Leny Andrade - Bossas Novas

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:43
Size: 104.7 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Brazilian jazz
Year: 1998/2013
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. E Nada Mais
[4:17] 2. Canto Livre
[3:22] 3. Pode Ir
[2:57] 4. Ao Amigo Tom
[4:57] 5. Dois Corações
[2:44] 6. Nas Quebradas Da Vida
[3:18] 7. Esperança Perdida
[2:23] 8. O Chinês E A Bicicleta
[3:13] 9. Pássaro Imortal
[2:48] 10. Pra Que Chorar
[3:51] 11. Alegria Para Cantar
[2:39] 12. Samba Da Pergunta
[2:59] 13. Abajur Lilás
[3:35] 14. I'll See You In Rio

Andrade, considered by many the greatest singer of Brazilian jazz, has never had great commercial success, but is a well-respected jazz artist. She has been described by Tony Bennett as the "Ella Fitzgerald of Brazil". In Europe where she toured, she was the Brazilian First Lady of Jazz, building a huge fan base in the Netherlands and Italy.

New York Times critic Stephen Holden wrote of Andrade's performance at Birdland on August 27, 2008, "To describe Ms. Andrade as both the Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald of bossa nova only goes so far in evoking a performer whose voice seems to contain the body and soul of Brazil."

Bossas Novas

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Bob Curnow's L.A. Big Band - Music Of Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:29
Size: 165.9 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[7:23] 1. It's Just-Talk
[5:22] 2. Always And Forever
[8:50] 3. The First Circle
[2:50] 4. Letter From Home
[4:53] 5. Are We There Yet
[8:38] 6. If I Could
[4:35] 7. See The World
[8:06] 8. Minuano
[5:20] 9. Dream Of The Return
[7:00] 10. Every Summer Night
[3:19] 11. In Her Family
[6:07] 12. Have You Heard

Alto Saxophone – Bob Sheppard, Danny House; Baritone Saxophone – Tom Peterson; Bass – Tom Warrington; Bass Clarinet – Tom Peterson; Bass Trombone – Dana HughesClarinet – Bob Sheppard, Danny House, Jerry Pinter, Rob Lockart, Tom Peterson; Drums – Steve Houghton; Flugelhorn – Bobby Shew, Buddy Childers, Don Rader, Ron Stout, Wayne Bergeron; Flute – Bob Sheppard, Danny House, Jerry Pinter, Rob Lockart, Tom Peterson; Guitar – Paul Viapiano; Percussion – Brian Kilgore; Soprano Saxophone – Bob Sheppard; Tenor Saxophone – Jerry Pinter, Rob Lockart; Trombone – Alex Iles, Andy Martin, Chuck Hughes, Rick Culver; Trumpet – Bobby Shew, Buddy Childers, Don Rader, Ron Stout, Wayne Bergeron.

Arranger Bob Curnow transcribed a dozen compositions by Pat Metheny and/or Lyle Mays (originally recorded by the Pat Metheny Group) and adapted them for his Stan Kenton-influenced big band. The instrumentation differs drastically from Metheny's quartet and some of the pieces were originally very electric, but somehow these new renditions make the songs sound as if they were originally designed for this orchestra. The 20-piece big band is full of some of the cream of L.A.'s jazz scene and includes such soloists as trombonists Andy Martin and Rick Culver; saxophonists Bob Sheppard, Rob Lockart, and Danny House; pianist Bill Cunliffe; and a mighty trumpet section. This is an unusual concept that somehow works perfectly and with surprising logic. ~Scott Yanow

Music Of Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays

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David Hazeltine Trio - Pearls

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:47
Size: 111.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:36] 1. What Kind Of Fool Am I
[4:05] 2. My Old Flame
[8:02] 3. The Masquerade Is Over
[7:17] 4. His Lordship (For Cedar Walton)
[5:40] 5. Somewhere
[6:06] 6. Darn That Dream
[5:02] 7. Pearls
[6:56] 8. Close Enough For Love

Bass – Peter Washington; Drums – Joe Farnsworth; Piano – David Hazeltine. Recorded at Studio in New York on November 18 and 19, 2000.

"A player and writer with great respect for the melody, Hazeltine can be surprisingly inventive with the harmonic and rhythmic possibilities in a tune. Unobtrusive yet frequently exciting, Hazeltine always sounds as if he is digging what he's playing, and his approach makes well-known tunes sound fresh...." ~Aaron Steinberg,

Pearls

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Ann Hampton Callaway - After Ours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:30
Size: 136.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1997/2009
Art: Front

[5:12] 1. Time After Time
[3:25] 2. Teach Me Tonight
[6:40] 3. My Funny Valentine
[4:07] 4. Old Devil Moon
[4:44] 5. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
[4:57] 6. All Blues
[4:30] 7. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[6:03] 8. The Music You Leave Inside My Mind
[4:53] 9. You Are My Sunshine
[6:57] 10. It Never Entered My Mind
[3:33] 11. Fallin In Love Again
[4:22] 12. Untitled Track

Ann Hampton Callaway is one of the top cabaret singers of the past decade. She has always been influenced a bit by jazz, and this 1997 release was her first full jazz recording. Callaway has a haunting voice and, as with most cabaret singers, a great respect for the lyrics she interprets; her singing on "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a bit eerie. Pianist Kenny Barron, Bob Mintzer on tenor and soprano, and trumpeter Randy Brecker all get a generous amount of solo space, while bassist Jay Leonhart and percussionist George Jinda are fine in support; considering the high quality of her sidemen, it is a major compliment to the singer to say that her vocals do not cause the set to sag or the listener to lose his interest. On "All Blues" and "Old Devil Moon" in particular, she shows the potential of becoming a significant jazz singer in the future if she sticks to this path. Strangely enough, an intriguing original blues (clocking in around four-and-a-half minutes) is included at the end of the program, but not mentioned on the back cover or in the liners. Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

After Ours

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Harold Ashby - On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:17
Size: 151,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Out Of Nowhere
(4:42)  2. There Is No Greater Love
(5:08)  3. Honeysuckle Rose
(5:02)  4. Pennies From Heaven
(5:57)  5. It's The Talk Of The Town
(5:47)  6. Satin Doll
(5:37)  7. These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
(6:08)  8. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(8:33)  9. Scufflin'
(7:45) 10. In My Solitude
(6:19) 11. Just Squeeze Me

Harold Ashby's a tremendous tenorist almost like Von Freeman or Buck Hill, in that he had years of experience before getting a bit of wider experience on records thanks to albums like this! The set's got Ashby's great raspy tone in perfect formation with a trio led by pianist Horace Parlan himself experiencing a big new wave of exposure at the time, on some of his other Timeless sessions, which marked a move to spacious, more tradition-filled playing which makes him a great partner for Ashby on this set! The rest of the group features Wayne Dockery on bass and Steve McRaven on drums and although the tracks are short, Ashby delivers volumes in a very small space on titles that include "Out Of Nowhere", "Satin Doll", "Talk Of The Town", "Scufflin", "These Foolish Things", and "In My Solitude". © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/764029

Personnel: Harold Ashby (tenor saxophone); Horace Parlan (piano); Steve Mcraven (drums).

On The Sunny Side Of The Street

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Barbara Carroll - I Wished On The Moon

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:39
Size: 141,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:17)  1. But Beautiful
(6:13)  2. Gee Baby Ain't Good To You
(5:06)  3. Can't We Be Friends
(4:27)  4. I've Got A Crush On You
(6:48)  5. How Am I To Know
(6:11)  6. Prelude To A Kiss
(8:58)  7. Where Or When
(4:36)  8. I Wished On The Moon
(6:27)  9. You Are Not My First Love
(6:36) 10. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

In the year 2005, Barbara Carroll could boast that she has began playing piano for a grand total of 75 years. Not without a pause to sleep and eat, obviously, but with a determination that might suggest such extremes. Born Barbara Carole Coppersmith, she began the instrument at only five-years-old and went on to classical training three years later, eventually graduating from the New England Conservatory. In terms of professional stagecraft, her initial training ground was a USO tour during the second World War in which she was part of an all-girl trio. This was quickly followed by leading her own trio on New York City's famous lane of jazz, 52nd Street, where she adopted her middle name of Carole as a stage name. The pianist was associated with such fine players as guitarist Chuck Wayne and bassist Clyde Lombardi, but what would develop into an extensive discography began in 1949 with a recording session backing up multi-instrumentalist Eddie Shu for the Rainbow label. Among female piano players, Carroll is known as the first to venture into the progressive bebop style that was especially associated with Bud Powell. Unlike the infamous Billy Tipton, Carroll also did not think it was necessary to hide the fact that she was a woman in jazz but this was New York City, not Oklahoma or Washington state. Not that Carroll had an easy time in a genre dominated by men. "People tended to put you down before they ever heard you," she has commented in interviews. "If you were a girl piano player, the tendency was to say: 'Oh, how could she possibly play?' You never even got a chance to present what you could do. But then, if you did prove yourself, it almost became a commercial asset, in a sense; you were regarded as unique." One audience that found Carroll to their liking was the high society crowd, becoming enamored with her during an extended run at the ultra-chic Embers supper club. Her group at the latter venue included the bassist Joe Shulman, whom she married in 1954. Carroll did not ignore the pop styles of subsequent decades, yet always managed to keep a strong jazz flavor present in whatever material she performed. If swing was a bay leaf, it would be said that Carroll has a large bush growing right outside her kitchen window. She has recorded for many of the best labels in the genre including Verve and Atlantic and continues to be in demand at clubs and cabarets. Carroll works as an actress on occasion, such as the Broadway play entitled Me and Juliet. ~ Eugene Chadbourne http://www.allmusic.com/artist/barbara-carroll-mn0000788256/biography

R.I.P.

Born: January 25, 1925, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Died: February 11, 2017

I Wished On The Moon

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Michael Cochrane Quartet - Cutting Edge

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:58
Size: 155,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:59)  1. Lines Of Reason
(9:14)  2. Moon And Sand
(5:41)  3. You're My Everything
(6:40)  4. Autumn In New York
(6:26)  5. Celia
(5:20)  6. Mirror Mirror
(6:36)  7. Cutting Edge
(6:47)  8. I Thought About You
(8:43)  9. Shami
(6:28) 10. Long Walk

His resume is an imposing one, marked by gigs with Sonny Fortune, Jack Walrath, Eddie Gomez, Clark Terry, Michael Brecker, Chip White, the Spirit of Life Ensemble, Nancy Monroe, and many more. Add to that beneficial training from the likes of Jaki Byard, Eleanor Hancock and the legendary Madame Chaloff. This gives you just a simple point of reference for approaching the work of pianist Michael Cochrane, whose debut SteepleChase set, The Cutting Edge is just now getting an American release. While not without its moments of collective risk-taking, this set falls into the category of conservative mainstream fare that SteepleChase is known for and in Cochrane they have a solid pianist who has learned his lessons well. He certainly knows how to pace a set, the ten selections including some top-drawer standards and four of his own well-developed lines. Cochrane, bassist Ron McClure, and drummer Yoron Israel go it as a trio for Bud Powell’s “Celia” and “I Thought About You,” while the rest of the date features the lead voice of alto saxophonist David Gross. 

A new name to this reviewer, Gross speaks volumes with a tart yet seductive tone that puts him in the same league with fellow alto man Jon Gordon. In the final analysis, everything sits just right with The Cutting Edge, even if doesn’t quite live up to the implications of its title. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cutting-edge-michael-cochrane-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php
 

Personnel:  Michael Cochrane- piano,  David Gross- alto saxophone,  Ron McClure- bass,  Yoron Israel- drums

Cutting Edge

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Michael Dease - Father Figure

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:11
Size: 142,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:28)  1. Church Of The Good Hustler
(5:04)  2. Brooklyn
(5:41)  3. Cry Of The Wolf
(4:59)  4. The Pursuit For Inspiration
(5:18)  5. Confirmation
(5:58)  6. Riff Raff
(4:59)  7. Annette' s For Sure
(6:58)  8. Marian The Librarian
(6:06)  9. Wingspan
(4:41) 10. Till There Was You
(5:55) 11. Father Figure

Paying it forward is simply a given in jazz. Long before the music was welcomed in ivory tower institutions and codified for classroom consumption at all levels, seasoned musicians were sharing their hard-earned knowledge with aspiring youngsters on bandstands and in basements, serving as guides, exemplars, nurturers, and teachers all at once. Those experienced players were musical father figures, helping the next generation(s) along on their quest to join them, and that's a role that trombonist Michael Dease aspires to on this, his third date for Posi-Tone and his seventh release in total. Dease's paternal instincts have, no doubt, grown by leaps and bounds since he took on a larger role in jazz education at Michigan State University and became a father himself. Both experiences feed into Dease's need to do his part to bridge the gap between generations and bolster the ranks of those on the rise. Or at least that's what this album seems to say. Rather than build a band solely around known quantities for this date, Dease decided to tap into the youthful stream of musicians out there who are ready and eager to make their move. 

All of his choices in that department prove wise. Bassist Endea Owens is the biggest revelation here, possessing a wonderfully wide beat, an incredibly fine-tuned internal compass, pitch-perfect intonation, and solid technique. Then there's drummer Luther Allison, a player fully capable of working well in mellow and molten environments, and alto saxophonists Markus Howell and Immanuel Wilkins, strong-minded horn men who work well together and apart. Add to that list two established musicians vibraphonist and label mate Behn Gillece and pianist Glenn Zaleski and you have a solid band ready for action. The eleven tracks presented by that band touch on the old and new. There are originals, songs from The Music Man, winners from the likes of trumpeter Claudio Roditi and the late pianist-educator Mulgrew Miller, and classics from the respective books of saxophonist Charlie Parker and trombonist Grachan Moncur III. This crew proves adept at handling all of it. They mine bluesy veins ("Church Of The Good Hustler," Moncur's "Riff Raff"), bop along with the best of them (Parker's "Confirmation"), swim in strong Brazilian currents (Roditi's "Annette's For Sure"), and capture the pure beauty embedded in the music ("Till There Was You"). Everybody gets a chance to shine, but it's Dease who shines brightest. His buttery tone, monster chops, and impeccable sense of musicality lead the way. He sets the bar high here, as any father figure would, and his bandmates rise to the challenge. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/father-figure-michael-dease-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Michael Dease: trombone;  Behn Gillece: vibraphone;  Glenn Zaleski: piano;  Endea Owens: bass;  Luther Allison: drums;  Markus Howell: alto saxophone (1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9);  Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone (1, 2, 3, 5).

Father Figure

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Ricky Ford - Hot Brass

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:25
Size: 137,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. Ford Variations
(5:48)  2. Banging, Bashing, Bowing and Blowing
(7:11)  3. A Night in Valencia
(5:51)  4. 11/15/91
(3:33)  5. Cop Out
(8:16)  6. Hot Brass
(7:25)  7. Mood Blues
(6:42)  8. Speak Now
(7:32)  9. Carbon 14
(2:28) 10. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Nice session matching tenor saxophone standout Ricky Ford with crew of fiery trumpet and trombone players, plus bassist Christian McBride, drummer Carl Allen, and percussionist Danilo Perez. Ford was a young lion back in the '70s, when there was no hype. He's now an experienced, skilled veteran, and teams superbly with trumpeters Lew Soloff and Claudio Roditi and trombonist Steve Turre. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/hot-brass-mw0000094556

Personnel: Ricky Ford (tenor saxophone); Christian McBride (bass guitar); Claudio Roditi, Lew Soloff (trumpet); Steve Turre (trombone); Danilo Pérez (piano); Carl Allen (drums).

Hot Brass

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Larry Coryell - Major Jazz Minor Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:27
Size: 147.5 MB
Styles: Blues-jazz guitar
Year: 1998/2010
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. Moment's Notice
[4:43] 2. The Duke
[8:47] 3. 'round Midnight
[6:45] 4. Joy Spring
[5:39] 5. Yesterdays
[6:50] 6. No More Booze, Minor Blues
[8:25] 7. Tender Tears
[5:01] 8. My Shining Hour
[7:01] 9. Toka Do
[5:06] 10. Sophisticated Lady

Bass – Buster Williams, George Mraz; Drums – Beaver Harris, Billy Hart, Marvin "Smitty" Smith; Guitar – Larry Coryell; Piano – Albert Dailey, Kenny Barron, Stanley Cowell.

A jazz-rock pioneer during the late '60s and '70s, Larry Coryell was also a strong performer in a straight-ahead setting, as evidenced by his recordings for Muse during the latter half of the '80s. Major Jazz Minor Blues reissues ten titles from those records, most in a trio setting, and finds him reacting well with sidemen including bassists Stanley Cowell and George Mraz and pianists Kenny Barron and Billy Hart. The disc captures two of his best originals from the era, "Tender Tears" and "No More Booze, Minor Blues," plus Coryell's surprisingly nuanced versions of "'Round Midnight," "My Shining Hour," and "Sophisticated Lady."

Major Jazz Minor Blues

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J.J. Johnson - J.J. Johnson's Jazz Quintets

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:05
Size: 75.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1996/2003
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Jay Bird
[2:57] 2. Coppin' The Bop
[3:06] 3. Jay Jay
[2:39] 4. Mad Be Bop
[2:58] 5. Boneology
[2:32] 6. Down Vernon's Alley
[2:46] 7. Audobon
[2:46] 8. Don't Blame Me
[2:23] 9. Goof Square
[2:25] 10. Bee Jay
[3:00] 11. Yesterdays
[2:26] 12. Riffette

Alto Saxophone – Cecil Payne; Baritone Saxophone – Leo Parker; Bass – Al Lucas, Gene Ramey, Leonard Gaskin; Drums – Max Roach, Hank Jones, John Lewis; Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins; Trombone – J.J. Johnson. This limited edition CD reissue is part of the "Savoy Jazz 20 Bit Master Transfer Collection", a series that utilizes Denon's 20-bit digital remastering console which they refer to as the Mastersonic.

One can fault this CD for having brief playing time (a dozen selections totaling 33 minutes) and for not including the alternate takes, but the music is beyond criticism. When trombonist J.J. Johnson burst on the scene in the mid-'40s, his speed, fluency and quick ideas put him at the top of his field, where he remained for over a half century. This 1992 CD has the trombonist's first three sessions as a leader, music that qualifies as classic bebop. Johnson is matched with either altoist Cecil Payne, baritonist Leo Parker or tenor great Sonny Rollins (on one of his first dates) in quintets that also include Bud Powell, Hank Jones or John Lewis on piano; Leonard Gaskin, Al Lucas or Gene Ramey on bass; and Max Roach or Shadow Wilson on drums. Other than the ballads "Don't Blame Me" and "Yesterdays," the repertoire is comprised of originals (including Rollins' "Audobon") containing lots of tricky lines, concise but heated solos, and virtuosic playing. Until a more complete reissue takes its place, bop fans not owning the music (plus the alternates) on earlier LPs will definitely find this CD valuable. ~Scott Yanow

J.J. Johnson's Jazz Quintets

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Diahann Carroll & The Andre Previn Trio - Porgy And Bess

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:40
Size: 77.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1959/2006
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Summertime
[4:05] 2. My Man's Gone Now
[2:51] 3. I Got Plenty Of Nuttin'
[4:38] 4. Bess, You Is My Woman
[3:05] 5. Oh, I Can't Sit Down
[3:17] 6. It Ain't Necessarily So
[3:13] 7. What You Want Wild Bess
[3:16] 8. I Love You Porgy
[3:04] 9. There's Somebody Knockin'
[3:25] 10. There's A Boat That's Leavin' Soon For New York

Bass – Joe Mondragon, Keith Mitchell; Drums – Frank Capp, Larry Bunker; Piano – André Previn.

The second recording (1952) by this radiant star of stage and screen-and you'll be amazed how mature and expressive her voice already is. Previn's bold arrangements and Diahann's uncanny rhythmic sense brought new freshness to Summertime; It Ain't Necessarily So , and the rest of these Gershwin classics.

Porgy And Bess

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Tony Monaco Trio, Joey DeFrancesco Trio - A New Generation Paesanos On The New B3

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:07
Size: 114.8 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[6:25] 1. Pasta Faggioli
[6:22] 2. Homily
[5:56] 3. Katarina's Prayer
[6:11] 4. Flat Tire
[5:32] 5. Mona Lisa
[6:50] 6. Mozzarella
[4:01] 7. Aglio E Olio
[5:00] 8. Oh Marie
[2:19] 9. Waltz Of The Angels
[1:27] 10. Bonus Interview

Tony Monaco - "New B3" organ and accordion; Joey DeFrancesco - "New B3" organ and trumpet; Robert Kraut - guitar; Craig Ebner - guitar; Louis Tsamous - drums; Byron Landham - drums.

Is there a secret spice in spaghetti sauce that makes a man's fingers burn the 88s? One listen to Paesanos On The New B3 and you would be apt to think so. A sizzling showdown between the dueling organs of B3 grand master Joey DeFrancesco and up-and-coming master Tony Monaco, Paesanos shows that the unique sound of the Hammond B-3 can still ignite the kind of sparks it did during its heyday in the '60s. Though cheerfully wrapped in a checkerboard tablecloth motif and sporting song titles like "Pasta Faggioli," this recording is actually a solid tribute to the classic organ battles between Jimmy McGriff and Richard "Groove" Holmes. The "new" generation refers to a new model of Hammond-Suzuki organ that Monaco and DeFrancesco employ and with their respective trios in support the two organists serve up nine tracks ranging from greasy blues to sanctified gospel to Neapolitan pop.

The opening track, "Pasta Faggioli," is an irresistible butt-shaker with a stop-time soul groove and straight-ahead blues phrasing by both Monaco and DeFrancesco. On this track and many others, it's difficult to tell who is playing but, suffice to say, the two paesanos are brilliant. The trios provide excellent support with crisp, melodic lines from guitarists Robert Kraut and Craig Ebner and fatback drums from Louis Tsamous and Byron Landham. Considering the sameness of many B3 recordings over the years, it is to the credit of Monaco and DeFrancesco that they change things up with each track. On "Homily" and "Katerina's Prayer," they trade off sweet gospel choruses, heightening the emotional resonance with the slightest change in pitch. Their high-speed unison playing on "Flat Tire" is a real thrill and it is matched by fleet-fingered guitar solos of Kraut and/or Ebner. The cheesy, squelched tones of the Hammond B3 on the romantic "Mona Lisa" are perfect for a whirl around the skating rink; and the call-and-response of "Mozzarella" features some interesting elongated tones, the kind of which can only come from the B3. And for extra spice, the breakneck "Aglio e Olio" features some fine bop phrasing by Joey on muted trumpet as he trades eights with the trios. Shifting the meatball schmaltz into high gear, Tony and Joey perform some fun melodic choruses and blocked chord attacks on Louis Prima's jaunty "Oh Marie" and Monaco plays wonderful accordion on "Waltz Of The Angels." But while these songs are enjoyable, one wishes they were prelude a more exciting finish than the disposable live interview that closes the disc. ~Ken Hohman

A New Generation Paesanos On The New B3

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The Hot Club Of Cowtown - The Best Of The Hot Club Of Cowtown

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:13
Size: 142.4 MB
Styles: Retro Swing
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Ida Red
[3:21] 2. I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me
[3:17] 3. Forget Me Nots
[4:21] 4. It Stops With Me
[3:12] 5. Chip Away The Stone
[4:16] 6. Star Dust
[2:50] 7. Secret Of Mine
[3:37] 8. Deed I Do
[3:04] 9. Sleep
[1:15] 10. Way Down Yonder In The Cornfield
[3:28] 11. Always And Always
[2:57] 12. Fuli Tschai ( Bad Girl )
[2:19] 13. I'd Understand Why
[2:15] 14. Cherokee Shuffle
[2:52] 15. I Had Someone Else
[2:40] 16. Emily
[3:21] 17. Tchavolo Swing
[2:35] 18. Exactly Like You
[3:25] 19. When I Lost You
[3:55] 20. Orange Blossom Special

Fiddler Elana James (née Fremerman) and guitar whiz Whit Smith are the formidable front line of the Hot Club of Cowtown, who have been mixing Western Swing and 1920s hot jazz since the mid-1990s. This collection features some of the finest moments from the band's first decade or so, as Smith's Jimmy Bryant-meets-Django Reinhardt guitar and Fremerman's Stephane Grappelli-jams-with-Bob Wills fiddle dig into both original tunes and old country and jazz gems with equal aplomb. ~Jim Allen

The Best Of The Hot Club Of Cowtown

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Charlie Parker - Newly Discovered Sides By The Immortal Charlie Parker

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:15
Size: 105.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1993/2009
Art: Front

[5:22] 1. 52nd Street Theme
[4:44] 2. A Night In Tunisia
[3:56] 3. Slow Boat To China
[5:00] 4. Groovin' High
[4:42] 5. Big Foot
[4:23] 6. Hot House
[3:18] 7. Out Of Nowhere
[5:05] 8. Oop-Bop-Sh'bam
[4:38] 9. East Of The Sun
[5:02] 10. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid Be-Bop

Alto Saxophone – Charlie Parker; Bass – Tommy Porter; Drums – Max Roach; Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson; Trumpet – Kenny Dorham, Miles Davis; Vibraphone – Milt Jackson.

These are radio show transcriptions from 1948-49, when Parker ruled at Manhattan's Royal Roost joint. Although the recording quality isn't superb, some of the tracks come off really well. Charlie plays with a very young Miles Davis on trumpet. Max Roach is the drummer on some tunes, Tadd Dameron is on piano and Milt Jackson makes a guest appearance.

Charlie was born in KC in 1920, got his professional start there as a teen, and was buried there 34 years later after shaking up jazz in a major way. ~William E. Adams

Newly Discovered Sides By The Immortal Charlie Parker

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Ricky Ford - Manhattan Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:39
Size: 140,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:10)  1. In Walked Bud
(7:47)  2. Misty
(5:46)  3. Ode To Crispus Attucks
(8:05)  4. Portrait Of Mingus
(4:36)  5. Bop Nouveau
(6:02)  6. My Little Strayhorn
(6:28)  7. Manhattan Blues
(7:40)  8. Land Preserved
(6:01)  9. Half Nelson

This CD is a particularly well-rounded program, with tenor saxophonist Ricky Ford digging into three jazz standards ("In Walked Bud," "Misty" and "Half Nelson"), plus six originals that include tributes to Charles Mingus and Billy Strayhorn. In addition to the versatile pianist Jaki Byard (an underrated great) and drummer Ben Riley, Ford is joined by veteran bassist Milt Hinton, who is quite effective on this modern material. Stimulating music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-blues-mw0000308182

Personnel: Ricky Ford (tenor sax), Jaki Byrd (piano), Milt Hinton (bass) and Ben Riley (drums).

Manhattan Blues

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Rosemary Clooney - Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle!

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:50
Size: 72,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:14)  1. Get Me To The Church On Time
(2:25)  2. Angry
(2:44)  3. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(2:51)  4. How Am I To Know?
(2:59)  5. You Took Advantage Of Me
(2:40)  6. April In Paris
(2:54)  7. I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me)
(2:16)  8. Some Of These Days
(2:30)  9. By Myself
(2:20) 10. Shine On Harvest Moon
(2:35) 11. Cabin In The Sky
(2:16) 12. Limehouse Blues

Rosemary Clooney declared her love affair with Nelson Riddle "the best blending of my job and my personal life that I've ever had." While it ended their respective marriages, it also resulted in some excellent music. Riddle will be familiar to most as the guy who orchestrated the great Sinatra records for Capitol; that is, if he's familiar at all. Suffice it to say that he was one of the greatest arrangers of all time, creating backgrounds for several different artists that all managed to present that particular person in the best light. Rosie Solves The Swingin' Riddle , from 1961, is no different. Riddle has a large arsenal of musicians at his disposal who are able to create all kinds of textures, from the resonant bells of "Get Me To The Church On Time" to the brassy swagger of "I Ain't Got Nobody." But Riddle was also capable of straddling the line between bombast and beauty, and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" features the same bouncy, ocean bottom groove that anchored Sinatra's "I've Got You Under My Skin." The orchestration never overwhelms Clooney, since Riddle expertly creates backing that gives support rather than shelter.

Clooney is in fine form as well, investing the songs with the bold innocence that figured on her previous releases. She's capable of delivering the youthful gaiety of "Get Me To The Church On Time" as well as the wounded independence of "By Myself." Of course the song selection is part of the trick, and there's a nice balance between familiar songs and lesser known, yet catchy melodies. Riddle and Clooney are even capable of a few surprises; "April In Paris" features a strong Latin groove that takes a while for the brain to organize into a discernable pattern. If the riddle was, "How can you create a great vocal album that will stand up forty years later?" Rosie and Riddle did indeed solve it. Bluebird released a Rosemary Clooney compilation a few years ago that was only mediocre; they should have released this album instead. Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle is a terrific collaboration, and a classic vocal album. When Rosie's singing isn't grabbing you, it's a sure bet the orchestrations will. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rosie-solves-the-swingin-riddle-rosemary-clooney-bluebird-review-by-david-rickert.php
 

Personnel: Rosemary Clooney (vocals) arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle.

Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle!

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Harold Danko & Ron McClure - Wonderland

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 60:48
Size: 99,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:40)  1. Wonderland
(5:33)  2. I Made You Laugh
(4:56)  3. Nardis
(6:22)  4. To Start Again
(5:10)  5. Liz Ann
(3:26)  6. Freezin'
(6:40)  7. Midnight Grazer's Dilemma
(5:24)  8. I Do It Better At Night
(3:58)  9. Stella By Starlight
(6:50) 10. Beautiful Friendship
(4:44) 11. Nitequest

Although not particularly well known, bassist Ron McClure has been one of those utility musicians that everyone seems to have played with at one time or another in the past 40 years. He first came to the attention of the public at large in Charles Lloyd's popular quartet with Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette and in the late '60s he was a member of the fine early fusion band The Fourth Way. Since then he's been bassist for such players as Joe Henderson, Chet Baker, Paul Bley, Dave Liebman and many others as well as leading his own sessions for a variety of labels. Pianist Harold Danko and McClure have traveled in the same circles for years yet never recorded together. Wonderland rectifies this oversight. They are very simpatico players, both strong on melody and with a keen sense of the history of this music. There's a lot of give and take in these duets with each voice gracefully trading leads as the other slips into accompaniment. The program consists of five originals (four by McClure and one by Danko) rounded out by several lesser-known compositions by jazz masters including the title track, a later Benny Carter composition, and a jaunty Earl Hines creation, "I Do It Better At Night." By choosing this format, both reach a little out of their comfort zones and are forced not to rely on cliches. This lifts this music out of the obvious and both fly along the changes with creative verve.

McClure is reunited with his former Charles Lloyd rhythm section partner Jack DeJohnette on Hungarian pianist Kalman Olah's disc Always. Olah has made his mark at European festivals with a two-fisted style drawn not only from jazz but also from classical and folk music. He's always imbued his music with a strong sense of swing but here with McClure and DeJohnette in his corner, he rises above the occasion, attacking the music with what at times seems like an almost manic energy. The first half of the disc focuses on Olah's compositions. The title track, an energetic opener, won the 2006 Thelonious Monk Institute's best composition prize. But it's "Polymodal Blues" with its shifting tonalities and "Hungarian Sketch No. 1"'s dissonant splashes and roiling drums that really catch the ear. Elsewhere, a lengthy unaccompanied intro to "Stella By Starlight" shows Olah's individuality. McClure and DeJohnette sound invigorated by this material, providing a stellar accompaniment to Olah's unique excursions.

The Fourth Way (with keyboardist Mike Nock, violinist Michael White and drummer Eddie Marshall) was an early fusion quartet that released three fine albums between 1969-71, none of which has been reissued on CD. Between Or Beyond was an album released in 1970 by the German MPS label and credited to the Mike Nock Underground, basically the Fourth Way minus White. Given its time and place (recorded in Germany in June of 1970), sonically, it's very much of its time. But it's a corker of an album that is the equal to any of the Fourth Way discs as well as a lot of other better-known electric jazz experiments of the time. McClure plays electric bass and it's mixed to the foreground so it functions as much as a frontline instrument as in the rhythm section. While some of this disc dwells in the area of adventurous acoustic piano trio jazz ("Hobgoblin" and McClure's "Denim Dance"), most of it is electric piano based jazz/rock. Nock sounds like he's having a lot of fun making his piano do a lot of things the old acoustic couldn't do. A point of reference might be Canterbury bands' forays into jazz improv. Nock's disc is a good demonstration that before it devolved into formulaic demonstrations of soulless technique, some highly enjoyable recordings were released under the fusion banner. Good to see this one back in print, although it may be hard to come by since it's a Japanese reissue. ~ Robert Iannapollo https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ron-mcclure-wonderland-always-and-between-or-beyond-by-robert-iannapollo.php
 

Personnel: Harold Danko: piano; Ron McClure: bass.

Wonderland

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Peter Erskine - Dr. Um

Styles: Jazz, Fusion
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:21
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:28)  1. You're Next
(4:47)  2. Lost Page
(5:46)  3. Hawaii Bathing Suit
(6:33)  4. Bourges Buenos Aires
(5:11)  5. Little Fun K
(6:32)  6. Mahler
(3:41)  7. Sage Hands
(5:52)  8. Okraphilia
(6:11)  9. Speechless
(4:24) 10. Sprite
(9:35) 11. Northern Cross
(0:17) 12. You Awake

It would appear that this project has awakened the Peter Erskine of yore, the drummer who became legend while cresting the waves of fusion with Weather Report and Steps Ahead. In recent years Erskine's drumming has been spare, elegant, open, and, in enough instances, lightly swinging. If one word would come to mind to describe that playing, it would be "tasteful." But does that automatically mean that joining forces with some plugged-in players and laying down some funk and fusion numbers is the antithesis of that ideal? Absolutely not. Erskine doesn't have a tasteless bone in his body. Musicality is of the utmost importance in his every groove, solo, fill, and mini-gesture, and he always plays for the situation at hand. In this case, the situation requires Erskine to don the mask of Dr. Um, the man who knows how to point you toward whatever rhythmic prescription you seek. Looking for a soulful jam situation? You'll find it on keyboardist John Beasley's irresistible "Okraphilia." Hoping to find a direct nod to Weather Report? It's here in the form of a wonderful, sonically-updated "Speechless." Need a party piece? Look no further than Erskine's own "Hawaii Bathing Suit," a dance-friendly fusion-calypso hybrid that's non-stop fun. Is slick, understated funk more your bag? Then "Lost Page" or "Little Fun K" should fit the bill. Any and every musical question has its right answer, and every track gets the perfect feel from Erskine not too economical, not too busy, and right on the money when it comes to style. Most who were never smitten with fusion aren't likely to be won over by this date, but those in that group who were turned off mostly by its aggressive advances may take to this music. Erskine, keyboardist John Beasley, bassist Janek Gwizdala and several other notables, like saxophonist Bob Sheppard, demonstrate that fusion isn't really about muscle. It's about a readiness and willingness to bring different elements together, and Erskine does so beautifully on this album. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dr-um-peter-erskine-fuzzy-music-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Peter Erskine: drums; John Beasley: keyboards; Janek Gwizdala: electric bass; Bob Sheppard: tenor saxophone; Jeff Parker: guitar; Larry Koonse: guitar (10); Aaron Serfaty: congas, bongos, cowbell (2); Jack Fletcher: spoken word vocals.

Dr. Um

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Johnny Rivers - Totally Live At The Whiskey A Go Go

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:25
Size: 172.7 MB
Styles: AM Pop, Contemporary pop-rock
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Memphis
[3:30] 2. It Wouldn't Happen With Me
[2:38] 3. Oh Lonesome Me
[3:01] 4. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
[3:57] 5. Whisky A Go-Go
[3:51] 6. Walkin' The Dog
[2:36] 7. Brown Eyed Handsome Man
[3:20] 8. You Can Have Her (I Don't Want Her)
[2:51] 9. Multiplication
[6:23] 10. La Bamba Twist And Shout (Medley)
[2:17] 11. Maybelline
[2:34] 12. Dang Me
[2:30] 13. Hello Josephine
[3:52] 14. Hi-Heel Sneakers
[2:40] 15. Can't Buy Me Love
[6:22] 16. I Got A Woman
[5:54] 17. Baby What You Want Me To Do
[2:31] 18. Midnight Special
[2:59] 19. Roll Over Beethoven
[2:37] 20. Walk Myself On Home
[2:56] 21. Johnny B. Goode
[3:12] 22. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On

The "totally live" appellation is a bit of a reach (translation: there are obvious after-the-fact overdubs), but nevertheless this is a pretty faithful representation of what a good mid-'60s rock & roll club band sounded like. Rivers was (and remains) a flexible, expressive singer, equally at home covering R&B, rockabilly, country, and the Beatles, and as a guitarist, while no virtuoso, he was occasionally capable of the sort of stinging, bluesman's attack associated with original '60s axe heroes like Lonnie Mack (as on the hit version here of Chuck Berry's "Memphis"). In retrospect, this is all a bit shagadelic, but it's fun nonetheless. ~AllMusic

Totally Live At The Whiskey A Go Go

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