Randy Crawford - Don't Say It's Over

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:16
Size: 102,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:09)  1. I'm Glad There Is You
(5:10)  2. Love's Mystery
(3:57)  3. Can We Bring It Back
(4:02)  4. Keep Me Loving You
(6:12)  5. In My Life
(4:11)  6. Elusive Boogie
(4:27)  7. Mad Over You
(4:32)  8. Why Can't We Take A Chance
(2:42)  9. Year After Year
(5:50) 10. Don't Say It's Over

Don't Say It's Over album for sale by Randy Crawford was released Jan 08, 2008 on the Wounded Bird label. In her slippery, velvety tone, Randy Crawford blossoms on this diverse cast of songs, which includes jazz, dance, pop, and a little bit of boogie. Don't Say It's Over buy CD music She does nothing fancy or unique other than address these lyrically sound numbers with good old-fashioned singing. Don't Say It's Over songs Crawford softly croons through the lead track "I'm Glad There Is You" accompanied by only a piano. 

Don't Say It's Over album for sale She follows suit on songs like "Can We Bring It Back" and "Year After Year." Don't Say It's Over CD music They too are tranquil numbers that prey upon the tenderness of the heart. Her up-tempo numbers like "Keep Me Loving You" and "Elusive Boogie" expose Crawford's spirited side. Not flamboyant with her vocals, her mellow yet illuminating style is pleasing, as is the album's lyrical content. ~ Craig Lytle http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-say-its-over-mw0000105736

Personnel: Randy Crawford (vocals); Ramon Stagnaro (acoustic guitar); Paul Jackson, Jr., Colin "Doc" Sobers (guitar); Steve Tavaglioni, Justo Almario (saxophone); Ray Brown (flugelhorn); Will Miller, Rick Baptist (trumpet); Alan Kaplan (trombone); Lou Levy (piano); Donn Wyatt (organ); Misha Segal (keyboards, strings, synthesizers, bass); Greg Mathieson (keyboards); Abraham Laboriel, Andrew Gouche (bass); Demetric Collins, Jorge Patrono (drums, programming); William Maxwell, Ricky Lawson (drums); David Lasley, Arnold McCuller, Myrna Smith, Terry Young, Monalisa Young, Maxi Anderson (background vocals).

Don't Say It's Over

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Jay McShann - Blues From Kansas City

Styles: Jazz, Big Band, Swing
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:21
Size: 150,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:39)  1. Swingmatism
(2:56)  2. Hootie Blues
(2:57)  3. Dexter Blues
(2:36)  4. Vine Street Boogie
(2:53)  5. Confessin' The Blues
(2:40)  6. Hold 'Em Hootie
(3:04)  7. One Woman's Man
(2:56)  8. 'Fore Day Rider
(2:39)  9. So You Won't Jump
(3:05) 10. New Confessin' The Blues
(2:56) 11. Red River Blues
(2:47) 12. Baby Heart Blues
(2:32) 13. Cryin' Won't Make Me Stay
(2:43) 14. Hootie's Ignorant Oil
(2:57) 15. Lonely Boy Blues
(3:04) 16. Get Me On Your Mind
(3:02) 17. The Jumpin' Blues
(3:09) 18. Sepian Bounce
(3:09) 19. Say Forward, I'll March
(3:21) 20. Wrong Neighborhood
(3:05) 21. Hometown Blues

This CD surpasses all former collections of pianist Jay McShann's early recordings, for it is comprised of every commercial side made by McShann during 1941-1943, including 11 delightful, if rarely heard, trio and quartet numbers (featuring McShann, bassist Gene Ramey, and drummer Gus Johnson), along with four lesser-known vocals by the limited but talented Walter Brown that are normally skipped. The result is as complete a musical picture of Jay McShann's early piano style and his orchestra (at least how they sounded in the studios) as is possible. Altoist Charlie Parker has five influential if brief solos (best is "Sepian Bounce") and trumpeters Orville Minor and Buddy Anderson, altoist John Jackson, and Paul Quinichette on tenor also have their spots. However, McShann is clearly the main star of this definitive set by the last of the great Kansas City swing big bands. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-from-kansas-city-mw0000081286

Personnel: Jay McShann (piano), Walter Brown (vocals), Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Buddy Anderson (trumpet), Al Hibbler.

Blues From Kansas City

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Joe Newman & Henry "Red" Allen - The Hot Trumpets

Styles: Trumpet Jazz 
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:14
Size: 156,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Oh Gee
(5:00)  2. Dacquiri
(6:40)  3. Blues For Slim
(6:38)  4. The Very Though Of You
(8:11)  5. For You
(3:20)  6. The Continental
(3:01)  7. Strike Up The Band
(3:05)  8. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(3:47)  9. There's A House In Harlem For Sale
(4:15) 10. St. Louis Blues
(3:21) 11. Just In Time
(4:54) 12. Biffly Blues
(3:35) 13. Sleepytime Gal
(3:07) 14. I Ain't Got Nobody
(3:02) 15. Cherry

Though waxed less than a month apart the sessions coupled on this disc spotlight the talents of two stylistically divergent trumpeters. Newman was a Basie Band alum and firmly grounded in the pleasures and politics of swing. Allen’s sound was derived from older New Orleans traditions and his youthful tenure with Louis Armstrong’s big band. The fact that these two players and their Swingville albums presented here work so well together points to the primacy of jazz and it’s ability to ultimately transcend the provincialism of self-imposed boundaries. Swing and New Orleans Ragtime are just appellations for the deeper, all-inclusive tradition, one which both of these men take heavy and audible stock in. Newman’s up to bat first leading a sophisticated quartet through baker’s half dozen of tunes. “Oh Gee,” written by the obscure trombonist Matthew Gee serves as an effective opener. Newman’s punchy brass works over the opening choruses with a clean, ringing tone before Flanagan’s keys finesse the melody with an amiable touch. “Dacquiri” shifts things south of the border with some Latinized traps work from English and gentle interplay between trumpet and piano. On “Blues for Slim” the four players lock into a seductive union of ideas that has Newman at his most lyrical. “The Very Thought of You” takes their relaxed rapport even further and is almost hypnotic in its mollifying beauty. “For You” moves across similar terrain with English’s fragile cymbals mirroring the sounds of gently snapping fingers. In contrast the brief version of “Strike Up the Band” cooks and shows Newman’s more ebullient side. 

Allen’s sound was of a different era than Newman’s and listing to his unique stylings he reminds me a lot of Pee Wee Russell in both his originality and unpredictability. The back-up band, though populated by obscure players, weaves a supportive fabric for Allen to solo against. Potter is especially effective and incorporates a host of percussive effects with woodblocks and other devices that were important in the arsenals of most New Orleans drummers. Tune lengths are substantially shorter than on Newman’s date and paint in bold relief Allen’s economy of presentation. He’s not one to wax loquacious and often says what he has to say in the space of a few short choruses. Fortunately his brevity is matched with an abiding inclination for growling, guttural effects which he employs on numerous occasions. The truncated nature of the pieces also may be a nostalgic nod to the 78’ era during which his first recordings were documented. There’s also the opportunity to here Allen’s gruff vocals on “I Ain’t Got Nobody” and he belts out the lyrics with the same zest he applies to his horn on the instrumental breaks. If you dig brass this disc has your name on it! ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/hot-trumpets-of-joe-newman-prestige-records-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Joe Newman- trumpet; Tommy Flanagan- piano; Wendell Marshall- bass; Billy English- drums.

The Hot Trumpets

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Valery Ponomarev - Live At Vartan Jazz

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:26
Size: 155,6 MB
Art: Front

( 1:24)  1. Carlos' Introduction
( 6:13)  2. One For Morgans
( 4:54)  3. For Better Or For Worse
( 6:59)  4. To Waltz With You
( 8:28)  5. Autumn In New York
( 7:57)  6. N.Y. Theme
( 7:58)  7. Unfinished Business
( 6:58)  8. Credi Me
( 5:09)  9. Long Way From Gorky Park
(10:21) 10. See You At Vartan's

The hard bop trumpeter Valery Ponomarev, who was always most inspired by Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan, is in excellent form on this 1995 outing. However, the recording quality is just OK in spots, leading to a slightly lower rating than the music deserves. Ponomarev is teamed with drummer Ben Riley and three lesser-known players the fine tenor Francesco Bearsetti, pianist Sid Simmons and bassist Kenny Walker. With the exception of "Autumn in New York" and Kenny Dorham's "N.Y. Theme," all nine selections are the trumpeter's originals. The music swings and is well played, making this small-label release worth acquiring by straight-ahead jazz fans who already have Ponomarev's Reservoir releases. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-vartan-jazz-mw0000081399

Personnel:  Trumpet – Valery Ponomarev;  Bass – Kenny Walker ;  Drums – Ben Riley;  Piano – Sid Simmons;  Tenor Saxophone – Francesco Bearzatti

Live At Vartan Jazz

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Terry Blaine - In Concert With The Mark Shane Quintet

Size: 137,0 MB
Time: 58:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Retro Swing
Art: Front

01. Eeny Meeny Miney Mo (Live) (3:39)
02. A Little Bit Independent (Live) (3:40)
03. Them There Eyes (Live) (3:20)
04. Take Me For A Buggy Ride (Live) (3:40)
05. Guess Who's In Town (Live) (2:56)
06. Yankee Doodle Never Went To Town (Live) (2:01)
07. When Day Is Done (Live) (3:59)
08. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now (Live) (3:28)
09. I'd Love To Take Orders From You (Live) (2:56)
10. Carolina Shout (Live) (4:44)
11. Baby Brown (That Georgia Queen) [Live] (2:30)
12. When A Woman Loves A Man - My Man (Live) (5:36)
13. Runnin' Wild (Live) (3:25)
14. Louisiana Fairytale (Live) (4:00)
15. Handful Of Keys (Live) (3:51)
16. Thanks A Million - Waiting At The End Of The Road (Live) (4:29)

Personnel:
Terry Blaine - Vocals
Mark Shane - Piano
David Lopez - Drums
Daryl Cornutt - Bass
Ed Polcer - Cornet
Allan Vaché - Clarinet

This album chronicles a live 1994 performance in Cleveland, OH before an enthusiastic crowd of almost 2,000 jazz fans. Sponsored by radio station WRMR, the concert features songs from the 1930s and the musical style of that period, which has become the trademark of Terry Blaine and her musical soulmate and mentor, pianist Mark Shane. Each tune is performed not only with skill and verve, but with an infectious enthusiasm that the audience immediately picks up. The concert gets off on the right foot with a very fast "Little Bit Independent," which was number one on the charts for the Freddie Martin Orchestra in 1935. "Them There Eyes" showcases the hot clarinet of Allan Vache. Blaine gets vampish on "Take Me for a Buggy Ride," recalling Bessie Smith's 1933 recording. As one would expect, the melodies he performed and wrote, as well as the syncopated rhythms of Fats Waller, get plenty of attention on this album. There's a variety here, from the familiar "Keepin' out of Mischief Now" to the lesser-known "Baby Brown (That Georgia Queen)" through "Handful of Keys." The latter piece confirms Shane's affinity for the Fats Waller brand of striding, stomping piano playing. Shane also pays homage to another member of the stride royalty, James P. Johnson, with a rip-roaring solo of "Carolina Shout." "Runnin' Wild" is a nod to the performance of this tune in Some Like It Hot with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in drag and performing with an all-girl band. The authenticity as well as the enjoyment of the proceedings is due in no small measure to Shane and his quintet. Vache's clarinet has already been mentioned, and equal billing needs to go to the hot cornet playing of Ed Polcer, as he heats things up on such numbers as "Eeny Meeny Miney Mo" and "Louisiana Fairytale." David Lopez on drums and Daryl Cornutt on bass provide the steady, uptempo beat needed to make this music work. In Concert is almost an hour's worth of music from an earlier time performed by excellent musicians who clearly are happy in their work, as was the Cleveland audience. This album is recommended. ~ by Dave Nathan

In Concert

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The Pete Allen Jazz Band - Happy Jazz

Size: 160,9 MB
Time: 68:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Big Chief (2:56)
02. Carry Me Back To Ol Virginny (5:55)
03. Black And Blue (6:03)
04. Mabel's Dream (3:38)
05. Just A Couple Of Dudes (3:22)
06. Dans Les Rue D'antibes (6:07)
07. Up A Lazy River (6:48)
08. Eccentric (2:45)
09. The Original Tuxedo Rag (3:52)
10. I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight (3:46)
11. Movin' On Again (2:53)
12. Dardanella (3:04)
13. Ory's Creole Trombone (4:20)
14. Seagull Strut (3:22)
15. Solitude (4:56)
16. At The Jazz Band Ball (4:58)

Pete Allen is regarded as one of Europe's most talented and exciting masters of the clarinet. In 1976 he joined Rod Mason and two years later formed his own professional band. He brought together a musical style and stage presence that has created an enthusiastic following from both the traditional jazz fans and those who simply enjoy happy music and songs for both listening and dancing.

As a boy, Pete grew up with jazz. He studied the music of all the old time music greats, especially Ed Hall and Sidney Bechet two great legends of American jazz clarinet and soprano saxophone, although Pete has never tried to copy their style but has developed his own quite unique, exciting sound.

Over the years Pete has appeared on many television and radio shows, both with his own band and as a solo artiste. He has topped the bill in those magical homes of jazz, St. Louis, Sacramento and of course, New Orleans, where he was awarded an Honorary Citizenship for his services to jazz music. In the mid eighties he was chosen to lead the Worldwide All Stars at the jazz Jubilee in Sacramento. More recently, Pete has been selected to play for the European Top Eight Jazz Band in Germany, on a number of occasions, and the Philips International All Stars in Holland and also fronts the London Paris All Stars and his own chosen European Swing Band. In 2013 Pete continues to lead his own band and appears as a guest soloist or with his own solo music show and now plays a number of shows with Jazz Pianist Dave Browning and the World Class Banjoist Sean Moyses. Throughout his career Pete appeared as featured soloist alongside these American Jazz Greats:- 'Peanuts' Hucko, Bud Freeman, Bob Wilbur, Marty Grosz, Billy Butterfield, Barrett Deems and Jack Lesberg and played a number of times with the late British Jazz Trumpet star Kenny Ball.
For over five years he also found time to present his own jazz programme for BBC Radio. For all 'live' performances Pete thrills audiences around the World with his own style of jazz clarinet combined with a slick fast moving entertaining show of light hearted humour and happy foot-tapping jazz songs. He is a personality in British Music who is eager to please an audience whatever the situation either leading his band, as a guest soloist or with his unique solo music show.

Happy Jazz

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Bebo Ferra, Paolino Dalla Porta, Fabrizio Sferra - Frames Of Crimson (Feat. Gianluca Petrella)

Size: 115,5 MB
Time: 49:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Frame By Frame (5:03)
02. I Talk To The Wind (5:55)
03. Aliseo (6:40)
04. Zephyr (6:54)
05. In The Court Of Crimson King (5:45)
06. Catfood (3:51)
07. Moonchild (4:27)
08. Khamsin (5:47)
09. Mistral (5:03)

Personnel:
Bebo Ferra - guitar
Paolino Dalla Porta - doublebass
Fabrizio Sferra - drums
Gianluca Petrella - trombone

King Crimson is the most protean group of all contemporary music.
For fifty years, Robert Fripp’s mind has been churning out amazing ideas, inventing new sounds, revolutionizing stage ensembles and gathering drummers. His compositions climb wild lyrical peaks to then dive into powerful bouts of metallic dissonances, ebbing into a magmatic sound wave which is in continuous evolution. It was only natural that a band, sooner or later, would rearrange these songs into jazz. It had to be a curious, courageous and somewhat reckless band. Skilled in experimenting with sounds and styles.

The trio Ferra, Sferra, Dalla Porta, with special guest Gianluca Petrella, has all these qualities (and many more) and has drilled into Fripp’s acclaimed and intricate works, delving into the soul of each one and embarking on unexplored soundscapes. They have gone off the beaten track, in the footsteps of a pioneer, becoming fore¬runners themselves in bringing Fripp’s music elsewhere.

Frames Of Crimson

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Marie Davout - Made In France

Size: 100,2 MB
Time: 38:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Chanson
Art: Front

01. Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours (3:19)
02. La Vie En Rose (3:04)
03. Et Maintenant (3:42)
04. La Complainte De La Butte (3:04)
05. Je T'Appartiens (3:57)
06. La Belle Vie (3:43)
07. Comme D'Habitude (4:34)
08. La Mer (2:53)
09. Il Est Mort Le Soleil (2:45)
10. Mon Homme (3:14)
11. Song For Le Mans (4:14)

This record highlights the French songs that have become classics in their international versions, and are part of the collective musical memory. Along with « Haute Couture » these songs highlight France’s magnificent culture, honored throughout the world. We have a tendency to forget that famous versions as sung by Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley are songs originally written by French composers such as Gilbert Bécaud or Charles Trénet. It is my wish to pay a tribute to them by adding my own personal touch.

Chanteuse professionnelle depuis de nombreuses années, Marie Davout apprend d’abord son métier sur scène (dès l’âge de 14 ans), au départ dans des orchestres de variétés de sa ville natale, Le Mans, puis de Toulouse, où elle continue la danse commencée à 8 ans, et y intègre la compagnie «L’Atelier du Jazz» en 1981. En 1983, elle monte à Paris, assure les chœurs de l’album de Daniel Guichard et de la première tournée caritative «Guichard contre le cancer» (nombreux artistes invités). La même année, elle signe avec le producteur d’Indochine et Imagination pour deux 45 tours qui connaîtront un joli succès d’estime en 1984 («Dis-lui que je chante» Disques Clémence Melody, puis Didier Guinochet Productions). A cette époque, elle chante chez Michel Drucker (Europe1), Patrick Sabatier (Antenne 2), André Torrent (Studio 22 RTL), Nagui (TMC), aux Jeux de 20 heures (FR3), et remporte en 1984 le premier prix du concours France Soir «Stars de demain».

Ensuite la vie parisienne lui permettra de diversifier encore son amour du chant, dans un large éventail de styles (Jazz, R’n B, Soul, Rock, Reggae, Chanson Française, Latino): en 1985 elle crée avec Francis Dufour un trio musical qui deviendra plus tard l’«Orchestre Champs-Élysées» (reprises en 8 langues d’Edith Piaf à Tina Turner), et se produira dans les plus grandes soirées événementielles parisiennes et lieux de prestige (Tour Eiffel, Conciergerie, Opéra Garnier, Nuits de la St Sylvestre du Ritz, Hôtel Bristol, Hôtel Intercontinental ), et à l’étranger (Croisières Paquet 1985, Croisière sur le Nil 1989). En 1994, elle fonde avec Martineke KooIstra et Catherine Nominé le Trio Vocal Jazz féminin «Sweet System», trois voix harmonisées et «scattées» évoquant le swing des années 30/40, (Disneyland 1995, Caveau de la Huchette depuis 1996, France 2 Chance aux chansons 1998, Festivals de Jazz).

Cinq ans plus tard, elle quitte le trio, puis crée avec Dora Bailey en 2000 le spectacle Dancing Queen - Show cABBAret (Chorégraphe : Patricia Castéjon). En parallèle, elle se produit toujours avec son récital de chansons françaises «Ça, c’est Marie !» (Tunisie 1989, Brésil 1993, Dîner présidentiel à Santiago du Chili 1997, Croisières privées sur la Seine) accompagnée par ses fidèles complices, Sergio Tomassi à l’accordéon (Serge Lama, Barbara), et Franck Gélibert ou Richard Lornac («Le Fou du Roi» France Inter) au piano, et travaille en tant que choriste en studio (publicités, divers albums, revues, l’imitateur Michel Guidoni pour le Caveau de la République en 2000) et sur scène (Richard Anthony Zénith 1999). En 2004, elle incarne Fabienne Vandervaeren dans la création "Tragi-Comédie Pop" de Jean-Jacques Nyssen : «Hommage à Chris Conty» (Européen 2007, Café de la Danse 2008. Mise en scène : Frédéric Faye).

En 2012, elle chante sur la mythique scène de l’Olympia pour le “Bal de l’Olympia” et participe en tant que choriste additionnelle à l’album des 50 ans de carrière de Serge Lama: “La Balade Du Poète”.

Made In France

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Gunilla Tornfeldt - Behind The Mask

Size: 110,5 MB
Time: 47:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Torn Between (5:44)
02. Flow (4:12)
03. Put The Past Behind (7:10)
04. Behind The Mask (3:52)
05. Look Behind You (4:14)
06. Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa (5:23)
07. How Can I Forget (6:31)
08. Marching For Peace (5:32)
09. Time And Place (4:58)

Gunilla Törnfeldt was born in 1980 in Stockholm, Sweden, and grew up in a musical family with both parents being classical musicians, composers and music teachers. Singing has always been her natural way of expression, but she also early on began playing the piano and later the cello, even though the acoustic guitar replaced the cello in her twenties. Since she studied at the Adolf Fredrik's Music School and was a member of the famous Adolf Fredrik's Girls Choir, early on she had artistic experience of high level musical performance. The love for jazz came as a revelation in high school and she quickly realized where her heart belonged. She studied jazz voice and jazz methodology at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor in Music and Master of Education in Music.

Over the years she has been featured as a soloist with Monica Dominique Quintet as well as together with Carl-Axel Dominique Trio and different choirs when performing Duke Ellington's Sacred Concerts. She have also been featured with the Laudaensemble and Georg Riedel, Jan Allan and Ove Lundin, for several tribute concerts to late Swedish saxophone player Lars Gullin and performed also the Second Soloist part in several productions of the musical African Madonna. Her Tribute to Joni Mitchell was a returning yearly act at Jazzclub Fasching and in 2006 she got the prestigious scholarship from Friends of Fasching.

In 2007 Gunilla became a member of the jazz vocal sextet Vocation and participated on their second album Just Friends (2008) and toured extensively in Sweden, Denmark and Germany. She left the group in 2010 to focus on her solo career and released her anticipated debut solo album with her own music, lyrics and arrangements - A Time For Everything - in 2009, which received excellent reviews and in 2010 she was awarded a working grant from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee.

In 2012 she founded the jazz vocal group Stockholm Voices with whom she has been touring all over Sweden since the debut tour in 2014. Gunilla is the artistic director and arranger together with pianist and arranger Mikael Skoglund. The group released their debut album Come Rain or Come Shine in 2015 which received exuberant reception in the press and they are now an established and popular act at the jazz clubs and festivals.

In 2015 she participated in the world's first International Jazz Voice Conference in Helsinki and presented one of her methods to practice improvisation, together with other colleagues from all over the world.

Gunilla's current solo project - a jazz quintet with baritone guitar - played their first concert in May 2014 at Jazzclub Fasching and became one of her new platforms for sharing her original music.

As a teacher she is a permanent member of the faculty at the Ingesund School of Music at Karlstad University and is also frequently invited as a guest lecturer at other music schools and programs.

Behind The Mask

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Ruby Braff And Ellis Larkins - Calling Berlin, Vol. 1

Styles: Cornet And Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:31
Size: 149,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. It's A Lovely Day Today
(6:23)  2. Blue Skies
(6:01)  3. Alexander's Ragtime Band
(3:34)  4. I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
(5:08)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean?
(2:47)  6. Soft Lights And Sweet Music
(4:22)  7. Let's Face The Music And Dance
(3:28)  8. My Walking Stick
(4:56)  9. Russian Lullaby
(4:02) 10. You're Laughing At Me
(3:42) 11. This Year's Kisses
(3:34) 12. Top Hat, White Tie And Tails
(4:25) 13. They Say It's Wonderful
(3:01) 14. Steppin' Out With My Baby
(5:02) 15. Easter Parade

Cornetist Ruby Braff and pianist Ellis Larkins recorded a classic album of duets in 1955 and had a reunion in 1972. They waited another 22 years before cutting their third set but, despite the passing of time, the magic heard on their earlier recordings is still very much present on their Arbors release. Both Braff and Larkins love melodies and rarely leave the themes behind in their improvisations. They perform 15 Irving Berlin tunes, ranging from the famous ("Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Easter Parade," and "How Deep Is the Ocean") to the more obscure ("My Walking Stick," "You're Laughing at Me," and "Steppin' out with My Baby"). In all cases the interpretations are loving, personal, and uplifting. Guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli makes the group a trio on two numbers, and his mellow playing fits right in to the intimate setting. Because Braff (who has always had his own sound) has long been a jazz giant, and Larkins is rightfully considered an extraordinary accompanist and perfect on melodic ballads, their most recent matchup is quite successful and delightful. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/calling-berlin-vol-1-mw0000646749

Personnel: Ruby Braff (cornet); Ellis Larkins (piano); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar).

Calling Berlin, Vol. 1

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Robin Eubanks - Wake Up Call

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:23
Size: 140,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:24)  1. United
(8:19)  2. Ceora
(7:01)  3. Soliloquy
(8:56)  4. Oriental Folk Song
(7:40)  5. Wake Up Call
(7:18)  6. You Are Too Beautiful
(6:58)  7. Scrapple From The Apple
(6:45)  8. Rush Hour

A former Jazz Messenger who has also performed with the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine and the Dave Holland Quintet, trombonist Robin Eubanks' Sirocco Jazz debut is also the first recording for the British label. For this recording Eubanks gathered a group of old friends, alto saxophonist Antonio Hart, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, and drummer Gene Jackson, plus newcomers pianist Eric Lewis and trumpeter Duane Eubanks, Robin's younger brother, to perform a program of three originals, four jazz classics, two of them by Wayne Shorter, and the standard "You Are Too Beautiful." Eubanks' big sound, improvisational imagination, and genre-crossing versatility have made him one of the busier trombonists on the jazz scene, with Eubanks staying in a modern post-bop vein for this recording. Favorites include the two Shorter compositions, "United," given an Afro-Latin treatment here, and "Oriental Folk Song," staying close to the original, with "Elvinish" feel courtesy of Jackson and the head played by trumpet and trombone. Other favorites include Eubanks' compositions, the beautiful "Soliloquy," the frantic title track, based on a rapid repeating figure played by trombone and alto sax, and the up-tempo blues "Rush Hour." A welcome addition to the Eubanks discography. ~ Greg Turner http://www.allmusic.com/album/wake-up-call-mw0000233373

Personnel: Robin Eubanks (trombone); Antonio Hart (alto saxophone); Duane Eubanks (trumpet); Eric Lewis (piano); Gene Jackson (drums).

Wake Up Call

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Shirley Scott Trio - Like Cozy

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:12
Size: 166,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Sweet Lorraine
(4:22)  2. I Thought I'd Let You Know
(4:48)  3. I Should Care
(4:48)  4. Spring Is Here
(3:59)  5. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(4:16)  6. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You?
(5:11)  7. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
(3:49)  8. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
(4:12)  9. Like Cozy
(5:02) 10. Little Girl Blue
(5:01) 11. Laura
(5:19) 12. You Do Something To Me
(4:34) 13. Once In A While
(4:14) 14. 'Deed I Do
(4:08) 15. More Than You Know
(3:48) 16. My Heart Stood Still

In the ranks of unsung organists Shirley Scott has to be among the most overlooked. A veteran of countless Prestige studio gigs and an indispensable creative cog in the Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis organ combo of the late 1950s her role in popularizing and broadening her instrument’s appeal is difficult to overstate. Yet she’s rarely named among the roll call of her male peers like Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff and so many others. The reasons behind the disparity are tough to pinpoint. Some might cite gender politics as the chief culprit; others might finger her prolific career as session musician. Whatever the cause behind her comparative obscurity this recent Prestige two-fer, which collects the Moodsville albums The Shirley Scott Trio and Like Cozy into one convenient package, offers a fresh reason for reappraisal and restitution. Like so many other players Scott’s approach to the organ was grounded in her earlier career as a pianist. Both of these dates provide a rare chance to compare her styles on the two instruments up close. Beginning with the easy syrupy swing of “Sweet Lorraine” on organ, she switches to piano for “I Thought I’d Let You Know.” Coming full circle of sorts “I Should Care” features her on both through the studio wizardry of overdubbing. Differing from most of her colleagues Scott regularly employed a bassist in her group, freeing up her feet from the necessity of pedal work and allowing her to focus more efficiently on melodic and harmonic possibilities in her improvisations. Her approach to acoustic keys is likewise grounded in relaxed lyricism and cleanly articulated chording. In typical Moodsville fashion all of the tunes on each of the albums are standards or ballads taken at slow to medium tempos. Duvivier and Edgehill (colleagues from the Davis group) fit like a rhythmic glove around Scott’s lead statements and Tucker adopts a similarly sensitive touch when it comes to accompaniment on the piano pieces. Track lengths are limited to the four to five minute range, keeping things concise, but Scott still finds the space for plenty of relaxed and imaginative invention. Visit her hard-edged vibrato-heavy lines on “Laura” for just one of many examples. And while there isn’t a burner in the bunch this collection works as a lavishly programmed source of elegant small combo jazz with liberally placed soulful accents. Hopefully it will rekindle wider interest in the substantial talent that was Scott’s gift. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/like-cozy-shirley-scott-prestige-records-review-by-derek-taylor.php
 

Personnel: Shirley Scott- organ, piano; George Tucker- bass; George Duvivier- bass; Arthur Edgehill- drums.

Like Cozy

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Anita O'Day - Gone With The Wind

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:52
Size: 105.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 3:05] 1. A Song For You
[ 4:13] 2. Undecided
[ 6:10] 3. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
[ 4:12] 4. Exactly Like You
[ 6:07] 5. When Sunny Gets Blue
[ 4:19] 6. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[ 3:52] 7. It Had To Be You
[ 2:56] 8. Opus One
[10:54] 9. Gone With The Wind

Few female singers matched the hard-swinging and equally hard-living Anita O'Day for sheer exuberance and talent in all areas of jazz vocals. Though three or four outshone her in pure quality of voice, her splendid improvising, wide dynamic tone, and innate sense of rhythm made her the most enjoyable singer of the age. O'Day's first appearances in a big band shattered the traditional image of a demure female vocalist by swinging just as hard as the other musicians on the bandstand, best heard on her vocal trading with Roy Eldridge on the Gene Krupa recording "Let Me Off Uptown." After making her solo debut in the mid-'40s, she incorporated bop modernism into her vocals and recorded over a dozen of the best vocal LPs of the era for Verve during the 1950s and '60s. Though hampered during her peak period by heavy drinking and later, drug addiction, she made a comeback and continued singing into the new millennium. ~John Bush

Gone With The Wind

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Sophie Milman - In The Moonlight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:41
Size: 129.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. Do It Again
[3:25] 2. Oh Look At Me Now
[5:28] 3. Moonlight
[4:26] 4. Speak Low
[4:01] 5. Till There Was You
[4:41] 6. Watch What Happens
[4:34] 7. Prelude To A Kiss
[5:06] 8. Ces Petits Riens
[4:05] 9. So Sorry
[4:37] 10. Detour Ahead
[3:30] 11. Let Me Love You
[4:57] 12. Day Dream
[3:58] 13. No More Blues

Widely regarded as one of Canada's best jazz singers, Russian-born, Toronto-based vocalist Sophie Milman changes tact slightly for her fourth studio album, In the Moonlight. The twinkling piano chords, shuffling, brushed stroke rhythms, and gentle brass instrumentation which defined her previous output are still very much in evidence, but having traveled to New York to record with producer Matt Pierson (Jane Monheit, Michael Franks), the Juno Award winner has capitalized on the opportunity to expand her sound by inviting a string ensemble on board for the first time in her career. However, avoiding the temptation to smother the timeless, smoky, jazz bar arrangements in layers of bombastic layers of strings, the pair only use their newly recruited musicians sparingly and when needed, with only the Duke Ellington standards "Prelude to a Kiss" and "Day Dream," and the Umbrellas of Cherbourg number "Watch What Happens" offering anything more than the occasional orchestral flourish. It's an approach which entirely befits Milman's intimate and understated cabaret tones, whose seductive French-language delivery of Serge Gainsbourg's "Ces Petits Riens" and expressive, timeless performance of the Gershwin classic "Do It Again," belie her twenty-something years. The constant low-key, candlelight vibes inevitably begin to wear a little thin, but luckily, Milman occasionally shakes things up a little bit, whether it's the sensuous bossa nova reworking of the Billie Holiday favorite "Speak Low," the toe-tapping swing jazz rendition of Jon Hendricks' "No More Blues" or, in a rare concession to the modern music scene, the yearning and heartfelt torch song treatment of Feist's folk-pop album track "So Sorry." Indeed, it's the latter's convincing transition which makes you wish that Milman would tackle more contemporary material more often. Nevertheless, In the Moonlight is still a beautifully arranged selection of songs which, while nothing particularly revolutionary, unarguably provides one of the classiest Sunday morning soundtracks of the year. ~Jon O'Brien

In The Moonlight 

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The 3 Sounds - Introducing The 3 Sounds

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:55
Size: 86.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul-jazz
Year: 1958/2011
Art: Front

[4:33] 1. Tenderly
[4:39] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[4:38] 3. Both Sides
[4:23] 4. Blue Bells
[4:37] 5. It's Nice
[3:52] 6. Goin' Home
[7:11] 7. Would'n You
[3:58] 8. O Sole Mio

What's remarkable about Introducing the Three Sounds is how the trio's lightly swinging sound arrived fully intact. From the basis of this album, it sounds as if pianist Gene Harris, bassist Andrew Simpkins, and drummer William Dowdy have been playing together for years. There's empathetic, nearly intuitive interplay between the three musicians, and Harris's deft style already sounds mature and entirely distinctive. There's no question that this music is easy to listen to, but dismissing it because of that would be wrong -- there's genuine style in their light touch and in Harris' bluesy compositions. The Three Sounds never really deviated from the sound they established on Introducing, but that's one of the things that is so remarkable -- they were fully formed on their very first album. Even if it was a peak, it wasn't the only peak in their career. They would often match the heights of this album, but this debut remains a shining jewel in their catalog, and the way to become acquainted with their sound. [The CD reissue of Introducing the Three Sounds contains the five outtakes plus the alternate take of "Goin' Home" that originally comprised the Japanese album, Introducing the Three Sounds, Vol. 2.] ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Introducing The 3 Sounds

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Ben Webster - King Of The Tenors

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:48
Size: 90,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. Tenderly
(4:10)  2. Jive At Six
(3:05)  3. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(3:47)  4. That's All
(4:31)  5. Bounce Blues
(2:48)  6. Pennies From Heaven
(3:20)  7. Cotton Tail
(3:36)  8. Danny Boy
(3:55)  9. Poutin'
(3:35) 10. Bounce Blues
(2:54) 11. That's All

This 1953 date matched Webster with such peers as alto saxophonist Benny Carter, trumpeter Harry Edison, and pianist Oscar Peterson for a series of elegant yet soulful and exuberant small group dates. With no cut longer than four and a half minutes, the players didn't have time for excess statements or overkill; they had to quickly get to the heart of the matter in their solos, make their points, and return to the head. The original session has been enlarged by the addition of two previously unissued tracks, plus an alternate version of "That's All" that was later issued as a single. Label head Norman Granz excelled in producing swing-oriented, crisply played mainstream dates. Although this date is more than four decades old, Ben Webster's solos have a freshness and vitality that make them quite relevant to contemporary events. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/king-of-the-tenors-mw0000308183

Personnel:  Ben Webster - tenor saxophone;  Benny Carter - alto saxophone;   Harry "Sweets" Edison – trumpet;  Oscar Peterson – piano;  Herb Ellis;   Barney Kessel  – guitar;  Ray Brown – double bass;  Alvin Stoller, J. C. Heard – drums.

King Of The Tenors

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Janis Siegel - Friday Night Special

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:42
Size: 111,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. The Same Love That Made Me Laugh, Made Me Cry
(5:38)  2. My, How The Time Goes By
(4:28)  3. I Just Dropped By To Say Hello
(5:26)  4. My Love Is / My Babe
(5:00)  5. Let It Be
(5:33)  6. Ill Wind
(4:30)  7. You Don't Know Me
(3:33)  8. There's A Small Hotel
(4:44)  9. Make Me A Present Of You
(5:21) 10. Misty

A founding member of the vocal quartet Manhattan Transfer and now an established solo artist as well, Janis Siegel steps out as a leader on the Telarc label for a second time with a program that couldn't be more different from her last effort. Where I Wish You Love found her delivering jazz-inflected renditions of classic pop tunes, on Friday Night Special she leads an organ/tenor quartet through a set of more obscure material. Hammond organist Joey DeFrancesco provides powerful support throughout, but is tastefully (and a bit uncharacteristically) self-effacing in his playing; tenor saxophonist Houston Person, drummer Buddy Williams, and alternating guitarists Peter Bernstein and Russell Malone round out the quartet. 

Siegel shines brightest on the slow ballads and the sultry torch numbers; her rendition of Eddy Arnold's "You Don't Know Me" is especially effective, as are her takes on "I Just Dropped By to Say Hello" and the Harold Arlen composition "Ill Wind." She's a bit less convincing as a straight blues vocalist, and her tepid version of "My, How the Time Goes By" threatens to derail the proceedings early on. But by the end of the program, when she kicks into a delightful and surprisingly uptempo arrangement of "Misty," she has proved all over again why she's one of America's favorite jazz singers. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/friday-night-special-mw0000595511

Personnel: Janis Siegel (vocals); Houston Person (temor saxophone); Joey DeFrancesco (Hammond B-3 organ); Peter Bernstein, Russell Malone (guitar).

Friday Night Special

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Valery Ponomarev - The Messenger

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:02
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:14)  1. Driving To A Gig II
(9:05)  2. Messenger From Russia
(6:10)  3. Long Distance Relationship
(9:42)  4. Escape From Gorki Park
(7:56)  5. Dark Alley
(5:22)  6. Star Dust
(5:30)  7. Mirage

It’s been quite some time since Russian trumpeter Valery Ponomarev defected from his native land in order to play jazz in America. Landing a gig with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers almost immediately, Ponomarev has gone on to practice the jazz tradition while being documented on a distinguished series of dates for the Reservoir label. Clearly, the affection that Ponomarev has for Blakey is still palpable owing to the title of his latest endeavor. The Messenger is indeed hard bop in the grand style and yet that tart Russian tinge that distinguishes the trumpeter’s sound is ever present, giving his originals a worldly stance all their own. Ponomarev definitely could not ask for better company. Tenor saxophonist Michael Karn has his own individualized line of attack, more in tune with mainstream guys like Buddy Tate and Bud Freeman than Coltrane or Rollins. Pianist Sid Simmons is one of Philadelphia’s finest and drummer Jimmy Cobb really needs no introduction at all. With a concise set of diverse tunes and Jim Anderson’s crisp recorded sound, you end up with 50 minutes of high octane playing that not only treads new ground but also spreads the message of the elders. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-messenger-valery-ponomarev-reservoir-music-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php
 

Personnel: Valery Ponomarev (trumpet), Michael Karn (tenor saxophone), Sid Simmons (piano), Martin Zenker (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums)

The Messenger

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Steve Davis - Systems Blue

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 67:50
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(9:28)  2. Spirit Waltz
(7:42)  3. Systems Blue
(8:52)  4. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
(7:32)  5. If I Love Again
(5:25)  6. Who Can I Turn To
(7:23)  7. Speak Low
(6:24)  8. Namely You
(3:43)  9. Three And One
(4:43) 10. My Old Flame

Steve Davis, the Criss Cross house trombonist and a member of One for All, is joined by a couple bandmates and two other label regulars for a session mostly devoted to standards. The setting sets Davis' deep debt to the work of J.J. Johnson in sharp relief. The trombonist develops his solos with smooth, measured phrases that emphasize eighth-note lines mostly in the middle register of the horn. On tunes such as "Who Can I Turn To," his work also bears evidence of early Miles Davis (not surprising given the close relationship between the trumpet legend and J.J. Johnson in the late '40s when each was coming to grips with bebop). What Davis lacks that his namesake had was a dramatic way with the melody. This is most evident on the trombonist's matter-of-fact reading of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square." Pianist David Hazeltine's eloquent, bop-based impressionism provides a fine foil for the leader's horn. The two tracks with Mike DiRubbo are more in the Coltrane modal mode and, though well played, seem out of place in the session. ~ David Dupont http://www.allmusic.com/album/systems-blue-mw0000221316

Personnel:  Steve Davis (trombone); David Hazeltine (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Joe Farnsworth (drums).

Systems Blue

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Bobby Watson - Made in America

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:40
Size: 149,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. The Aviator “for Wendell Pruitt”
(5:12)  2. The Guitarist “for Grant Green”
(6:18)  3. The Butterfly “for Butterfly McQueen”
(7:51)  4. The Cyclist “for Major Taylor”
(6:44)  5. The G.O.A.T. “for Sammy Davis, Jr.”
(5:49)  6. The Entrepreneur “for Madam C.J. Walker
(6:17)  7. The Jockey “for Isaac Murphy”
(1:06)  8. A Moment of Silence
(7:53)  9. The Real Lone Ranger “for Bass Reeves”
(4:02) 10. The Computer Scientist “for Dr. Mark Dean”
(6:41) 11. I’ve Gotta Be Me

Saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator Bobby Watson grew up in Kansas City, KS. As a consequence, his playing is steeped in the roadhouse blues tradition of his native city. He got his formal education at the University of Miami, where his fellow students included Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorious, and Bruce Hornsby. The college has a distinguished, long-running, and well-respected jazz performance program. After he was graduated in 1975, he moved to New York City, the jazz capitol of the world, and soon found employment as musical director for Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Watson stuck with Blakey's group from 1977 to 1981, and then pursued session and tour work with more vigor, working with drummers Louis Hayes and Max Roach, saxophonists George Coleman and Branford Marsalis, multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers, guitarist Carlos Santana and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. He's also worked with a who's-who in the jazz vocal world, including Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter, and Carmen Lundy. Finally he launched his own group, Bobby Watson & Horizon with bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Lewis, and they recorded for Blue Note and Columbia Records. Watson and Horizon were in demand and on the road from the mid-'80s to the late '90s, and he still performs with the group, with differing sidemen. Watson has amassed nearly 30 recordings as a bandleader and he's a veteran sessionman, having recorded on more than 100 other recordings. As a composer, he has recorded more than 100 of his original compositions, and his arrangements for big bands have circulated internationally. Watson, basing himself alternately in New York City and Kansas City, has been a first-call musician for more than three decades now, and he also served as a member of the adjunct faculty at William Paterson University in the mid-'80s and at the Manhattan School of Music from 1996-1999. In 2000, he was selected as the first William D. and Mary Grant/Missouri Distinguished Professor of Jazz Studies, and he's been working at the University of Missouri/Kansas City, balancing live concerts around the world with his teaching responsibilities. Since 2000, Watson's recordings under his own name include three excellent releases for the Palmetto Records label, based in New York City. They include Live & Learn (2002), Horizon Reassembled (2004), and From the Heart (2008). ~ Richard Skelly https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/bobby-watson/id3492427#fullText

Personnel:  Bobby Watson [alto saxophone]; Stephen Scott [piano]; Curtis Lundy [bass]; Lewis Nash [drums]

Made in America

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