8. She's Always There
(4:35)  9. Too Much Love Making
(4:41) 10. Turn Me On
(4:33) 11. Be Mine
(6:03) 12. In All The Right Places
(4:44) 13. Wish It Could Always Be This Way

After achieving minor success as the lead singer of the U.K. trio Blue Zone and providing vocals for Coldcut's dancefloor classic "People Hold On," Lisa Stansfield established herself as a solo artist with her immensely successful 1989 debut album Affection. The combination of lush, Barry White-influenced arrangements and Stansfield's soulful voice proved wildly popular, and Stansfield became one of the hottest new international artists of the late '80s. Unfortunately, Stansfield's popularity slipped a bit with the follow-up, 1991's Real Love, but the album was still a respectable seller. So Natural, from 1993, failed to reestablish Stansfield as a major commercial force, but since the album was never released in the U.S., it's easy to understand why. Though So Natural pales in comparison to Affection and even Real Love, it certainly isn't bad, and the lack of an American release remains a mystery.

Stansfield almost abandons the R&B-flavored dance-pop of her debut with So Natural. The album is definitely consistent, but the ballad-heavy approach wears thin. So Natural also lacks a surefire hit single, like Affection's "All Around the World" and "This Is the Right Time" or Real Love's "Change." But So Natural still offers many pleasant moments. The steamy ballads "Never Set Me Free" and "Be Mine" rank with Stansfield's best work, and the album does offer a couple of sunny, up-tempo numbers with "Too Much Love Makin'" and "Marvelous and Mine." So Natural does flow along quite nicely the only real clunker here is the bland, dated-sounding synth pop throwback "Little Bit of Heaven" but the album fails to deliver the memorable hooks of her biggest hits. Still, So Natural could have easily found an American audience, considering the success of her previous work. So Natural is only available in America as an import release. The album is certainly a worthy find for Lisa Stansfield fans willing to search the import bins. The casual fan, however, is better off with the considerably easier to find Affection or her 1997 American comeback effort, simply titled Lisa Stansfield. ~ William Cooper http://www.allmusic.com/album/so-natural-mw0000459115

Personnel:  Backing Vocals – Aileen McLaughlin, Anna Ross, Lisa Stansfield;  Drums – Andy Gangadeen;  Flute, Saxophone – Chris "Snake" Davis; Guitar, Bass – Ian Devaney;  Keyboards – Andy Morris (5), Ian Devaney;  Strings – Andrew Long, Andrew Scrivener, Anna Biggin, Chris Hoyle, Clare Dixon, Drusilla Harris, Jacqueline Anthony, Julia Hoyle, Owen Gordon, Peter Dixon, Richard Thirlwell, Simon Vance;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Andy Morris (5), Stephen Gibson

So natural

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The H2 Big Band - It Could Happen

Styles: Jazz, Vocal, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:39
Size: 161,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:59)  1. Hocus Pocus
(6:55)  2. Black Lace Freudian Slip
(6:41)  3. C.P. You
(5:34)  4. The Look of Love
(6:30)  5. It Could Happen To You
(7:45)  6. The Healing Hymn
(5:19)  7. I Like You
(5:45)  8. Lynda B
(5:15)  9. B in C
(5:22) 10. Autobiography
(5:31) 11. You Go To My Head

As Shakespeare wrote, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Who would dare argue with that? The point is that It Could Happen,the second recording by the H2 Big Band, is performed by a world-class ensemble. It's just not the H2 Big Band, which essentially remained home in Colorado save for its co-leaders, trumpeter Al Hood and pianist Dave Hanson. This is in fact a group of Los Angeles-based studio musicians and their kin masquerading as the H2 Big Band, and, make no mistake, doing a spot-on impersonation (in other words, smelling like a rose). And technically, as Hood and Hanson are present and accounted for, it is the H2 ensemble, or at least a close cousin thereof. As Shakespeare wrote . . .  To be fair (and accurate), one other member of the "regular" H2 Big Band is in the lineup: alto saxophonist Rich Chiaraluce who does his best to keep pace with trumpeter par excellence Carl Saunders on the memorable Johnny Burke / Jimmy van Heusen standard "It Could Happen to You," from which the album derives its name. Hanson wrote all the charts, and they are as bright and engaging as any big-band arrangements you're likely to encounter. He also composed three of the album's conclusive instrumental highlights "C.P. You," "Lynda B" and "B in C." The full band performs on eight tracks, smaller groups on the other three. A string section is added on "The Look of Love" and "Autobiography."

Even with so many thoroughbreds in the stable, the leaders apparently felt the band needed some extra horsepower (not true), so the well-known vocalist Rene Marie was enlisted to lend her talents to four numbers: Burt Bacharach / Hal David's "The Look of Love" and three of her own compositions, "Black Lace Freudian Slip," "I Like You" and "Autobiography." She's fine, in an unpretentious sort of way; enunciates clearly, respects a lyric and sings on-key. Rene Marie fares best on the fast-paced "I Like You," perhaps because it's the most charming of the four tunes on which she appears (enriched by Hanson's sharp arrangement). The "C.P." in Hanson's "C.P. You" is Cole Porter, the song his variation on Porter's standard "All of You." "Lynda B" is Hanson's salute to comic artist Lynda Barry, the bluesy "B in C" a tune originally written in the key of B but, Hanson notes, "a lot easier to play in C." The closing number is yet another high spot: Hanson's superb arrangement of the standard "You Go to My Head," with solo to match by alto Gary Foster.  Hanson, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Joe LaBarbera comprise an unflagging rhythm section, and there are inspired solos along the way by Hood (featured on Jeff Jenkins' "Healing Hymn"), trombonists Andy Martin and Bob McChesney, tenors Rob Lockart and Brandon Fields, trumpeter Ron Stout and guitarist Larry Koonse. Even without their "regular" band, co-leaders Hanson and Hood have produced another unequivocal winner. Could they do any less? It Could Happen, but don't bet on it. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/it-could-happen-al-hood-dave-hanson-origin-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php
 

Personnel: Jeff Tower: conductor;  Al Hood: co-leader, trumpet, flugelhorn;  Dave Hanson: co-leader, piano, synthesizer;  Wayne Bergeron: trumpet;  Carl Saunders: trumpet; Ron Stout: trumpet;  Gary Foster: alto sax, flute, clarinet; Rich Chiaraluce: alto sax, flute;  Rob Lockart: tenor sax, flute;  Brandon Fields: tenor sax, flute;  Adam Schroeder: baritone sax, bass clarinet;  Bob Sheppard: saxophones (1);  Andy Martin: trombone;  Bob McChesney: trombone;  Alex Iles: trombone;  Bill Reichenbach: bass trombone;  Larry Koonse: guitar (3, 4, 9, 10);  Chuck Berghofer: bass; Joe LaBarbera: drums; Luis Conte: percussion (4). Strings (tracks 4, 10) – Robert Peterson: violin; Jerry Hilera: violin; Ed Persi: viola; John Acosta: cello. Special Guest – Rene Marie: vocals (2, 4, 7, 10).

It Could Happen

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Rich Perry - At The Kitano 1

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 63:59
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(13:51)  1. In Your Own Sweet Way
( 9:39)  2. You and the Night and the Music
(10:42)  3. I Thought About You
(10:41)  4. Just Friends
(10:03)  5. Billie's Bounce
( 9:01)  6. I'll Remember April

For over 30 years, saxophonist Rich Perry has been a stalwart of the NY jazz scene, captivating audiences with his fluid phrasing and gorgeous sound while playing with Chet Baker, Lee Konitz and more recently as a featured soloist with Maria Schneider and on more than a dozen records of his own. With these two new Steeplechase releases, Perry once again dazzles with his facility and impeccable taste and further asserts himself as one of the most gifted saxophonists of his generation. The leader's languid saxophone begins At The Kitano 1 with an impromptu flourish before wistfully stating the melody to "In Your Own Sweet Way over crisp piano and a light pulse from Jeff Hirshfield's brushed snare. Perry is patient with his improvisation, letting his ideas bloom while steadily gaining urgency and momentum over a simmering groove. With a subtlety of approach only a seasoned veteran could maintain, the saxophonist's lines build in a graceful arc to a culmination rife with glistening runs and bell-like altissimo before the baton is passed to Harold Danko's pristine piano.

Unlike most instrumentalists of his generation, Perry hasn't amassed a catalogue of original compositions, or distinguished himself on a wide array of instruments. Instead, the soft-spoken sax man has taken the hard road, cultivating a distinctive, lovely sound on the tenor saxophone and proving that a quartet of talented musicians playing well-worn standards can still come up with renditions startling in their freshness and artistic relevance. "I Thought About You is strikingly beautiful, starting with a mournful solo saxophone statement that pours smoothly from the speakers, before the delicately propulsive bass of Jay Anderson and the static wash of Hirshfield's brushed snare and cymbals join it.  The album closes with a couple of 'swingers' that find the telepathic quartet quickening its pace and raising the collective energy level. Perry and Danko think as one on "I'll Remember April , the former weaving a tapestry of intricate lines to which the latter adds vibrant color and contrapuntal intrigue. Hirshfield also plays a vital role, adding just the right amount of rhythmic color and propulsion, pushing each soloist to breathtaking heights. ~ MatthewMiller https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rich-perry-at-the-kitano-1-and-steeplechase-jam-session-19-by-matthew-miller.php

Personnel: Rich Perry: tenor saxophone: Harold Danko: piano; Jay Anderson: bass; Jeff Hirshfield: drums.

At The Kitano 1

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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