Buck Clayton - Goin' To Kansas City

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:29
Size: 85.8 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1960/1990
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Hello, Babe
[3:28] 2. An Old Manuscript
[3:08] 3. Kansas City Ballad
[4:09] 4. The Jumping Blues
[4:29] 5. Walter Page
[4:41] 6. Midnight Mama
[3:04] 7. John's Idea
[3:13] 8. Steppin' Pretty
[3:36] 9. Dedicated To You
[4:36] 10. The New Tulsa Blues

Although trumpeter Buck Clayton gets top billing, this CD reissue actually features Tommy Gwaltney's Kansas City Nine, an unusual group sporting arrangements by Gwaltney and tenor-saxophonist Tommy Newsom (who decades later became famous for his work on The Tonight Show). The group has an unusual combination of major names (Clayton, trombonist Dickie Wells, guitarist Charlie Byrd, pianist John Bunch, bassist Whitey Mitchell and drummer Buddy Schutz) along with Gwaltney (who doubles on reeds and vibes), Newsom and Bobby Zottola (playing second trumpet and peck horn). Although the nonet performs a variety of songs associated with Kansas City Jazz of the swing era, the arrangements are modern and unpredictable. ~Scott Yanow

Goin' To Kansas City

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Diana Krall - All For You: A Dedication To The Nat King Cole Trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:41
Size: 125.2 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz, Vocal jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. I'm An Errand Girl For Rhythm
[4:07] 2. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[4:36] 3. You Call It Madness
[5:00] 4. Frim Fram Sauce
[6:27] 5. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
[3:36] 6. Baby Baby All The Time
[4:16] 7. Hit That Jive Jack
[5:33] 8. You're Looking At Me
[4:26] 9. I'm Thru With Love
[3:31] 10. Deed I Do
[5:12] 11. A Blossom Fell
[4:57] 12. If I Had You

Bass – Paul Keller; Guitar – Russell Malone; Percussion – Steve Kroon (tracks: 5); Piano – Benny Green (tracks: 12); Piano, Vocals – Diana Krall. Recording dates: Oct 3 - 8, 1995.

Pianist/vocalist Diana Krall pays tribute to the Nat King Cole Trio on her Impulse! set. In general, the medium and up-tempo tunes work best, particularly such hot ditties as "I'm an Errand Girl for Rhythm," "Frim Fram Sauce," and "Hit That Jive Jack." Krall does not attempt to directly copy Cole much (either pianistically or vocally), although his influence is obviously felt on some of the songs. The slow ballads are actually as reminiscent of Shirley Horn as Cole, particularly the somber "I'm Through With Love" and "If I Had You." Guitarist Russell Malone gets some solo space on many of the songs and joins in on the group vocal of "Hit That Jive Jack," although it is surprising that he had no other opportunities to interact vocally with Krall; a duet could have been delightful. Bassist Paul Keller is fine in support, pianist Benny Green backs Krall's vocal on "If I Had You," and percussionist Steve Kroon is added on one song. Overall, this is a tasteful effort that succeeds. ~Scott Yanow

All For You: A Dedication To The Nat King Cole Trio

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The Hot Club Of San Francisco - John Paul George & Django

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:59
Size: 123.6 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:37] 1. All My Lovin'
[3:33] 2. Because
[3:35] 3. Michelle
[3:01] 4. I Will
[3:00] 5. Here, There And Everywhere
[3:08] 6. You Won't See Me
[4:00] 7. The Fool On The Hill
[4:19] 8. If I Needed Someone
[3:05] 9. Julia
[4:40] 10. You Can't Do That
[4:26] 11. For No One
[3:48] 12. Dont' Bother Me
[5:35] 13. Hey Jude Duke & Dukie
[3:54] 14. Things We Said Today
[1:13] 15. Yellow Submarine

It was only a matter of time before guitarist Paul Mehling focused his creative mojo on Lennon and McCartney’s vast and enduring treasure trove of songs. The founder and guiding spirit of the Hot Club of San Francisco, America’s longest running Gypsy swing ensemble, Mehling was first inspired to pick up a guitar when the Beatles launched the British Invasion via Ed Sullivan’s CBS variety show on Feb. 9, 1964. Now Mehling’s HCSF is recolonizing the Fab Four’s songbook in the name of Gypsy jazz legend Django Reinhardt with John, Paul, George and Django, a ravishing and consistently revelatory reimagining of classic Beatles tunes. Slated for release on Mehling’s Hot Club label in September, 2016, the band’s 14th album is designed both to seduce Beatlephiles and enchant Djangologists, with arrangements that serve the songs rather than turning them into vehicles for blazing solos.

“We’ve been road testing arrangements and tune selections for several years and it’s just gold,” Mehling says. “These tunes were really well crafted, and our job is to present the songs through our prism. Our vision can be summed up as WWDD?: What Would Django Do? What if he hadn’t died, and had lived long enough to interpret Beatles songs? Because you know he totally would have.” In many ways, Mehling planted the seeds for the project some two decades ago. On 1994’s Quintet of the Hot Club of San Francisco the band interpreted “And I Love Her,” and a few years later on 1997’s Swing This, Mehling found an ideal conduit for Gypsy soul in “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” He wants to make clear that the album’s title isn’t intended to diminish Ringo Starr’s essential contributions, noting that like Ella Fitzgerald interpreting Cole Porter, the album is about “John, Paul, and George as composers.” Their songs have rarely sounded so enthralling. With its psychedelic production and hypnotic 5/4 groove, “Fool On the Hill” feels like Django traded Parisian nightlife for an acid test, a trip he thoroughly enjoyed. With French-born Hot Club rhythm guitarist Isabelle Fontaine’s simmering delivery of her translated lyrics “If I Needed Someone” turns into a Gallic torch song (and check out Mehling’s brilliant interpolation of “Within You Without You” in his solo). “Don’t Bother Me” bounces with a swinging reggae feel, and “You Can’t Do That” gets to Paris via New Orleans with a washboard powered beat. “You Don’t See Me” gets a straight ahead Gypsy swing treatment, and the woozy ballad “Because” turns into a brisk Gypsy jazz sprint.

“We try to keep the kaleidoscope spinning so you don’t know what’s coming next,” Mehling says. “With so many Gypsy jazz records, it’s like okay, we get it! You’re a genius. You can play really fast. We’re looking to create an album that can be played repeatedly.” One reason why the album works so well is that the HCSF is a busy ensemble with thousands of gigs under their belts together. A member of the HCSF since 1998, violinist Evan Price is a highly versatile player who earned top honors as a U.S. Scottish Fiddling Champion before performing with a hot-fiddle who’s who including Stephane Grappelli, Johnny Frigo, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Johnny Gimble, and Vassar Clements. He spent 10 years in the creative crucible of the seminal Turtle Island String Quartet, touring internationally, collaborating with jazz luminaries like Cuban clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera, and pianists Dr. Billy Taylor and Kenny Barron and earning two Grammy Awards for the albums Four + 4 and A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane (both on Telarc).

Though the present lineup has been in place for more than five years, creating John, Paul, George and Django put the band’s copacetic chemistry to the test. “It was very contentious, especially the arranging,” Mehling admits. “Everybody’s got really strong feelings about the Beatles. But I’ve had the band almost 30 years and Evan’s been in it almost 18. We’re all still friends and we worked it out! It took a long time to settle in on the program and then polish the arrangements. We’ve already got a list for volume 2!”

John Paul George & Django

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Chris Connor - Free Spirits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:49
Size: 79.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1962/2005
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Jump For Joy
[3:15] 2. Night Bird
[3:18] 3. Milano
[3:11] 4. Opportunity, Please Knock
[2:58] 5. Day Dream
[2:25] 6. Things Are Swingin'
[3:51] 7. Kansas City
[4:01] 8. Lonely Woman
[2:48] 9. I'm Gonna Go Fishin'
[3:15] 10. Free Spirits
[2:58] 11. God Bless The Child

Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods; Baritone Saxophone – Sol Schlinger; Bass – Ben Tucker, George Duvivier; Bass Clarinet – Sol Schlinger; Clarinet – Oliver Nelson, Phil Woods; Drums – Dave Bailey, Ed Shaughnessy; Piano – Ronnie Ball; Tenor Saxophone – Oliver Nelson; Trumpet – Clark Terry, Joe Newman, Irvin Markowitz; Vocals – Chris Connor.

Chris Connor's smoky voice made her a natural fit for torch songs, but her flair for improvisation expanded her considerable talents to include upbeat material as well. Free Spirits, an excellent small-group date arranged for her by Al Cohn, features Connor in a range of settings; remember, free spirits don't necessarily mean high spirits. The choices for material also range far and wide. A trio of Ellington evergreens anchor the set, but she also includes material from Peggy Lee, Oscar Brown, Jr., Leiber & Stoller's "Kansas City," and Billie Holiday's nearly untouchable "God Bless the Child." It helps that she gets expressive accompaniment from an all-star lineup -- alto Phil Woods, tenor Oliver Nelson, and a pair of all-time trumpeters (Clark Terry and Joe Newman). Despite the title, the only concept at work here is her ability to captivate a listening audience with a wide-ranging set. ~John Bush

Free Spirits

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Robert Palmer - Best Of Both Worlds: The Robert Palmer Anthology 1974-2001 (2-Disc Set)

There are usually thought to be two phases to Robert Palmer's career: an earlier one running from 1974 to 1983, when he explored New Orleans second-line funk and reggae, backed by members of Little Feat and the Meters and turned out a series of critically acclaimed, modestly successful recordings, and a later one, from 1985 on, when he rode his good looks, some high-fashion videos, and some simplistic hard rock/pop to a series of big hits on his own and with the Power Station. This two-CD set responds to that view by devoting its first disc to the earlier phase and its second disc to the later one. Palmer switched record companies along the way, too, but Hip-O is known for its willingness to license material from other labels, and 15 of the 20 tracks on the second disc come from outside the Universal archives. Along the way, all of the singer's U.S. Top 40 hits are included, though the collection was assembled with Palmer's input, which leads to alterations from the original recordings that fans might not be entirely pleased with. For a couple of earlier compilations, Addictions, Vols. 1 and 2, he used remixes of many of his well-known recordings, and those remixes have been retained here. He has also chosen to present three favorites -- "Johnny and Mary," "Riptide," and "Looking for Clues" -- as 2001 live performances rather than in their original studio recordings. Still, the selection is well-considered. The first disc is a good summation of Palmer's first eight Island albums, and the second disc demonstrates that not all of the second half of his career sounded like "Addicted to Love," that, actually, it was far more varied than the first half. There have been several Palmer compilations, but this one is the most comprehensive yet assembled. ~William Ruhlmann

Album: Best Of Both Worlds: The Robert Palmer Anthology 1974-2001 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:09
Size: 178.9 MB
Styles: Pop/Rock/R&B
Year: 2002

[2:42] 1. Sailin' Shoes
[2:24] 2. Hey Julia
[4:47] 3. Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley
[3:08] 4. How Much Fun
[2:58] 5. Give Me An Inch
[5:19] 6. Pressure Drop
[3:00] 7. Trouble
[3:19] 8. Which Of Us Is The Fool
[5:55] 9. Spanish Moon
[2:32] 10. Man Smart, Woman Smarter
[4:07] 11. Some People Can Do What They Like
[3:57] 12. You're Gonna Get What's Coming
[3:22] 13. Every Kinda People
[4:08] 14. Best Of Both Worlds
[3:13] 15. Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)
[3:13] 16. Jealous
[3:36] 17. Can We Still Be Friends
[4:33] 18. I Dream Of Wires
[2:48] 19. Not A Second Time
[3:10] 20. Some Guys Have All The Luck
[3:27] 21. Pride
[2:22] 22. What Do You Care

Best Of Both Worlds: The Robert Palmer Anthology 1974-2001 (Disc 1)

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Album: Best Of Both Worlds: The Robert Palmer Anthology 1974-2001 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:40
Size: 177.8 MB
Styles: Pop/Rock/R&B
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. You Are In My System
[5:04] 2. Some Like It Hot
[3:36] 3. Get It On (Bang A Gong)
[4:28] 4. Addicted To Love
[5:09] 5. Hyperactive
[3:34] 6. I Didn't Mean To Turn You On
[3:07] 7. Sweet Lies
[4:21] 8. She Makes My Day
[3:58] 9. Early In The Morning
[4:13] 10. Simply Irresistible
[3:17] 11. You're Amazing
[3:25] 12. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
[3:52] 13. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) I Want You
[4:10] 14. Want You More
[4:13] 15. Know By Now
[4:29] 16. Stone Cold
[2:22] 17. Milkcow's Calf Blues
[3:16] 18. Johnny And Mary
[2:16] 19. Riptide
[3:43] 20. Looking For Clues

Best Of Both Worlds: The Robert Palmer Anthology 1974-2001 (Disc 2)

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Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Buddy Tate, Coleman Hawkins, Arnett Cobb - Very Saxy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:47
Size: 90,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:19)  1. Very Saxy
(6:15)  2. Lester Leaps In
(5:22)  3. Fourmost
(8:53)  4. Foot Pattin'
(9:55)  5. Light And Lovely

Tenor saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and his quartet (which includes organist Shirley Scott, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Arthur Edgehill) welcome three immortal tenors (Coleman Hawkins, Arnett Cobb and Buddy Tate) to what became a historic and hard-swinging jam session. On three blues, an original based on the chord changes of "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Lester Leaps In," the four tenors battle it out and the results are quite exciting. The spirited music on this memorable LP will hopefully be reissued on CD eventually, for the performances live up to their great potential. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/very-saxy-mw0000310467

Personnel: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor saxophone); Buddy Tate (tenor saxophone); Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone); Arnett Cobb (tenor saxophone); Shirley Scott (Hammond b-3 organ); George Duvivier (bass instrument); Arthur Edgehill (drum).

Very Saxy

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Buddy Tate Quartet & Quintet - Tate A Tete

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:10
Size: 149,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:19)  1. Stompin' At The Savoy
( 9:01)  2. Body And Soul
( 9:35)  3. Buddy's Blues
( 9:18)  4. Broadway
( 8:52)  5. Just You Just Me
(17:34)  6. In A Mellow Tone
( 3:28)  7. I Surrender Dear

Tenor-saxophonist Buddy Tate meets up with pianist Tete Montoliu on this enjoyable blowing date. Other than "Buddy's Blues" (which has a Tate vocal), all of the songs are swing standards with "In A Mellow Tone" clocking in at 17 1/2 minutes. Violinist Finn Ziegler makes worthwhile guest appearances on two of the five selections and the group is completed by bassist Bo Stief and drummer Svend Erik Norregard. Easily recommended for swing fans, this album finds Buddy Tate still very much in prime form. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/tate-a-tete-at-la-fontaine-copenhagen-mw0000668822

Personnel:  Bass – Bo Stief;  Drums – Svend-Erik Nørregaard;  Piano – Tete Montoliu;  Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Tate;  Violin – Finn Ziegler; Vocals – Buddy Tate

Tate A Tete

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John Abercrombie/Andy Laverne - A Nice Idea

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 68:21
Size: 110,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. How My Heart Songs
(6:46)  2. Somethime Ago
(4:17)  3. Days of Wine and Roses
(8:07)  4. Besame Mucho
(5:35)  5. In Love in Vain
(3:51)  6. Refried Bananas
(9:11)  7. Round About Midnight
(4:30)  8. Now Hear This
(7:44)  9. A Nice Idea
(6:31) 10. Confabulation
(6:26) 11. Jazz Folk

Unlike his recent ECM recordings-which suggest renewed interest in early-’70s progressivism-John Abercrombie’s duo discs with pianist Andy LaVerne are pure Sunday brunch. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; it’s pleasant to hear the once-aggressive guitarist dig into some old chestnuts. On Abercrombie and LaVerne’s fifth duo album, A Nice Idea, the two old friends spend the majority of the 70-minute set coving the likes of Henry Mancini (“Days of Wine and Roses”), Jerome Kern (“In Love in Vain”) and Thelonious Monk (“‘Round About Midnight”). Abercrombie plays the tunes with a muted, treble-free tone that betrays none of the bite he achieves in band settings; LaVerne, a mellow instrumentalist to say the least, comes across as edgy in comparison-the only real surprise to be found here. Together, they improvise tastefully throughout. They take no chances with the material and, as such, get few distinctive results. Essential it is not. But Idea nonetheless makes a fine soundtrack for a three-egg omelet. ~ Brent Burton http://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/john-abercrombie-and-andy-laverne-a-nice-idea/

Personnel: John Abercrombie (guitar); Andy LaVerne (piano).

A Nice Idea

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Jack Jezzro - Sinatra on Guitar

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:35
Size: 121,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. Come Fly With Me
(3:43)  2. You Make Me Feel so Young
(3:54)  3. Strangers in the Night
(4:04)  4. Fly Me to the Moon
(4:41)  5. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:26)  6. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:55)  7. I Get a Kick out of You
(4:47)  8. All the Way
(3:25)  9. Witchcraft
(3:56) 10. The Lady Is a Tramp
(3:52) 11. Young at Heart
(3:35) 12. New York, New York
(4:36) 13. My Way

An internationally recognized guitarist and composer, Jack Jezzro is a multifaceted and successful studio musician. He has produced over 100 albums, earned a Grammy nomination and five Dove award nominations. Starting out as a member of Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and attending the Eastman School of Music, Jezzro eventually moved to Nashville where he now resides. Also an accomplished double bassist, Jezzro performs regularly with Nashville String Machine, an in-demand studio group recording with many top artists. As a studio musician, Jezzro's recording credits include work with Faith Hill, Matchbox Twenty, Randy Travis, and many others. His work can also be heard on numerous motion picture soundtracks including Con Air, Pocahontas, and The Green Mile. ~ Matt Collar https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jack-jezzro/id200096162#fullText

Sinatra on Guitar

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Rumer - The Magic of Sarah Joyce

Styles: Vocal, Jazz Soul
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:27
Size: 166,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. John Sebastian's Girl
(3:16)  2. Aretha
(3:36)  3. Welcome Back
(3:36)  4. Slow
(3:45)  5. Mondo Blu
(3:28)  6. Be Nice To Me
(3:57)  7. Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)
(3:50)  8. Tokyo Ladyboy
(3:14)  9. Photographs
(4:02) 10. Scarlett
(3:57) 11. Dangerous
(3:15) 12. Are You There (With Another Girl)
(4:18) 13. The Look Of Love
(3:19) 14. Walk On By
(3:47) 15. Take Me As I Am
(2:49) 16. Come To Me High
(3:28) 17. Am I Forgiven
(3:20) 18. Saving Grace
(3:21) 19. Travelin' Boy
(4:13) 20. Baby Come Back To Bed

Heavily influenced by Burt Bacharach and blessed with effortless, velvety smooth vocals, Anglo-Pakistani singer/songwriter Rumer harks back to the early-'70s easy listening sounds of Karen Carpenter and Carole King. Born in 1979 to British parents living in Islamabad, Rumer (real name Sarah Joyce) was the youngest of seven children, and spent her early years living in an expat community. Encouraged to make their own entertainment, she began writing songs with her brothers and sisters, and after moving to the U.K., developed a huge passion for musicals and, in particular, Judy Garland. After a stint at art college, she formed the short-lived indie folk band La Honda in 2000, but after the band split, she was forced to take on several odd jobs that included fixing iPods, teaching, and selling advertising space. Having moved to London to pursue her dreams of a solo career, she adopted a stage name inspired by the author Rumer Godden, and began performing in various clubs. At an open-mike night, she caught the eye of TV music composer Steve Brown, the house bandleader in Alan Partridge's Knowing Me, Knowing You, and the pair began work on her debut album. In 2010, she signed to Atlantic Records, supported Joshua Radin on his U.K. tour, and was personally invited by Burt Bacharach to sing for him at his California home. Her first single, "Slow," became one of the most requested tracks on Radio 2, and reached number 16 in the U.K. charts. The full-length album Seasons of My Soul was released in November of that same year. In 2011, she was nominated for several Brit Awards, and won a U.K. Asian Music Award for Best Alternative Act. She also recorded a song for the soundtrack to the film Johnny English Reborn. n 2012, Rumer released her sophomore effort, the covers album Boys Don't Cry. Much like the '60s soft rock vibe of Seasons of My Soul, Boys Don't Cry featured Rumer's unique take on tunes by such artists as Isaac Hayes, Clifford T. Ward, Todd Rundgren, Townes Van Zandt, and others. In 2014, she returned with her third studio album, Into Colour, which featured production from Rob Shirakbari, a longtime associate of Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach. Following the release of the album, Rumer relocated to Shirakbari's home state of Arkansas, where the couple were married in 2015. In 2016, Rumer returned with her fourth studio album, This Girl's in Love. Once again produced by Shirakbari, the album saw Rumer paying homage to Burt Bacharach and Hal David with reworkings of songs from their esteemed back catalog. ~ Jon O’Brien http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rumer-mn0002534134/biography

The Magic of Sarah Joyce

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Bud Shank - I Told You So!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:48
Size: 130.0 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[ 6:52] 1. I Told You So
[ 8:32] 2. My Funny Valentine
[ 7:36] 3. The Continental
[10:09] 4. Emily
[ 7:55] 5. Dance Of The Little Ones
[ 9:01] 6. My Old Flame
[ 6:40] 7. Limehouse Blues

Alto Saxophone – Bud Shank; Bass – Lonnie Plaxico; Drums – Victor Lewis; Piano – Kenny Barron. Recorded live at Birdland, NYC, 26-27 June 1992.

While often associated with the cool school of 1950s and ‘60s West Coast jazz, alto saxophonist Bud Shank is also one of the many worthy adherents to the le jazz hot bebop of alto icon Charlie Parker. Simply put, Shank can be both coolly smooth and yet burn with the best. On TOLD YOU SO (originally issued in 1992), Shank communes with some hard bop aces--the great, underrated pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, and drummer Victor Lewis--and goes to town on some familiar and not-so-familiar standards. ~Mark Keresman

I Told You So!

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Saskia Bruin - Step Inside Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:33
Size: 115.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:56] 1. The Look Of Love
[3:58] 2. And We Will Fly
[3:00] 3. Feel Like Making Love
[4:24] 4. Once I Loved
[3:16] 5. Step Inside Love
[3:49] 6. Wondering
[4:08] 7. You're My Thrill
[3:41] 8. Virginia Moon
[3:33] 9. I Got Lost In His Arms
[4:32] 10. Comes Love
[4:27] 11. Estate
[3:27] 12. Close Your Eyes
[4:16] 13. Caminhos Cruzados (Bonus Track)

Beautiful jazz standards, Bossa Novas and popballads made into a smooth, stylish and sexy chill-out album with substance. Recommended if you like Diana Krall, Eliana Elias, Astrud/Bebel Gilberto and Norah Jones.

Saskia's music received a warm reception including BBC Radio 2 airplay and London's newest radio station 102.2 Smooth FM. ''Although memories of Astrud Gilberto come to mind, Saskia is somehow more alluring''. Desmond Carrington, BBC Radio 2. ''I couldn't be more delighted that we played a record last week by a new comer to the collection, a lady called Saskia. I'm delighted because the reaction was so great that I decided to play another track this week''. David Jacobs, BBC Radio 2.

Step Inside Love

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Arthur Prysock - The Best Of Arthur Prysock: The Milestone Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:47
Size: 146.0 MB
Styles: Soul-blues-jazz vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. All My Lovin' Was In Vain
[6:03] 2. Got To Get You Off My Mind
[5:55] 3. Everything Must Change
[4:09] 4. Good Rockin' Tonight
[5:26] 5. I Want To Thank You, Girl
[5:37] 6. Next Time You See Me
[4:00] 7. At This Moment
[4:59] 8. Rainy Night In Georgia
[3:52] 9. Teach Me Tonight
[3:54] 10. I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone
[3:57] 11. Bring It On Home To Me
[3:59] 12. It's All In The Game
[3:55] 13. Baby (You've Got What It Takes)
[3:41] 14. After The Lovin'

Alto Saxophone – Hank Crawford (tracks: 2, 7, 12); Baritone Saxophone – Howard Johnson (3) (tracks: 2, 7, 12); Bass – Jimmy Lewis (2) (tracks: 1, 3 to 6, 8 to 11, 13, 14), Ralph Hamperian (tracks: 5, 6, 9, 13), Wilbur Bascomb (tracks: 2, 7, 12); Bass, Electric Bass – Leon Lee Dorsey (tracks: 1, 14); Drums – Bernard Purdie (tracks: 2, 7, 12), Don Williams (7); Guitar – Melvin Sparks (tracks: 2, 7, 12), Ralph Caldwell (tracks: 1, 3 to 6, 8 to 11, 13, 14); Keyboards – Lloyd Wilson (tracks: 1, 3 to 6, 8 to 11, 13, 14); Tenor Saxophone – Red Prysock; Trumpet – Alan Rubin (tracks: 2, 7, 12), Lew Soloff (tracks: 2, 7, 12); Vocals – Arthur Prysock, Betty Joplin (tracks: 3, 9, 11, 13). Recorded between 1985 and 1987.

Fourteen digitally remastered diamonds cropped from Prysock's previous albums: Today's Love Songs Tomorrow's, This Guy's in Love With You, and Rockin' Good Way. Prysock's big, deliberate baritone/bass voice is a heart stopper. The only miscue, but nothing major, is his rendition of Solomon Burke's "Got to Get You off My Mind," where he seems uncomfortable with the blues arrangement and the simplistic lyrics. But "All My Lovin' Was in Vain," "Everything Must Change" (he wows you with the first note), "Good Rockin' Tonight," "I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone," all deserve encores. His incredible renditions of "It's All in the Game" and "Rainy Night in Georgia" proves beyond a doubt that Arthur Prysock was the man! ~Andrew Hamilton

The Best Of Arthur Prysock: The Milestone Years

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Greg Abate - Horace Is Here: A Tribute To Horace Silver

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:28
Size: 168.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2005/2011
Art: Front

[7:08] 1. Mayreh
[8:08] 2. Horace Is Here
[6:21] 3. Nica's Dream
[7:15] 4. Song For My Father
[6:07] 5. Nutville
[7:21] 6. Silver's Serenade
[7:18] 7. On The Road
[9:56] 8. Peace
[7:45] 9. Filthy Mcnasty
[6:04] 10. Quicksilver

Bass – Marshall Wood; Drums – Artie Cabral; Piano – Hilton Ruis; Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute, Arranged By – Greg Abate; Trumpet, Arranged By – Claudio Roditi. Recorded Sept. 24-25, 2004.

Many artists have covered pianist Horace Silver's compositions, but few have approached them with a freshness like multi-reed player Greg Abate. Accompanied by trumpeter Claudio Roditi, pianist Hilton Ruiz (on one of his last recording sessions prior to his mysterious death in 2006), bassist Marshall Wood, and drummer Artie Cabral, Abate reharmonized each of the pieces and gave them a new sound while retaining the essence of the original works. "Song for My Father" is a perfect example, with the leader's rich tenor blending with Roditi's mellow trumpet and a less pronounced rhythm. Abate is on alto for "Nica's Dream," which has a more breezy air, almost seeming to float over its hard bop inner soul. Wood's brooding bass introduces "Peace," with Abate's mournful soprano sax beautifully backed by Ruiz's almost reverent piano. Abate also penned two solid tribute to Silver, the hip "Horace Is Here" and the turbulent "On the Road." Greg Abate's salute to Horace Silver will please fans of the hard bop giant's music. ~Ken Dryden

Horace Is Here: A Tribute To Horace Silver

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Archie Shepp Quartet - Deja Vu

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:58
Size: 116.7 MB
Styles: Avant-garde jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[4:50] 1. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
[9:15] 2. Petite Fleur
[7:25] 3. Les Feuilles Mortes
[7:54] 4. L' Ame Des Poetes
[4:03] 5. Gigi
[6:30] 6. April In Paris
[7:46] 7. Sous Le Ciel De Paris
[3:12] 8. Deja Vu

Bass – George Mraz; Drums – Billy Drummond; Piano – Harold Mabern; Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp. Recorded at "The Studio" in New York on June 11 and 12, 2001.

Archie Shepp has long established a reputation as a fiery avant-garde jazz stylist, though he is remarkably restrained in this collection of ballads recorded in 2001. The rhapsodic songs help restrain him somewhat, along with the presence of the terrific rhythm section, consisting of pianist Harold Mabern, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Billy Drummond. "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life" has a few rough edges to retain Shepp's personal flavor, while the rhumba setting of Sidney Bechet's "Petite Fleur" works well, too. Mabern's lush introduction to "Les Feuilles Mortes" (Autumn Leaves) sets up a touching, spacious arrangement. Shepp opens Lerner & Loewe's infrequently performed "Gigi" unaccompanied, producing a majestic performance. The snappy treatment of "April in Paris" swings like the famous tune should, while he also retains the well-known "Pop Goes the Weasel" quote inserted in Basie's version. All in all, this is an enjoyable date. ~Ken Dryden

Deja Vu

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Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra - Shout Me Out

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:30
Size: 152,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:27)  1. Shout Me Out
(6:36)  2. Max
(4:47)  3. Plunger Mute Syndrome
(7:03)  4. Yellow Flowers After
(4:46)  5. Grizzly
(3:35)  6. Day by Day
(5:28)  7. Nice to Meet You
(4:58)  8. One for Horace Tapscott
(2:04)  9. Barbara's Rose
(5:39) 10. I Want a Little Girl
(9:04) 11. How Insensitive

If there were an award for “most improved big band,” the opinion here is that the C–HJO would win going away, as its two most recent albums ( Explosive!, with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, and now Shout Me Out! ) have moved well beyond its earlier endeavors to prove beyond any doubt that this is one of the most talented and exciting ensembles performing anywhere in the lower forty eight. Clearly, the primary role model is Basie, and the C–HJO is emphatically adhering to the swinging blueprint laid bare by the Count and refined during his many years in the big band trenches. Coleader John Clayton’s deeply grooved “Nice to Meet You” is dedicated to Basie, and there are innumerable splashes of the Count’s peerless style elsewhere on the album, from wailing shout–choruses and assertive rhythms (punctuated by co–leader Jeff Hamilton’s assiduous drum work) to pianist Bill Cunliffe’s spare, Basie esque phrasings, crisp unison passages by brass and reeds and boppish narratives by the band’s squadron of accomplished soloists. There are three other dedications, Hamilton’s “Max” (for longtime friend and Jazz supporter Max Ketteman), co–leader Jeff Clayton’s “Barbara’s Rose” (for St. Louis Jazz promoter Barbara Rose) and Charles Owens’ “One for Horace Tapscott,” honoring the pianist who was a leading player on the Los Angeles Jazz scene. Bassist John Clayton, the band’s principal composer / arranger, also wrote “Shout Me Out!,” “Plunger Mute Sydrome” (for 22–year–old phenom Isaac Smith) and “Grizzly,” while trumpeter Clay Jenkins contributed “Yellow Flowers After.” Completing the program are the standards “I Want a Little Girl” (charmingly sung and played by veteran trumpeter Snooky Young) and “Day by Day” (featuring Rickey Woodard’s thundering tenor sax) and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “How Insensitive” (performed not by the band but as a “conversation” between John Clayton’s arco bass and Hamilton’s drums). The other soloists are baritone Lee Callet, guitarist Jim Hershman and both Clayton brothers (John on bowed bass, Jeff on alto) on "Shout Me Out!"; Woodard, Hamilton, Cunliffe and trumpeter Bobby Rodriguez on "Max"; trumpeter Jenkins on "Yellow Flowers"; trumpeter Oscar Brashear, trombonist George Bohanon and bassist Christoph Luty on "Grizzly"; Woodard, Smith and Brashear on "Nice to Meet You"; Cunliffe, Hamilton and alto Owens on "Horace Tapscott"; Jeff Clayton and trombonist Ira Nepus on "Barbaras Rose." If you want to hear a band that has found its niche and speaks in a clear and confident voice, check this one out. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/shout-me-out-clayton-hamilton-jazz-orchestra-review-by-jack-bowers.php 

Personnel: Jim Hershman (guitar); Jeff Clayton (flute, piccolo, oboe, alto saxophone); Charles Owens (clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Keith Fiddmont (clarinet, alto saxophone); Rickey Woodard (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Lee Callet (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Clay Jenkins, Oscar Brashear, Bobby Rodriguez (trumpet); Isaac Smith , George Bohannon, Ira Nepus (trombone); Maurice Spears (bass trombone); Bill Cunliffe (piano); Jeff Hamilton (drums).

Shout Me Out

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Ruth Etting - Ten Cents a Dance

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:56
Size: 142,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. Ten Cents a Dance
(2:49)  2. Button Up Your Overcoat
(3:05)  3. Funny, Dear, What Love Can Do
(2:40)  4. But I Do, You Know I Do!
(3:27)  5. Mean to Me
(3:23)  6. I'm Yours
(2:59)  7. If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight
(3:21)  8. Don't Tell Him What Happened to Me
(3:23)  9. Body and Soul
(3:12) 10. Sam, the Old Accordion Man
(2:43) 11. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes
(2:54) 12. Hello, Baby!
(3:18) 13. What Wouldn't I Do for That Man!
(2:40) 14. Could I? I Certainly Could
(2:56) 15. The Kiss Waltz
(3:10) 16. Shakin' the Blues Away
(3:07) 17. You're the Cream In My Coffee
(3:12) 18. Lonesome and Sorry
(2:52) 19. Laughing At Life
(3:22) 20. Love Me Or Leave Me

One of the most popular singers of the late-'20s/early-'30s period, Ruth Etting was not really a jazz singer (unlike 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 http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ruth-etting-mn0000806980/biography

Ten Cents a Dance

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Peter Zak - Peter Zak Trio

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 113,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Better Late Than Never
(7:18)  2. Laughin With RZ
(4:58)  3. Ugly Beauty
(7:41)  4. Namely You
(2:25)  5. Blue Gardenia
(5:31)  6. Grandpa George
(6:55)  7. Mamacita
(6:06)  8. The Worrier
(5:18)  9. Maiden Lane
(4:37) 10. Tyner's Corner
(6:14) 11. Below the Rim

Pianist Peter Zak is something of an unknown quantity to New Yorkers, but on his SteepleChase debut, he makes a considerable first impression. On this disc, which is comprised mostly of originals, he displays a style, which, although clearly touched by his major influences, remains vibrant and singular. During a great gig last month at Smoke, Zak showcased several of the tunes (and one that isn't on the disc, a burner with the hilarious title "The Cream and the Clear, which hopefully will be on a future release).  Zak's mastery is evident from the first tune, "Better Late Than Never, an original in which he he dances along the keys with deftness and facility, accompanied ably by bassist Paul Gill and the estimable Al Foster on drums. The tender "Laughing With RZ, clearly influenced by Wynton Kelly, is both understated and elegant.

Zak's arrangement of "Ugly Beauty follows Monk's original recipe but adds his warm highlights to the coloring. "Namely You is played with maximum economy. Gill's plucked bass solo tells a story in itself, with Foster bouncing on brushes behind the pianist's bright opening statement. Zak follows his warm, thoughtful solo turn on "Blue Gardenia with the supple, Oscar Peterson-flavored blues of "Grandpa George. "Maiden Lane is a somber but lovely ballad that was composed in memory of the 9/11 tragedy. "Tyner's Corner is a perfect rendering of the great pianist's style, with Zak laying down Tyner-like chords in homage, not imitation. The disc closes with "Below the Rim, where the pianist's deft left hand sets a roadrunner tempo for Foster and Gill to follow. Zak sets off no pyrotechnics here; he and his trio simply opt for conciseness and clarity, hallmarks of all fine composing and playing. ~ Terrell Kent Holmes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/peter-zak-trio-peter-zak-steeplechase-records-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes.php

Personnel: Peter Zak: piano; Paul Gill: bass; Al Foster: drums.

Peter Zak Trio

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Sonny Rollins - Falling In Love With Jazz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:57
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:42)  1. For All We Know
(6:18)  2. Tennessee Waltz
(7:41)  3. Little Girl Blue
(4:49)  4. Falling In Love With Love
(7:33)  5. I Should Care
(7:03)  6. Sister
(5:47)  7. Amanda

This average effort from Sonny Rollins and his regular sextet is most notable for two numbers ("For All We Know" and "I Should Care") that find Branford Marsalis joining Rollins in a quintet with pianist Tommy Flanagan. Unfortunately Marsalis makes the fatal error of trying to imitate Rollins (instead of playing in his own musical personality) and he gets slaughtered. Much better are Rollins's romps on "Tennessee Waltz" and "Falling in Love with Love."~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/falling-in-love-with-jazz-mw0000653871

Personnel: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Jerome Harris (electric guitar, electric bass); Branford Marsalis (tenor saxophone); Clifton Anderson (trombone); Mark Siskin, Mark Soskin, Tommy Flanagan (piano); Bob Cranshaw (electric bass); Jack DeJohnette, Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums).

Falling In Love With Jazz

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Alice Coltrane - Lord of Lords

Styles: Harp And Piano Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:18
Size: 97,9 MB
Art: Front

( 9:04)  1. Andromeda's Suffering
( 6:11)  2. Sri Rama Ohnedaruth
( 5:45)  3. Excerpts from the Firebird
(11:17)  4. Lord of Lords
( 9:59)  5. Going Home

Lord of Lords, released in 1973, was Alice Coltrane's final album for Impulse! It was the final part of a trilogy that began with Universal Consciousness and continued with the expansive World Galaxy. Like its immediate predecessors, the album features a 16-piece string orchestra that Coltrane arranged and conducted, fronted by a trio in which she plays piano, Wurlitzer organ, harp, and timpani with bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Ben Riley. Riley was familiar with the setting because he had been part of the sessions for World Galaxy. The first two pieces, "Andromeda's Suffering" and "Sri Rama Ohnedaruth" (titled after the spiritual name for her late husband, John Coltrane), are, in essence, classical works. There is little improvisation except on the piano underneath the wall of strings. They are scored for large tone clusters and minor-key drone effects, but also engage in creating timbral overtones. They are quite beautiful, yet have little or nothing to do with jazz except for the seemingly free passages toward the end of the latter track, but even these feel scored, because of the control of tension and dynamic. "Excerpts from The Firebird," which uses the organ to open the piece, features the strings playing almost (because with Alice Coltrane, she interpreted in her own way) directly from Igor Stravinsky's score. The droning organ is so gorgeous underneath those reaching strings that it's breathtaking. As to why she chose this piece as the centerpiece for her own album, she claimed that Stravinsky came to her in a vision and passed something on to her in a glass vial, a liquid that she drank!

Riley and Haden appear in earnest on the title track, a long modal piece where drones, rhythms, and time signatures are registered through the direction of Coltrane's piano and harp, creating a blissful kind of tension and dynamic. It cracks open at about six minutes, and Coltrane (on the organ), Haden, and Riley engage in some lively improvisation, with the strings offering trilling high-end swooping in the background. The set ends with Coltrane's transformation of a gospel hymn called "Going Home." Her harp introduces Riley's brushes and the strings, which in turn offer a root chord for her to play the melody and improvise upon it on the organ. Here the blues make their presence known. It offers a kind of understanding for the listener that Coltrane, no matter where this musical direction was headed (even as it went further toward the Cosmic Music she and her late husband envisioned together), continued to understand perfectly where her musical root was. The interplay between the three principals is lively and engaging, based on droning blues chords, and her soloing even amid flurries of notes comes right back to the root, and she quotes quite directly from Delta blues riffs and other gospel songs. Haden's bass is a beautiful anchor here (although mixed a bit low), and the strings offer a lovely response to her organ and harp. Riley's cymbals are shimmering shards of light throughout, ending Lord of Lords on a very high note. While it's true that Alice Coltrane's later Impulse! music may not be for everyone, even those who followed her earlier, more jazz-oriented recordings on Impulse!, it was obvious from the beginning that she was seeking to incorporate Indian classical music's drone center into her work, and was literally obsessed with the timbral, chromatic, and harmonic possibilities of strings. She succeeds here, in ending her Impulse! period with elegance, grace, and soul. ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/lord-of-lords-mw0000470434

Personnel:  Alice Coltrane : harp, piano, organ, tympani, percussion;  Charlie Haden : bass;  Ben Riley : drums, percussion

String Orchestra - Murray Adler (concertmaster), Nathan Kaproff, Lou Klass, William Henderson, Ronald Folsom, Leonard Malarsky, Gordon Marron, Janice Gower, Gerald Vinci, Sidney Sharp, James Getzoff and Bernard Kundell : violins; Myra Kestenbaum, Rollice Dale, Leonard Selic, David Schwartz, Samuel Boghosian and Marilyn Baker : violas; Jesse Ehrlich, Jerry Kessler, Jan Kelly, Anne Goodman, Edgar Lustgarten, Ray Kelley and Raphael Kramer : cellos

Lord of Lords

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