Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Richard Elliot - City Speak

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 125,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. City Speak
(5:16)  2. Walk The Walk
(4:43)  3. Unspoken Words
(4:50)  4. Amazon
(4:28)  5. I'll Make Love To You
(4:29)  6. Scotland
(4:32)  7. Sweet Surrender
(4:30)  8. Down Hill Run
(5:50)  9. When The Lights Go Out
(5:11) 10. All I Need
(4:34) 11. That's All She Wrote

Although he's called a "smooth jazz" artist, saxophonist Richard Elliot is equally at home with most rock & roll and the kind of classic R&B performed by the group Tower of Power. For five years in the 1980s, he was a big part of the classic R&B band's horn-based sound. The Scottish-born Elliot was raised in Los Angeles, where he quickly became a fan of classic West Coast R&B. Elliot landed his first job while still a teenager with Natalie Cole and the Pointer Sisters. A few years later, he was tapped to record with some of his idols from Motown Records, which had relocated from Detroit to Los Angeles. In the 1970s, he had the chance to record with Smokey Robinson, the Four Tops, and the Temptations. Elliot was later tapped to record with the Yellowjackets on their second album. After touring with Melissa Manchester for a time, he was asked to become a full-fledged member of the Tower of Power horns in 1982. He stayed with the group until 1987 and looks back fondly on those years, since they shaped the style he has today. When he's not playing his over 100 dates a year, Elliot pilots a small aircraft; he was also a partner in PacificNet, an Internet multimedia company that developed websites for the music and entertainment industries. As a solo artist, Elliot debuted with his self-produced City Speak (1996), followed by After Dark (1994), On the Town (1991), Power of Suggestion (1988), Take to the Skies (1989), Trolltown (1986), What's Inside (1990), and Initial Approach (1987), all for Blue Note/Capitol Records. Two albums he had recorded for the now-defunct Enigma label were re-released on Capitol. His 1993 album, Soul Embrace, rocketed to the top of the Billboard contemporary jazz charts. Elliot's 1999 effort, Chill Factor, proved to be his final studio album for Blue Note. 

The label issued The Best of Richard Elliot in 2000. The following year he moved over to GRP, where he debuted with Crush. After a world tour in late 2001 and 2002, he returned with Ricochet in 2003. Produced by keyboardist Jeff Lorber, who also played on the date, the album also featured contributions from guitarist Jonathan Butler, keyboardist Rex Rideout, percussionist Lenny Castro, and others. After parting ways with GRP, Elliot founded ARTizen Music Group with trumpeter Rick Braun. His debut for the imprint was Metro Blue in 2005, which reached number two on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. Its single, a cover of the Stylistics' "People Make the World Go Round," spent 11 weeks at number one on the Radio & Records airplay chart. Two years later, he and Braun collaborated again on RnR. The title track from the album spent over two months at number one on the smooth jazz chart. Elliot and Braun eventually sold their label to Artistry Music, which is distributed by Mack Avenue. The first album for Artistry was 2009's Rock Steady. Inspired by Elliot's love of R&B, the album featured both originals and covers, including readings of Aretha Franklin's title track and Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up." Musicians Braun, Gerald Albright, and Lorber all made key contributions to the set. As with its two predecessors, Rock Steady charted, spending 40 weeks on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. Elliot and Lorber teamed again to produce 2011's In the Zone, a collection of nine originals and a striking cover of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)." The album was released in mid-October and marked Elliot's 25th anniversary as a recording artist. 

He then joined saxophonists Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, and Albright for the all-star collaboration Summer Horns, which garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Pop Album. Elliot returned to his own work in 2014 with Lip Service, his first album for the Heads Up/Concord Music Group. Inspired by his love for his wife, the album featured a mix of originals and covers, including reworkings of Brian McKnight's "Anytime," Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man," and a version of the Manhattans' "Shining Star" arranged by fellow Tower of Power alumnus trumpeter Greg Adams. In 2016, Elliot delivered his second album for Heads Up/Concord, the '70s funk and fusion-influenced Summer Madness. Produced by and featuring longtime creative partner Braun, the album also showcased contributions from saxophonist Curt Waylee, bassist Nathaniel Phillips, and others. Included on Summer Madness was a cover of Spyro Gyra's "Cachaca." ~ Richard Skelly & Thom Jurek https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/richard-elliot/id409346#fullText

Personnel:  Bass – Naoki Yanai;  Drums, Percussion – Dave Reinhardt ;  Guitar – Richard Smith; Keyboards – Ron Reinhardt;  Percussion – Luis Conte;  Tenor Saxophone – Richard Elliot

City Speak

Steve LaSpina - Destiny

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2011
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 65:43
Size: 121,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:41)  1. Odd Times
( 8:59)  2. Destiny
( 9:18)  3. Aberration
( 6:37)  4. Beyond
(10:44)  5. Possibility
( 6:13)  6. Up
(10:42)  7. Sunday
( 5:26)  8. Frags

Steve LaSpina has long been one of Steeplechase producer/owner Nils Winther's favorites, as he has been a frequent sideman on record dates and Destiny marks his 12th CD as a leader for the label. This 2010 session features the bassist with the seasoned guitarist Vic Juris (an old friend), plus pianist Klaus Mueller and drummer Matt Kane, interpreting eight of the leader's originals. The tricky "Odd Times" with its demanding switches in time signatures keeps the musicians on their toes, showcasing Kane in an extended solo with the band vamping behind him. "Destiny" is a slow, poignant ballad with a slight bittersweet air, featuring Juris' lush guitar and LaSpina's mellow, spacious bass. The ballad "Beyond" blends a soft samba rhythm with a mysterious theme. The extended work "Possibility" has a tense, brooding air with LaSpina's bright sound prominent. One can almost imagine a breezy walk in the fall afternoon inspiring the exuberant "Sunday," with Juris' intricate guitar solo buoyed by the potent rhythm section. The ballad "Frags" honors a longtime friend of LaSpina's who died the year prior to the record date; Kane provides the perfect accompaniment to the leader and Juris in this intimate performance. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/destiny-mw0002150462

Personnel: Steve LaSpina (bass); Klaus Mueller (piano); Vic Juris (guitar); Matt Kane (drums).

Destiny

Zaz - Sur La Route

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:10
Size: 111,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. On Ira
(4:20)  2. Le Long De La Route
(3:55)  3. Cette Journee
(3:57)  4. Eblouie Par La Nuit
(2:45)  5. Comme Si Comme Ça
(2:38)  6. Si
(5:20)  7. Si Je Perds
(5:23)  8. La Fee
(4:38)  9. Deterre
(5:23) 10. Je Veux
(3:29) 11. Si Jamais J'oublie

Zaz is a French singer with manouches accents whose first eponymous album reached the peaks of the charts in 2010. Born Isabelle Geffroy on May 1, 1980 in Tours in Indre-et-Loire, she sings since her childhood and her voice is often Compared to that of Edith Piaf. In 2010, she signed with the label Play On for the release of her first eponymous album which contains titles produced and written by Raphael. The album meets a good critical success and generates the tube "I want". Word of mouth doing the rest, the album climbs the charts to win the first place six weeks after its release. ~ Jason Birchmeier https://itunes.apple.com/fr/artist/zaz/id67103434#fullText  (Translate by google)

Sur La Route

Harold Danko Quintet - Oatts & Perry

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 66:24
Size: 123,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:18)  1. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
( 8:48)  2. Like Sonny
( 8:14)  3. Evol Deklaw Ni
( 6:31)  4. Peace
( 9:11)  5. I Mean You
( 9:04)  6. Unit 7
( 8:01)  7. Tidal Breeze
( 6:13)  8. Don't Get Sassy

Not long after saxophonists Dick Oatts and Rich Perry joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, pianist Harold Danko (who was already in the band) was very impressed with their abilities, and he began to conceive of a record date featuring both men by the early '80s, though it wouldn't come to fruition for another quarter century. Together with his regular rhythm section (bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Jeff Hirschfield), they dove headfirst into a date featuring Danko's intriguing arrangements. The tense, extended workout of "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" (the session's only standard) finds both Oatts (alto) and Perry (tenor) departing from conventional approaches and engaging in a live series of exchanges with the leader. John Coltrane's "Like Sonny" (one of his less frequently performed works) lets the quintet reveal its possibilities. Horace Silver's dreamy ballad "Peace" and Thelonious Monk's snappy "I Mean You" also are in good hands, with fine solos all around. It's only natural that the group would explore some of the repertoire of the Jones/Lewis band, with a spirited interpretation of Jones' well-named blues "Don't Get Sassy" and the cheerful, loping ballad "Evol Deklaw Ni." The pianist's one original of the date is the brisk "Tidal Breeze," providing a brief showcase for Formanek and highlighted by the saxophonist's adventurous solos. This rewarding CD is well worth investigating. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/oatts-perry-mw0000543335

Personnel:  Harold Danko (piano); Dick Oatts (alto saxophone); Rich Perry (tenor saxophone); Michael Formanek (bass instrument); Jeff Hirshfield (drums).

Oatts & Perry

Mike Baggetta - Spectre

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:30
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:22)  1. Second Prelude
(5:36)  2. Spectre I
(7:48)  3. The Only Blues
(9:50)  4. Passage
(3:41)  5. Spectre II
(4:57)  6. Nasty
(9:45)  7. Leavin' On Your Mind
(4:23)  8. Spectre III
(7:05)  9. War Orphans

Mike Baggetta has produced a number of quality recordings over the years yet Spectre may be his most compelling project to date. The guitarist delves into some "live" sound processing which include an array of delicate textures, sampling and loops undoubtedly influenced by ECM recording artist David Torn who mastered this release. Though the set ventures into mysterious soundscapes they're rooted in melodicism which equally underscores the inventiveness of Baggetta's trio with bassist Jerome Harris and drummer Billy Mintz. Baggetta's nuanced playing is masterful while Mintz's sensitive drum traps and Harris's unusual acoustic bass guitar add balance and emotion. The atmosphere is set early and remains consistent intimate yet spacious, ethereal yet beautiful with a film nourish vibe. The music seems to morph between these planes effortlessly in the otherworldly "Spectre" tracks, "The Only Blues"'s earthiness or the Weather Report-ish "Passage." The trio's ability is heard in the fringes of "Nasty" a hard rocking riff that might emanate from a sleazy strip joint or the blissful "Leavin' On Your Mind" which exudes a yearning melancholia as Baggetta lays down a beautifully chorded theme with equally poignant playing from Harris and Mintz. Music should take you someplace, even if for a few moments, and Spectre offers the ticket. ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/spectre-mike-baggetta-fresh-sound-new-talent-review-by-mark-f-turner.php
 
Personnel: Mike Baggetta: guitar, live processing; Jerome Harris: acoustic bass guitar; Billy Mintz: drums, percussion.

Spectre

Monday, March 6, 2017

Joe Bushkin - Live At The Embers 1952

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:15
Size: 115.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[ 5:58] 1. But Not For Me
[ 6:03] 2. After You've Gone
[ 8:49] 3. Ballad Medley: Easy Living/I've Got The World On A String/ If You Were Mine/Body And Soul
[ 4:30] 4. St Louis Blues
[ 5:22] 5. You're Just In Love
[ 7:16] 6. Honeysuckle Rose
[12:14] 7. Medley: Memories Of You/Yesterdays/September Song/California Here I Come

JOE BUSHKIN piano; BUCK CLAYTON trumpet; MILT HINTON bass; “PAPA” JO JONES drums.

One night in early 1952, violinist and innovative audiophile David Sarser lugged one of the first Ampex reel-to-reel tape decks into a popular Manhattan nightclub on East 54th street called The Embers to record some of the excellent music being served up nightly by four of the world's top Jazz musicians at the top of their game. To hear Clayton live in 1952 on this previously unreleased recording is a revelation. When Bushkin's quartet opened at The Embers for a two-week engagement in the Fall of 1951, they caused such a sensation that owner Ralph Watkins held them over for 16 weeks. Patrons would congregate nightly at the El Morocco club across the street to wait for a table at The Embers to open up.

Live At The Embers 1952

The Jeff Steinberg Orchestra - The Sound Of Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:55
Size: 107.4 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Don't Be That Way
[3:49] 2. After You've Gone
[3:12] 3. Taking A Chance On Love (Feat. Jaimee Paul)
[4:52] 4. Moonglow
[3:22] 5. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[3:27] 6. Flying Home
[4:59] 7. How Long Has This Been Going On? (Feat. Jaimee Paul)
[4:32] 8. Pennies From Heaven
[4:45] 9. Body And Soul
[3:44] 10. Why Don't You Do Right (Feat. Jaimee Paul)
[3:14] 11. Avalon
[3:46] 12. Goodbye

Denis Solee, clarinet ; Chris Walters, piano ; Roger Spencer, bass ; Chris Brown, drums ; Steve Patrick, trumpet ; Roy Agee, trombone ; Jaimee paul, vocals ; Jeff Steinberg, vibes, add'l keyboards. Produced and arranged by Jeff Steinberg. A tribute to the Benny Goodman sound and the music of the 30s and 40s.

After more than thirty-five years as a composer, arranger/orchestrator, pianist, producer and music educator, Jeff Steinberg's work continues to span the professional spectrum which includes spectacular Jazz, Big Band, and Orchestral recordings as well as original scores for advertising, television, and film.

Upon graduating from the Berklee School in 1969, he joined The Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Buddy DeFranco and toured the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Japan. Since then, he has worked with such luminaries as Maynard Ferguson, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Perry Como, and Michel Legrand, and produced and arranged music for the advertising campaigns of General Motors, McDonald’s, ALCOA, The Monsanto Company, TimeLife and others. He has arranged, conducted, and performed with and for The London Symphony, Scottish National Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, the orchestras of Nashville, Detroit and Tampa, as well as Randy Newman, Anne Murray, Art Garfunkel, Roberta Flack, Michael Feinstein, Olivia Newton-John, and Paul Anka.

The Sound Of Swing)  

Mose Allison - Hello There, Universe

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:09
Size: 82.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1970/2006
Art: Front

[2:14] 1. Somebody Gotta Move
[4:55] 2. Monsters Of The Id
[2:38] 3. I Don't Want Much
[3:48] 4. Hello There, Universe
[3:42] 5. No Exit
[2:23] 6. Wild Man On The Loose
[4:53] 7. Blues In The Night
[2:52] 8. I'm Smashed
[6:21] 9. Hymn To Everything
[2:17] 10. On The Run

Alto Saxophone, Flute – Jerome Richardson; Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams, Seldon Powell; Bass – Bob Cranshaw, John Williams; Drums – Joe Cocuzzo; Tenor Saxophone – Joe Farrell, Joe Henderson; Trumpet – Jimmy Nottingham, Richard Williams; Vocals, Piano, Organ – Mose Allison.

This obscure Mose Allison LP has the pianist/singer/lyricist using a larger band than usual, an octet with Richard Williams and Jimmy Nottingham on trumpets, altoist Jerome Richardson, either Joe Henderson or Joe Farrell on tenor, Pepper Adams or Seldon Powell on baritone, Bob Cranshaw and John Williams on bass, and drummer Joe Cucuzzo. The truth is, most of the other musicians are really not needed, for their solos take away from Allison's vocals and piano solos. Allison (who also plays a bit of organ) contributed nine of the ten songs on the album (all but "Blues in the Night"), best known of which are "Hello There, Universe" and "Wild Man on the Loose," although there are no hits or future standards included. This album, therefore, is a gap-filler rather than an essential recording. ~Scott Yanow

Hello There, Universe    

Barbara Raimondi - Singin' Ornette!!!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:04
Size: 119.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:57] 1. The Missing (The Blessing)
[4:05] 2. Una Muy Bonita
[2:02] 3. Kathelin Gray (Intro)
[3:24] 4. Katheline Gray (Theme)
[4:39] 5. Turn Around Me (Turnaround)
[5:41] 6. Tone Dialing (Congeniality)
[4:21] 7. Check Up
[7:38] 8. Is It Forever
[5:57] 9. Mr. Ornette (Peace)
[8:16] 10. Lonely Woman

Barbara Raimondi works in the music field for over 25 years; has, to its active, posting five CDs as a soloist and has numerous collaborations, both in the jazz field that part of pop music. Subsequently he faced opera studies and has participated in many contemporary music productions. She graduated from the Conservatory of Turin and is currently professor of jazz singing at the Conservatory of Cuneo and Training Programs Music of the City of Turin (Civic School). (Translated from Italian text)

Singin' Ornette!!!

The Mike Sammes Singers - It Had To Be You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:27
Size: 140.7 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Harmony vocal group
Year: 1996/2004
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. I've Heard That Song Before
[3:03] 2. Last Of The Summer Wine
[3:19] 3. I'm Comin' Home
[3:25] 4. You Are My Hearts Delight
[2:00] 5. Remember
[3:23] 6. The Mafair Ladies' Quartet
[2:42] 7. I've Told Ev'ry Little Star
[3:06] 8. Humming Bird
[3:15] 9. As Time Goes By
[3:00] 10. We'll Meet Again
[2:35] 11. It Had To Be You
[3:06] 12. All The Things You Are
[2:58] 13. You And I
[2:19] 14. All Alone
[2:40] 15. If You Were The Only Girl In The World
[3:05] 16. Laughter In The Rain
[2:29] 17. What'll I Do
[2:33] 18. So In Love With You
[3:12] 19. Once In A While
[3:06] 20. Strollin'
[2:33] 21. Ta-Ra

Michael Sammes was born in Reigate, Surrey, and studied cello, singing, and arranging. He went to work for a music publisher and formed the Mike Sammes Singers during the mid-'50s. A vocal ensemble of varying size whose members were often divided up into smaller ensembles for session work, the Mike Sammes Singers were busy from the start, making regular appearances on the BBC, singing on the bill of variety shows at the London Palladium, doing guest appearances on television programs, and singing on recording sessions backing up various singers. The group intersected with skiffle and rock & roll surprisingly early, singing backup to the Vipers Skiffle Group. Members of the Mike Sammes Singers were also present for the first recording session by Cliff Richard & The Shadows on July 24, 1958, where they backed the band up singing "Schoolboy Crush," the original A-side of their first single (which was quickly flipped over in favor of the harder rocking Ian Samwell original "Move It"). They were very busy during the '60s, primarily in the pop field, though they also provided the choral backing for a critically acclaimed studio cast recording of the Wright/Forrest musical Kismet, conducted by Mantovani for Decca/London's Phase 4 label, featuring Robert Merrill. They later had a contract with Fontana Records, which led to a recording featuring the group performing Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado under conductor John Gregory. The group also had its own BBC program, Sammes Songs. The group and several of its members intersected with the Beatles on two key recordings -- that was the Mike Sammes Singers backing up the band on their recording of "I Am the Walrus," and they would also turn up singing the choral backing on "Good Night." The Mike Sammes Singers remained very busy into the '70s, doing recordings for television (Secret Service) and appearing on the small screen (The Val Doonican Show, 1971). They worked on sessions with Olivia Newton-John and were still doing studio recordings into the next decade and beyond. ~bio by Bruce Eder

It Had To Be You

John Stein - Raising The Roof

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:01
Size: 130.5 MB
Styles: Jazz guitar
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:47] 1. Nica's Dream
[5:07] 2. Moanin'
[6:24] 3. A Child Is Born
[8:19] 4. Elvin!
[7:30] 5. Invitation
[6:34] 6. Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer)
[5:13] 7. Beautiful Love
[4:45] 8. Wild Woods
[6:18] 9. The Boys From Syracuse Falling In Love With Love

John Stein: guitar; Koichi Sato: keyboards; John Lockwood: acoustic bass; Zé Eduardo Nazario: drums and percussion.

Raising the Roof is a hard-swinging and thoroughly enjoyable album by Boston-based guitarist John Stein. Featuring an all-star quartet, with keyboardist Koichi Sato, bassist John Lockwood and drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario, the group plays together with a sense of cohesion that borders on the realm of ESP. While this level of communication and familiarity is to be expected by world-class jazz musicians such as these, what is surprising is that they were able to play in this fashion with such a quick rehearsal and recording schedule, another testament to their masterful musicality. The tunes are a mix of freshly-arranged jazz standards and Stein's original compositions. Stein's arrangements stick fairly close to the original composers' intents, but go beyond the realm of simple head charts. A master of subtlety, as both a player and writer/arranger, Stein finds small ways to breathe new life into these classic jazz tunes.

Stein guitar playing on Raising the Roof is simplistic in the best sense of the word. Modern jazz soloists, especially guitarists, are often guilty of overplaying and of making the music complex for the sake of being so, something that has simultaneously raised the intellectual level of the music and isolated the general audience. There's a strong sense that his ears are guiding his notes, not his technique, which is something that can only come from spending as many years on the bandstand as Stein has. Using all of these approaches, Stein draws his audience in, allowing it to be a part of the music—something of a lost art on the jazz scene in recent years.

Raising the Roof is not going to reinvent jazz or change the way people think about jazz guitar. What it will do is provide an hour of musical enjoyment for musicians and non-musicians alike. Far too often jazz is criticized because the musicians seem to be creating music, either for themselves or the enjoyment of other jazz musicians. Stein successfully keeps the music intellectually relevant, while at the same time enjoyable and broadly accessible; not an easy feat to accomplish in any musical genre. ~Matthew Warnock

Raising The Roof

Niels Lan Doky, Daniel Humair, Chris Minh Doky, Randy Brecker - Paris by Night

Styles: Piano, Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:37
Size: 171,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:37)  1. Invitation
( 7:29)  2. Blue 'n' Boogie
( 8:34)  3. Lover Man
(13:13)  4. Sonnymoon for Two
(10:52)  5. Dreams
(12:16)  6. Secret Love
(10:33)  7. Someday My Prince Will Come

While this is ostensibly a shared session, with pianisron  Niels Lan Doky, drummer Daniel Humair, bassist Chris Minh Doky and trumpeter Randy Brecker equal participants, it's Brecker's mix of mellow solos, bent notes, slurs and superb statements that dominate the date. While the others play nicely, Brecker's melodic and harmonic inventiveness dominates such songs as "Invitation," "Lover Man" and "Sonnymoon For Two." It's been many years since he's demonstrated such facility and command in a straight jazz setting, and those times he lays out the energy level dips considerably. The results are outstanding when Brecker's featured, and otherwise interesting, but subdued. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/paris-by-night-mw0000623104

Personnel: Neils Lan Doky (piano); Daniel Humair (drums); Chris Minh Doky (bass); Randy Brecker (trumpet).

Paris by Night

Andy LaVerne Quartet - Stan Getz In Chappaqua

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 59:29
Size: 109,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Lester Left Town
(7:55)  2. Dear Old Stockholm
(5:57)  3. Early Autumn
(5:54)  4. Eiderdown
(4:18)  5. Blue Serge
(7:36)  6. Windows
(5:48)  7. Desafinado / O Grande Amor / The Girl From Ipanema
(6:14)  8. 500 Miles High
(6:38)  9. Stan's Blues
(3:33) 10. Stan Getz in Chappaqua

Andy LaVerne was Stan Getz's pianist from 1977 to 1981; this tribute CD is primarily a standard quartet covering some of the late tenor giant's favorite songs, although LaVerne never recorded any of them with him. Don Braden's approach to the tenor is not as powerful or lush as Getz but he is more than adequate. Highlights include the sensuous "Early Autumn," the snappy "Eiderdown" and a strolling version of Getz's hit "Dear Old Stockholm." Especially worth hearing is the LaVerne-Braden duet of the title track, a retitled remake of the an original piece "Chappaqua" that he recorded as a member of the Getz Quartet. Bassist Steve LaSpina, drummer Danny Gottlieb and guitarist Dave Stryker (who performs only on the Jobim bossa nova medley) round out the excellent rhythm section. Andy LaVerne's output in the 1990s has been consistently excellent, yet he still hasn't drawn the critical attention he deserves; this CD out to help put him on the map. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/stan-getz-in-chappaqua-mw0000049605

Personnel: Andy LaVerne (piano, keyboards); Dave Stryker (guitar); Don Braden (tenor saxophone); Danny Gottlieb (drums).

Stan Getz In Chappaqua

Archie Shepp And Roswell Rudd - Live In New York

Styles: Saxophone And Trombone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:01
Size: 174,2 MB
Art: Front

( 2:11)  1. Keep Your Heart Right
( 8:23)  2. Acute Motelitis
( 7:33)  3. Steam
( 8:27)  4. Pazuzu
( 5:46)  5. We Are The Blues
( 9:16)  6. Ujamma
( 5:46)  7. Bamako
(11:57)  8. Slide By Slide
( 3:59)  9. Deja Vu
(10:38) 10. Hope No 2

The year was 1994. The venue: the Eilat Red Sea Jazz Festival. Hundreds of sweltering Jazz aficionados waited in a huge converted cargo shed to witness reedman Archie Shepp and his quartet a marquee coup for the Israeli festival. When Shepp swaggered onto the stage, the more discerning members of the audience (including this reviewer) could scarcely conceal their disappointment. Here was the 1960s hero of radical Jazz conservatively bedecked in two–piece gray suit and tie. He might as well have emerged from Wall Street. More disconcerting was that this aging maestro and his group played mostly standards, and Shepp’s vocals were not always up to the task. With a lineup that included a shaky–looking but strong–sounding Horace Parlan on piano, one couldn’t help but be dismayed. Fast forward to 2000.   On Roswell Rudd and Archie Shepp Live in New York, Shepp (playing tenor sax, piano and crooning) is in top avant-garde form in the company of trombone titans Roswell Rudd and Grachan Moncur III, percussionist extraordinaire Andrew Cyrille and ever surprising bassist Reggie Workman. The CD sizzles with excitement. The one downer  as odd as a seven–dollar bill  is the inclusion of Amiri Baraka (“We Are the Blues”) with a hideously boring poem about the blues. 

One of the most endearing aspects of this collaboration  recorded live at the Big Apple’s Jazz Standard last September is the seamless way in which Rudd and Shepp move between the orbits of furious abandon (“Acute Motelitis”) and engagingly mellow pieces (“Steam,” “Déjà Vu”). The Paris–based saxophonist’s deft and delicate piano playing and crooning is a major highlight of this disc. Shepp shines on saxophone too, with his trademark vibrato and lyrically sculpured phrasing. The influence of Herbie Nichols and Elmo Hope overwhelms but never threatens to suffocate the proceedings. Tunes like “Acute Motelitis,” “Ujamma” and “Hope No. 2” bear out this tendency. Located somewhere between the stylings of Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, these numbers bristle with their own unique harmonic sense. 

Reggie Workman has been such a ubiquitous presence in Jazz circles for nearly fifty years that one could say he “hides in plain sight.” From straight-ahead blues to avant-garde situations, this creative bassist anchors this particular live session with great flair. Ditto Andrew Cyrille who has been grossly overlooked in terms of his contribution to the percussive lexicon. His sheer prowess in punctuating and parsing the pulse of each of the compositions on Live in New York is breathtaking. For the more discerning Jazz aficionado, this new Rudd / Shepp collaboration will not disappoint. ~ John Stevenson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-in-new-york-roswell-rudd-universal-music-group-review-by-john-stevenson.php

Personnel: Archie Shepp, tenor saxophone, vocals, piano; Roswell Rudd, trombone; Grachan Moncur III, trombone; Reggie Workman, bass; Andrew Cyrille, drums; Amiri Baraka, poetry.

Live In New York

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Count Basie - King Of Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:10
Size: 76.0 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1954/2002
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. Cherry Point
[4:00] 2. Bubbles
[2:39] 3. Right On
[3:37] 4. The Blues Done Come Back
[3:46] 5. Plymouth Rock
[2:53] 6. I Feel Like A New Man
[3:14] 7. You For Me
[3:04] 8. Soft Drink
[2:47] 9. Two For The Blues
[3:42] 10. Slow But Sure

Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Marshall Royal; Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Wilkins; Baritone Saxophone – Charlie Fowlkes; Bass – Eddie Jones; Drums – Gus Johnson; Guitar – Freddie Green; Piano, Conductor – Count Basie; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster, Frank Wess; Trombone – Benny Powell, Bill Hughes (2) (tracks: 6 to 10), Henderson Chambers (tracks: 1 to 4), Henry Coker; Trumpet – Joe Newman, Joe Wilder (tracks: 1 to 4), Reunald Jones, Thad Jones (tracks: 6 to10), Wendell Culley. Tracks 1-4: Recorded December 12, 1953 at Fine Sound, New York City. Track 5: Recorded August 13, 1953 in Los Angeles. Tracks 6-10: Recorded August 16, 1954 at Fine Sound, New York City. 96 kHz, 24-bit digital transfer.

Following a brief lull earlier in the 1950s, Count Basie had rebuilt his big band by the time of this trio of studio sessions originally recorded for Clef. Among the musicians present on one or more of the dates are trumpeters Joe Newman, Joe Wilder, and Thad Jones and a reed section with Marshall Royal, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, and Ernie Wilkins, along with a dependable rhythm section anchored by Basie's longtime rhythm guitarist, Freddie Green. While none of the numbers seemed to stay in the band book for all that long, the consistently swinging performances and tasty solos make this worth the attention of swing fans. ~Ken Dryden

King Of Swing

The Randy Johnston Trio - Riding The Curve

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:15
Size: 133.3 MB
Styles: Swing, Guitar jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 6:16] 1. The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On)
[ 8:30] 2. All Through The Night
[ 6:15] 3. I Get Along Without You Very Well
[ 8:26] 4. High-Heel Sneakers
[10:04] 5. You've Never Been There!
[ 5:12] 6. The Park
[ 8:09] 7. Wives And Lovers
[ 5:19] 8. For Thomas

Trio was formed during a tour of Spain in 1997 - guitarist Johnston, Hammond B-3 player Joey DeFrancesco, drummer Idris Muhammad, as well as special guest saxophonist Johnny Griffin, swing from start to finish.

Riding The Curve

Tina May - A Wing And A Prayer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:21
Size: 126.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:06] 1. Maybe September
[3:04] 2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:36] 3. Who Can I Turn To
[5:03] 4. Sunshower
[6:44] 5. Too Late Now
[5:51] 6. Blue Narcissus (Black Narcissus)
[4:55] 7. Turn Out The Stars
[2:48] 8. When In Rome
[7:12] 9. A Wing And A Prayer
[5:08] 10. Easy To Love
[4:49] 11. A House Is Not A Home

Tina May: vocals; Stan Sulzmann: saxophone, flute; Nikki Iles: piano.

Even though she has over ten discs to her name, Tina May is still little known in the wider jazz world. A regular performer in clubs and arts centres in Britain and Europe, she has never had the major label backing that seems to be required to catapult a jazz singer into the public eye. For those who have heard her, this is something of a blessing. Recording mainly on the small 33 Records label has allowed her to develop without the pressures that star status might have imposed. The result has been a string of excellent albums using outstanding instrumentalists like Don Weller, Alan Barnes, Tony Coe and Dave Newton, each one centred on the American songbook, but with the added surprises of vocal adaptations of jazz tunes and the occasional foray into French (for a whole album on Jazz Piquant!). On A Wing and a Prayer, May is supported by just two instrumentalists. Nikki Iles, her pianist of choice for some years, is a beautifully lyrical player from the John Taylor school. Reedsman Stan Sulzmann is one of the quiet heroes of British jazz, with a reputation stretching back to the 1960s. Together they have made a record of quiet introspection that''s dominated by songs of loss and longing.

The boppy voice and piano duet on "Maybe September sets the mood, and Sulzmann provides immediate contrast, his simultaneous tenor weaving around the vocal line. All three musicians take "Who Can I Turn To? well away from Broadway self-pity into a spirited jazz exploration, with particularly fine piano from Iles. "Too Late Now and "Turn Out The Stars explore the bleak downside of relationships, greatly benefiting from the sparse instrumentation. "When in Rome brings a few moments of comedy to lighten the overall mood. However, the tracks that really stand out are Tina May's own vocal interpretations of two very different jazz tunes. Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus, re-titled "Blue Narcissus, emerges as a striking demonstration of her almost perfect pitch; she hits the notes without wavering during some extremely difficult chord changes. The title track, "A Wing and a Prayer, takes Kenny Wheeler's gorgeous "Gentle Piece and turns it into a pastoral ballad with ethereal, breathy flute. On an earlier album May shaped Bobby Watson's "Time Will Tell into a heart-stopping vocal performance; the two adaptations on this CD further suggest that jazz singers seeking fresh repertoire should be giving May's recordings a listen.

A Wing and a Prayer is much more than just another CD from an aspirational singer. It's a superbly crafted piece of work from three top-flight musicians who work together as an integrated jazz trio. Listen to it as you would listen to a piano or saxophone trio—it repays that sort of concentration. ~Bev Stapleton

A Wing And A Prayer

Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra - Cugat Plays The Continental Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:07
Size: 66.7 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Latin jazz
Year: 1962/2012
Art: Front

[2:14] 1. Mack The Knife
[2:32] 2. Petite Fleur
[3:00] 3. Apache
[2:08] 4. Volare
[2:15] 5. Never On A Sunday
[2:26] 6. Calcutta
[2:21] 7. Sucu Sucu
[2:30] 8. The Third Man Theme
[2:44] 9. Wonderland By Night
[2:18] 10. The Poor People Of Paris
[2:33] 11. Come Prima
[2:01] 12. Guaglione

Born in Spain, Xavier Cugat's family moved to Havana, Cuba, when he was three. Always musically inclined, he packed up and moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times newspaper during the day and labored to put together a band at night. After a few years of playing smaller clubs in the L.A. area, Cugat finally got his break when he and his band secured a job at the prestigious Coconut Grove nightclub in 1928. His style of music caught on, and Cugat was instrumental in bringing Latin music to the attention of the US public. In the '30s and '40s he was nicknamed "The Rumba King" because of his popularization of that Latin dance. In Cugat's film appearances he usually played himself, even if the character had a name other than Xavier Cugat, and he and his band appeared in several memorable MGM musicals in the '40s. After suffering a stroke in 1971, Xavier Cugat retired.

Cugat Plays The Continental Hits 

Sue Palmer - After Hours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:28
Size: 95.0 MB
Styles: Piano blues/jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:04] 1. After Hours
[3:33] 2. Down The Road A Piece
[3:17] 3. Boogie Noir
[3:20] 4. Room Service Boogie
[2:59] 5. Speakin' My Mind
[2:52] 6. Frog Tongue Stomp
[2:55] 7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[2:23] 8. Honeysuckle Rose Boogie
[3:21] 9. Domino Boogie
[3:09] 10. Caddo Boogie
[3:30] 11. Rockhouse
[4:38] 12. Lil' Rock Getaway
[1:20] 13. La Vie En Rose

Best known for her beehive-wearing stint with blues diva Candye Kane in the '90's, Sue Palmer has been making her mark in the last decade with her high energy band, the Motel Swing Orchestra, and her flashy boogie woogie stylings. Wearing a couple of pounds of big cocktail rings on each hand, she wails through a very complete blues keyboard vocabulary like the veteran she is. She has performed with many of the legends of the boogie genre, playing double piano with Marcia Ball, Hadda Brooks, Sonny Leyland, Steve Lucky, Jeannie Cheathem, Ricky Nye, Mr. Boogie Woogie (from the Netherlands), Mike Seeley, Caroline Dahl, Wendy Dewitt, Lisa Otey, Doña Oxford, Deanna Bogart, Silvan Zingg (Switzerland), Janie-Noele Helies (France), Elena Tourbina (Russia) and Jan Preston (New Zealand). Sue, known widely as San Diego's Queen of Boogie Woogie, has been honored by her city for her cultural contributions by having a day named after her (March 25th, 2008), played at the Arches Piano Stage in Cinncinnatti (2008), won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis for Best Self Produced CD 2008 ("Sophisticated Ladies") from the Blues Foundation, won numerous San Diego Music Awards for her albums and bands, including Best Blues Album 2010 for her first solo piano album "After Hours."

After Hours

Frank Rosolino - Fond Memories Of...

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:19
Size: 144.9 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[13:18] 1. All The Things You Are
[10:15] 2. My Funny Valentine
[10:35] 3. I Love You
[ 7:20] 4. Violets
[ 6:58] 5. Corcovado
[ 8:08] 6. Autumn Leaves
[ 6:42] 7. Free For All

Bass – Jaques Schols; Drums – John Engels; Orchestra – Metropole Orchestra; Piano – Louis Van Dyke. Recorded June 1973 and May 1975 at Radio NOS Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands.

This album brings together two Rosolino recording sessions made in the Netherlands during 1973 and 1975 which sat somewhere for 20 years. One of jazz's premier players, this album displays Rosolino's unique facility with the trombone. Although he died tragically in 1978, he remains a major influence on the way the slide instrument is played. The opening cut sets the tone with a 13 minute plus exploration of all the nooks and crannies of "All the Things You Are." This is followed by a similar in-depth improvisional probe of "My Funny Valentine." Although the Metropole Orchestra is highlighted on the album cover, it is present on just 2 of the 7 tracks . One of them, "Violets," was written especially for Rosolino by Jerry Van Rooyen. On this track, and on the other backed by the Metropole Orch., Rosolino plays with long, clean, melodic lines, putting out the mellow sound unique to the trombone. For the remaining cuts, Rosolino is backed by the Louis Van Dyke Trio collaborating on Jerry Van Rooyen's arrangements. Rosolino uses strong staccato attack on all of these tunes, spurred on by Van Dyke's driving piano. Van Dyke does not permit any lapse into a softer playing style. ~Dave Nathan

Fond Memories Of...