Various - Too Hot: The Best Of Mainstream British Jazz (3-Disc Set)

Sanctuary Records (Castle Music) are to be congratulated on the issue of this superb compilation. Produced during the 1950's when the world was new by Dennis Preston and issued at the time on the 'Nixa' label the recordings never achieved the commercial success the material deserved. A wealth of British Jazz musicians play with superb perfection not a note out of place and most important the music swings. In that is everything the music swings, rhythm sections support but never intrude, not an electronic thumping base line to endure from beginning to end. The proof (if any were needed) is the music is timeless more than 50 years since it was laid down it sounds completly fresh. Much credit to the unsung (or credited engineers) the record quality is pretty near perfect. Not the original vinyl issues for sure and 'best of compilations' have their critics I'm just glad to have the material made available again in any format. As the man said...it dont mean a thing if it aint got that swing. These musicians know how to swing. ~Keith Wise

Album: Too Hot: The Best Of Mainstream British Jazz (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:15
Size: 165.4 MB
Styles: Assorted
Year: 2004

[6:52] 1. Melody Maker All Stars - Top Score
[3:51] 2. The Fawkes-Turner Sextet - Here Today
[3:21] 3. Tony Coe Quintet - Sans Humph
[4:19] 4. Don Rendell Jazz Sextet - Star Eyes
[4:27] 5. Fairweather - Red For Go
[4:42] 6. Joe Harriot Quartet - Everything Happens To Me
[3:19] 7. Dill Jones Trio - May-Zee
[3:50] 8. Kenny Baker's Half Dozen - Act One, Scene One
[3:08] 9. Jimmy Skidmore Jazz Group - Cocquette
[4:16] 10. Semple - I Cover The Waterfront
[3:34] 11. Sandy Brown's Jazz Band - Go Ghana
[2:53] 12. The Martin Slavin Septet - A Smo-O-Oth One
[4:15] 13. The Kenny Graham Afro-Cubists - Time's A-Wastin'
[4:14] 14. Kenny Baker's Dozen - I Must Have That Man
[6:07] 15. Melody Maker All Stars - Mood Indigo
[2:54] 16. Bertie King - Blue Lou
[3:19] 17. Kenny Baker's Dozen - Tea For Two
[2:46] 18. Dill Jones Trio - Carolina Shout

Too Hot: The Best Of Mainstream British Jazz (Disc 1)

---

Album: Too Hot: The Best Of Mainstream British Jazz (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:34
Size: 177.6 MB
Styles: Assorted
Year: 2004

[ 5:15] 1. Kenny Baker - It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
[ 5:27] 2. The Kenny Graham Afro-Cubists - Tuxedo Junction
[ 3:11] 3. Don Rendell Jazz Sextet - Rush Job
[ 2:30] 4. Vic Ash Quintet - Softly, As In The Morning Sunrise
[ 4:25] 5. The Fawkes-Turner Sextet - Blue Turning Grey Over You
[ 2:40] 6. Joe Harriott Quartet - Just Friends
[ 5:32] 7. Fairweather - September In The Rain
[ 5:27] 8. Dick Heckstall-Smith Quintet - Russian Lullaby
[ 5:13] 9. The Jazz Today Unit - Blue Feeling
[ 3:42] 10. The Jazz Today Unit - Farewell Blues
[ 2:39] 11. Lennie Felix Trio - Sweet Lorraine
[ 2:00] 12. Ellefsen - Let Yourself Go
[ 3:54] 13. Jimmy Skidmore Jazz Group - You Took Advantage Of Me
[ 3:17] 14. Alan Ganley Quartet - I Feel A Song Coming On
[ 2:30] 15. Diz Disley Quintet - Minor Swing
[ 2:45] 16. Cleo Laine - Indian Summer
[10:26] 17. The Jazz Today Unit - Blues In Threes
[ 3:14] 18. Vic Ash Quartet - With The Wind And Rain In Your Hair
[ 3:17] 19. Sandy Brown Big Four - Sugar

Too Hot: The Best Of Mainstream British Jazz (Disc 2)

---

Album: Too Hot: The Best Of Mainstream British Jazz (Disc 3)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:14
Size: 174.5 MB
Styles: Assorted
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:48] 1. Kenny Baker - Too Cool For The Blues
[4:26] 2. Bruce Turner - Oh Baby
[3:01] 3. Jones & Christie - Mean Dog Blues
[3:27] 4. Kenny Baker's Half Dozen - Cuban Fantasy
[3:29] 5. Kenny Baker's Dozen - Swallowin' The Blues
[2:50] 6. Kenny Baker - Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[3:05] 7. The Jazz Today Unit - Rockin' In Rhythm
[2:14] 8. Kenny Baker - I'll Get By
[3:06] 9. Kenny Baker's Half Dozen - Monkey Business
[2:08] 10. Kenny Baker's Group - Bongo Chant
[3:31] 11. Kenny Baker - I Dreamt I Dwelt In Harlem
[3:10] 12. The Kenny Baker Afro Cubists - Sidewalks Of Cuba
[6:00] 13. The Kenny Baker Afro Cubists - Time's A-Wastin'
[3:36] 14. The Kenny Baker Afro Cubists - Love Me Or Leave Me
[5:25] 15. The Kenny Baker Afro Cubists - How's This
[9:05] 16. The Kenny Baker Afro Cubists - Blues For John
[6:18] 17. The Kenny Baker Afro Cubists - Symphony In Riffs
[4:35] 18. The Kenny Baker Afro Cubists - Bugle Blues
[2:51] 19. The Kenny Baker Afro Cubists - Bakerloo Non-Stop

Too Hot: The Best Of Mainstream British Jazz (Disc 3)

---

Rickey Woodard - The Tokyo Express

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:39
Size: 145.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1992/2008
Art: Front

[ 6:38] 1. Recorda-Me
[ 5:49] 2. The Very Thought Of You
[ 7:39] 3. Just Friends
[ 8:55] 4. Sand Dance
[ 8:06] 5. Easy Living
[ 6:33] 6. Groovy Samba
[ 8:15] 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
[11:41] 8. The Tokyo Express

Alto Saxophone – Rickey Woodard; Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Joe Chambers; Piano – James Williams (2); Tenor Saxophone – Rickey Woodard.

Rickey hails from Nashville and was born into a family of musicians and was taught the saxophone and piano by his father. With his sisters, brothers, cousins, uncles and anybody in the neighborhood who wanted to play or sing, they formed a family band in the roadhouses and clubs of Tennessee. His earlier gigs were in blues and R&B but leaning toward jazz. Influenced by the big explosive style of Gene Ammons, Coleman Hawkins and Hank Mobley and the intellectualism of John Coltrane, Rickey has developed a distinctive, soulful and seductive style. By his late twenties he was a permanent member of the Ray Charles Band and toured worldwide for seven years. He currently works with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Frank Capp's Juggernaut Big Band. Rickey is also a popular visitor to Europe and the UK - and the international jazz festival circuit. In addition to playing the tenor, Rickey also plays the alto and soprano saxophones, along with the clarinet, flute and guitar. Rickey has performed worldwide with such legends as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ernestine Anderson, Benny Carter, and Horace Silver.

The Tokyo Express

---

Jerry Butler - The Best Of Jerry Butler

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:19
Size: 71.7 MB
Styles: R&B, AM Pop
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. Only The Strong Survive
[2:20] 2. Moody Woman
[2:40] 3. I Dig You Baby
[2:55] 4. Never Give You Up
[2:35] 5. Mr. Dream Merchant
[2:37] 6. Lost
[2:41] 7. Hey, Western Union Man
[4:24] 8. Ain't Understanding Mellow
[3:25] 9. One Night Affair
[2:35] 10. What's The Use Of Breaking Up
[2:27] 11. A Brand New Me

The great Jerry Butler was blessed with two big hit periods in his career and this CD covers his late sixties comeback on the Mercury label. Originally the lead singer of The Impressions, a group founded with his friend Curtis Mayfield, Jerry was encouraged to follow a solo career, which he did on Chicago's legendary R&B label, Vee Jay Records. There he had numerous hits throughout the Early Sixties that included He Will Break Your Heart, Moon River and Let It Be Me (with labelmate Betty Everett). In the Mid Sixties he faded from the charts as the new sound of Motown took over the R&B charts and by 1966 Vee Jay declared bankruptcy amid numerous lawsuits and finally ceased to operate.

This might have looked like the end, but for Jerry it was a new beginning. Talented composer-producer and A&R man Jerry Ross knew how talented Jerry Butler was and signed him to Mercury Records. He wrote and produced Mr.Dream Merchant, with its big orchestral arrangement, for him and by late 1967 Jerry was back in the Top 40 for the first time since 1964. Jerry Ross had his friend and protege Kenny Gamble at Mercury and let him and his composing partner Leon Huff take over Jerry Butler's career and that's when it really took off.

Gamble and Huff were not only talented composers but also arrangers and they were creating a new sound that would reshape soul music in the years to come as the "Sound of Philadelphia" with artists like Billy Paul, The O'Jays, Joe Simon, and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. They had already produced hits like Expressway To Your Heart (Soul Survivors) and Cowboys To Girls (Intruders) and with Jerry would develop their sound further and have their biggest hits yet. What's amazing is that most of the later Philly sound is already there: a good string section, strong bass line rhythm, forward twangy guitar and a female chorus. Jerry's voice was as warm and powerful as ever ("The Iceman" referred more to his demeanor than his voice) but instead of the smooth pop-styled voice of his early hits it was a little rougher. Together they put out a string of Top 20 hits that kept Jerry on the airwaves almost constantly in 1968 to 1969 and peaked with his number 4 hit, Only the Strong Survive, with its great spoken introduction. Never Gonna Give You Up is smooth and jazzy, while Hey Western Union Man and moody Woman still show a lot Motown influence in their rhythm and strings. A Brand New Me is given essentially the same arrangement as Gamble and Huff gave Dusty Springfield when she recorded it for them. The most forward sounding arrangement is on One Night Affair; after a trembling violin and voice opening it breaks into a full on early 70's urban sound closer to that of Curtis Mayfield or Isaac Hayes a few years later than anything going on in the late 60's.

If you like Jerry Butler this is an essential album to have, since it has all the highlights of his "The Iceman Cometh" years. Of course it doesn't include the early 60's Vee Jay recordings, but for those I'd recommend Rhino's "The Best of Jerry Butler," just a few titles down, which has all his great Vee Jay hits plus a few of the biggest Mercury hits. Some fans may only know Jerry Butler from his Late sixties hits and for them this disc alone will be enough. But if you remember his whole career you will want to have both. ~johnf

The Best Of Jerry Butler

---

Various - Best Of The Soul Jazz From The Groove Merchant Vault Vol. 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:21
Size: 156.5 MB
Styles: R&B, Jazz-Soul
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:48] 1. B. Baker Chocolate Compay - Snowblower
[5:01] 2. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Dreamer
[5:40] 3. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Carousel
[6:38] 4. Joe Thomas - Plato's Retreat
[5:47] 5. Joe Thomas - Masada
[4:38] 6. Joe Thomas - Poinciana
[4:44] 7. Joe Thomas - Gemini Flyin' High
[2:32] 8. O'Donel Levy - Where Is The Love
[4:40] 9. O'Donel Levy - People Make The World Go Round
[3:42] 10. O'Donel Levy - I Want To Make It With You
[6:04] 11. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Keep On Lovin
[6:07] 12. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Sweet Honey Wine
[5:54] 13. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Journey To Within

Best Of The Soul Jazz From The Groove Merchant Vault Vol. 1

---

Jon Zeeman - Zeeland

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:05
Size: 123.8 MB
Styles: Jazz guitar
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:49] 1. Mr. Head
[6:07] 2. Surfside
[5:30] 3. Zeeland
[4:47] 4. Slow Night Blues
[5:59] 5. Kingsize
[4:15] 6. Coral
[6:10] 7. Hard Roll
[3:42] 8. Get It
[3:54] 9. D.A. Blues
[6:19] 10. Y
[3:28] 11. Mr. Head Reprise

From the age of 8 Jon Zeeman has been obsessed with guitars, amplifiers, wah-wah pedals, power tubes, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, the Beatles, the Stones etc.....growing up outside NYC he studied classical piano as well as guitar and decided on a career in music at the age of 13. Early jobs at ihop and others taught him that the business world, or anything that required waking up early was not for him, so he spent his high school years practicing more and more, and doing less and less homework.....After studying music at Ithaca College for 2 years Jon left school to play on the road. Leaving Ithaca in the mid 80's for NYC jon became involved with producing, session work and song writing, working at his " studio Z" in a downtown loft. The New York years were punctuated by many trips to Scandinavia, where he toured and recorded with several groups....Jon began performing his own music in the mid 90's, working regularly at the 55 club and othe downtown venues...Leaving NYC at the birth of his daughter Zoe, Jon now resides in Martha's Vineyard and West Palm Beach FL, where he performs regularly...He has toured, recorded and performed with such notables as Susan Tedeschi, Janis Ian, The Burns Sisters Band ,Chris Spedding, and the Allman Brothers Band. his first cd "Still Life" was released in Europe in 2003 to much acclaim and will be followed by "Zeeland" in 2008 and the upcoming "Jupiter Session".

Zeeland mc
Zeeland zippy

---

Bill Carrothers - I Love Paris

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:24
Size: 148,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:25)  1. Beyond The Blue Horizon
(6:51)  2. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?
(6:10)  3. Button Up Your Overcoat
(8:15)  4. Stars Fell On Alabama
(7:55)  5. I Love Paris
(6:08)  6. It's A Blue World
(6:34)  7. I Apologize
(7:57)  8. Moon Love
(7:05)  9. Sleep Warm

One great thing about jazz is that an artist is more likely to be measured by his or her career arc, rather than the success or failure of a single release. It also means that, when an artist releases a career-defining record, subsequent releases are less likely to measured against it. Instead, they are seen within the broader context of the artist's larger body of work. Take pianist Bill Carrothers, whose Armistice 1918 found its way onto many a reviewer's 2004 top ten list. An ambitious work that integrated Carrothers' not inconsiderable musical talents with his interest in history, the sprawling two-disc release also raised the bar for integrating visual arts with music the packaging of the disc by Philippe Ghielmetti of the sadly now-defunct Sketch Records was as beautiful as the music's narrative was vivid and poignant. That an artist like Carrothers could create such a powerful and moving piece of work at such a relatively early stage in his career clearly portended greater things to come.  If Armistice 1918 were a rock record, the industry would be looking for his next step to be even bigger. Thankfully the jazz world is less driven by such concerns. While Carrothers' followup, I Love Paris, may not have the kind of grand ambition of Armistice 1918, it's every bit as compelling just in a smaller, more intimate way. Moving ahead in time from the music of the First World War, Carrothers brings together nine tracks from the 1920s through 1940s; some familiar, like Cole Porter's title track, others less well-known by name, but like some of the music on Armistice 1918 such a part of the larger collective unconscious that one recognizes them without actually knowing them. And, true to form, Carrothers manages to show just how far you can stretch the mainstream while still remaining within its general boundaries. 

Carrothers is a harmony-rich player with an uncanny ability to see the greater potential of both hands in concert. While some pianists are fairly linear with their right hand and eke out accompaniment with their left and there are times when Carrothers is more linear he has a vivid sense of larger voicings, like British pianist John Taylor, sometimes creating eight- and nine-part harmonies that move smoothly, and in ways that makes every subsequent note feel perfectly logical, yet somehow unpredictable. Bassist Nicolas Thy and drummer Dré Pallemaerts are intuitive players, supporting Carrothers as much as pushing him into areas of further possibility. While an underlying sense of swing pervades the entire set, the trio also takes more liberties; the title track and "Moon Love serve as examples of how familiar tunes can be re-imagined recognizable yes, but undeniably new as well. With a gradually growing and significant body of work, Carrothers is clearly an artist to keep an eye on, and I Love Paris is another fine addition that skirts the mainstream while providing plenty of surprises for the more adventurous at heart. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/i-love-paris-bill-carrothers-pirouet-records-review-by-john-kelman.php?width=192

Personnel: Bill Carrothers (piano), Nicolas Thys (bass), Dré Pallemaerts (drums).

I Love Paris

---

Ulita Knaus - So Lost Like Peace

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:40
Size: 131,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:45)  1. Time
(5:32)  2. I Can Wait
(6:01)  3. Flower
(4:20)  4. Summer Green Eyes
(4:23)  5. Crossing Our Ways
(4:15)  6. So Lost Like Peace
(4:45)  7. How I'd Love To
(5:11)  8. Sweets
(4:07)  9. Manic Depression
(5:43) 10. Dark Veils
(4:41) 11. Places To Be
(4:51) 12. When I Fall In Love

"Expressive and impressive, versatile and with perfect pitch, seductive and melancholic, clear as a bell in the higher register and warm in the deeper notes, all that and more is the voice of Germany’s most talented female jazz singer." https://www.last.fm/music/Ulita+Knaus/+wiki

Personnel:  Acoustic Bass – Gerold Donker;  Drums – Heinz Lichius;  Grand Piano – Mischa Schumann;  Guitar – Sven Kerschek (tracks: 4, 9, 11);  Percussion – Marcio Doctor (tracks: 4, 5, 11);  Tenor Saxophone – Gabriel Coburger (tracks: 1, 3, 7, 10);  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Claus Stötter (tracks: 6, 8)

So Lost Like Peace

---

Bruce Gertz - Red Handed

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1998
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 66:38
Size: 123,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:35)  1. Red Handed
(6:54)  2. In A Perfect World
(6:03)  3. J.B.
(3:44)  4. Remembering The Future
(7:49)  5. Eleven Moons
(6:39)  6. Are We There Yet?
(3:07)  7. Giant Steps
(9:10)  8. Celestial Light
(3:25)  9. Big Heart
(8:53) 10. Sun Flash
(3:14) 11. Bea

Boston-based bassist Bruce Gertz is a writer-leader to reckon with. As annotator Bob Blumenthal reminds us, this is the fourth outing for the Gertz quintet. Since its debut disc in 1991, Gertz’s fivesome, save one change, has retained the same turbo-charged line-up of guitarist John Abercrombie, tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi and drummer Adam Nussbaum, with pianist Bruce Barth now in for Joey Calderazzo. Talk about musical ESP. These guys “see” as well as hear around corners. Lines fly “inside” and “out” and everywhere else. A large part of that has to do with Gertz’s tunes which, while appealing in their own right, also function to push the band into the ether of inspired weight-free improvisation.

On one hand, there’s the loping gait of “Are We There Yet?,” a deceptive little swinger graced with Monk-ian twists and Gertz’s alluring arco and pizzicato forays. Gertz, an accomplished double bassist, also displays impressive electric chops in the spirited run-down of “Giant Steps,” the one non-Gertz track. The mystic aura of “Celestial Light” is a perfect set-up for Abercrombie’s cloud-hopping peregrinations, as well as the more earthbound wanderings of Bergonzi and Barth. Bergonzi, by the way, is colossal, whether rhapsodizing with “In a Perfect World” or churning funkily in “J.B.” Nussbaum is a constant source of evocative colors, subtle punctuations and Swiss watch time keeping. And, when the fivesome strolls late at night, as they do on the street-smart title track, watch out-It’s serious attitude! ~ Chuck Berg https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/bruce-gertz-red-handed/

Personnel: Bruce Gertz (bass); Jerry Bergonzi (tenor saxophone); Bruce Barth (piano); John Abercrombie (guitar); Adam Nussbaum (drums).

Red Handed

---

Ulf Wakenius - Enchanted Moments

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:02
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. Hymn
(8:10)  2. Little Girl Blue
(5:19)  3. Cry Me a River
(6:26)  4. When I Fall in Love
(5:41)  5. Old Folks
(5:58)  6. I Wish I Knew
(4:00)  7. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
(5:08)  8. Blues at Night
(3:38)  9. My One and Only Love
(6:30) 10. Ballad of the Sad Young Men

Those who've been exposed to Ulf Wakenius' more aggressive side will be pleasantly surprised by Enchanted Moments, a generally rewarding collection of ballads and standards that finds the Swedish fusion/hard bop/post-bop improvisor playing acoustic guitar exclusively. Wakenius' range of influences has included Pat Metheny and John McLaughlin as well as earlier guitarists like Wes Montgomery and Jim Hall -- and in this very lyrical and reflective setting, Metheny's influence is especially apparent. Well-respected in Swedish jazz circles but little known in the U.S., Wakenius is, for the most part, well-served by Scandinavian jazzmen Lars Jansson (acoustic piano, synthesizers) Lars Danielsson (acoustic bass, synthesizers) and Raymond Karlsson (drums, percussion). Overall, the synthesizers have a warm, strings-like sound that compliments Wakenius' vulnerable lyricism -- although on occasion, they take on a dull, new age-ish quality. But thankfully, this CD (available on the Stockholm-based Dragon label) has more strengths than weaknesses. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/enchanted-moments-mw0000023923

Personnel: Lars Danielsson - Bass (Acoustic), Composer, Synthesize;  Lars Jansson - Piano, Synthesizer;  Raymond Karlsson - Drums, Percussion;  Ulf Wakenius - Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)

Enchanted Moments

---

George Shearing Quintet - September In The Rain

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:35
Size: 157.0 MB
Styles: Cool jazz
Year: 1950/1978/2015
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. September In The Rain
[2:50] 2. Good To The Last Bop
[2:56] 3. Bop Look And Listen
[3:17] 4. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[3:02] 5. The Continental
[2:57] 6. Nothing But D Best
[3:06] 7. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)
[2:11] 8. In A Chinese Garden Part 1
[2:29] 9. In A Chinese Garden Part 2
[2:30] 10. Conception
[2:46] 11. I'll Remember April
[2:55] 12. Little White Lies
[2:53] 13. Carnegie Horizons
[2:38] 14. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid
[2:35] 15. November Seascape
[3:17] 16. How's Trix
[3:10] 17. Changing With The Times
[3:04] 18. Strollin'
[2:36] 19. When Your Lover Has Gone
[2:42] 20. As Long As There's Music
[2:56] 21. Roses Of Picardy
[3:06] 22. For You
[2:23] 23. Geneva's Move
[2:52] 24. Pick Yourself Up

This is Shearing's earliest work that was recorded between 1939 and 1949 and feature him in some interesting musical settings. The tracks range from early work with Leonard Feather in the late 1930s, to collaborations with Stephane Grappelli, through to bebop era collaborations with some of the pioneers of that genre like bassist Curley Russell and drummer Denzil Best. In fact, some of the tracks feature Shearing on accordion! Most of the tracks were recorded for the Decca and Savoy labels. Some of the tracks are less than perfect from an engineering perspective, but are still listenable. Bear in mind that this material was recorded sixty five to seventy five years ago on relatively crude technology. I am not making excuses for this, but do want to set expectations.

This collection is filled with surprises (and to be honest a few duds, bot those are in the ear of the beholder). If you are a fan who want to dig a little deeper into his beginnings, as well as to chart his evolution as a musician this album is worthwhile. ~Mike Tarrani

September In The Rain

---

Barbara Martin - A Different View

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:51
Size: 88.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:17] 1. Do Your Duty
[2:23] 2. I'm Not Shy
[4:11] 3. Blue Storm
[3:59] 4. Finish Me Off
[4:10] 5. The Scenic Route
[4:25] 6. Driving Those Demons Down
[3:16] 7. Up The Country Blues
[2:57] 8. Blue Skies
[3:04] 9. Why
[3:23] 10. Exit 59
[3:40] 11. That's What Love Is All About

It’s been fascinating to watch Barbara Martin’s artistic growth over the last seventeen years. A Different View, released in 1999, signaled a tilt in a more jazz-inflected direction, one that enabled Martin to find a satisfying niche of her own over the next decade, occasionally mixing standards with her own ever-more-mature compositions. ~Jim Newsom

A Different View

---

Kjeld Lauritsen, The Organizers - Fontaine Nights

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:31
Size: 156.8 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[6:44] 1. Fontaine Nights
[6:39] 2. Brobizz
[7:04] 3. Jazzgirls
[5:09] 4. Phil's Delight
[7:18] 5. Bye Bye Baby
[7:35] 6. Born To Be Blue
[7:59] 7. Blues For Jimmy
[6:24] 8. Where Or When
[6:48] 9. Portrait Of Jennie
[6:45] 10. Jumpstart

Kjeld Lauritsen, Hammond organ; Per Gade, guitar; Esben Bach, drums; Fredrik Kronkvist, alto sax; Erling Kroner, trombone.

Kjeld Lauritsen is one of the few remaining jazz organ players who plays the big Hammond Organ with rotating leslie speakers and bass pedals.

Fontaine Nights

---

Nat King Cole - The Extraordinary (Deluxe Edition) 2-Disc Set

Nat King Cole was a pretty fair jazz piano player, but it was his rich, warm, and smoothly elegant vocal style (which pretty much allowed him to sing even a soup recipe and make it work) that made him into an icon. This 70-track set has "Mona Lisa," "Sweet Lorraine," "Unforgettable," and dozens of other Cole classics, and while it doesn't have all of his hits or essential tracks by any means, there's still plenty here. [A Deluxe Edition of Extraordinary was released in 2014.] ~Steve Leggett

Album: The Extraordinary (Deluxe Edition) Disc 1
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:23
Size: 129.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Easy Listening
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. L-O-V-E
[2:48] 2. Walkin'
[1:45] 3. (I Would Do) Anything For You
[2:45] 4. The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On)
[3:27] 5. Unforgettable
[2:39] 6. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
[2:36] 7. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself A Letter)
[2:11] 8. Midnight Flyer
[2:37] 9. Send For Me
[2:26] 10. Open Up The Doghouse (Two Cats Are Coming In)
[2:54] 11. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
[2:00] 12. Love
[2:39] 13. Papa Loves Mambo
[1:47] 14. You've Got The Indian Sign On Me
[3:25] 15. Mona Lisa
[2:25] 16. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[1:53] 17. Almost Like Being In Love
[3:10] 18. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[2:32] 19. Orange Colored Sky
[2:17] 20. Long, Long Ago
[2:29] 21. Breezin' Along With The Breeze
[2:57] 22. You're Wrong All Wrong

The Extraordinary (Deluxe Edition) Disc 1

---

Album: The Extraordinary (Deluxe Edition) Disc 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:13
Size: 101.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Easy Listening
Year: 2014

[3:05] 1. You Weren't There
[2:45] 2. How (How Do I Go About It )
[3:21] 3. Sweet William (And Lily At The Valley)
[3:01] 4. Sleeping Beauty
[2:49] 5. When I'm Alone
[3:22] 6. The Magic Window
[2:49] 7. Little Fingers
[2:47] 8. Ain't She Sweet
[2:32] 9. What To Do
[2:55] 10. Straighten Up And Fly Right (Alternative Take)
[3:25] 11. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (Alternative Take)
[4:16] 12. Unforgettable (Alternative Take)
[3:41] 13. Mona Lisa (Alternative Take)
[3:16] 14. The Christmas Song (Alternative Take)

The Extraordinary (Deluxe Edition) Disc 2

---

Jelly Roll Johnson - Songs From The Record World

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:25
Size: 94.8 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz Harmonica
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:34] 1. Key To The Highway
[4:35] 2. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[4:40] 3. In A Sentimental Mood
[3:10] 4. Hallelujah I Love Her So
[4:12] 5. Everybody's Cryin' Mercy
[4:01] 6. Walkin' After Midnight
[4:49] 7. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'
[3:22] 8. Just For A Thrill
[4:26] 9. Busted
[4:30] 10. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

This instrumental release showcases Jelly Roll’s emotional harmonica on classics that range from his hauntingly romantic chromatic on “In a Sentimental Mood” to his down and dirty blues harp on “Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy” to the joyful “Hallelujah I Love Her So.” Jelly Roll’s latest instrumental offering was inspired by some of the songs he first heard at Jerry’s Record World in Cleveland, Tennessee in 1972. “I discovered blues by Little Walter and Paul Butterfield, jazz by Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington, and the genius of Ray Charles,” Jelly says. “It was a life-changing experience for me, and I hope this album will pay tribute to that music.” Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson’s distinctive, soulful style of harmonica has earned him critical acclaim, numerous awards, and a place among Nashville’s top session musicians.

A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Jelly Roll’s career has spanned 35 years. He began playing harmonica at age 19 in Cleveland, Tennessee. After touring with several rock, blues and country groups, he settled in Knoxville to work with the Tommy Cole Band. From 1979 to1989, Jelly Roll played concerts and club dates all across America with Warner Brothers recording artist Con Hunley. The group opened for acts such as Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys, Loretta Lynn and Emmylou Harris.

In 1998, Jelly Roll won the Nashville Music Award for Best Wind Instrumentalist. After receiving nominations for 1998 and 2000, he won the best Specialty Instrument Award for 2003 from the Academy of Country Music. Jelly regularly performs at Nashville’s world-famous Bluebird Café with hit songwriters Fred Knobloch, Thom Schuyler, Tony Arata and Don Schlitz.

Songs From The Record World

---

Slide Hampton & The World Of Trombones - Spirit Of The Horn

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:41
Size: 152.7 MB
Styles: Big band, Trombone jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. Cherokee
[5:05] 2. Tocache
[6:24] 3. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
[5:41] 4. Lament Basin Street Blues
[4:33] 5. April In Paris
[6:08] 6. Lester Leaps In
[5:07] 7. Moment's Notice
[7:10] 8. Dolphin Dance
[7:13] 9. Walkin'-N-Rhythm
[6:00] 10. Maya
[8:22] 11. Blues For Eric

Slide Hampton, leader, trombone; Jay Ashby, Michael Boschen, Steve Davis, Hugh Fraser, David Gibson, Andre Hayward, Benny Powell, Isaac Smith, trombone; Tim Newman, Douglas Purviance, Max Seigel, David Taylor, bass trombone; Marty Ashby, guitar, banjo; Larry Willis, piano; John Lee, bass; Victor Jones, drums. Special guest soloist -- Bill Watrous (1, 3. 11).

I wish my friend Bill Swanson were alive to hear this. Bill loved the trombone, and would have greatly admired this picturesque performance by Slide Hampton’s World of Trombones in concert at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh. This is wall-to-wall ‘bones, as Slide leads a dozen of the country’s finest through their paces and welcomes guest soloist Bill Watrous on Ray Noble’s “Cherokee,” Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing” and his own “Blues for Eric.”

Hampton, who turned seventy last year, is not only a marvelous player himself but knows how to bring out the best in a king-size section with diaphanous charts that accentuate the range and natural beauty of the horns and also swing. Slide scored the first seven numbers and “Blues for Eric” with the other arrangements by Todd Bashare (Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance”), bass trombonist Max Siegel (“Walkin’-N-Rhythm”) and David Gibson (his own composition, "Maya").

As a reward for their earnestness and artistry, everyone in the ensemble is given blowing space (and makes the most of it) on the breakneck finale, “Blues for Eric.” Hampton is featured on J.J. Johnson’s “Lament” and the ensemble’s tribute to Charlie Parker, “April in Paris,” and engages in horn-to-horn combat with Watrous on “Cherokee” and old hand Benny Powell on “Basin Street Blues.” Watrous, a master at using the horn’s upper register, is a triple-tongueing monster on “Cherokee,” an ardent romantic on “Flower.” He and the other ‘bones are supported by a supple rhythm section comprised of Willis, guitarist Marty Ashby, bassist John Lee and drummer Victor Jones. More than two decades after its first album (on which Slide used eight horns and rhythm), the World of Trombones has made a triumphant reappearance, as luminous and entrancing as ever. Let’s hope it won’t be another twenty years or more before Slide’s World collides again with ours. ~Jack Bowers

Spirit Of The Horn

---

David Liebman, Richie Beirach, Ron McClure, Billy Hart - Redemption - Quest Live In Europe

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:53
Size: 83,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Round Midnight
(5:10)  2. Ogunde
(6:11)  3. WTC - Steel Prayers
(5:53)  4. Dark Eyes
(4:19)  5. Lonely Woman
(9:27)  6. Redemption

The passage of time has no meaning when it comes to the kind of intimate musical understanding that saxophonist David Liebman and pianist Richie Beirach have shared since first working together in the early '70s. They have collaborated on numerous group projects as well as a series of duet recordings that are in dire need of reissue. Perhaps their longest and most enduring group was Quest, a quartet that released half a dozen albums between 1981 and 1990.  Redemption - Quest Live in Europe documents a 2005 reunion, and in many respects it feels as if no time has passed. The chemistry shared with bassist Ron McClure and drummer Billy Hart remains intact, but this is no backwards-looking get-together. Instead, it's a chance to hear where the past fifteen years have led these musicians, both individually and collectively. Beirach and Liebman open with a duet take on Monk's "'Round Midnight," beginning in brief abstraction before finding its way to the familiar theme. A feeling of total spontaneity without a safety net pervades Liebman and Beirach's expansive examination of the tune's rhythmic, harmonic and thematic possibilities. Still, no matter how far they take it, what defines the tune is never far away. 

Liebman and Beirach have always shared deep roots in the music of John Coltrane. Transcending mere reverence, however, Quest makes latter-day Coltrane's "Ogunde" its own through a more deeply lyrical approach to this tumultuous tone poem. McClure and Hart create a curiously understated maelstrom beneath Beirach's poignant melodism before leading into a more outgoing and extreme solo from Liebman. McClure's supple pizzicato support and visceral arco are a continuing reminder of how unfairly overlooked a player he remains. Liebman's "WTC" is an abstract exploration into the emotional impact of the September 11 Word Trade Center attack. Dark and foreboding, the chemistry of the quartet gradually builds Liebman's abstruse yet unequivocal theme to a logical point where Beirach becomes the sole voice, segueing into "Steel Prayers," Beirach's mournful yet equally hopeful conclusion. "Dark Eyes" is Quest at its most swinging, yet there's still an underlying sense of abandon. 

McClure is the fluid anchor beneath Leibman's powerful tenor, with Hart and Beirach pushing and pulling to create an ongoing tension and release. Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" becomes a rubato tone poem, with Liebman's wooden flute giving the piece an otherworldly feel. The title track has been in the group's repertoire since the mid-'80s, but this twenty-minute version of Hart's tune is definitive a potent blend of free interaction, powerful rhythmic interplay and post-Coltrane modality. It's uncertain whether or not Quest will continue to work together. Based on Redemption, however, it's clear that there's no shortage of inspiration to keep it a viable and vital concern. ~ John Kekman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/redemption-quest-live-in-europe-hatology-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: David Liebman: soprano and tenor saxophones, wooden flute; Richie Beirach: piano; Ron McClure: bass; Billy Hart: drums.

Redemption - Quest Live In Europe

---

Marica Hiraga - Faith

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:00
Size: 122,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. My Favorite Things
(4:09)  2. Blue Skies - In Walked Bud
(2:53)  3. Bluesette
(4:25)  4. Take Five
(4:36)  5. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(3:40)  6. A Foggy Day
(4:51)  7. Until We Love
(3:26)  8. Cinnamon And Clove
(7:08)  9. Everything Must Change
(4:02) 10. Take The "a" Train
(2:52) 11. The Second Time Around

A skillful vocalist who leads the jazz scene with gorgeous entertainment and a certain singing skill . While studying at Komazawa University English literature department, studied under Martha Miyake. Professional debut after winning the Gold Prize at the Asian Music Festival held in Hong in the OL era .  

Translate by google https://sites.google.com/site/maricajazmin/biography

Faith

---

Dick Oatts, Garry Dial - Dial & Oatts Play Cole Porter

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 62:27
Size: 100,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:29)  1. Ev'rything I Love
(5:00)  2. So in Love
(7:05)  3. I Love You
(6:30)  4. All of You
(6:00)  5. Down in the Depths
(5:52)  6. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(4:44)  7. At Long Last Love
(5:28)  8. Ridin' High
(4:35)  9. Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)
(5:47) 10. Goodbye Little Dream, Goodbye
(3:52) 11. Too Much Is Just Right

Born and raised in the state of Iowa, Dick Oatts was brought up in a musical family. He was introduced to the saxophone by his father Jack Oatts, a respected jazz educator and saxophonist. After high school, Dick attended Drake University and in 1972 he began his professional career in Minneapolis/St. PaOatts moved to NYC in 1977. Shortly there after, joined the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra. Since then, he has toured, recorded,and performed as a sideman in small groups with Bob Brookmeyer, Red Rodney, Eddie Gomez, Mel Lewis, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Lovano, Dom Salvador, Vic Juris, Soren Moller, Terell Stafford, Ray Mantilla, Jon Faddis, David Berkman, Flim & the BBs, Ray Mantilla, Fred Hersch, Joe Morello, Lalo Schiffrin and several others. His Big Band and large ensemble experience include Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orch,, The Mel Lewis Jazz Orch., Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Jon Faddis Jazz Band, Tito Puente, Lester Bowie, Sam Jones/Tom Harrell, Jim McNeely, Kenny Wheeler, Joe Lovano Paquito D'Rivera,and Gunther Schuller. Oatts has been a featured artist with the Metropole Orchestra, WDR Big Band, Stockholm Jazz Orchestra,Danish Radio Big Band, Millenium Jazz Orch., Norboten Radio big band, High Coast Jazz Orchestra, RIAS Radio big band, Concerto BouOrchestra, Mats Holmquist/Dick Oatts Orchestra, Rome Radio, UMO big band, Winnipeg Jazz Band, and the Wellington Jazz Orch. Oatts has accompanied such vocalists as Joe Williams, SaraVaughn. Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Neena Freelon, and Milton Nascimento. He has recorded solos for R&B artist, Luther Vandross and Everything but the Girl.

As a Steeplechase recording artist, Oatts has recorded 10 solo CDs and 5 co-led CDs. He has recorded 3 CDs on the DMP label with co-leader and pianist, Garry Dial and another on the Temple Univ. record label entitled "That Music Always Round Me". Oatts and Terell Stafford are co-leaders on "Bridging the Gap" on Planet Arts. Dave Santoro and Oatts are co-leaders on "Meru" on Red Records. For the past 35 years, Oatts has appeared at College Jazz Festivals as a soloist and clinician throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Mid-East, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and Taiwan. Oatts is a professor at the Boyer School of Music and Dance at Temple University and has been an "Artist in Residence" at the Amsterdam Conservatory since 1998. https://www.dickoattsmusic.com/mobile/bio.php

Personnel: Garry Dial (piano), Dick Oatts (tenor & alto saxophones), Jay Anderson (bass), Jeff Hirshfield (drums).

Dial & Oatts Play Cole Porter

---

Althea Rene - Unstoppable

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:04
Size: 101,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Unstoppable
(3:42)  2. Gypsy Soul
(4:18)  3. Now & Forever
(4:10)  4. What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin'
(3:32)  5. Rain
(4:06)  6. Changing Lanes
(4:16)  7. My Summer Love
(4:47)  8. I-75
(4:21)  9. When I See You
(7:12) 10. Another Star

A scorching hot representation everything a soul-jazz flutist should aspire be. This spectacular project combines the "Detroit fire" that the motor city is known for, with the silky appeal that smooth jazz fans adore. The musicianship is top-notch and the collaboration of such wonderful guest artists helped to make this powerful CD. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/althearene10

Althea René an impassioned flautist from Detroit, Michigan, has been known to mesmerize her audiences with her vivacious captivating performances. This unparalleled artist, born December 25, began her musical career at age four as a classical flautist. She was influenced by the rich talent in her family, among them her father Dezie McCullers, Sr., who performed with many Motown stars. Smooth jazz flutist Althea Rene made history by becoming the first flute player in the history of Billboard Chart to reach the number one rank with her 2013 hit single “In the Flow”. In collaboration with award winning producer Lew Laing, Althea Rene delivers another solid tour de force. “Gypsy Soul” is the first single release from her powerful, scorching hot Cd Unstoppable. Watch out!

Unstoppable

---

Matthew Shipp Trio - Piano Song

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:12
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(1:46)  1. Links
(7:29)  2. Cosmopolitan
(4:34)  3. Blue Desert
(5:29)  4. Silence Of
(5:51)  5. Flying Carpet
(5:31)  6. Scrambled Brain
(4:01)  7. Microwave
(4:45)  8. Mind Space
(3:32)  9. Void of Sea
(5:14) 10. The Nature Of
(5:24) 11. Gravity Point
(4:31) 12. Piano Song

Depending on your perspective, tradition can both be a blessing and a burden. Especially in jazz, it is hard to say something new and this is true as well when it comes to the noble art of the piano trio. Thelonious Monk has been there, Bill Evans has been there and Cecil Taylor has been there just to name a few innovators. It has become harder to identify gigantic stylistic leaps, but subtle innovations happen all the time. Recently, pianists like Eri Yamamoto, John Law, Paula Shocron and Marc Copland have continued to refine the language of the tangents. Thankfully, the piano can still sing in many ways, but the question is whether we should think of the development of the piano in linear terms. Instead of talking about one style of piano jazz replacing another, perhaps it is better to think of a continuum where sounds from the past, present and future coexist in a musical language that is both familiar and strange, old and new, mainstream and avant-garde. One of the most advanced pianists and musical thinkers today, Matthew Shipp, have certainly thought about the role of tradition versus innovation. He is not afraid of playing standards like "Angel Eyes" and "Summertime" in his own idiosyncratic versions and has dedicated an entire album to Duke Ellington: To Duke (Rogue Art, 2015), but he also thinks about jazz in more general terms. His trio with bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Newman Taylor Baker released an album called The Conduct of Jazz and in a way, what Shipp is trying to do on his records is to conduct experiments with jazz. He does not have a fixed aesthetic view on sound. As the poet, Walt Whitman, would say it: "I am large, I contain multitudes."

Listen to Shipp's records to hear how he morphs between different musical expressions, a multitude of sounds and yet he has a recognizable style. Back in 2009, he was a guest in Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on NPR (1978-2011) and it was clear she was inspired and she made a beautiful sound portrait of him (see the link to the whole program at the end of this article). In the program, Shipp himself referred to his "sledgehammer," the hard attack on the keys that has become a part of his signature, but if the tangents sometimes sound like thunder and shattered glass, Shipp is so much more than an avant-garde pianist. It would be a mistake to put him in that box -just like it would be a mistake to put him in any box. However, it would be appropriate to call Shipp a radical musical thinker and a sound explorer. He asks the question: "what is jazz?" and on his latest album with his trio with Michael Bisio and Newman Taylor Baker, he asks the question: "what is the piano?" To ask such a question, you need to be open-minded and aware of tradition and this is exactly what Shipp and his fellow musical travelers are. Piano Song is a special album. It has been announced as his last on Peter Gordon's influential label, Thirty Ear. For a long time, Shipp has helped shaping the aesthetic profile of the label as a curator of the eminent "Blue Series" and he will continue as a curator, but Piano Song is planned as his last recorded musical statement on that particular label.

Piano Song is not just an exit, it is also a beginning. This is perhaps Shipp's most beautiful and accessible album, filled with swing and lyrical tenderness. In fact, bassist Michael Bisio's bass playing on "Cosmopolitan" echoes Paul Chambers' walking bass patterns on trumpeter Miles Davis' iconic Kind of Blue album, especially the famous riff of "So What" is somewhere in the distance. But make no mistake, while the tune is both melodic and swings joyously, it also an example of Shipp's ability to work with deconstruction and suspended time. It sometimes seems as if he works on multiple musical levels at once, interrupting patterns and playing with time signatures. His work with texture is also at its most delicate here. "Blue Desert" feels exactly like the title says. Newman Taylor Baker plays a lonely shaker while the strings of Bisio and Shipp merge into the dusty language of a rusty zither, but there is also the dwelling blue piano chords of Shipp. "Silence of" is a taciturn ballad, with Newman Taylor Baker's delicate brushwork whispering in the background. It is a pretty melody in search of itself. The lack of an object in the title replaced by a preposition suggests a form that evolves like an arabesque, but it is also a sophisticated way of indicating the silence in the music where even the letters disappear. The same syntactic construction emerges in the titles "Void of" and "Nature of," indicating a process that is not finished. The music both feels through-composed and open like a sketch.  Piano Song is an album of emotionally and intellectually engaging music and the title track is a stunning aural painting that finds Shipp in his most lyrical mood, avoiding the temptation of bombastic interruption. Perhaps, the greatest revelation on this album is how the trio convincingly invites melody and swing into their language, but still in a way that is tentative and curious. Piano Song feels like an entirely fresh take on the piano trio, a vibrant continuum of sounds that avoids the pitfalls of both mainstream and avant-garde music. ~ Jacob Baekgaard https://www.allaboutjazz.com/piano-song-matthew-shipp-thirsty-ear-recordings-review-by-jakob-baekgaard.php

Personnel: Matthew Shipp: piano; Michael Bisio: bass; Newman Taylor Baker: drums.

Piano Song

---