Blue Mitchell - The Cup Bearers

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:47
Size: 101,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Turquoise
(5:28)  2. Why Do I Love You?
(5:41)  3. Dingbat Blues
(6:04)  4. Capers
(6:15)  5. Cup Bearers
(6:43)  6. How Deep Is The Ocean?
(8:31)  7. Tiger Lily

Trumpeter Blue Mitchell and four-fifths of the Horace Silver Quintet (with Cedar Walton in Silver's place) perform a variety of superior songs on The Cup Bearers, including Walton's "Turquoise," Tom McIntosh's "Cup Bearers," Thad Jones' "Tiger Lily," and a couple of standards. The music swings hard, mostly avoids sounding like a Horace Silver group, and has particularly strong solos from Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook and Walton. Excellent hard bop. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-cup-bearers-mw0000110417

Personnel:  Blue Mitchell – trumpet;  Junior Cook - tenor saxophone;  Cedar Walton – piano;  Gene Taylor – bass;  Roy Brooks - drums

The Cup Bearers

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Mark Lewis - Live and Well

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:33
Size: 114,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. I Remember You
(6:12)  2. My Funny Valentine
(5:22)  3. The Day Has Come
(4:20)  4. Solar
(6:09)  5. Misty
(4:41)  6. Lullaby of Birdland
(7:58)  7. Stella by Starlight
(6:14)  8. What is This Thing Called Love
(2:15)  9. Goodbye Pauly (Dedicated to Paul Moen)

Music is a way of life for Mark Lewis. As an instrumentalist, composer, producer, engineer, and teacher, he has earned the reputation of being one of the most dynamic and innovative forces in music today. Mark was exposed to music at an early age. On one side, his grandmother, Elaine Lewis, was a concert pianist while on the other, his grandfather, Ray Street, played saxophone. As a child Mark played on his grandfather's C melody sax, and at the age of ten was given his uncle's old alto to begin his formal musical education. Influenced by his parents' extensive record collection, which included artists like Count Basie, Lester Young, Art Tatum, and Duke Ellington, Mark's playing was soon highly regarded in the school jazz and concert ensembles. His first group was formed at age 14 to play at dances and local sporting events. At South Kitsap High School, Mark played lead alto in the stage band, sang in concert and jazz choirs, played alto clarinet in the concert band, and performed music in school plays. He worked with his own groups professionally while attending Western Washington University and The Cornish Institute of Allied Arts. Some of his most noted instructors included Dr. Edwin La Bounty, Gary Peacock, and Americole Biasini.  Upon moving to Seattle, not far from his birthplace of Tacoma, Mark hooked up with great players like Candy Finch, Art Foxall, Bea Smith, Dee Daniels, and Buddy Catlet to become a regular feature in Norm Bobrow's "Jazz at the Cirque." But even though he was becoming successful in the Seattle area, Mark felt the need to broaden his horizons. Following the advice of Dizzy Gillespie's veteran drummer, Finch, he left Seattle in 1978 with a one-way ticket to Amsterdam, an alto saxophone, and 500 dollars in his pocket.

Rotterdam became Mark’s home base for many years. He toured and played in most of the better clubs throughout Europe with great success, and with some of the finest musicians in Europe. His music is so diverse that in Holland he used three different groups: The Mark Lewis Quartet with Willem Kühne, James Long, and Frans van Grinsven; for neo-bop and experimental works, the Mark Lewis Trio featuring Carlo de Wijs (an organ trio); and for music based on traditional ethnic rhythms, the Mark Lewis International Quintet, featuring musicians from India, Holland, Africa, and South America.  His record company, Audio Daddio, recorded several albums in Rotterdam and Seattle. Artists recorded on the Audio Daddio label include Art Foxall, Vonne Griffin, Al Hood, Art Lande, and David Friesen. Mark frequently traveled back and forth between Europe and the US, recording and promoting Audio Daddio albums, and performing along the way. The last European Audio Daddio recording was “The Rotterdam Session” featuring legendary jazz drummer Philly Joe Jones and tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan. It was the last album Philly Joe Jones recorded before he died. Mark arranged several European tours for American musicians and American tours for Dutch musicians. He worked as a commercial studio musician for Dutch radio and television, and produced an annual Audio Daddio New Music Festival in Rotterdam. He taught improvised music and jazz theory classes at several music conservatories in Holland.

Mark returned to North America and played up and down the West Coast for a year until he was “discovered” by musician/author Ted Gioia. Mark was asked to audition for a record deal in the San Francisco area. At the end of the audition he found out that he was playing for the great tenor saxophone master Stan Getz, who loved his playing. His first album with this record label, “In The Spirit,” reached into the top 40 on the Billboard Jazz Charts and sold over 900,000 copies. During his time in the Bay Area, Mark recorded and/or performed with many top jazz musicians such as pianists Mark Levine and Ted Gioia, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, trumpet player Randy Brecker, and drummer Eddie Moore. He frequently subbed for saxophonists Stan Getz and John Handy. He performed at jazz festivals and opened for Carmen McRae at the Palo Alto Jazz Festival. He was called back to Seattle to perform at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley. Mark also lived for a year and a half in Victoria, British Columbia. His music was very well received throughout British Columbia. He was a fixture at Herman’s Jazz Club in Victoria, and he played for the inauguration of Michael Harcourt, former Premier of British Columbia. As a musician and composer, Mark’s music is filled with sensitivity and change. The musicians involved with his work understand that the music he shares with them represents his life. This can be felt in the way the members of the groups interact to perform concerts that are both intelligent and exciting. Musical technique moves from simplicity to complexity and back again creating textures influenced by bop, blues, classical, and ethnic music. It is music of the moment.

Although Mark performed predominantly original music in Europe, he is also master of a vast repertoire of jazz standards, as well as popular music of the last 50 years. As a teacher, Lewis has helped many people discover their musical potential. He began giving improvised music workshops in 1981 when his bass player, Hein van de Geijn, recommended him to an organization in Nijmegen. Mark now teaches privately in Bremerton, WA, where he lives to be near family. Mark's teaching begins with the physical properties of sound and the ways in which music has developed from them. It is based on understanding and unifying melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic concepts in order to realize music's intention. He shows that through being sensitive to these concepts and developing the needed technique, one’s essence can pass through music more easily. He places much emphasis on listening and being aware of the moment. Mark has to his credit more than twenty album productions, over 1000 compositions, and his own record company and studio. His most recent CD, “Worlds Apart,” is a collection of original compositions and improvisations combining Mark’s soulful alto sax and flute with his own keyboard accompaniment. Mark Lewis is dedicated to creating positive human interaction through the unique music he composes, performs, and records. His standards are high and he is considered by many to be one of improvised music's most important artists. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marklewis1

Personnel:  Mark Lewis - Alto Sax;  Bud Schultz – Piano;  Ted Enderle - Acoustic Bass

Live and Well

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Roma Trio - L'Appuntamento

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:51
Size: 152,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. My Favorite Things
(6:27)  2. Will You Still Be Mine?
(7:53)  3. Estate
(7:45)  4. Stablemates
(5:04)  5. Song For Hara
(4:22)  6. Cherokee
(6:13)  7. Tune Up
(5:32)  8. Come Prima
(5:51)  9. Easy To Love
(7:22) 10. Invitation
(5:42) 11. L'Appuntamento

Following the trios led by Stefano Bollani and Giovanni Guidi, Roma Trio is another splended piano trio from Italy that debuted from Venus Records. The trio consists of pianist Luca Mannutza (b. 1968), bassist Gianluca Renzi (b. 1975) and drummer Nicola Angelucci (b. 1979). They are all up and coming artists who have collectively played with Paolo Fresu, Steve Grossman, Fabrizio Bosso, Marc Johnson and Giovanni Mirabassi.  L'Appuntamento is their first new release in four years, following the 2008 album The Four Seasons. In this collection of American and Italian "standards", the trio dazzles the listener with their passionate lyricism and joyous swing.

Personnel:  Luca Mannutza (piano);  Gianluca Renzi (bass);  Nicola Angelucci (bass).

L'Appuntamento

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Charles Davis & The Cedar Walton Trio - Blue Gardenia

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:09
Size: 105.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[5:30] 1. A Beautiful Friendship
[6:29] 2. Texas Moon
[5:27] 3. Bossa Joe
[5:48] 4. Stranded
[6:11] 5. Shadow Of The Sunset
[5:57] 6. Sabia
[4:38] 7. Blues For Yahoo
[6:06] 8. Blue Gardenia

Charles Davis- baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone; Cedar Walton- piano; Peter Washington- bass; Joe Farnsworth- drums.

Baritone saxophonist Charles Davis started out with Sun Ra in the early 1950s. Along the way, he’s paid his dues in the big bands of Clark Terry, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Illinois Jacquet and Lionel Hampton. He first played “Blue Gardenia” with Dinah Washington in the late ‘50s. As a leader, he’s only issued a few recordings: Dedicated To Tadd (West 54, 1979), Super 80 (Nilva, 1982), and Reflections (Red, 1990).

Now 70, Davis continues to exercise his instrumental voice as soloist; this time out he employs a 50-50 balance between baritone and tenor. The leader’s solo saxophone voice stands sweet and melodic, but the session turns uneven in places due to a few slips of pitch control on baritone. Cedar Walton, Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth do more than their share to make up for it with a hands-down rock-solid foundation for each piece. On tenor, Davis sends a lovely melodic message that calls upon his vast experience for flavor. “Texas Moon” recalls time he’s spent on the road with Hank Crawford, while “Blues for Yahoo” moves more in the hard bop direction of New York City. Yahoo is the producer’s dog, who must have inherited Charlie Parker’s up-tempo grit. Either that, or he simply reminded Davis of Bird’s unique soul. Blue Gardenia, a solid straight-ahead album, swings with tradition and a true, blues-based spirit. ~Jim santella

Blue Gardenia

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Katrine Madsen - Gershwin And More (feat. Jan Lundgren & Jacob Fischer)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:38

Size: 115.9 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2001

Art: Front

[4:17] 1. It Ain't Necessarily So

[3:38] 2. Do It Again

[4:23] 3. Fascinatin' Rhythm

[3:26] 4. Somebody Loved Me

[3:50] 5. Sweet Lorraine

[5:20] 6. The Man I Love

[3:02] 7. Strike Up The Band

[4:25] 8. Summertime

[4:05] 9. Route 66

[6:03] 10. Tin Tin Deo

[4:11] 11. Nice Work If You Can Get It

[3:51] 12. Straighten Up And Fly Right

Katrine Madsen (born 1972 in Aarhus, Denmark) is a Danish jazz singer. She studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and has worked in Copenhagen on albums with transplanted American jazz artists Ed Thigpen and Richard Boone. In 2002, she founded the Katrine Madsen Sextet and gave their first concert at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

Gershwin And More  

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Joe Coughlin - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:14
Size: 110.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. What A Difference A Day Makes (Feat. Ed Bickert)
[3:44] 2. Everything Must Change
[3:59] 3. Dancing On The Ceiling
[4:33] 4. The Right To Love (Reflections)
[4:18] 5. Sugar On The Floor
[5:09] 6. 500 Miles High
[3:09] 7. You Belong To Me
[5:25] 8. My Mother's Eyes
[4:43] 9. When Sunny Gets Blue
[4:00] 10. Here's That Rainy Day
[5:25] 11. Round Midnight

LAWRENCE (JOE) COUGHLIN (singer, composer) was born on August 23, 1954 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He began playing drums in grade school, switching to vocals in high school when his rock band, Whiteheet, landed a record deal in 1977. He started singing jazz with the Alex Zonjic Quartet in the late ‘70’s, and as a finalist in the 1979 du Maurier Search for Stars competition, came to the attention of Aquitaine Records’ Eleanor Sniderman, who produced and released his debut recording (arranged by Rick Wilkins and featuring musicians Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, Terry Clarke, Bernie Senensky, and Marty Morrell).

Coughlin made his first live appearance at the then-leading Toronto jazz club, Lytes at the Royal York Hotel in May of 1981, with Ed Bickert, Phil Nimmons, pianist Carol Britto, bassist Bill Britto, and drummer Don Vickery. The stellar concert was recorded by the CBC for later broadcast. He released his Second Debut album in 1983, once again backed by some of the country’s finest jazz players: Mark Eisenman, Kirk MacDonald, Ed Bickert, Howard Gaul, and Marty Melanson. He worked with the great Woody Herman Band at the 1981 March of Dimes 30th Anniversary Gala, and opened for Dizzy Gillespie at Leah Posluns Theatre in Toronto in 1983.

Joe Coughlin relocated to British Columbia in 1995, and continues to write, record, and perform from his base there. His 2009 critically acclaimed release “Lowdown West Broadway” was recorded live at Vancouver’s famed Cellar Jazz Club. ~bio from the Canadian Jazz Archives

Joe Coughlin

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Various - Keep Calm And Go Brazilian

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 91:20
Size: 209.1 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Ituana - Garota De Ipanema (The Girl From Ipanema)
[2:50] 2. Clube Da Bossa - Canto De Ossanha
[2:28] 3. Marta Geraldo & Miko - Irene
[3:45] 4. Banda Do Sul - E Por Causa De Voce (Feat. Aracy Carvalho)
[3:49] 5. Maria Telles - Como Dizia O Poeta
[3:06] 6. Amazonics - Sem Tempo Para Chorar (Feat. Zoca Da Viola)
[3:53] 7. Karen Souza - Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars)
[2:21] 8. Os Novos Do Rio - Vivo Sonhando
[2:23] 9. Beleza Mourao - Samba De Orly
[3:33] 10. Daniela Coralhes - Tarde Em Itapoa
[4:06] 11. Sao Vicente - Horizonte (Feat. Josi)
[2:54] 12. Lua & Gilberto Mota - Apelo
[2:26] 13. Ivanna Malheiros - Que Maravilha
[2:22] 14. Andrea Santos - E De Manha
[3:43] 15. Os Digitalistas - Samba Para Brilhar (Feat. Lucinha Bandeira)
[3:23] 16. Nova Bossa Ltd. - A Fronteira Do Paraíso
[2:59] 17. Maria Telles - Samba Da Rosa
[3:20] 18. Bahía Sound System - As Cidades
[3:35] 19. Luana São Carlos - A Dança Do Futuro
[2:39] 20. Nove Luas - Tomara
[2:51] 21. Groove Da Praia - Pelo Amor De Amar
[3:31] 22. Celso Mendes Feat Lua - Fotografia
[4:21] 23. Brazil Xxi - Baixo O Sol (Feat. Helida)
[3:17] 24. Os Alquimistas - Águas De Março
[3:45] 25. Miúcha - Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar (Live)
[3:14] 26. Jingo - O Proximo Verao
[4:12] 27. Groove Da Praia - Magico (Feat Cassia)
[2:58] 28. Brazilian Jazz Cuts Vs Style Project - Wave

Lounge is an ambient and elegant sound, which manages to paint a place with luxury time and again; a place to discover unforgettable moments. To select the material for a particular situation is no easy task, and the Keep Calm collection has managed just that.

Keep Calm And Go Brazilian mc
part 1 part 2 zippy

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David Garfield And Friends - Perform Jazz Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 83:00
Size: 190.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:39] 1. Bag's Groove
[4:37] 2. Airegin
[8:43] 3. I Remember Clifford
[8:58] 4. Dolphin Dance
[5:18] 5. Giant Steps
[5:29] 6. One Finger Snap
[7:18] 7. Naima
[5:04] 8. Miles (Milestones)
[4:54] 9. All Blues
[7:50] 10. Peace
[7:23] 11. Manha De Carnival (A Day In The Life Of A Fool
[6:03] 12. Nardis
[5:38] 13. Bag's Groove

This classic collections of jazz standards is performed by some of Los Angeles' top jazz musicians, including John Guerin, Chuck Domanico, Abraham Laboriel, Bob Sheppard, Walt Fowler, Terry Trotter, Michael Landau and Brandon Fields. Produced by keyboardist David Garfield, "Recollections" includes contemporary arrangements of such songs as "An Englishman in New York".

Garfield has one of those who's who, what's what resumes that begs the question, what HASN'T he done? Over the span of his career, he's scored and recorded for films ("Annie," "Always" with J.D. Souther), television ("Fame" and its five accompanying "Kids from Fame" recordings), and commercials (Coca Cola, McDonald's, Seven Up). He's produced 25 albums and appeared on close to 80 with such artists as Cher, Boz Scaggs, Larry Carlton, Spinal Tap, The Manhattan Transfer, Keiko Matsui and The Rippingtons; toured with Earl Klugh, Michael McDonald, Nancy Wilson, Oleta Adams/Luther Vandross, and Brenda Russell; was musical director for George Benson (from 1986-90) and Dianne Reeves; appeared on The Tonight Show, Arsenio Hall and Solid Gold; and has composed and recorded over 100 original compositions. At first glance, all of these diverse projects may seem to have little in common with his earliest gigs touring and recording with Willie Bobo, Freddie Hubbard and Tom Scott. But at age 45, the Chicago born, New York and St. Louis bred Garfield can summarize his entire, admittedly all encompassing career in three simple words: "I make music. That's my mission statement. Things developed slowly over time, till I was playing every different kind of music in unique situations. Always going against the grain, doing music that may not have been the in thing at the time but hanging around until it became popular."

"It all goes back to when I was seven years old, first learning the piano," he adds. "There seemed like a great spiritual connection there, and I felt compelled to keep playing. I started my life playing rock, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk and started meeting more and more jazz musicians in St. Louis which made jazz a logical second love for me. It's been an incredible education."

Perform Jazz Standards

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Pat Boone - Pat Boone's Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:23
Size: 101.6 MB
Styles: Vocal pop
Year: 1962/1993
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. Two Hearts
[2:25] 2. Ain't That A Shame
[3:00] 3. I'll Be Home
[2:36] 4. I Almost Lost My Mind
[2:54] 5. Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)
[2:56] 6. Chains Of Love
[2:17] 7. Don't Forbid Me
[1:56] 8. Why Baby Why
[2:14] 9. Love Letters In The Sand
[2:08] 10. Bernardine
[2:13] 11. Remember You're Mine
[2:39] 12. April Love
[2:05] 13. A Wonderful Time Up There
[2:33] 14. It's Too Soon To Know
[1:53] 15. Sugar Moon
[2:40] 16. If Dreams Came True
[2:37] 17. Moody River
[2:32] 18. Speedy Gonzales

Including 18 of his highest charting hits for the Dot label in the '50s and early '60s, this is easily the best basic Boone collection. It doesn't include his hit covers of "At My Front Door" and Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and "Tutti Frutti," which is perhaps just as well for all concerned. ~Richie Unterberger

Pat Boone's Greatest Hits

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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)  

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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    

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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!!!

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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

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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

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