Lavon Hardison - Everyday Gifts (Feat. David Rhys-Johnson)

Size: 71,1 MB
Time: 30:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Gospel
Art: Front

01. Stand By Me (3:50)
02. Relax (2:06)
03. This Little Light Of Mine (2:58)
04. Imagine (3:07)
05. No More (2:42)
06. Wade In The Water (3:36)
07. Walk In The Light (3:34)
08. Every Day (2:51)
09. Pray, Pray, Pray (2:32)
10. Paths Together (2:46)

Inspiring. Spiritual. Uplifting. Sacred. Storytelling through song. Whatever you want to call LaVon's newest album, you'll be touched by the authentic emotion with which she tells each musical tale. Digging inside each line, each phrase, LaVon manages to convey the delicate balance between hope and struggle, triumph and tears, all beneath the larger umbrella of faith.

Says one fan: “When LaVon performs a song, you can be assured that not only will it sung beautifully, with the playfulness and the poignancy the song deserves, … each song becomes a distinct and memorable experience for the listener.”

LaVon's background in the Baptist church surely inspired her powerful versions of the traditional gospel songs "Wade in the Water" and "This Little Light of Mine." Among the original songs on Everyday Gifts, the original tune "Pray, Pray, Pray" also hews to a gospel sensibility, while "No More" takes a different musical approach to declaring what is and isn't on the To Do list.

The album includes two noteworthy covers: John Lennon's "Imagine" and the classic "Stand By Me" emerge with a new freshness and clarity through LaVon's clear alto tones.

A featured artist at the 2008 World Sacred Music Festival, LaVon offers this new album to listeners of all ages who are interested in the internal workings of the human heart, and how it relates to the larger Spirit. This is music that will speak to your spirit, whatever your path.

Everyday Gifts

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Dexter Gordon - A Swingin' Affair

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:12
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1962/1987
Art: Front

[6:23] 1. Soy Califa
[6:03] 2. Don't Explain
[6:30] 3. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[6:45] 4. The Backbone
[6:47] 5. (It Will Have To Do) Until The Real Thing Comes Along
[5:41] 6. Mc Splivens

Bass – Butch Warren; Drums – Billy Higgins; Piano – Sonny Clark; Tenor Saxophone – Dexter Gordon; Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on August 29, 1962.

Dexter Gordon was on a roll in 1962 when he recorded A Swingin' Affair. Two days earlier he and this same quartet recorded his classic album Go!; the band included pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Billy Higgins. Gordon wrote two of the set's six tunes, the first of which, the Afro-Cuban-flavored "Soy Califa," is a burner. Higgins' drumming double-times the band as Gordon lays out the melody -- even his solo doesn't stray far from it and he returns to it repetitively. Clark vamps with beautiful minor-key chords that he then adds to his own solo, moving all around the lyric with his right hand. And Higgins and Warren are truly wonderful on this one. There are also three standards here. Gordon was always a master of them because his own approach to improvisation was essentially one of melodic invention. "Don't Explain" is ushered in by Clark stating the changes; Gordon's low and slow playing is romantic and sensual. On "You Stepped Out of a Dream," Gordon and Clark take the melody and invert it in the bridge; they turn it into a kind of groove as Higgins plays Latin-tinged rhythms throughout. Warren's "The Backbone" is a hard bop groover with a bossa nova flavor, as he and Gordon twin on the tune's head before Dex moves off into his solo. It's easily the best thing here. This is a hot hard bop band, playing a program that's relaxed and mostly upbeat; they even manage to stretch a bit. The Rudy Van Gelder Edition features fine sound but no bonus material. ~Thom Jurek

A Swingin' Affair

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Teddi King - Lovers And Losers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:11
Size: 96.6 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1978/1994
Art: Front

[2:26] 1. Lovers And Losers
[2:42] 2. A Ghost Of A Chance
[2:48] 3. Can't You Do A Friend A Favor
[2:59] 4. The Wine Of May
[2:29] 5. There's A Man In My Life
[2:53] 6. A Sunday Kind Of Love
[1:51] 7. Ask Yourself Why
[2:09] 8. Nobody's Heart
[3:31] 9. Honeysuckle Rose
[3:16] 10. Bewitched
[3:06] 11. Slightly Less Than Wonderful
[3:20] 12. Blackberry Winter
[2:48] 13. Wait Till You See Her
[3:13] 14. Fools Rush In
[2:31] 15. Be A Child

This session was recorded just about a year before Teddi King's untimely death at the early age of 48 from a breakdown of her immune system, weakened by lupus. Lovers and Losers was the second of three albums King made in the 1970s after a 14-year hiatus from the recording studios, during which she worked in TV and clubs (exclusively in Playboy clubs for a period of eight years). Influenced by the honeyed delivery of Mildred Bailey as well as the heavy vibrato of Sarah Vaughan, King eventually drifted toward a middle ground and this journey to the center is reflected on this CD, although the vibrato is more pronounced than on her earlier recordings. Joined by Audiophile's house trio of Loonis McGlohon, Mel Alexander, and Jim Lackey, King continues to show her immaculate sense of timing and feel for phrasing the lyrics on such tunes as "A Sunday Kind of Love" and a delicately rendered and haunting "Blackberry Winter." King could always swing, and she puts that talent to use on "Honeysuckle Rose," with added verse. Her ability to take tunes that didn't quite catch the public's fancy and make something of them is revisited with her fun styling of "Slightly Less Than Wonderful" and "There's a Man in My Life," both by Fats Waller. Her voice is more mature and deeper than it was in the 1950s, when she made some outstanding albums for RCA. It had also lost some of its vibrancy, probably due to illnesses that seemed to plague King. Nonetheless, King showed that, despite her health trouble, she could still perform with both polish and bounce. ~Dave Nathan

Lovers And Losers

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Jim Chapin - Jim Chapin Sextet And Octet (Feat. Phil Woods)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:17
Size: 160.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:31] 1. In A Little Spanish Town
[6:34] 2. Cherokee
[4:26] 3. The Goof And I
[4:25] 4. Sonny's Tune
[4:31] 5. Blue Lou
[3:56] 6. Woodlore
[4:03] 7. Little Marty
[4:17] 8. Jazz Crossroads
[4:46] 9. Cotton Tail
[5:13] 10. Pink Ice
[5:02] 11. Like Help!
[2:23] 12. I May Be Wrong
[5:02] 13. Say What
[6:30] 14. I'll Take Romance
[5:31] 15. The Lady Is A Tramp

Don Stratton, Jimmy Nottingham (tp), Billy Byers, Urbie Green (tb), Phil Woods, George Dorsey (as), Bob Wilber (ts), Sonny Truitt, Hank Jones (p), Chuck Andrus, Wilbur Ware (b), Jim Chapin (d).

Sources:Tracks #1-4, originally issued on a 10" LP as "Jim Chapin Ensemble" (Prestige PRLP213); Tracks #1-4, plus #5-8 issued on a 12" LP as "The Jim Chapin Sextet" (Classic Jazz CJ-6); Tracks #9-15, issued on a 12" LP as "Profile of a Jazz Drummer Skin Tight" (Classic Jazz CJ-7). 24-Bit Digitally Remastered.

A name new to me and possibly to many readers, Jim Chapin was regarded highly as a drumming technician and educator, the author of at least two big-selling books, star of an instructional video and a regular at drum clinics. High-profile jazz gigs were not his style, and this album contains his only recordings as a group leader.

There’s quite a contrast between the sessions. The first perhaps owes something to the Shorty Rogers Giants, given credence by the fact Chapin had sat in with Rogers and colleagues at the Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach. Phil Woods is suitably boppish on Cherokee, but often recalls the sweeter tones of Art Pepper, with his own Jazz Crossroads and the eponymous tune by Sonny Truitt both evoking a decidely West Coast feel - incidentally, there cannot be many examples on record of Woods the arranger, more’s the pity on the evidence here. If you were asked to guess who led the group, the drummer would be in the frame. By the next date, drums are everywhere. We are told Chapin got together with Bob Wilber, who did the actual arrangements, and what they came up with was a kind of mini-Buddy Rich effect. Not to put down the level of solos: Wilber stomps engagingly on every track and Urbie Green justifies his high reputation, though Jimmy Nottingham’s habit of bursting into solos at full blast seems more suited to a big band. In short, worth checking out for scarcity value, with the assurance that the best bits are pretty good. ~Ronald Atkins

Jim Chapin Sextet And Octet(Feat. Phil Woods)

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Juana Rodriguez - Speak Low

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:33
Size: 120.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. I've Got You Under My Skin
[4:29] 2. Angel Eyes
[2:37] 3. What A Difference A Day Made
[4:15] 4. Le Sourire De Mon Amour
[2:36] 5. Summertime
[4:27] 6. Cry Me A River
[2:48] 7. Speak Low
[2:36] 8. All Of Me
[5:15] 9. Round Midnight
[3:21] 10. Desafinado
[4:58] 11. Lover Man
[2:52] 12. Love Or Leave Me
[3:52] 13. Taking A Chance On Love
[2:41] 14. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[3:04] 15. Besame Mucho

Juana Rodriguez, (Rome, 1979) Jazz singer and actress ,born in Italy grown up in Chile and Spain and at present rooted in New York , begins going to singing classes at the age of 8 ; that’s when she took her first steps in Music. Influenced since she’s 10, but with her own style, by Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald in modern singing and classically by Kiri Te Kanawa, Sumi Jo, Cecilia Bartoli, Victoria de los Angeles, Mirella Freni, Renata Scotto, listening to them all on her record-player at home. In 1988 she starts devoting herself exclusively to the training of her instrument; the voice, by exploring different styles within "BLACK MUSIC"; jazz soul blues funk r&b bossa and "OPERA", giving always priority to jazz and opera. During 1999 she intensively travels around Europe making contacts and musical artistic activities. After this experience, in 2000 she decides to settle in Barcelona-Spain, in order to enforce her musical studies. Winner of the FONDART price of MUSIC in Chile,year 2006 and scholarship to live in New York and work on the Scat-improvisation method, with the Jazz singer Jay Clayton.

Speak Low

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Grover Washington, Jr. - Ultimate Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:26
Size: 165.8 MB
Styles: R&B, Crossover jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[9:02] 1. Mister Magic
[7:18] 2. Just The Two Of Us
[8:15] 3. It Feels So Good
[2:30] 4. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
[6:08] 5. Black Frost
[7:36] 6. Summer Song
[4:51] 7. Reed Seed (Trio Tune)
[6:25] 8. Bright Moments
[5:56] 9. The Best Is Yet To Come
[8:31] 10. Ain't No Sunshine
[5:50] 11. Moonstreams

Hip-O Select's Ultimate Collection of Grover Washington, Jr. tunes is pretty much that. It's true that it does leave out his great, side-long reading of Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man" and his version of "Mercy Mercy Me." That said, this is an amazing set that includes in its first three selections "Mister Magic," "Just the Two of Us," (a vocal tune with Bill Withers), and "Feel So Good," arguably the late saxophonist's greatest creative period before settling into commercial success and softer groove territory with Columbia. The Kudu/CTI years with Creed Taylor established Washington as one of the great soul-jazz and jazz-funk players. His abilities as an improviser on both tenor and soprano were virtually limitless, and his technique was, to understate the case, more than enviable. Add to this that Washington chose to be a melodic improviser from the get-go: check the Bob James-penned tune "Black Frost," which carries within it the heart of funky soul and uses melody around the tune's theme to such effect, the ensemble is challenged to try to deepen its theme or fade into the background. The enormous Bob James arrangement on the medley of "Ain't No Sunshine"/"Theme from Man and Boy (Better Days)" with a the swelling strings around him makes Washington use restraint rather than compete and uses his many subtle soul harmonies to compensate, bringing a very deep and nuanced reading to both songs. One can only hope that Washington's CTI/Kudu releases get a deluxe treatment one day and come back into print, particularly Soul Box and All the King's Horses, though Feels So Good and Mister Magic already are. As a collection, this one is very tough to beat. ~Thom Jurek

Ultimate Collection

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Eddie Higgins Trio - Secret Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 138.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. Secret Love
[6:06] 2. Ghost Of A Chance
[4:33] 3. Star Eyes
[5:38] 4. Round Midnight
[4:51] 5. East Of The Sun
[4:22] 6. Always
[5:59] 7. Blue And Sentimental
[6:04] 8. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[4:19] 9. But Beautiful
[4:03] 10. Cheek To Cheek
[5:14] 11. But Not For Me
[4:42] 12. Avalon

Bass – Jay Leonhart; Drums – Mark Taylor; Piano – Eddie Higgins. Recorded at Clinton Studio in New York on October 14-17, 2006.

Born and raised in New England, Eddie (Haydn) Higgins started his professional career in Chicago, while studying at the Northwestern University Music School. For twenty years Eddie worked at some of Chicago's best known jazz clubs, including the Brass Rail, Preview Lounge, Blue Note, Cloister Inn and Jazz Ltd. His longest and most memorable job was at the London House, where he led the house trio for twelve years, playing opposite the biggest jazz stars of the 50's and 60's, including Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Errol Garner, George Shearing, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans and many others.

During his stay in Chicago, Eddie recorded a number of albums under his auspices and many more as a sideman with a wide variety of musicians, ranging in style from Coleman Hawkins to Wayne Shorter, Don Goldie to Freddie Hubbard, Jack Teagarden to Al Grey. Eddie's versatility is well-known: he has backed singers, done studio work as both pianist and arranger and worked in every jazz medium from Dixieland to Modern Jazz. ~Bill Gallagher

Secret Love

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Bud Shank - Girl In Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:49
Size: 75,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Lady Jane
(2:30)  2. Summer Wind
(2:35)  3. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)
(2:49)  4. Strangers In The Night
(2:25)  5. When A Man Loves A Woman
(2:38)  6. Girl In Love
(2:37)  7. Don't Go Breaking My Heart
(2:46)  8. Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime
(3:20)  9. Time
(2:42) 10. The Shining Sea
(2:13) 11. Lara's Theme From Dr. Zhivago
(3:01) 12. Solitary Man

Bud Shank began his career pigeonholed as a cool schooler, but those who listened to the altoist progress over the long haul knew that he became one of the hottest, most original players of the immediate post-Parker generation. Lumped in with the limpid-toned West Coast crowd in the '50s, Shank never ceased to evolve; in his later years, he had more in common with Jackie McLean or Phil Woods than with Paul Desmond or Lee Konitz. Shank's keening, blithely melodic, and tonally expressive style was one of the more genuinely distinctive approaches that grew out of the bebop idiom. Shank attended the University of North Carolina from 1944-1946. Early on, he played a variety of woodwinds, including flute, clarinet, and alto and tenor saxes; he began to concentrate on alto and flute in the late '40s. After college, Shank moved to California, where he studied with trumpeter/composer Shorty Rogers and played in the big bands of Charlie Barnet (1947-1948) and Stan Kenton (1950-1951). Shank made a name for himself in the '50s as a central member of the West Coast jazz scene. In addition to those named above, he played and recorded with bassist Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper, and Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeida, among others. Shank made a series of albums as a leader for World Pacific in the late '50s and early '60s.  Shank ensconced himself in the L.A. studios during the '60s, emerging occasionally to record jazz and bossa nova albums with the likes of Chet Baker and Sergio Mendes. Shank's 1966 album with Baker, Michelle, was something of a popular success, reaching number 56 on the charts. Film scores on which Shank can be heard include The Thomas Crown Affair and The Barefoot Adventure. In the '70s, Shank formed the L.A. Four with Almeida, bassist Ray Brown, and, at various times, drummer Chuck Flores, Shelly Manne, or Jeff Hamilton. Shank had been one of the earliest jazz flutists, but in the mid-'80s he dropped the instrument in order to concentrate on alto full-time. During the last two decades of the 20th century, he recorded small-group albums at a modestly steady pace for the Contemporary, Concord, and Candid labels. Shank's 1997 Milestone album, By Request: Bud Shank Meets the Rhythm Section, presented the altoist in top form, burning down the house with a band of relative youngsters who included neo-bopper pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Three years later, Silver Storm was released.  Shank continued performing and recording after the turn of the millennium, undertaking the challenging task of forming the Los Angeles-based Bud Shank Big Band in 2005 and making his recording debut as a big-band leader with Taking the Long Way Home, released the following year by the Jazzed Media label. In 2007 Jazzed Media issued Beyond the Red Door, a duet recording by Shank and pianist Bill Mays. Shank's passion for jazz remained strong to the very last days of his life; he died at his home in Tucson, AZ on April 2, 2009 of a pulmonary embolism shortly after returning from a recording session in San Diego. Shank's doctors had reportedly warned the saxophonist who had moved to Tucson for health reasons  that playing the session could be life-threatening. Bud Shank was 82 years old. ~ Chris Kelsey http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bud-shank-mn0000636382/biography

Personnel:  Bud Shank - alto saxophone;  Frank Rosolino – trombone;  Bob Florence – piano;  Dennis Budimir, Herb Ellis, John Pisano – guitar;  Bob West – bass;  Frank Capp – drums;  Victor Feldman - percussion

Girl In Love

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Horace Parlan - Blue Parlan

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 45:59
Size: 73,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:05)  1. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(6:14)  2. Sunspots
(4:32)  3. Firm Roots
(5:53)  4. Monk's Mood
(5:49)  5. Neicy
(4:43)  6. Night Mist Blues
(6:06)  7. Cynthia's Dance
(4:32)  8. There's No Greater Love

Horace Parlan overcame physical disability and thrived as a pianist despite it. His right hand was partially disabled by polio in his childhood, but Parlan made frenetic, highly rhythmic right-hand phrases part of his characteristic style, contrasting them with striking left-hand chords. He also infused blues and R&B influences into his style, playing in a stark, sometimes somber fashion. Parlan always cited Ahmad Jamal and Bud Powell as prime influences. He began playing in R&B bands during the '50s, joining Charles Mingus' group from 1957 to 1959 following a move from Pittsburgh to New York. Mingus aided his career enormously, both through his recordings and his influence. Parlan played with Booker Ervin in 1960 and 1961, then in the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis-Johnny Griffin quintet in 1962. Parlan played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk from 1963 to 1966, and had a strong series of Blue Note recordings in the '60s. He left America for Copenhagen in 1973, and gained international recognition for some stunning albums on SteepleChase, including a pair of superb duet sessions with Archie Shepp. He also recorded with Dexter Gordon, Red Mitchell, Frank Foster, and Michal Urbaniak, and recorded extensively for Enja and Timeless. He died in Denmark in February 2017 at the age of 86. ~ Ron Wynn  https://itunes.apple.com/dk/artist/horace-parlan/id4833960#fullText

Personnel: Horace Parlan (piano); Wilbur Little (bass);  Dannie Richmond (drums)

Blue Parlan

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Anne Drummond - Like Water

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:21
Size: 74.1 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:30] 1. Aquelas Coisas Todas
[4:25] 2. Like Water
[3:30] 3. Frevo
[3:18] 4. Curumim
[4:13] 5. Lazy Afternoon
[3:57] 6. Afoxamba
[4:19] 7. Bossa For Copacabana
[4:06] 8. Spring

Anne Drummond: flute; Klaus Mueller: piano (1-7); Xavier Davis: piano (8); Paul Meyers: guitar (2, 5); Nilson Matta: bass (3, 6, 7, 8); Duduka Da Fonseca: drums (3, 6-8) and percussion (1, 7): Tom Chiu: violin (2, 5, 6, 8); Dave Eggar: cello (1, 2, 5, 6, 8).

Listening to vibraphonist Stefon Harris's outstanding African Tarantella (Blue Note, 2006), flautist Anne Drummond's work can often fly under the radar. Her importance on these recordings, however, can't be overstated: she often provides the textural glue that makes the group gel, and the only reason her fine flute work might not be more obvious is because of the lack of solo space she is given. Like Water, her debut as a leader, emphasizes the gentler side of Brazilian jazz. While plenty of people might feel the need to fill up a CD and play as much as possible to prove themselves on their first album, Drummond is comfortable in her skin and values the group dynamic over the individual on this concise, thirty-two minute recording. Performing with Kenny Barron's Canta Brasil provided the seeds of inspiration for this project, and two key performers from the pianist's group, bassist Nilson Matta and drummer/percussionist Duduka Da Fonseca, are along for the ride here.

Drummond wrote three pieces for the album and co-wrote another ("Spring") with Mark Bordenet. The title track benefits from her warm and unobtrusive string arrangement, with guitarist Paul Meyers adding some beautiful solo work and the flautist graceful and tender throughout. Meyers appears one last time on "Lazy Afternoon," and pianist Klaus Mueller provides a gentle and soothing piano solo. The rhythm section joins in on "Afoxamba," with Da Fonseca and Matta providing an instantly appealing, authentic groove. Drummond's joy and energy is immediately noticeable and her playing is passionate throughout. The blend between the pizzicato string line, at the outset of "Spring," and the rest of the musicians is intoxicating. Pianist Xavier Davis makes his lone appearance here, providing a touching solo.

The four other pieces are, for the most part, bright and bouncy. Toninho Horta's "Aquelas Coisas Todas" opens the album, with Drummond's flute sounding vibrant and fresh as she glides over the rhythm men. Egberto Gismonti's "Frevo" is three-and-a-half minutes of musical magic; Drummond's playing is electric, and her blend and chemistry with Mueller is astounding. Whether he's running through a unison rhythmic line with Drummond, comping behind her or playing his own solo, Mueller is always exhilarating. "Curumin" is a flute and piano duo performance that further highlights the rapport between Drummond and Mueller. Matta's "Bossa for Copacabana" is a subtle, gently gliding piece that benefits greatly from Da Fonseca's touch and feel. Whether interpreting her own works or other compositions, Drummond demonstrates a unified vision and strong melodic sense throughout Like Water. ~Dan Bilawsky

Like Water

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Clifford Brown, Max Roach - Clifford Brown And Max Roach At Basin Street

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:24
Size: 90.2 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1956/1990/2012
Art: Front

[7:36] 1. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:14] 2. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
[9:15] 3. I'll Remember April
[3:36] 4. Powell's Prances
[3:29] 5. Time
[5:05] 6. The Scene Is Clean
[6:06] 7. Gertrude's Bounce

Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street (aka At Basin Street) is a 1956 album by the Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet, the last album the quintet officially recorded. It is also one of the last major albums Brown recorded before his untimely death in 1956. The album was identified by Scott Yanow in his Allmusic essay "Hard Bop" as one of the 17 Essential Hard Bop Recordings.

"The last official album by the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet is the only one that featured the great Sonny Rollins on tenor. With pianist Richie Powell and bassist George Morrow completing the group, this date is a hard bop classic. Brownie and Rollins fit together perfectly on memorable versions of "What Is This Thing Called Love," "I'll Remember April," and a witty arrangement of "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing." Highly recommended." ~Scott Yanow

Clifford Brown And Max Roach At Basin Street

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Dinah Washington - I Wanna Be Loved

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:12
Size: 73.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/2005
Art: Front

[2:42] 1. I Wanna Be Loved
[2:29] 2. Don't Explain
[2:28] 3. Everybody's Somebody's Fool
[3:01] 4. Invitation
[3:28] 5. You're Crying
[2:06] 6. Let's Fall In Love
[2:09] 7. When Your Lover Has Gone
[2:15] 8. A Stranger In Town
[2:44] 9. God Bless The Child
[3:19] 10. Blue Gardenia
[3:22] 11. I Can't Face The Music (Without Singing The Blues)
[2:04] 12. Sometimes I'm Happy

Hal Mooney (arranger) Joe Newman, Clark Terry (trumpet) Ernie Wilkins (trumpet, arranger) Jimmy Cleveland, Kai Winding (trombone) Billy Byers (trombone, arranger) Al Cohn (tenor saxophone, arranger) Patti Bown (piano) George Barnes (guitar) Art Davis (bass) Stu Martin (drums) Dinah Washington (vocals) The Dells (doo wop group) and others unidentified in orchestra, Quincy Jones (conductor). Recorded: in NYC, August 15th 1961 and NYC, September 13th 1961 and Chicago, IL, December 4th 1961.

A torch song date recorded between Dinah Washington's commercial breakthrough in 1959 and her death in 1963, I Wanna Be Loved flaunts a large cast of talented collaborators -- plus, to be sure, Washington's regal readings of 12 great songs -- but, unfortunately, the musical side is overwhelmed by the heavy strings in attendance. Working with Quincy Jones, Washington found her studio cast to include Joe Newman and Clark Terry on trumpet, Jimmy Cleveland and Kai Winding on trombone, and Al Cohn on tenor. However, the arrangements (from Ernie Wilkins and Quincy Jones) rarely leave room for the musicians -- and, in fact, rarely feature them at all -- preferring instead to concentrate on strings and the occasional wordless vocal chorus. As usually happened in these circumstances, Washington appears unfazed by the treacle surrounding her; although she doesn't improvise, her performances of "Blue Gardenia," "Don't Explain," and the title track (originally an R&B hit for her 12 years earlier) are elegant and bewitching. The larger big band makes its presence felt on the two side-closers, both of them ("Let's Fall in Love," "Sometimes I'm Happy") more uptempo material. Although Washington's latter-day Mercury material is often derided, she always succeeded despite her surroundings, and this date is no different. ~John Bush

I Wanna Be Loved

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Keith Crossan - Beatnik Jungle

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:24
Size: 76.5 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[1:33] 1. Turk's Groove
[5:46] 2. Out The Gate
[4:40] 3. Clemency
[5:19] 4. Paris
[4:03] 5. Beatnik Jungle
[6:07] 6. Blues For Miana
[3:32] 7. Huggy Bare
[2:23] 8. Belle Of Calpella

After a million miles of traveling, ten thousand gigs and 11 records with the Tommy Castro Band I decided to make my own. I’ve named it “Beatnik Jungle”. The title refers to an area in San Francisco called North Beach. This is the neighborhood where the band got it’s start. There were three bars: The Lost and Found, the Grant and Green and The Saloon (which still has blues 7 nights a week) that supported a great blues scene. It is the place where the great poets and writers of the Beat era produced their works. Hence, the Beatnik part of the title. During the early 90’s, when I worked there with Tommy and the band, I found it was still a place full of great writers, poets, painters and musicians, but also it could be a very dangerous place for me. Hence, the Jungle part. The music in this record reflects the experience of growing up and surviving as a musician. Big Band jazz, garage band rock & roll, R&B and even the late Folk scene in S.F. are things that shaped these songs. I hope you enjoy them. ~Keith

Beatnik Jungle

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The Red Garland Quintet - All Mornin' Long

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:16
Size: 85.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1957/2009
Art: Front


[20:29] 1. All Mornin' Long
[ 6:19] 2. Our Delight
[10:27] 3. They Can't Take That Away From Me

Bass – George Joyner; Drums – Arthur Taylor; Piano – Red Garland; Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane; Trumpet – Donald Byrd. Recorded At Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey.

On November 15, 1957, a quintet headed by pianist Red Garland recorded enough material for two records. This CD reissue (whose companion is Soul Junction) has a 20-minute version of "All Mornin' Long," along with briefer renditions of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" (a mere ten minutes) and Tadd Dameron's "Our Delight." More important than the material is that, in addition to Garland, the main soloists are John Coltrane and trumpeter Donald Byrd. Byrd was on his way to getting his sound together, while Trane, very much in his sheets-of-sound period, was already blazing a new path for jazz to follow. An excellent and often quite colorful jam session-flavored hard bop set. ~Scott Yanow

All Mornin' Long

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Martirio Y Chano Dominguez - Acoplados

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:18
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. El Aguita Del Querer
(4:56)  2. Locura De Mi Querer
(2:12)  3. No Me Digas Que No
(5:25)  4. Torre De Arena
(3:30)  5. Te Lo Juro Yo
(4:52)  6. Me Embrujaste
(5:39)  7. La Bien Paga
(4:09)  8. Compuesta Y Sin Novio
(4:36)  9. Ojos Verdes
(4:24) 10. Yo Soy Esa
(4:33) 11. Dicen
(4:45) 12. Nana Vidalita De Filigranas

Self-professed "fusions" of various musical forms in jazz are routinely and often justifiably treated with suspicion by critics and fans. The formulas employed for these events can be either fruitful and satisfying, or a recipe for utter pretentious disaster. Fortunately, Acoplados falls into the former category, with the unlikely but fascinating placement of traditional Spanish music within a brassy, swinging context. Spanish vocalist and actress Martirio, who has been no stranger to mixing musical styles over the course of her 25-year career, is joined by pianist and arranger Chano Dominguez and those Spanish civil servants of swing, the RTVE Big Band and Orchestra a state-run organization with many fine soloists whose contributions are criminally uncredited in the CD packaging (although they are listed below and on Sunnyside's website). Bassist George Mraz and drummer Guillermo McGill round out an agile and accomplished rhythm section. In this context, such genre-stretching is not so far-fetched, since adapting traditional copla songs (which pre-date flamenco all the way back to medieval times) is not unlike the efforts of 19th Century classical composers, who blended folk songs into their compositions as a means of forming distinct musical identities for their respective nations. And, of course, the jazz greats of yore routinely adapted Tin Pan Alley tunes for jazzy purposes.

"El Agüita del Querer" echoes Gil Evans' arrangement of "New Rhumba" with its steady rhythmic pulse and stop/start vamp, pretty much setting the tone for the whole album. The torch blues feel of "Locura de Mi Querer" is a dead ringer for a classic Dinah Washington track, with its loose feel and uncannily timed brass hits. Two up-tempo numbers, "No Me Digas que No" and "Compuesta y Sin Novio," strongly retain their copla roots as syllables fly by at a dizzying rate and a hint of flamenco phrasing can be heard in Dominguez's piano. The overall result is more Broadway than Birdland, but after all, many of these selections are torch songs, albeit five hundred-year-old ones. Although Martirio does not possess a natural feel for swing, it doesn't really matter in the end. She has a finely honed, robust and haunting instrument that makes this recording something special. "Ojos Verdes" and "La Bien Pagá" display Martirio's considerable range as a vocalist, with a command of dynamics and phrasing that are particularly arresting when she dips into lower registers. The lush string arrangements cradle her skillful, dramatic delivery. The disc closes on a sombre note with little relation to jazz, but the last piece is one of the best tracks on the album. "Nana Vidalita de Filigranas" combines a gorgeous, dirge-like orchestral arrangement with a mournful, superbly delivered vocal. It sends chills up the spine. 

One might consider the Charlie Parker sides with strings as a comparison: Mitch Miller and the assembled musicians did their thing while Bird did his thing on top without a detectable hint of an alteration of his style. So it goes with Acoplados, except in reverse. Both traditional Spanish folk songs and big band timbre come together, and neither style is diluted one whit they combine to create something that, while far from seamless, is pretty damned interesting. These are simply great traditional songs with arrangements that harken back to another era an American era of dance bands with girl singers like Martha Tilton or Doris Day if they sung in Spanish, and if the Benny Goodman Orchestra were dressed in medieval chain mail gig uniforms. Panache and the wholly original concept carry the day on Acoplados, one of the most intriguing releases of the year. ~ Ken Kase https://www.allaboutjazz.com/martirio-and-chano-dominguez-acoplados-by-ken-kase.php

Personnel:  Martirio: vocals; Chano Dominguez: piano, arrangements; George Mraz: bass, arrangements; Guillermo McGill: drums, arrangements; RTVE Big Band and Orchestra incl. Perico Sambeat: tenor sax, arrangements; Matthew Simon: trumpet, arrangements; Bob Sands: tenor sax; José Miguel Pérez: alto sax; Francisco Blanco: baritone sax; Xavi Figuerola: tenor sax; Patxi Urtegui: trumpet; David Pastor: trumpet; Jan Mungula: trumpet; Carlos Martin: first trombone; Juan Scalona: second trombone; Francisco J. Ruiz: bass trombone; Stephane Loyer: trombone; Marina Albero: cowbell; Ernesto Hernández: maracas.

Acoplados

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Natalie Dessay, Agnès Jaoui, Héléna Noguerra, Liat Cohen - Rio Paris

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 68:49
Size: 127,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. Les eaux de Mars
(6:11)  2. Catendê
(4:25)  3. Manhã de carnaval
(2:56)  4. Etude No. 8
(4:53)  5. Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5
(1:51)  6. Modinha. Seresta No. 5
(3:00)  7. Prélude No. 2
(2:59)  8. Les mères Op. 45
(2:25)  9. L'oiseau blessé d'une flèche Op. 10
(5:31) 10. Chöro. Gavota
(4:24) 11. Agua e vinho
(4:27) 12. Chega de saudade
(3:28) 13. A felicidade
(4:07) 14. Samba em Préludio
(3:28) 15. Choro Lento, Retrato Brasileiro
(4:51) 16. Desafinado
(6:16) 17. Bidonville, Consolaçao

A major attraction of soccer's World Cup, and some would say the very best thing about it, is the musical component, with genre-crossing all-star vocal collaborations the norm. Who can forget Barcelona's unexpected and absolutely stunning duets between Montserrat Caballé and Freddie Mercury? This album may be the first in a flood of releases connected with the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and if the games result in a new appreciation of Brazilian music they will have been well worth it from a musical standpoint. Brazilian music crosses over among classical, pop, and jazz without giving very much thought to the dividing lines, and the mix here touches on some of the major figures from each corner. The three singers and one guitarist are not Brazilian; singers Natalie Dessay and Agnès Jaoui are French; singer Helena Noguerra is Portuguese-Belgian; and guitarist Liat Cohen is French-Israeli. Some of the music is sung in Portuguese, some in French, but even in a French translation Dessay does not sound especially comfortable in Antonio Carlos Jobim's Waters of March (here, Les Eaux de Mars). 

Hearing her in Villa-Lobos, however, is an unexpected pleasure. Jaoui and Noguerra, both actresses as well as singers, have a reasonable feel for the material, although one wonders whether a Brazilian singer might not profitably have been included. Perhaps the album's best feature is Erato's studio engineering; the dimensions of the sound are ideal for the music, and the guitar is impressively well recorded. A reasonably satisfying souvenir of the World Cup. ~ James Manheim http://www.allmusic.com/album/rio-paris-mw0002654541

Personnel:  Natalie Dessay, Agnes Jaoui and Helena Noguerra (Vocal);  Liat Cohen (Guitar).

Rio Paris

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Paul Bley - At Copenhagen Jazzhouse

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 55:46
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(16:36)  1. Woogie
( 8:25)  2. Check
(12:43)  3. Don't
( 5:54)  4. Decade
( 4:12)  5. Furioso
( 7:52)  6. Bye

Paul Bley has been one of the most fascinating jazz pianists in the last four decades since his recording debut in 1954. This is Bley’s second solo recording for SteepleChase and this time the setting is in “live” at Copenhagen’s most active club “Jazz House”. Whether with group or alone, Paul never stops surprising us with his unique ideas and approach to music.

Personnel:  Paul Bley – Piano

At Copenhagen Jazzhouse

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Wilbur Ware - The Chicago Sound

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1957
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 39:00
Size: 73,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Mamma-Daddy
(3:19)  2. Body And Soul
(5:32)  3. Desert Sands
(6:30)  4. 31st and State
(3:00)  5. Lullaby of the Leaves
(4:42)  6. Latin Quarters
(4:33)  7. Be-Ware
(7:22)  8. The Man I Love

Bassist Wilbur Ware's only recording as a leader (which has been reissued on CD) mostly features Chicago musicians. Although Ware heads the set and contributed two originals, he does not dominate the music and delegated plenty of solo space to altoist John Jenkins (who also brought in two tunes), tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, and pianist Junior Mance; Wilbur Campbell or Frank Dunlop on drums complete the group. This fine hard bop date (which also has versions of "Body and Soul," Stuff Smith's "Desert Sands," "Lullaby of the Leaves," and "The Man I Love") was a fine debut by Ware. It seems strange that in his remaining 20-plus years the bassist never led another album. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/chicago-sound-mw0000203378

Personnel: Wilbur Ware (bass); John Jenkins (alto saxophone); Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone); Junior Mance (piano); Wilbur Campbell, Frank Dunlop (drums).

The Chicago Sound

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Peter Erskine New Trio - In Praise of Shadows

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:29
Size: 124,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. Sukiyaki ("Ue Wo Muite Arko")
(4:18)  2. What If
(6:35)  3. Each Breath
(6:16)  4. Labrynth
(3:33)  5. Marcheta ("A Love Song of Old Mexico")
(5:33)  6. Silhouette Shadows
(4:38)  7. Begin Within
(6:45)  8. Distant Blue
(5:14)  9. Smile
(5:42) 10. All That Remains

This is the 2nd Audio CD from the Peter Erskine New Trio, featuring jazz drumming legend Erskine with his nephew and bass phenom Damian Erskine, plus keyboard virtuoso and arranger Vardan Ovsepian (with guests Artyom Manukyan on cello & EVI master Judd Miller). 'In Praise Of Shadows' is sharing the February 17 release date with Erskine's Dr. Um Band album 'Second Opinion. ' From the gentle covers of the Japanese classic pop hit 'Sukiyaki' plus Mexican love ballad 'Marcheta,' to blistering new originals by Vardan Ovsepian and a new Erskine classic ('Each Breath'), this is an album that has something for everyone who loves good music. . . including a lovely bass ballad by Damian titled 'Begin Within. ' Begin the New Year with the New Trio! ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Praise-Shadows-Peter-Erskine-Trio/dp/B01N0PC26M

Personnel:  Vardan Ovsepian (Keyboards); Damian Erskine(Electric Bass); Peter Erskine (Drums, percussion & marimba).

In Praise of Shadows

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Annie Ross, The Gerry Mulligan Quartet - Annie Ross Sings A Song With Mulligan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:37
Size: 72.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1959/2010
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. I Feel Pretty
[2:47] 2. How About You
[2:58] 3. I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face
[3:20] 4. This Time The Dream's On Me
[3:40] 5. Let There Be Love
[2:16] 6. All Of You
[3:31] 7. Give Me The Simple Life
[4:17] 8. This Is Always
[3:37] 9. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[1:38] 10. It Don't Mean A Thing

Baritone Saxophone – Gerry Mulligan; Bass – Bill Crow, Henry Grimes; Drums – Dave Bailey; Trumpet – Art Farmer, Chet Baker; Vocals – Annie Ross.

Singer Annie Ross' first solo album after joining Lambert, Hendricks & Ross finds her at the peak of her powers. Ross is joined by two versions of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet with either Chet Baker or Art Farmer on trumpet, Bill Crow or Henry Grimes on bass, and drummer Dave Bailey. Annie Ross is at her best (and most appealing) on "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face," "Give Me the Simple Life," "How About You," and "The Lady's in Love With You," but all the selections are quite rewarding and her interplay with baritonist Mulligan is consistently memorable. This date plus its follow-up A Gasser are both essential. ~Scott Yanow

Annie Ross Sings A Song With Mulligan

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