Joe Bonner Quartet - The Lost Melody

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 53:21
Size: 86,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:14)  1. You And The Night And The Music
(9:11)  2. Easy Living
(7:57)  3. Vibeke
(4:57)  4. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(7:22)  5. The Lost Melody
(7:25)  6. The Song Is You
(9:12)  7. Manuella

A fine pianist who was originally heavily influenced by McCoy Tyner, Joe Bonner is an excellent interpreter of modal-based music and advanced hard bop. He studied music at Virginia State College and early on played with Roy Haynes (1970-1971), Freddie Hubbard (1971-1972), Pharoah Sanders (1972-1974), and Billy Harper (late '70s). Bonner, who recorded as a leader for Muse, Theresa, and most prominently Steeplechase, has been based in Colorado since the 1980s and remains a talented improviser. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-bonner-mn0000785721/biography

Personnel: Joe Bonner (piano); Bob Rockwell (soprano & tenor saxophones); Jesper Lundgaard (bass); Jukkis Uotila (drums).

The Lost Melody

---

Don Cherry - Home Boy

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:57
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Butterfly Friend
(3:11)  2. I Walk
(6:48)  3. Rappin Recipe
(4:11)  4. Reggae To The High Tower
(2:52)  5. Art Deco
(4:35)  6. Call Me
(6:08)  7. Treat Your Lady Right
(3:43)  8. Alphabet City
(5:41)  9. Bamako Love

Imagination and a passion for exploration made Don Cherry one of the most influential jazz musicians of the late 20th century. A founding member of Ornette Coleman's groundbreaking quartet of the late '50s, Cherry continued to expand his musical vocabulary until his death in 1995. In addition to performing and recording with his own bands, Cherry worked with such top-ranked jazz musicians as Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, John Coltrane, and Gato Barbieri. Cherry's most prolific period came in the late '70s and early '80s when he joined Nana Vasconcelos and Collin Walcott in the worldbeat group Codona, and with former bandmates Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell, and saxophonist Dewey Redman in the Coleman-inspired group Old and New Dreams. Cherry later worked with Vasconcelos and saxophonist Carlos Ward in the short-lived group Nu. Born in Oklahoma City in 1936, he first attained prominence with Coleman, with whom he began playing around 1957. At that time Cherry's instrument of choice was a pocket trumpet (or cornet) a miniature version of the full-sized model. The smaller instrument  in Cherry's hands, at least got a smaller, slightly more nasal sound than is typical of the larger horn. Though he would play a regular cornet off and on throughout his career, Cherry remained most closely identified with the pocket instrument. Cherry stayed with Coleman through the early '60s, playing on the first seven (and most influential) of the saxophonist's albums. In 1960, he recorded The Avant-Garde with John Coltrane. After leaving Coleman's band, Cherry played with Steve Lacy, Sonny Rollins, Archie Shepp, and Albert Ayler. In 1963-1964, Cherry co-led the New York Contemporary Five with Shepp and John Tchicai. With Gato Barbieri, Cherry led a band in Europe from 1964-1966, recording two of his most highly regarded albums, Complete Communion and Symphony for Improvisers. Cherry began the '70s by teaching at Dartmouth College in 1970, and recorded with the Jazz Composer's Orchestra in 1973. He lived in Sweden for four years, and used the country as a base for his travels around Europe and the Middle East. Cherry became increasingly interested in other, mostly non-Western styles of music. 

In the late '70s and early '80s, he performed and recorded with Codona, a cooperative group with percussionist Nana Vasconcelos and multi-instrumentalist Collin Walcott. Codona's sound was a pastiche of African, Asian, and other indigenous musics. Concurrently, Cherry joined with ex-Coleman associates Charlie Haden, Ed Blackwell, and Dewey Redman to form Old and New Dreams, a band dedicated to playing the compositions of their former employer. After the dissolution of Codona, Cherry formed Nu with Vasconcelos and saxophonist Carlos Ward. In 1988, he made Art Deco, a more traditional album of acoustic jazz, with Haden, Billy Higgins, and saxophonist James Clay. Until his death in 1995, Cherry continued to combine disparate musical genres; his interest in world music never abated. Cherry learned to play and compose for wood flutes, tambura, gamelan, and various other non-Western instruments. Elements of these musics inevitably found their way into his later compositions and performances, as on 1990's Multi Kulti, a characteristic celebration of musical diversity. As a live performer, Cherry was notoriously uneven. It was not unheard of for him to arrive very late for gigs, and his technique never great to begin with showed on occasion a considerable, perhaps inexcusable, decline. In his last years, especially, Cherry seemed less self-possessed as a musician. Yet his musical legacy is one of such influence that his personal failings fade in relative significance. ~ Chris Kelsey & Craig Harris https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/don-cherry/id394729#fullText

Personnel:  Don Cherry - pocket trumpet, vocals, doussn’ gouni, piano, synthesizer, melodica;  Ramuntcho Matta – guitar;  Jannick Top – bass;  Negrito Trasante - bongos, congas, talking drum, rhythm box;  Polo Lombardo – konks;  Claude Salmieri – drums;  Fil Mong – bass;  Jean-Pierre Coco - congas; Abdoulaye Prosper Niang – drums; Elli Medeiros - backing vocals

Home Boy

---

Kevin Hays - Go Round

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:17
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:55)  1. Daybreak
(10:23)  2. Early Evening
(10:33)  3. Go Round
( 5:59)  4. When I Wake
( 6:01)  5. The Run
( 5:54)  6. Sutra
( 8:14)  7. Quiet
(10:19)  8. Invitation
( 2:55)  9. Sutra (Reprise)

Pianist Kevin Hays shows individuality on this CD and he certainly takes chances. The compositions (all but "Invitation" were penned by Hays) must be quite difficult to play because according to the liners "Daybreak" is 12 bars with a couple of bars in 5/4, "The Run" has sections in 5/4, 4/4 and 3/4 in every chorus and "Invitation" is completely altered. Both of the tenors (the obscure Steve Hall and Seemus Blake) somehow manage to sound comfortable and creative in this format which is an extension of the controlled freedom of Wayne Shorter and Andrew Hill. On some tracks Hays plays an electric piano and, with Hall's Shorter-influenced tenor, one thinks of early Weather Report or 1970s Herbie Hancock; Blake adds to the atmosphere by sometimes electrifying his sax. The alert and versatile playing of bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Billy Hart is also quite impressive. This is thought-provoking music that grows in interest over time. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/go-round-mw0000174907

Kevin Hays (piano & Fender Rhodes), Steve Hall (tenor saxophone), Seamus Blake (tenor & soprano saxophone), Doug Weiss (bass), Billy Hart (drums) & Daniel Sadownick (percussion).

Go Round

---

Sarah Vaughan - Everything I Have Is Yours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:01
Size: 80.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1994/2009
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
[2:58] 2. Love Me Or Leave Me
[2:58] 3. A Hundred Years From Today
[3:10] 4. Penthouse Serenade
[2:41] 5. Everything I Have Is Yours
[3:23] 6. Lover Man
[2:50] 7. I'm Through With Love
[2:54] 8. Don't Worry About Me
[3:01] 9. September Song
[2:34] 10. Gentlemen Friend
[2:39] 11. I Feel So Smoochie
[2:33] 12. Trouble Is A Man

Sarah Vaughan's recordings of the 1940s tend to be with big bands and string sections. Depending on your taste for the symphonic or operatic Vaughan, this collection of tunes done between 1945 and 1947, originally for the Musicraft label and initially reissued on CD by the Drive Archive label in 1997, emphasizes some of the orchestral arrangements Vaughan favored, but it is not one that concentrates on ballads. Most of the material is midtempo, the charts are generally not syrupy, and you get an occasional small group assisting the Divine One. Because of the narrow chronological focus, you hear Vaughan working on her craft, developing her vocal sound in different ways, and melting into the band's music like few other vocalists can. To varying degrees, optimal results occur, although on some tracks Vaughan's voice is submerged or under-produced. The musicianship is always solid, making for a pleasing listening experience, especially when you can identify the many fine musicians -- generally unattributed -- on this recording. The two-plus-two tracks that bookend this CD are the most sugary, with strings and thin voice reproduction, with backing from the Ted Dale Orchestra, though Al Gibson's clarinet shines through and "I Feel So Smoochy" is playful and not violin-dominant. Three tracks with the Teddy Wilson Orchestra are the best big-band cuts, as the song of getting along "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" and the beautifully evocative "September Song" show Vaughan at her best alongside Wilson's tinkling piano or the tenor sax of Charlie Ventura. Two selections with the George Treadwell band are outstanding, as you hear the signature tune of surrender "Everything I Have Is Yours" and the insular, pining "I'm Through with Love," definitive Vaughan without question. One selection apiece with the Dizzy Gillespie/Charlie Parker group, the Georgie Auld Orchestra, and the Billy Taylor Trio plus guitarist Remo Palmier span 1945, 1946, and 1947, respectively, giving you a progression of the diverse sounds that Vaughan favored behind her. The Diz/Bird take of "Lover Man" is a classic beyond reproach, the Auld band for "A Hundred Years from Today" is locked in a better sound production with vibrato and the singer in a lower key, while the Taylor quartet with bassist Al McKibbon and drummer Kenny Clarke do "Gentleman Friend" right, as guitarist Palmier joins for a crisp, professional reading of this sly elegy of encroachment. While not definitive, this time-capsule collection of music should please anyone wanting a quick standard burst or a new taste of the most amazing vocalist in pop/jazz ever, early in her stellar career. ~Michael G. Nastos

Everything I Have Is Yours

---

Richard Wyands Trio - Get Out Of Town

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:15
Size: 158.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[10:03] 1. Get Out Of Town
[ 6:34] 2. Love Dance
[ 6:28] 3. Yardbird Suite
[ 6:41] 4. Angelica
[ 7:42] 5. I Don't Want To Cry Anymore
[ 5:53] 6. Serenata
[ 4:30] 7. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
[ 6:40] 8. Mean What You Say
[ 8:01] 9. Why Did I Choose You
[ 6:38] 10. Jitterbug Waltz

Largely overlooked by the critics in the ’50s and ’60s, Richard Wyands also was overshadowed in the eyes of the public by such more widely exposed pianists as Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, and Oscar Peterson. One might profitably compare his lot with that of Hank Jones, unquestionably a more well-known musician, but one who nevertheless also suffered the downside of consistency, dependability and flexibility. However, this 1996 trio date, the 68-year-old Wyands was joined by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, should help to correct this injustice.

The little-remembered “Angelica,” a calypso-based number that Ellington wrote for his 1962 quartet date with Coltrane, is a surprise entry among more familiar fare and should alert others to seek within the crevices for previously untapped sources of material. Other tunes on this ten-track program include “Yardbird Suite,” “Jitterbug Waltz,” “Gee, Baby Ain’t I Good to You?,” “Serenata,” Thad Jones’ “Mean What You Say,” and the charming Ivan Lins ballad, “Love Dance.” Unfairly neglected during his prime, Richard Wyands is a remarkably fine musician who still deserves all the attention he can get. Jack Sohmer

Get Out Of Town  

---

Shannon Butcher - Little Hearts

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:43
Size: 102.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:17] 1. Joy In My Heart
[4:22] 2. Walk On By
[3:00] 3. The Last Word (Feat. Michael Kaeshammer)
[4:39] 4. Hush
[3:36] 5. Run To You
[5:42] 6. (I Ain't In The Mood For) No Dj
[4:28] 7. Simple Love
[3:57] 8. What'll I Do
[3:41] 9. Smile
[4:36] 10. Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)
[3:20] 11. Better Kisser

Jazz singer Shannon Butcher has come out with another great album and its main strength is in the material she’s chosen to cover. She’s done what I think all modern jazz singers should be doing, i.e. quit covering the done-to-death standards and look to a more modern songbook for fodder. Sure there’s a place for the Gershwin and Porter rehashings now and then - especially in live performance - but when greats like Ella and Sarah have recorded them before, a singer had better be bringing something pretty interesting to the party, or why should we buy it? So when I see 70s and 80s tunes on a CD cover, as is the case with “Little Hearts,” it’s a sign that an artist is thinking outside the box, and that’s what jazz is all about. The Bacharach-David beauty Walk on By gets a moody, heartfelt treatment that reflects the sentiment of the lyrics better than the peppy Warwick original (sorry Dionne!) and Bryan Adams’ Run to You goes Latin American with Daniel Stone on cajon and Rob Piltch doing his usual tasteful nylon string guitar work.

Butcher has also done some very fine songwriting on this album. Joy in My Heart kicks off the disc with a soulful ode to staying positive and the duet with the enormously talented Michael Kaeshammer - The Last Word - is a cute nod to 60s romantic comedies. The one older standard covered here - Irving Berlin’s What’ll I Do - has been given an inventive alt-country facelift courtesy of Piltch’s twangy, plaintive guitar work. ~Cathy Riches

Little Hearts

---

Pete York & Young Friends - Basiecally Speaking

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:29
Size: 120.2 MB
Styles: Swing, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. Groovin' For Basie
[3:25] 2. Tickle Toe
[5:00] 3. Splanky
[4:09] 4. Jumpin At The Woodside
[4:29] 5. Moten Swing
[3:33] 6. Flip Flop And Fly
[5:28] 7. Lil' Darling
[5:39] 8. Shiney Stockings
[4:00] 9. Cute
[3:19] 10. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
[3:47] 11. Lester Leaps In
[3:50] 12. Broadway
[2:12] 13. Roll 'em Pete

Drums, Vocals – Pete York; Guitar, Vocals – Torsten Goods; Organ [Hammond] – Andi Kissenbeck; Tenor Saxophone – Gabor Bolla; Bass – Wolfgang Schmid.

It all goes back to year 1965. Spencer Davis Group was recording a single for the label Phillips Germany after having released its number one hit “Keep on Running”. Alongside the guitarist and a former German teacher Spencer Davis, Steve Winwood and his older brother Muff also the upcoming drummer Pete York was a member of the band. The producer of the session was Siggi Loch. “We’ve been friends ever since,” Pete York, who turned 70 in August, reminisces. “Maybe it is Siggi’s birthday present that I got the chance to release this album on ACT.”

The present is called „Basiecally Speaking“. As you might guess due to the title, the album is all about Count Basie. York explains: “Basie was almost my first connection with jazz after Louis Armstrong. When I was 15, my mother took me to see his concert. It was unforgettable, particularly due to his energetic drummer Sonny Payne. His big band had such power and dynamics. Basie used the whole language of music and was famous for his musical humour as well as for his economic way of playing the piano. Every note mattered and was swinging. I have tried to include all these things in my music. Most of all, I learnt from Basie what not to play.”

Basiecally Speaking

---

Mark Murphy - My Favorite Things

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:48
Size: 86.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:28] 1. Twisted
[5:02] 2. Li'l Darlin'
[3:30] 3. Doodlin'
[2:17] 4. My Favorite Things
[2:30] 5. Milestones
[4:50] 6. Out Of This World
[3:11] 7. No Tears For Me
[3:49] 8. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
[3:10] 9. Stoppin' The Clock
[3:44] 10. On Green Dolphin Street
[3:13] 11. Angel Eyes

Mark Murphy often seemed to be the only true jazz singer of his generation. A young, hip post-bop vocalist, Murphy spent most of his career sticking to the standards -- and often presented radically reworked versions of those standards while many submitted to the lure of the lounge singer -- during the artistically fallow period of the 1970s and '80s. Marketed as a teen idol by Capitol during the mid-'50s, Murphy deserted the stolid world of commercial pop for a series of exciting dates on independent labels that featured the singer investigating his wide interests: Jack Kerouac, Brazilian music, songbook recordings, vocalese, and hard bop, among others.

He grew up near Syracuse, New York, born into an intensely musical family (both parents sang). Mark began playing piano as a child, and studied both voice and theater while at college. He toured through Canada with a jazz trio for a time and spent a while back home before he moved to New York in early 1954. A few television appearances gained him a contract with Decca Records, and he debuted with 1956's Meet Mark Murphy. He released one more LP for Decca before signing to Capitol in 1959. Though label executives often forced material (and an excessively clean-cut image) on the young singer, he managed to distinguish himself with good sets of standards, musical accompaniment furnished by West Coast jazz regulars, and a distinctive vocal style that often twisted lines and indulged in brief scatting to display his jazz credentials. John Bush

My Favorite Things

---

Ted Heath & His Orchestra - Ted Heath Plays Tadd Dameron

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 14:50
Size: 34.0 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[0:27] 1. Theme In
[2:43] 2. Ladybyrd
[2:52] 3. Lyonia
[2:58] 4. The Nearness Of You
[2:48] 5. Euphoria
[2:42] 6. So Easy
[0:16] 7. Theme Out

The U.S. had Glenn Miller and Stan Kenton. The U.K. had Ted Heath. Born in 1902, the trombonist played in jazz bands from the 1920s through the mid-1940s, when he formed his own big band on D-Day. Inspired by Miller's Army Air Force Band, with its precision and dramatic moodiness, Heath grew in popularity after the war, performing every Sunday at London's Palladium. Then came Heath's 1956 tour of the U.S. that kicked his reputation up several notches. Negotiating a groundbreaking deal with the American Federation of Musicians, Heath was able to perform with Nat King Cole, June Christy and the Four Freshman—playing 43 concerts in 30 cities in 31 days. Though Heath never became a household name in the U.S., he recorded ferociously in London up until his death at age 67 in 1969.

For much of 1948—when bebop's popularity was reachng its zenith—American musicians were prohibited by their union from recording. That year, Heath commissioned Tadd Dameron to write arrangements for his proficient and brassy band. Dameron scored a batch for Heath—including his own Ladybird, Per Husby's Lyonia, Hoagy Carmichael's The Nearness of You, Roy Krall's Euphoria and his own So Easy. These five arrangements wound up on an album recorded in London in 1949 and released there on an early British 10-inch LP. To create a concert atmosphere, Heath's theme—Listen to My Music—opened and closed the album. [Pictured above: Tadd Dameron] The arrangements here are noble and cleverly comfortable in the bop vernacular. They also are fairly difficult, with sections constantly moving in and out and intersecting every now and then with the song's melody. Interestingly, So Easy is virtually the same arrangement that Dameron wrote for Artie Shaw's 1949 band—but taken at a faster and more engaging clip.

This album shows off the Heath orchestra's crisp style and its ability to play big-band bop. Britain was devistated economically after World War II and it would take unitl the 1960s before U.K. hounseholds began to recover financially. Throughout the '50s, Heath kept the the British in good spirits, proving that the country's answer to the Miller and Kenton bands could keep up. ~Mark Myers

Ted Heath Plays Tadd Dameron

---

Andy LaVerne with John Abercrombie - Natural Living

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:58
Size: 162,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Sweet and Lovely
(6:03)  2. Actual Sighs
(4:49)  3. John's Waltz
(5:19)  4. All the Things You Are
(5:25)  5. Among Tall Trees
(8:21)  6. Natural Living
(4:14)  7. Archetypal Schemata
(4:04)  8. Magnetic Flux
(5:20)  9. Labour Day
(7:33) 10. When you wish upon a star
(7:13) 11. Stella by Starlight
(7:31) 12. Suzy's World

This duo date marks the first occasion during which Andy LaVerne and John Abercrombie played together, so with the impressive results it isn't surprising to learn that they would get together again in the studio. The give and take between the pianist and guitarist is at the high level of the Bill Evans-Jim Hall sessions. An inventive interpretation of "Sweet and Lovely" starts things off at a high level. They skim the surface of "All the Things You Are" by adding some interesting re-harmonization, while "When You Wish Upon a Star" has a rhapsodic introduction by LaVerne and wonderful comping by each player for his partner's solo. The influence of Bill Evans upon LaVerne's playing during "Stella by Starlight." Both men also contributed original tunes to the date. LaVerne's "Natural Living" is a hard to predict bossa nova with Abercrombie on acoustic guitar, while the pianist's "Archetypal Schemata" and Abercrombie's "John's Waltz" are post-bop masterpieces. Their one collaboration seems to be a joint improvisation, with Abercrombie on guitar synthesizer. This is an excellent all around release. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/natural-living-mw0000190635

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

Natural Living

---

Jenny Evans, Dusko Goykovich - Shiny Stockings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:01
Size: 136,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Shiny Stockings
(3:22)  2. Good Old Days
(4:30)  3. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(3:53)  4. That's What Zoot Said
(5:21)  5. You Go To My Head
(4:43)  6. In A Mellow Tone
(5:07)  7. Caravan
(4:15)  8. Willow Weep For Me
(5:14)  9. Alright, OK, You Win
(4:38) 10. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:15) 11. The Song Of Autumn
(4:18) 12. April In Paris
(3:37) 13. All Of Me

Jazz vocalist Jenny Evans, born and raised in Britain, has been a resident of Munich for many years. Sometimes when she scats, one can almost detect a hint of a German accent. But although her career has been based wholly in Europe, Evans’s passion is the Great American Songbook. Delving into material such as "Willow Weep for Me," "In a Mellow Tone," and "Honeysuckle Rose," she displays a voice that is deep and golden-toned. Her intonation is perfect maybe even too perfect. A little more rough-edged spontaneity might have made the session less ordinary, especially on such often-played standards as "Caravan" and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise." "April In Paris" is lackluster, not to mention a tad too fast the beautiful bridge rushes right by.

That said, Evans really knows how to get around these songs, and so does her band. Trumpeter Dusko Goykovich and tenor saxophonist Gianni Basso often team up to play inspired shout choruses; when Evans joins them as a third "horn," it sounds like a mini big band. Basso’s solo style is delightfully old-school. All three collaborated on the lively "That’s What Zoot Said," dedicated to the late Zoot Sims; Goykovich and Evans co-wrote the other two originals of the session, "Good Old Days" and "The Song of Autumn," both minor-key ballads. Solid playing is also the norn for pianist David Gazarov, bassist Branko Pejakovic, and drummer/producer Rudi Martini. ~ David Adler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/shiny-stockings-jenny-evans-enja-records-review-by-david-adler.php

Personnel: Jenny Evans (vocals); Gianni Basso (soprano & tenor saxophone); Dusko Goykovich (trumpet, flugelhorn); David Gazarov (piano); Branko Pejakovic (bass); Rudi Martini (drums).

Shiny Stockings

---

Kevin Hays - Crossroad

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 68:30
Size: 109,8 MB
Art: Front

( 6:27)  1. P.S. The Blues
( 8:54)  2. Gaslight
( 7:37)  3. Garden View
( 8:38)  4. Woody's Call
( 9:06)  5. Quartet
( 8:46)  6. Cross Road
( 8:35)  7. Nature Boy
(10:24)  8. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise

A talented pianist, Kevin Hays grew up in Connecticut and started lessons when he was seven. He made his recording debut with Nick Brignola; toured with the Harper Brothers (1989-1990); and worked with Joshua Redman, Benny Golson, Donald Harrison, Roy Haynes, and Joe Henderson, among others. Kevin Hays recorded three albums with Bob Belden, and in 1994 cut his first record as a leader, Seventh Sense (Blue Note). ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kevin-hays/id17271591#fullText

Scott Wendholt (trumpet, flugelhorn) Kevin Hays (piano) Freddie Bryant (guitar) Dwayne Burno (bass) Carl Allen (drums)

Crossroad

---

Benny Golson - The Modern Touch

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:11
Size: 92,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:28)  1. Out of the Past
( 7:20)  2. Reunion
( 5:41)  3. Venetian Breeze
( 4:14)  4. Hymn to the Orient
( 4:48)  5. Namely You
(11:37)  6. Blues on Down

Benny Golson's second album as a leader (reissued on CD in the OJC series) is a solid hard bop date featuring the tenorman in a quintet with trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Max Roach. The all-star group performs three Golson originals (none of which really caught on), a pair of Gigi Gryce tunes (best known is "Hymn to the Orient") and the standard "Namely You." Excellent playing on an above-average set that defines the modern mainstream of 1957 jazz. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-modern-touch-mw0000099791

Personnel:  Benny Golson (tenor saxophone);  Kenny Dorham (trumpet);  J.J. Johnson (trombone);  Wynton Kelly (piano);  Paul Chambers (bass);  Max Roach (drums).

The Modern Touch

---

The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Jimmy Rushing - Brubeck & Rushing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:19
Size: 83.1 MB
Styles: Jazz, Blues
Year: 1960/1998
Art: Front

[2:07] 1. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[3:59] 2. My Melancholy Baby
[4:39] 3. Blues In The Dark
[2:29] 4. I Never Knew (I Could Love Anyone Like I'm Loving You)
[3:22] 5. Ain't Misbehavin'
[4:12] 6. Evenin'
[2:32] 7. All By Myself
[4:23] 8. River, Stay 'way From My Door
[3:31] 9. You Can Depend On Me
[2:51] 10. Am I Blue
[2:09] 11. Shine On Harvest Moon (Previously unreleased)

Alto Saxophone – Paul Desmond; Bass – Eugene Wright; Drums – Joe Morello; Piano – Dave Brubeck; Vocals – Jimmy Rushing.

Although associated with the more modern styles of jazz, Brubeck always had a great respect (if not reverence) for the masters of the past. On ten standards Brubeck, altoist Paul Desmond and the Quartet fit in perfectly behind the great swing/blues singer Jimmy Rushing who sounds rejuvenated by the fresh setting. This disc, a surprising success, is well worth searching for. ~Scott Yanow

Brubeck & Rushing

---

Jane McDonald - The Best Of Love (2-Disc Set)

2012 two CD collection. From club singer to TV stardom via the ocean wave: that s the voyage Jane McDonald s enjoyed in the past decade and a half. The documentary The Cruise acted as an unexpected springboard to success with a double platinum album, and as one of the stars of Loose Women she s a welcome visitor to millions of homes. Now enough of the talking: here s the music of The Best Of Love! Music Club Deluxe.

Album: The Best Of Love (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 55:52

Size: 127.9 MB

Styles: Easy Listening

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[3:01] 1. You're My World

[3:26] 2. This Is My Song

[4:36] 3. The Twelfth of Never

[4:46] 4. Have I Told You Lately

[3:03] 5. Where the Boys Are

[3:08] 6. (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman

[4:16] 7. The Wind Beneath My Wings

[2:22] 8. Kiss Me, Honey, Honey, Kiss Me

[3:24] 9. Little Things Mean a Lot

[2:37] 10. You're Breaking My Heart

[3:51] 11. It Must Be Him

[3:44] 12. Some You Win Some You Lose

[4:05] 13. You Belong to Me

[4:49] 14. When I Look at You

[4:35] 15. One Moment in Time

The Best Of Love (Disc 1)  

---

Album: The Best Of Love (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 60:30

Size: 138.5 MB

Styles: Easy Listening

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[2:46] 1. You Don't Have to Say You Love

[3:16] 2. Give Me Time

[3:57] 3. i'll never love this way again

[3:30] 4. Do You Know the Way to San Jose

[3:25] 5. (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me

[3:29] 6. Downtown

[3:53] 7. How Do I Live

[4:32] 8. I Will Always Love You

[4:19] 9. I See It in Your Eyes

[4:39] 10. Kiss Me One More Time

[3:28] 11. When I Fall in Love

[3:13] 12. Behind Closed Doors

[2:58] 13. Blame It on the Bossa Nova

[7:16] 14. You're My World

[5:44] 15. Kiss Me Honey, Honey, Kiss Me

The Best Of Love (Disc 2)  

---

Bennie Green - Walkin' And Talkin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:46
Size: 93.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1959/2008
Art: Front

[5:20] 1. The Shouter
[6:15] 2. Green Leaves
[7:23] 3. This Love Of Mine
[9:47] 4. Walkin' And Talkin'
[6:03] 5. All I Do Is Dream Of You
[5:55] 6. Hoppin' Johns

Bass – George Tucker; Drums – Al Dreares; Piano – Gildo Mahones; Tenor Saxophone – Eddy Williams; Trombone – Bennie Green. Recorded on January 25, 1959.

All of Bennie Green's Blue Note records were rich with joyously swinging blues and bop, highlighted by his warm, friendly tone and good humor. Walkin' & Talkin', his third record for the label, was no exception to the rule. Leading a quintet that features tenor saxophonist Eddy Williams, pianist Gildo Mahones, bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Dreares, Green keeps things light, swinging and immensely entertaining. Mahones wrote three of the six songs, including the swinging opener "The Shouter" and the Latin-tinged "Green Leaves"; Green contributed the bluesy title track, and the group offers two standards -- engaging, lightly swinging readings of "This Love of Mine" and "All I Do is Dream of You." The result is no different than Green's two previous Blue Note records, but it's no less satisfying, and fans of swinging bop should be contented with Walkin' & Talkin'. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Walkin' And Talkin'

---

Andi Kissenbeck's Club Boogaloo - Hammond's Delight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:07
Size: 133.0 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. Return Of The Prodigal Son
[4:25] 2. Cat Walk
[5:18] 3. Oops, Too Short
[4:24] 4. I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues
[5:35] 5. Ramblin
[5:36] 6. Blues For Joey
[5:59] 7. Waiting For The Sunrise
[6:20] 8. Bj-Blues
[4:03] 9. T-Bone Blues
[5:26] 10. Song For Dave
[5:22] 11. Refinnej Blues

Andreas Kissenbeck – Org | Torsten Goods - gitar, vocals | Lutz Häfner - sax | Andrej Lobanov- trompet | Jean-Paul Höchstädter - drums.

The name denotes its significance: organ jazz in the tradition of Lou Donaldson, Lonnie Smith, Joey DeFrancesco and George Benson. The groove is the basis – funk, shuffle, swing and boogaloo. In addition, there are melodies and harmonies from blues, funk, soul and modern jazz. The Hammond B 3 always plays a pivotal role. It is played by Andi Kissenbeck, who teaches at the music colleges of Wurzburg and Munster in addition to his activities as organist and pianist (concerts and tours with Bennie Bailey, Jiggs Wigham and Bobby Shew, among others). His fellow musicians on the other instruments – who also belong to the best and most experienced jazz musicians in Germany – are skilled in playing powerfully without sounding forced. When the fantastic voice of Torsten Goods is added, an unrivaled ambience is created! Goods, known thanks to his successful albums released by ACT, plays above all his guitar, which he also used with a great deal of success playing along with Les Paul, Bob James and Chris Potter. On the other hand, Lutz Häfner is not only in demand as a saxophonist (among others with Maria Schneider’s Jazz Orchestra, Ingrid Jensen and Billy Hart) beyond the borders of Germany, he is also an excellent arranger. Andrej Lobanov – also known to the connoisseurs of the Jazz thing Next Generation series from the band of Krischkowsky – teaches at Leipzig Music College in the meantime and has already played with stars such as Randy Brecker and Dave Brubeck. Jean-Paul Höchstädter, who formally honed his skills in big bands (RIAS Big Band, HR Big Band, NDR Big Band), can often be heard playing with musicians ranging from Tony Lakatos to Till Brönner today.It is not surprising that this group has been working successfully with the young Kissenbeck for years. In addition to unrestrained joy of playing, you sense the will to make music that is not only demanding, but which is also entertaining in the best sense of the word. Pieces by Ornette Coleman, Duke Ellington and others but above all Kissenbeck’s own compositions contribute to combine modern influences and consciousness of tradition. This is not surprising either when you know that he recently published a two-volume compendium on jazz theory at Bärenreiter Publishing House recently. No doubt about it, the man knows what he is doing.

Hammond's Delight

---

Joni James - I Feel A Song Coming On

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:52
Size: 79.8 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962/2011
Art: Front

[2:06] 1. 'deed I Do
[3:10] 2. You Came A Long Way From St. Louis
[3:40] 3. In Other Words
[2:00] 4. I Feel A Song Comin' On
[2:42] 5. Lullaby Of Birdland
[2:50] 6. You Do
[2:23] 7. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:04] 8. My Melancholy Baby
[3:14] 9. Basin Street Blues
[3:09] 10. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[3:45] 11. By The Way
[1:43] 12. September In The Rain

After over a decade as a top-charting female vocalist, Joni James' early- and mid-'60s output is comparatively jazzy, featuring some of her most mature and progressive sounds to date. I Feel a Song Coming On (1962) saw James shed her pinup image for a dozen tracks culled from various American pop music songbooks. This effort's free-form and improvisational accompaniment lends itself well to the vocalist's unique and fresh interpretations of a wide variety of popular standards and, concurrently, new additions to the otherwise traditional lexicon. Joining James is Jimmie Haskell, whose scores are equally inventive as each arrangement swells and ebbs with the unmistakable energy and unity of a spontaneous jam session. The singer's earlier encounters with Stan Kenton's orchestra seem to have paid off quite a dividend as James weaves some post-bop mastery into the uptempo reading of "'Deed I Do" as well as the equally hot-steppin' "On the Sunny Side of the Street." The extended instrumental intros foreshadow the lightly maneuvered vocals that follow. Granted, James is no Ella Fitzgerald; however, she is able to swing with authority on George Shearing's "Lullaby of Birdland" and adds an exceedingly soulful inflection to Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" and, most profoundly, the Creole-steeped "Basin Street Blues." Her more refined style of balladry is highlighted on the gentle "Fly Me to the Moon" and the bluesy torch reading of "My Melancholy Baby." Few vocalists, male or female, have repeatedly proven their versatility and emotive adeptness as has Joni James. I Feel a Song Coming On proves not only her continued relevance as a vocal interpreter but also as an innovator, by stretching her boundaries and displaying her limitless talents. ~Lindsay Planer

I Feel A Song Coming On

---

Various - Atlantic Jazz: West Coast

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:18
Size: 126.6 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1986/2005
Art: Front

[ 2:56] 1. Eddie Safranski - Sa-Frantic
[ 4:56] 2. Shorty Rogers - Not Really The Blues
[ 4:03] 3. Jack Montrose - Paradox
[ 5:52] 4. Conte Candoli - Cheremoya
[ 8:00] 5. Shorty Rogers - Martians Go Home
[ 3:57] 6. Jimmy Giuffre - The Song Is You
[11:27] 7. Jimmy Giuffre - Topsy
[ 7:44] 8. The Red Mitchell-Harold Land Quintet - Triplin' Awhile
[ 6:19] 9. Shelly Manne - You Name It

Part of Atlantic's by-genre-and-instrument jazz series, Atlantic Jazz: West Coast spotlights some of the giants from the land of the Central Avenue breakdown and fog-bound bridges. On the high-profile end, such stellar players and bandleaders as Shorty Rogers and Shelly Manne contribute tasty sides, while the obscure quotient is nicely covered by Eddie Safrinski. Taking up the middle ground, tenor saxophonist Jack Montrose, the duo of Harold Land and Red Mitchell, and Conte Candoli contribute fine cuts as well. Maybe not the best introduction to those West Coast jazz sounds, but a fine selection of sides all the same. ~Stephen Cook

Atlantic Jazz: West Coast

---

Veronica Martell - Lucky

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:50
Size: 123,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Too Young for the Blues
(5:18)  2. Something's Gotta Give
(4:38)  3. It's Alright With Me
(4:45)  4. If I'm Lucky
(3:43)  5. Flip Flop and Fly
(4:29)  6. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
(4:52)  7. Black Night
(5:39)  8. Teardrops from My Eyes
(4:56)  9. Romancing The Blues
(4:44) 10. Even God Must Get The Blues
(4:19) 11. Why Don't You Do Right
(2:16) 12. Ain't That A Kick In The Head (Bonus Track)

Lucky is Veronica Martell's second release in as many years and reveals to listeners several new dimensions of her remarkable vocal talent. The accompaniment of nimble winds, vivid percussion, and majestic brass make up Martell's swinging tentet, and together they bring the house down with their energetic rendering of Allen Farnham's arrangements of time-honored standards. Lucky also features guest artists Kevin Mahogany, Allen Farnham, Bob Sheppard, and Buddy Williams, along with Frank Pellegrino dueting with Martell on a special bonus track "Ain't That a Kick in the Head." This is modern-day swing singing at its finest, and their rousing duet is right on the money. The 11 songs also show off Martell's exquisite four-octave vocal range, the guitar finesse of Tony Viscardo, Allen Farnham's command of the minor key 12-bar blues, and the purposeful walking basslines of David Jackson. Her brilliant duet with Kevin Mahogany on "It's Alright With Me" features her less-than run-of-the-mill swing voice in perfect harmony with Mahogany's beautiful baritone vocals before Mahogany launches into a full-bodied scat. "Even God Must Get the Blues," an original written by Tony Viscardo and Veronica Martell, features Martell's range beautifully comped by Viscardo's swinging guitar solo and Bob Sheppard's tenor saxophone, while "Romancing the Blues" finds Martell's vocals wrapped in a blues ambience that will have listeners enraptured in her lament. Veronica Martell's repertoire is more versatile on Lucky than on her debut release, and as a result of international performances, a better production team, television appearances, and added name recognition, this CD serves notice that Martell's debut release, Big City Swing, was just the tip of the iceberg. ~ Paula Edelstein http://www.allmusic.com/album/lucky-mw0000492592

Lucky

---