Roy Hargrove - Approaching Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:01
Size: 146.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[6:09] 1. Easy To Remember
[6:11] 2. Ruby My Dear
[7:38] 3. Whisper Not
[5:16] 4. What's New
[7:34] 5. September In The Rain
[6:24] 6. You Don't Know What Love Is
[8:01] 7. End Of A Love Affair
[5:43] 8. Things We Did Last Summer
[4:50] 9. Everything I Have Is Yours/Dedicated To You
[6:10] 10. My Shining Hour

Roy Hargrove/Trumpet,Flugelhorn; Stephen Scott/Piano; John Hicks/Piano; Billy Higgins/Drums; Ron Blake/Soprano Saxophone,Tenor Saxophone; Scott Colley/Bass; Foster/Drums; Gregory Hutchinson/Drums; Frank Lacy/Trombone;Christian McBride/Bass; Rodney Whitaker/Bass.

Ballads dominate the album, accounting for seven of the album's ten tracks; Hargrove generally interprets them in a cool, emotionally detached manner...Compiled from four albums whose recording dates span from 1989 to 1993, Approaching Standards...also documents Hargrove's growth as a musician. "Everything I Have is Yours/Dedicated to You," taken from the 1993 recording Of Kindred Souls, finds Hargrove in a more mature frame of mind, and points toward the much better albums he would soon make.

Approaching Standards

---

Randy Crawford, Joe Sample - Live

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:42
Size: 113.8 MB
Styles: Soul jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:13] 1. Every Day I Have The Blues
[3:56] 2. Feeling Good
[3:17] 3. Tell Me More And More And Then Some
[5:30] 4. Rainy Night In Georgia
[3:45] 5. This Bitter Earth
[2:25] 6. Me, Myself And I
[3:20] 7. No Regrets
[4:57] 8. One Day I'll Fly Away
[5:02] 9. Almaz
[6:07] 10. Street Life
[6:04] 11. Last Night At Danceland

Bass – Nicklas Sample; Drums – Steve Gadd; Piano – Joe Sample; Vocals – Randy Crawford. This album was recorded at various concert halls throughout Europe, during October - December of 2008.

Randy Crawford's and Joe Sample's musical paths have been intertwined for 36 years; they began with his keyboard work on her debut album Everything Must Change in 1976. She returned the favor a couple of years later with her vocal on the Crusaders' 1978 smash "Street Life." The pair have worked together intermittently since then, but only formally recorded as a dual entity on 2007's Feeling Good, a collection of (mostly) jazz tunes and standards. They followed it with No Regrets in 2008, a collection of blues, soul, and pop tunes. Both albums were highly regarded critically. Sample's piano was aided by drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Christian McBride. Live was recorded on various European stages between October and December of 2008, immediately prior to and just after the release of No Regrets. Gadd is present here, but it is Sample's son Nicklas in the upright bass chair. The impeccably recorded program is drawn from both albums and then some. Beginning with an in-the-pocket read of "Everyday I Have the Blues," and continuing with standards from the jazz, blues, and soul books, the set is well-sequenced and feels very much like a seamless live date. There's an excellent, jazzed-up reading of "Street Life" surprisingly enough, and a shimmering take on Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia" (that features Sample quoting from the Crusaders' "Hard Times" in his vamps and fills. There's also moving a version of Clyde Otis' "This Bitter Earth" (first recorded by Dinah Washington in 1960). The tunes that reflect the depth of Crawford's and Sample's musical relationship best, however, are in her "Almaz," and Sample's "One Day I'll Fly Away." On the former, Crawford's vocal is haunting, spare, intimate; it is underscored by Sample's elegant playing with its restrained harmonics and Spanish tinge. The latter tune was more risky. Given that the song was a hit for Crawford and is her best-known tune, the bubbling bassline and lush strings are parts of its signature. Stripping all that back for this piano-trio setting meant letting the tune's simple melody be the sole anchor for its smoldering emotion. Crawford deliberately understates it. Sample responds by filling the spaces with poetic economy and a new version emerges that is every bit as resonant. While Live is a further inscription in the collaborative book authored by Crawford and Sample, it is more, too: a classy, soulful example of inspired musicmaking. ~Thom Jurek

Live

---

Reuben Wilson - Organ Donor

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:27
Size: 110.9 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[6:53] 1. Hot Rod
[5:25] 2. Orange Peel
[5:40] 3. Now's The Time
[6:07] 4. Groovin'
[8:14] 5. Trouble Man
[6:40] 6. Got To Get Your Own '98
[4:19] 7. Ronnie's Bonnie
[5:05] 8. Organ Donor

Drums – Adrian Harpham; Flute [Tenor], Flute [Alto], Flute [Soprano] – Melvin Butler; Guitar – Robin Macatangay; Keyboards – Bruce Flowers; Organ [Hammond B3] – Reuben Wilsonl; Percussion – Ricardo Rodriquez; Saxophone [Tenor], Flute [Tenor] – Donny Mcaslin; Trombone – Jason Forsythe; Trumpet – Kenny Rampton; Vocals – Saundra Williams, Starr Adkins.

Reuben Wilson (born 1935) is best remembered as one of Blue Note's funkiest organists, making five albums for the label between 1968 and 1971 (only Love Bug and the excellent Blue Mode are currently available on CD). He went on to record three more records for Groove Merchant, then he whipped up some disco for smaller labels and by the end of the seventies, he was gigging with the Fatback Band. Wilson disappeared from the scene until groups like Us3, Nas and A Tribe Called Quest started sampling his funky old Blue Note grooves. Now he's part of that groove hierarchy of elder funksmen who tour with funk-jazz revivalists, jams it up with Guru and the Greyboy All Stars and records groove tribs like Organic Grooves (Hip Bop).

Organ Donor is a terrific slice of heavy-metal funk. Recorded in 1996 and just recently released the U.S., it's a great introduction to Wilson's brand of grind. He's got a spare style that belies his instrument's reputation. But he manages to whip off one cool lick after another – each packing a powerful wallop of a punch. It's as if his playing doesn't have to prove anything. He knows what grooves. All eight tracks here are newly recorded, but only two (by my count) are really 'new'. Both "Now's the Time" and "Organ Donor," co-written by Wilson and producer / bassist Chris Parks, have a wildly funky groove. The rest will seem pretty familiar to funk fans, yet all are worth hearing in their new incarnation: "Ronnie's Bonnie" (originally from 1968's On Broadway and, because of US3, the launchpad for Wilson's revival), "Hot Rod" (from 1969's Love Bug, here done up MMW-style), "Orange Peel" (from 1969's Blue Mode ) and the excellent disco-funk of "Got To Get Your Own" (from an old Cadet album of the same name).

Despite a lot of cooks in the kitchen, few players other than Wilson are featured. But all solo well and a few stand out: Bruce Flower's keyboards on "Hot Rod," Melvin Bulter on "Orange Peel" and either Bulter or Mcaslin on "Got To Get Your Own" and Robin Macatangay's guitar on "Trouble Man" and "Organ Donor." This is a great disc for groove lovers, and there ain't one dud in the bunch. ~Douglas Payne

Organ Donor

---

Margaretha Evmark, Rolf Jardemark - Plays Cole Porter: Get Out Of Town

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:11
Size: 121.8 MB
Styles: Guitar & vocal jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Let's Do It
[4:13] 2. Get Out Of Town
[4:59] 3. In The Still Of The Night
[3:31] 4. So In Love
[4:05] 5. I Love Paris
[2:53] 6. Too Darn Hot
[4:41] 7. Just One Of Those Things
[4:35] 8. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[4:35] 9. I Love You
[4:25] 10. I Concentrate On You
[3:05] 11. You Do Something To Me
[4:31] 12. Easy To Love
[4:02] 13. Everytime We Say Goodbye

Accordion – Pierre Eriksson (2); Drums – Anders Kjellberg (tracks: 3, 7, 9, 11); Guitar – Rolf Jardemark; Harmonica – Björn Karlsson (tracks: 3, 7, 11); Vibraphone – Mark Johnson (tracks: 3, 9, 10); Vocals, Double Bass – Margareta Evmark.

“The older I get, the more I appreciate truly good songwriting. This album was my first with an in depth focus on vocals. It features the work of the great Cole Porter, one of the most important contributors to the American songbook and entertainment.” ~Rolf Jardemark

Plays Cole Porter: Get Out Of Town

---

Ornette Coleman - Virgin Beauty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:53
Size: 102.8 MB
Styles: Free jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1988/2013
Art: Front

[4:19] 1. 3 Wishes
[5:09] 2. Bourgeois Boogie
[4:44] 3. Happy Hour
[3:33] 4. Virgin Beauty
[5:20] 5. Healing The Feeling
[4:22] 6. Singing In The Shower
[4:23] 7. Desert Players
[4:22] 8. Honeymooners
[3:00] 9. Chanting
[1:25] 10. Spelling The Alphabet
[4:11] 11. Unknown Artist

This CD is often quite exciting, if a bit messy. Ornette Coleman (on alto, trumpet and violin) is heard with his "double quartet" Prime Time, which at the time was comprised of guitarists Bern Nix and Charlie Ellerbee, electric bassists Al MacDowell and Chris Walker, and drummers Denardo Coleman (who also plays some keyboards) and Calvin Weston. As if the ensembles are not dense and overcrowded enough, Jerry Garcia sits in on third guitar on three of the 11 Coleman originals. The music is frequently exciting, but will take several listens to absorb. Worth investigating. ~Scott Yanow

Virgin Beauty

---

Robin Eubanks, Steve Turre - Dedications

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:08
Size: 115,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:22)  1. The New Breed
(6:11)  2. V.O.
(6:33)  3. Red, Black and Green Blues
(6:43)  4. Trance Dance
(5:03)  5. Perpetual Broove
(7:16)  6. Especially for You
(5:02)  7. Koncepts
(6:55)  8. Victory

This CD teams together two of the brightest young trombonists of the period, Robin Eubanks and Steve Turre. The music covers a wide area with "The New Breed" placing the horns over a complex 7/4 funk rhythm (with pianist Mulgrew Miller making his recording debut on synthesizer), "V.O." being a modern Latin original, "Red, Black & Green Blues" featuring the band jamming on a blues reminiscent of the Jazz Messengers and "Trance Dance" evolving from a free form introduction to a nearly impossible-to-play solo section (with 45 beats every four bars). The funky "Perpetual Groove" is succeded by a ballad dedicated to Woody Shaw, the straightahead "Koncepts" (similar to "Giant Steps") and the uptempo "Victory." Eubanks and Turre had worked together on and off for nearly four yaers at this point and their familiarity with each other's playing shows. Add to the two trombones a strong and flexible rhythm section and the result is a stimluating and varied set of modern jazz. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/dedications-mw0000202222

Personnel:  Robin Eubanks - trombone, bass trombone, keyboards, bells;  Steve Turre - trombone, sea shells, synthesizer, bells, claves;  Mulgrew Miller - piano, synthesizers;  Francesca Tanksley – synthesizer;  Charnett Moffett – bass;  Tommy Campbell, Tony Reedus – drums;  Jimmy Delgado - congas, timbales

Dedications

---

Inger Marie Gundersen - My Heart Would Have A Reason

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2009

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 47:51

Size: 110,1 MB

Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Some Things Never Change Music

(4:09)  2. I Can See Clearly Now

(4:08)  3. That's All

(4:34)  4. Something

(4:11)  5. The Road From Yesterday

(4:07)  6. Last First Kiss

(5:17)  7. The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face

(3:47)  8. I Only Want To Be With You

(5:27)  9. Turn Your Lights Down Low

(5:28) 10. Why Should I Cry For You?

(3:07) 11. Even When

Inger Marie’s third CD release proves that the success of her previous two albums was no coincidence. She and her new collaborator, producer and guitarist Georg Wadenius, have handpicked a selection of extremely wellsuited songs, which she and her band  and featured guest, trumpeter Mathias Eick  perform to near perfection. Norwegian jazz diva Inger Marie Gundersen spreads a con- tagious mood of unstressed wellbeing. Her style is relaxed and her vocal phrasing is rock-steady. Once you’ve heard her interpret one of the songs that are so dear to her heart, her voice will never be a stranger to you. Few European fema- le vocalists can match her penetrating charisma. Her art is deeply embedded in her own original musical world. Her sound is personal, and she has the courage to choose tunes from a broader palette than the usual American Songbook. This selection includes her own originals as well as songs by Norwegian colleagues and composers from the outskirts of jazz such as Sting and Bob Marley. Inger Marie strikes a seductive, blue, vibrant note and leaves her audience with a luscious velvety, dusty feeling. Such is the smooth and credible sound of an experienced woman  it is the sound of reflection, love and longing. She administers her extraordinary vocal talent with authority.

Inger Marie does not take a new release lightly. For her, a new CD is an important and very personal undertaking   indeed it is so important, that her first solo album is only a few years back. But her following has been growing quickly ever since. Surprisingly, Asia was first to discover her great talent. She has sold thousands of units there and toured extensively. Her enga- gements include weeklong gigs at Tokyo’s Cotton Club. At home in Norway and in Denmark, where her recording label resides, and all over Europe and in the US, her audiences grow daily. The musicians on My Heart Would Have a Reason are almost exactly the same as on her first two albums (Make This Moment, 2004 and By Myself, 2006), and listening to the music, it is obvious that Inger Marie feels at home in their company. The band is: Oscar Jansen (piano/ Rhodes), Ole Kristian Kvamme (bass), Tom Rudi Torjussen (drums/percussion), Øivind G. Stømer (alto and soprano sax), Mathias Eick (trumpet) and Georg Wadenius (guitar). Swedish Georg Wadenius plays a definitive role as producer and co-arranger as well as with his tasteful musicianship on acoustic and electric guitar. Wadenius has been a professional musician since 1968. He soon became one of Sweden’s most popular session musi- cians, but moved to USA in the early ‘70s to join Blood Sweat and Tears. Once again his reputation grew swiftly, and over the years he worked with a wide range of acts inclu- ding Luther Vandross, Roberta Flack, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Donald Fagen, Michael Franks, Backstreet Boys and many others. The seasoned Georg Wadenius has now returned to Scandinavia, and his collaboration with Inger Marie has resulted in this remarkable album. http://www.challengerecords.com/products/1238593562/

Personnel: Inger Marie Gundersen (vocals); Georg "Jojje" Wadenius (guitar); Mathias Eick (trumpet); Oscar Jansen (piano).

My Heart Would Have A Reason

---

Barbara Dennerlein - Orgelspiele

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop, Post-Bop 
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:54
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Blue Rondo A La Turk
(4:23)  2. This Masquerade
(3:55)  3. Asinus Phi
(3:04)  4. Recreation
(3:25)  5. Eternal Voyage
(2:36)  6. Werde Munter Mein Gemüthe
(5:30)  7. Spain
(2:28)  8. Prelude No.4
(3:08)  9. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:40) 10. Recordame
(3:12) 11. All In Love Is Fair

Organist Barbara Dennerlein performs a wide variety of material on this little-known quartet session from her private German Bebap label. The repertoire ranges from "Blue Rondo A La Turk" and "This Masquerade" (the latter's authorship is mistakenly assigned to George Benson) to Stevie Wonder's "All In Love Is Fair," Chick Corea's "Spain" and pieces by Bach and Chopin. Dennerlein is one of the few original voices on the organ to emerge after Larry Young and she is fine form on the swinging set. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/orgelspiele-mw0000338070

Personnel:  Bass – Barbara Dennerlein;  Drums – Harald Rüschenbaum;  Guitar – Peter Wölpl;  Organ – Barbara Dennerlein;  Violin – Jörg Widmoser

Orgelspiele

---

Larry Schneider & Andy LaVerne - Bill Evans... Person We Knew

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 63:58
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. Re: Person I Knew
(6:53)  2. 34 Skidoo
(8:46)  3. Dream Gypsy
(5:39)  4. Orbit (Unless It's You)
(6:51)  5. Time Remembered
(7:22)  6. Show-Type Tune
(8:46)  7. Detour Ahead
(3:05)  8. Israel
(6:08)  9. Elsa
(5:09) 10. Funkallero
(0:18) 11. Bill's Signature

This duo date by tenor saxophonist Larry Schneider and pianist Andy LaVerne is a tribute to the late Bill Evans, covering both Evans' compositions as well as works by others that he recorded. Evans' problems with drug addiction throughout his adult life are all too well-known, so it almost seems like "Re: Person I Knew" is actually played as a tribute to its composer's struggle with life. Unlike Evans' often rapid fire and melodic interpretations, LaVerne plays an almost dirge-like line to accompany Schneider's almost anguished sounding tenor sax. The duo reverts to a joyous roller coaster ride through Evans' tricky "34 Skidoo" and adds a Latin rhythm to his infrequently played "Orbit." "Time Remembered" is one of Evans' most gorgeous ballads, and Schneider's soulful playing is underscored by LaVerne's shimmering impressionistic piano line. They catch the playful spirit of "Funkallero" and even add Evans' brief signature stag, which he used at the end of each live set. 

The non-Evans tracks also show plenty of imagination. The choice of "Dream Gypsy" is an inspired one, since it appeared only once in Evans' considerable discography (on Undercurrent, with Jim Hall). The duo improvisation that opens John Carisi's "Israel" is breathtaking, while Earl Zindars' "Elsa" is a beautiful jazz waltz that is also well-interpreted. The thought that went into the arrangements and song selections (as well as the consistently high level of playing) make this tribute to Evans an essential acquisition for anyone who is a fan of his many contributions to jazz. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/bill-evans-person-we-knew-mw0000517077

Personnel:  Piano – Andy LaVerne;  Tenor Saxophone – Larry Schneider

Bill Evans... Person We Knew

---

Rodney Jones - The Undiscovered Few

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:34
Size: 145,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. The Undiscovered Few
(5:58)  2. Light And Shadows
(4:47)  3. Tradewinds
(5:58)  4. Dreamers In Love
(5:41)  5. My Favorite Things
(2:55)  6. Through The Eyes Of A Child
(5:22)  7. Oliver & Thad
(5:18)  8. The Message
(6:16)  9. Lesson Time
(4:06) 10. Tears Of A Forgotten Child
(5:08) 11. Circus Wheel
(4:33) 12. 3Rd Orbit

Guitarist Jones has a few other CDs that made you stop and listen, but this one is a true revelation. It explores the music from an expanded compositional standpoint as opposed to the A-B (with solos) -A format. The improvisational aspect of the leader is not de-emphasized, but this superb music, with its mainstream inclinations and joyous horn-embellished large group charts, comes out in a stunning and refreshing manner. Jones has substantial help from top-notch peers as saxophonists Donald Harrison, Greg Osby, and Tim Reis; trumpeters Tim Hagans and Earl Gardner; pianists Shedrick Mitchell, Mike Renzi, and Mulgrew Miller; bassist Lonnie Plaxico; and drummer Eric Harland, among others. As a player on his hollow bodied, non-treated electric guitar, Jones is economical, crisp, and driving. The music he makes is richly constructed, filling up space. Horns cry out, swing like mad, commanding attention. These charts are quite remarkable with presence and effective clarity. "Light & Shadows," "The Message," "Circus Wheel," and "Third Orbit" pop and bop, crackling with syncopated underpinnings. A tour de force blues "Oliver & Thad" for Oliver Nelson and Thad Jones swells with an orchestral quality and expansive concept that is a common theme throughout. The music jumps out at you. Smaller groupings give Jones no less room to stretch as on the Latin-inspired "Tradewinds," or duets with violinist Regina Carter on "Tears of a Forgotten Child," and cellist Jesse Levy on "Through the Eyes of a Child (For Cara)." You're going to exclaim a huge "wow!" upon hearing this one for the first time and with repeated listenings gain more enjoyment from this exciting recording. Clearly an extraordinary modern jazz effort, certainly the best of Jones' career, and a solid candidate for Jazz CD of 1999. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-undiscovered-few-mw0000245489

Personnel: Rodney Jones (guitar); Greg Osby, Morris Goldberg (alto saxophone); Donald Harrison, Tim Ries (tenor saxophone); Tim Hagans, Earl Gardner (trumpet); Charles Gordon (trombone); Regina Carter (violin); Jesse Levy (cello); Mark Sherman (vibraphone); Shedrick Mitchell, Mike Renzi, Mulgrew Miller (piano); Lonnie Plaxico, Benjamin Brown (bass); Lewis Nash, Eric Harland (drums); Robert Allende (percussion).

The Undiscovered Few

---

Doc Severinsen & His Big Band - Swingin' The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:59
Size: 123.6 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[0:56] 1. Intro A La Indigo
[3:57] 2. C Jam Blues
[3:31] 3. Everyday I Have The Blues
[3:38] 4. Wang Wang Blues
[4:18] 5. In A Sentimental Mood
[5:03] 6. Happy Go Lucky Local Blues
[0:43] 7. Doc And Snooky Banter
[3:00] 8. Don't Touch Me
[3:10] 9. Topsy (Arr. T.P.T. Newsom) Topsy
[4:01] 10. What's New
[2:37] 11. The Hucklebuck
[4:10] 12. All Blues
[6:52] 13. West End Blues
[7:55] 14. The Supreme Sacrifice

Doc Severinsen, Tom Delibero, Snooky Young, Conte Candoli, Dennis Tribuzzi, Chuck Findley - trumpet/flugelhorn; Barbara Morrison - vocals; Ed Shaughnessy - drums; Ernie Watts - tenor sax; Mike Daigeau, Steve West - trombone; Ernie Tack - bass trombone; John Bambridge, Karolyn Kafer - alto sax/ soprano sax/flute/clarinet; Phil Feather, Doug Webb - tenor sax, flute, clarinet; Bill Perkins - baritone sax; Ross Tompkins - piano; Bill Cunliffe - piano, Hammond B3 organ#; John Leitham - bass.

Over the last few years, Doc Severinsen has kept a big band together by playing concerts and touring. This successor to the Tonight Show Band, so important to the success of the Johnny Carson show, continues to feature fresh, imaginative arrangements and stellar musicians to perform them. Many members of the group not only played with Severinsen on the Tonight show, but have their roots in the big band, swing tradition like Conte Candoli, Bill Perkins and especially Snooky Young who anchors the trumpet section. Critical to the success of a big band is a drummer who can drive the group, as well as take a roof raising solo from time to time. Ed Shaughnessy fills that prescription. Not only does he move the band with his relentless beat, but he hammers out some significant solos. That he is out of the Gene Krupa school of drumming is evident on Topsy. His performance recalls the Krupa solo on "Sing, Sing, Sing" at the 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert. He isn't all that subtle, but he sure can swing. "Topsy" is one of the highlights of the session and alone is worth the price of the album.

Severinsen is also generous is his distribution of solo time among the rest of the band members, as well as reserving time for himself. Doc is especially prominent on the Joe Oliver/Clarence Williams "West End Blues", an early favorite of Louis Armstrong. After an opening chorus from Severinsen, Bill Perkins comes in, assuming the Harry Carney baritone sax role on "In a Sentimental Mood", getting strong backing from Ross Tompkins' piano. Severinsen takes some more licks on a fervent arrangement of Bob Haggard's classic "What's New" recalling that Haggard was the first to occupy the bass chair in the original Tonight Show Band. The CD's denouement, "The Supreme Sacrifice", is a gospel-like number complete with Bill Cunliffe's Hammond B-3 organ, rumbling choruses from Mike Daigeau's trombone and Snooky Young' trumpet, with some parting shots from Severinsen. As icing on this musical cake, vocalist Barbara Morrison joins the group as "girl singer". Her presence also strengths the blues credentials for this session. She plays Joe Williams on "Every Day I Have the Blues" and does "Don't Touch Me" (pleasantly risque), and" The Hucklebuck", sharing the stage with Conte Candoli's trumpet. Probably no other form of jazz demands good, solid arrangements than big band swing. This album has outstanding material, with seven arrangements by the dependable Tommy Newsom and the rest divided among Artie Butler, John Bambridge and Bill Holman. Good arrangements, a fine play list and top flight musicians in a driving big band puts this album in the highly recommended category. ~Dave Nathan

Swingin' The Blues

---

Steinar Albrigtsen - Life Is Good

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:51
Size: 111.9 MB
Styles: Country jazz vocals
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[3:13] 1. Poor Stanley
[3:30] 2. Shooting Ghosts
[4:43] 3. Life Is Good
[4:07] 4. I Can`t See Myself
[2:28] 5. Ol`time Jazz
[4:54] 6. For Once
[3:57] 7. Blue Skies, Hot Sun
[3:00] 8. If I Give My Heart To You
[4:25] 9. Blues In The Key Of Mississippi
[2:44] 10. I`ll Get By
[3:53] 11. Small Town
[3:51] 12. Never Got A Chance
[4:00] 13. Golden Eagle Feather

Life Is Good is a dimmed plate from Steinar Albrigtsen, and many were probably surprised when this album came out in 1996. The most surprising to many was enough that the album lean more towards jazz than country. Many've become accustomed to thinking of Albrigtsen as a country singer, but on this album he shows that is completely different sides of themselves. He shows that he is really inspired by many types of music, as he always said. Life Is Good came out as ALBRIGTSEN fifth album. On this album there are many light shows, some bordering on pop music, others have a stronger jazz feel. There is also a blue song on the album, for everyone who misses country music. Although Albrigtsen is open to test many types of music, he discovered jazz quite late. He was already an adult, but got a taste for music and was inspired by the atmosphere and vocal performances of well-known jazz singers. On their previous album collaboration Albrigtsen closely with others, including Erik Moll and Tom Pacheco. On Life Is Good, he was more involved themselves. He helped write the lyrics, along with Pacheco, and Albrigtsen also created the music for eight of the songs on the album. (Translated from Norwegian.)

Life Is Good

---

Mandy Gaines & The Wade Mikkola Quintet - Taking A Chance...

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:50
Size: 125.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:25] 1. Them There Eyes
[3:46] 2. Taking A Chance On Love
[5:30] 3. You Don't Know Me
[4:39] 4. Centerpiece
[4:15] 5. S'wonderful
[3:20] 6. My Romance
[5:35] 7. There's No Such Thing As Love
[2:32] 8. I Just Found Out About Love
[4:00] 9. Cheek To Cheek
[2:49] 10. Miss Otis Regrets
[5:26] 11. Our Day Will Come
[4:12] 12. Moonlight In Vermont
[3:14] 13. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:02] 14. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

At the first meeting with Mandy Gaines and my group, it became instantly clear that it had been worth ”taking a chance…”. Mandy’s expressive singing and her strong phrasing showed the group rightaway where to lay the groove. She possesses the rare talent to give the lyrics a meaning, tell the story and make it her own. This always gives the interesting challenge for the accompanists to match it with a complimentary musical arrangement. We both took a chance and it paid off. When listening to this cd, I am sure you agree!

Ms. Gaines and company have mined the treasure trove of the 20th Century American songbook, and have created a modern masterpiece in Taking A Chance. The arrangements by group leader and bassist Wade Mikkola effectively display the multifaceted talents of his sidemen in various combinations from duo to quintet. And while Mandy Gaines is a new name to this listener, it is evident from the sincerity and poise of her vocal expressiveness that she has achieved an uncommon mastery of the art of jazz and popular singing. This CD is truly a surprising find, a definite must have!!! ~Roger Bennett/Pacific Jazz

Taking A Chance...

---

Nicola Conte - The Modern Sounds Of Nicola Conte

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 43:49

Size: 100.3 MB

Styles: Jazz/Pop/Rock, Electronic

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[4:39] 1. When I Wish Upon A Star

[3:28] 2. All Or Nothing At All

[5:15] 3. Charade

[6:15] 4. Flamenco Sketches

[3:30] 5. Groovy Samba

[4:17] 6. Lotus Sun

[4:02] 7. New Blues

[2:25] 8. Solo

[5:25] 9. Take Five

[4:29] 10. The Shaman

Performer [With] – Akiko, Alice Riccardi, Daniele Scannapieco, Fabrizio Bosso, Flavio Boltro, Gaetano Partipilo, Gianluca Petrella, José James, Kim Sanders, Lisa Bassenge, Lorenzo Tucci, Mark Murphy, Pietro Ciancaglini, Pietro Lussu, Rosario Giuliani, Teppo Mäkinen, Till Brönner, Timo Lassy.

This set has been a long time coming. Italian composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, and label impresario Nicola Conte has been issuing tracks on compilations, on 7", 10", and 12" vinyl for over a decade as mixes, side projects, and reworks. (The latter means that he actually uses his own band to reconceptualize and rearrange an original artist’s recording, more often than not with said artist’s participation.) Most of these cuts came and went, and have been out of print for some time. This killer double-disc set collects virtually all of them in a single spot -- 26 tracks' worth on his Schema imprint. The range of artists is staggering, from Mark Murphy, Til Brönner, Jose James, and Marco Di Marco to Fertile Ground, the Five Corners Quintet, Maki Mannami, and Roberto Roena.

Highlights on disc one include Mark Murphy’s “Stolen Moments (Midnight Mood Rework)”; his own Latin-ized cover of Henry Mancini’s and Johnny Mercer’s “Charade,” with Lisa Bassenge on vocals, and the killer reconstruction of [re:jazz]’s “Quiet Nights” subtitled “Out of the Cool Version,” after the Gil Evans session on Impulse! that inspired it. But tracks like the Jack Lawrence and Arthur Altman standard “All or Nothing at All,” by Conte's group with Jose James on vocals, are stellar examples of his ability to chart for large ensembles and make them rhythmically compelling and harmonically adventuresome, yet contain utterly smooth textures. Disc two contains the gorgeous reworking of Til Brönner’s version of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s and Vinicius de Moraes’ “Só Danço Samba,” that retains Brönner’s vocal and trumpet solo, but conceives everything else -- Conte’s guitar work on this track is stellar. The 12” of the Sunaga T Experience’s “A Healing Blue (Shape of Jazz to Come Version)” features Sheila Landis adding lyrics to the composition and fronting the Italian quintet. Also check the Afro-Cuban rework of Dave Brubeck’s classic “Take Five!” by Roberto Roena.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if you know anything about Conte’s side project work, or his singles there are plenty of them here -- if you dig the man’s music, you’ll flip for The Modern Sounds of Nicola Conte: Versions in Jazz-Dub. It is a seamless, utterly engaging collection of 21st century clubjazz rooted in the traditions of bossa, West Coast, progressive big band, continental, and post-bop jazz, as well as 21st century electronic music that has something on it for everyone. Thom Jurek

The Modern Sounds Of Nicola Conte   

---

James Moody - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:29
Size: 85.8 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1959/2004
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Darben The Redd Foxx
[3:06] 2. Little Girl Blue
[6:27] 3. Out Of Nowhere
[5:56] 4. Daahoud
[4:01] 5. Yesterdays
[2:37] 6. Cookie
[3:17] 7. With Malice Towards None
[8:11] 8. R.B.Q

Johnny Coles - Trumpet; Clarence Johnston - Drums; Musa Kaleem - Sax (Baritone); Gene Kee - Piano; John Latham - Bass, Guitar (Bass); Tom McIntosh - Trombone; James Moody - , Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor).

James Moody's self-titled disc from 1959 is a solidly swinging date that finds Moody splitting his time between flute, alto, and tenor sax. His sextet is made up of mostly obscure players, though trumpeter Johnny Coles had a couple of records as a leader. The session was the first for Moody following his stay at Overbrook Hospital and he certainly sounds rejuvenated on uptempo tunes like "Daahoud," "Darben the Redd Foxx," and "Cookie." His work on flute is especially nice on the ballads "Little Girl Blue" and "Yesterdays." Best of all is "R.B.Q.," a funky blues workout that closes the record in style and features Moody on tenor blowing his soul out. This record is a fine example of what makes Moody so wonderful; his exuberance, thoughtfulness, and soul make him one of the greats. If you haven't discovered him yet, this is a good place to start. If you're already hip to the man, this is a vital addition to your collection. ~Tim Sedra

James Moody

---

Charles Earland - Whip Appeal

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:35
Size: 96,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:31)  1. Songbird
(8:43)  2. Whip Appeal
(7:08)  3. Burner's Desire
(3:47)  4. No Brain, No Pain
(7:21)  5. Eight After Ten
(8:05)  6. More Today Than Yesterday

A jazz version of Babyface's "Whip Appeal"? It's hard to believe, but then, Charles Earland has always had an impressive ability to recontextualize pop and R&B songs that seem the most unlikely vehicles for jazz improvisation. On this fine CD, which marked the end of his association with Muse Records, Earland transforms that urban contemporary number into hard-swingin' soul-jazz, successfully revisits the Spiral Starecase's "More Today Than Yesterday," and adds a lot of grit and spice to something not exactly known for those things: Kenny G's "Songbird." The latter does have a pretty melody, and it becomes quite soulful in the imaginative hands of Earland -- whose excellent support includes fellow Philadelphian Johnny Coles (flugelhorn) and longtime ally Houston Person (tenor sax). ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/whip-appeal-mw0000645957

Personnel: Charles Earland (organ); Robert Block (guitar); Jeff Newell (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Houston Person (tenor saxophone); Johnny Coles (flugelhorn); Marvin Jones (drums); Lawrence Killian (percussion)

Whip Appeal

---

The Vipers - Night & Day

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:26
Size: 104,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. Night & Day
(4:10)  2. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(4:02)  3. There Is No Greater Love
(2:39)  4. The Girl From Ipanema
(3:06)  5. You Make Me Feel So Young
(2:20)  6. Deed I Do
(6:35)  7. September In The Rain
(4:17)  8. Corcovado
(4:48)  9. Pennies From Heaven
(3:50) 10. Caravan
(6:06) 11. In A Mellow Tone

Fronting the Vipers is sultry singer Adrienne Hindmarsh, who's vocals are often compared to Norah Jones and Eva Cassidy. Her repertoire includes popular jazz standards, bossanovas and more popular tunes including hits by Burt Bacharach and Norah Jones. Adrienne Hindmarsh also brings to The Vipers her unique skill on the Hammond B3 organ, where her skill on the foot pedal bass and use of dynamic chords make sure the classic sound of the Hammond B3 lives again.  Founding member and guitarist Josh Hindmarsh contributes his unique driving chords and spirited improvisations in the spirit of George Benson and Wes Montgomery and his playing never fails to give the bands performance the upbeat swinging edge they have become known for.  Both A Time To Swing and their latest CD Night & Day features the legendary Roger Sellers on drums. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/vipers2

Night & Day

---

Steve Turre - Viewpoint

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 42:23
Size: 68,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Lament
(7:16)  2. In a Sentimental Mood
(6:18)  3. All Blues
(5:13)  4. Viewpoint
(6:53)  5. Mercury
(6:19)  6. Midnight Montuno
(4:04)  7. Who's kiddin'?

Steve Turre covers a lot of styles on his debut as a leader; from tributes to Kid Ory and Duke Ellington to bop, a bit of free form and Latin jazz. The trombonist proves that he is comfortable in all of those idioms, making this a rather impressive set. His supporting cast consists of pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Peter Washington, drummer Idris Muhammad, occasionally cellist Akua Dixon, extra percussion and (on the dixielandish piece) clarinetist Haywood Henry, trumpeter Jon Faddis and the tuba of Bob Stewart. Everything works. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/viewpoint-mw0000914903

Personnel:  Steve Turre (Trombone);  Mulgrew Miller (Piano); Peter Washington (Bass);  Idris Muhammad (Drums);  Haywood Henry (Claninet);  Jon Faddis  (Trumpet);  Bob Stewart (Tuba).

Viewpoint

---

Kevin Hays Trio - Ugly Beauty

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:38
Size: 138,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:00)  1. Shade Of Jade
(6:28)  2. Chelsea Bridge
(7:00)  3. The Well
(6:59)  4. Ugly Beauty
(5:50)  5. Pompeian
(7:57)  6. Detour Ahead
(6:32)  7. Big Nick
(6:14)  8. How The Mighty Fall
(6:34)  9. United

Kevin Hays was only 23 at the time of this recording and hadn't quite developed the hallmarks of his own style. Still, this is clearly the work of a prodigious talent. Joined by Larry Grenadier on bass and Jeff Williams on drums, the pianist tackles difficult music by post-bop greats Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Wayne Shorter, and John Coltrane. He does beautiful work with the standard ballads "Chelsea Bridge" and "Detour Ahead," as well as the Monk classic "Ugly Beauty." Only one Hays original, "The Well," appears, along with "How the Mighty Fall," a bossa by the underrated tenor saxophonist and composer Patrick Zimmerli. Hays' superior grasp of harmony is quite evident; his improvising while extremely impressive is not as distinctive as it would become in subsequent years. The fact that this is one of only two trio albums in Hays' catalog (as of this writing) makes it all the more interesting. ~ David R. Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/ugly-beauty-mw0000436048

Personnel:  Bass – Larry Grenadier;  Drums – Jeff Williams;  Piano – Kevin Hays

Ugly Beauty

---

Steve Nelson - Sound-Effect

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:27
Size: 134,4 MB
Art: Front

(8:35)  1. One Thin Dime
(6:10)  2. Song For Tina
(7:22)  3. Desafinado
(6:05)  4. You And The Night And The Music
(6:40)  5. Night Mist Blues
(9:10)  6. Sound Essence
(7:33)  7. Up Jumped Spring
(6:48)  8. Arioso

Pittsburgh native Steve Nelson has made his way through the jazz ranks playing high profile gigs with artists as diverse as Grant Green and Dave Holland. Since the 1970s, the Rutgers University alum has been quietly carving out his place as one of the premier vibraphonists working in jazz today. On Sound-Effect Nelson, with the help of pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash, stands front-and-center, towering over the vibes with vigor, clarity and unbridled soul. Nelson contributes three compositions to the set. All are harmonically rich, melodically fervent and, best of all, unmistakably swinging. The opening "One Thin Dime is full of bluesy-type figures and rhythm section breaks. The familiar-sounding fare serves as the perfect medium-tempo, warm-up vehicle. By contrast, "Song for Tina, a cascading waltz with flowing lines and clustered chords, entices intense solos, fueled by Nash's limitless energy. Nelson's well-crafted ballad, "Sound Essence, lets the vibraphonist explore the full range of his instrument in a gentle, unhurried manner. The remainder of the disc is comprised of a lyrical waltz, "Arioso, from the late pianist James Williams, and four standards. Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Desafinado, Freddie Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring and Ahmad Jamal's "Night Mist Blues give the disc a predictable, jam-session feel, elevated by exceptional performances and incomparable feel. The Dietz and Schwartz classic "You and the Night and the Music, a disc highlight, is taken as a no-nonsense chops-buster  It's hard to go wrong with a release like Sound-Effect. Nelson, Miller, Washington and Nash are at the top of their game, and play with unmatched passion and stamina. More original material would have been welcome, yet the result is a wonderful addition to the catalogue of a modern master. ~ John Barron https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sound-effect-steve-nelson-highnote-records-review-by-john-barron.php
 

Personnel: Steve Nelson: vibraphone; Mulgrew Miller: piano; Peter Washington; Lewis Nash: drums.

Sound-Effect

---