Dejan Terzic Quartet - Four For One

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:59
Size: 131,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Childish Things
(7:35)  2. Big Argument
(8:11)  3. Loose Ends
(6:13)  4. Night's Shadow
(5:59)  5. Spartacus Love Theme
(7:38)  6. Four For One
(8:45)  7. My Romance
(5:39)  8. Green Dolphin Street

28-year-old drummer, Dejan Terzic displays star qualities on "Four For One". Terzic, has been the recipient of numerous awards and here with his Quartet featuring the superb saxophonist George Garzone, also emerges as a mature bandleader. On the opener and Terzic original, "Childish Things" Terzic commences with some cool drum licks as he displays good textbook style discipline and a keen sense of swing. Terzic's composition titled, "Big Argument" is post bop modernism at its finest. George Garzone blows the walls down with blazing tenor work as Terzic and bassist Dietmar Fuhr keep this train a rolling'. Terzic is a well-schooled technician and has obviously paid much attention to the masters of years gone by. His drumming is characteristically crisp, multi-textured and dynamic while seldom overstating his cause or plight. Another Terzic original composition "Loose Ends" features Garzone's lyrical and melodic phrasing on soprano sax as the end results prove to be straightforward and succinct. Here, pianist Roberto Di Gioia provides tonal color and understated accents via a light touch and warm sonorous chord progressions as the potent rhythm section shift tempos. The mood thus far could be categorized as being positive and exuberant. On "Night's Shadow" The Quartet rekindles memories of Coltrane's early-mid 60's Quartet as Garzone renders a gutsy, soul searching and borderline free-jazz tenor solo. Terzic may have had Elvin Jones in mind on this up-tempo piece. The title track, "Four For One" commences with a relatively complex introduction as the band performs several bars in unison. Again, Garzone leads the attack with soaring, fluent and highly emotional tenor work. Pleasant renditions of Rodgers & Hart's "My Romance" and Washington & Kaper's "Green Dolphin Street" mesh well in the overall mix.Four For One is a no frills, extremely focused and to-the-point affair. Again, the talent scouts over at Naxos Jazz should be commended. Recommended! ~ Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/four-for-one-dejan-terzic-review-by-glenn-astarita.php

Personnel: Dejan Terzic; Drums: George Garzone; Tenor & Soprano Saxes: Roberto Di Gioia; Piano: Dietmar Fuhr; Bass.

Four For One

---

Ted Heath - Anything Goes

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:06
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

(1:44)  1. Anything Goes
(2:20)  2. You Do Something to Me
(2:04)  3. Love Is Just Around the Corner
(2:57)  4. Indian Summer
(2:10)  5. Gone with the Wind
(2:53)  6. Perfidia
(2:27)  7. In the Still of the Night
(3:13)  8. September Song
(1:58)  9. I Cried for You
(2:53) 10. Blues in the Night
(2:10) 11. When I Grow Too Old to Dream
(2:42) 12. April in Paris
(2:24) 13. Change Partners
(3:13) 14. Time on My Hands
(2:29) 15. Always True to You in My Fashion
(2:50) 16. Whispering
(2:28) 17. Adios
(2:43) 18. Speak Low
(3:13) 19. Blue Moon
(2:34) 20. When the Saints Go Marching In
(2:40) 21. Stardust
(2:16) 22. Who
(2:02) 23. Robbins Nest
(1:53) 24. California Here I Come
(0:36) 25. Listen to My Music

Ted Heath was one of the most famous big-band leaders in Great Britain of the 1950s. His bands played modernized swing music that was always danceable but occasionally had worthwhile solos played in the tradition. Heath started out playing tenor horn before he switched to trombone when he was 14. He spent a period playing as a street musician and then was discovered by Jack Hylton, who hired him for his band. Heath had long stints as a sideman with a variety of top dance bands, including ensembles led by Bert Firman (1924-1925), Hylton again (1925-1927), Ambrose (1928-1936), Sydney Lipton (1936-1939), and Geraldo (1939-1944). Heath began leading his own big band in 1944 and, through regular appearances on the radio, tours, and concerts, he soon became a household name in England. The innovations of bebop were largely ignored in favor of playing swing-oriented charts, although some of Heath's soloists (particularly Ronnie Scott, Danny Moss, Don Rendell, and Kenny Baker) became notable as jazz players. Heath, whose band was always of high musicianship and used "Listen to the Music" as its theme song, also became well known in the United States, visiting the U.S. several times starting in 1956. His orchestra recorded quite frequently starting in 1944 (mostly for Decca and London), including ten albums in 1959 alone. Even after Ted Heath's death in 1969, the big band continued performing and recording with a live concert cut as late as 1977. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/mn/artist/ted-heath/id15808662#fullText

Anything Goes

---

Donna Byrne - Licensed To Thrill

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:23
Size: 145,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. You And The Night And The Music
(3:52)  2. Nobody Else But Me
(4:52)  3. My Old Flame
(4:53)  4. Agua De Beber
(6:20)  5. Talk To Me Baby
(5:30)  6. Reaching For The Moon
(4:48)  7. Shadowland
(3:51)  8. Old Devil Moon
(5:38)  9. The Underdog
(4:31) 10. I'll Always Be In Love With You
(3:51) 11. I Don't Care Much
(4:58) 12. I'm Walkin'
(4:40) 13. Remember My Child / Grow Tall My Son

Any recording titled Licensed to Thrill sets up a certain expectation. Unfortunately, the latest CD from the Boston-based vocalist rarely lives up to its promise. Byrne delivers a solid, competent set of pop and jazz standards, but her thin, reedy voice isn't particularly distinctive or compelling, much less thrilling. What sparkles are the nuanced, textured arrangements by bassist and husband Marshall Wood and the masterful performances by her sidemen. Scott Hamilton's soaring tenor sax underlines the light-hearted rhythms of "Nobody Else But Me," while Wood's subtle bass lends a sexy playfulness to "Talk To Me Baby." Byrne displays confident phrasing on up-tempo numbers like "Old Devil Moon" and "Agua de Beber." She swings comfortably, but doesn't bring anything particularly interesting or innovative to her selections. An exception is the Fats Domino golden oldie "I'm Walkin," in which Bucky Pizzarelli's divine guitar propels the rhythm section with a joyous drive lacking on the rest of the album (this arrangement has a contribution by pianist Tim Ray). Byrne's at her best on ballads; her lack of vocal color hinders her the least when she can shine as an interpreter. 

She is dry and evocative on "The Underdog," a bittersweet song by Dave Frishberg, and appropriately moody for a melancholy jazz take on "I Don't Care Much," a John Kander/Fred Ebb song cut from, then reinstated into, the Broadway musical Cabaret. Her soft, understated version of the war-horse "My Old Flame" is meticulously rendered with nearly perfect diction. While Byrne has an attractive tone and is rhythmically adept, she is too often upstaged by her own arrangements to make a mark for herself with this disc. ~ Ed Felper https://www.allaboutjazz.com/licensed-to-thrill-donna-byrne-a-records-review-by-ed-felper.php
 

Personnel: Donna Byrne –Vocals;  Scott Hamilton -Sax (Tenor);   Bucky Pizzarelli –Guitar;   Tim Ray -Piano, Arranger;   Marshall Wood -Bass, Arranger, Associate Producer;   Jim Gwin –Drums .

Licensed To Thrill

---

Oscar Pettiford & Vinnie Burke - Bass

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:07
Size: 85,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:56)  1. Sextette
(2:33)  2. Golden Touch
(2:20)  3. Cable Car
(2:42)  4. Tricrotism
(2:24)  5. Edge of Love
(2:33)  6. Oscar Rides Again
(2:51)  7. The Continental
(2:18)  8. For All We Know
(3:15)  9. Yesterdays
(2:42) 10. Imagination
(2:41) 11. Time Out
(1:24) 12. Softly As In The Morning Sunrise
(4:02) 13. On the Alamo
(2:20) 14. Honeysuckle Rose

Although the great bassist Oscar Pettiford gets first billing, this CD actually has six selections from his quintet (with tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, Julius Watkins on French horn, pianist Duke Jordan, and drummer Ron Jefferson) and eight from bassist Vinnie Burke's quartet (clarinetist Ronnie Oldrich, Don Burns on accordion, and guitarist Joe Cinderella). The Pettiford half is notable for including three of his compositions ("Tricrotism" is best known), utilizing the Rouse-Watkins front line (which would become the Jazz Modes during 1956-1958) and for Pettiford doubling on cello. The Burke group has the usual instrumentation exploring melodic versions of seven standards, plus the bassist's "Time Out." These two unrelated sessions are complementary, displaying the cooler side of 1950s bebop. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/bass-by-pettiford-burke-mw0000671915

Personnel: Oscar Pettiford (cello); Joe Cinderella (guitar); Don Burns (accordion); Ron Odrich (clarinet); Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Julius Watkins (French horn); Duke Jordan (piano); Ron Jefferson (drums).

Bass by Pettiford/Burke

---

The Steve Miller Band - Born 2B Blue

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz 
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:07
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
(3:35)  2. Ya Ya
(4:58)  3. God Bless The Child
(2:48)  4. Filthy McNasty
(5:23)  5. Born To Be Blue
(4:48)  6. Mary Ann
(4:02)  7. Just A Little Bit
(4:35)  8. When Sunny Gets Blue
(5:11)  9. Willow Weep For Me
(2:31) 10. Red Top

Disregard the fact that the "space" in Steve Miller's "space blues" was a large part of why he had his own distinctive musical identity, because if you're going into 1988's Born 2B Blue looking for a return to his trademark space blues, or even a revitalization of his roots, you'll be sorely disappointed. In fact, this isn't even a blues album it's a jazz album, pitched halfway between soul-jazz and smooth jazz. He's able to draft such heavy-hitters as Phil Woods and Milt Jackson for guest spots, and his taste in material is quite nice, balancing the overly familiar ("Willow Weep for Me," "God Bless the Child") with relatively obscure R&B cuts ("Ya Ya," "Mary Ann") and selections that demonstrate that he's a genuine fan, such as Horace Silver's "Filthy McNasty." Now, does all this make Born 2B Blue a worthwhile genre exercise? Well, in a sense, it does, since Miller is passionate as he can be, turning in charmingly laid-back performances that may not be noteworthy, but are pleasant as can be. So, it winds up being something that's modestly impressive and enjoyable as it's playing, but no matter what its virtues are, it's more noteworthy for what it is than what it gives. ~ Steve Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/born-2b-blue-mw0000197299

Personnel:  Guitar, Vocals – Steve Miller;  Bass – Billy Peterson;  Drums – Gordy Knudtson;  Keyboards – Ben Sidran

Born 2B Blue

---

Grant Green - Green Is Beautiful

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:35
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(9:58)  1. Ain't It Funky Now
(9:02)  2. A Day In The Life
(5:42)  3. The Windjammer
(6:46)  4. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
(6:05)  5. Dracula

The second album of Grant Green's thorough jazz-funk makeover, Green Is Beautiful finds the guitarist growing more comfortable with harder, funkier R&B than he seemed on the softer-hued Carryin' On. The switch from Fender Rhodes electric piano back to the more traditional Hammond organ certainly helps give the session a little extra grit, but it doesn't return Green to the land of soul-jazz by any means. Green Is Beautiful is still explicitly commercial and accessible to non-jazz audiences, and (purist objections notwithstanding) that's not necessarily a bad thing. Green's take on James Brown's "Ain't It Funky Now" is one of the funkiest items in his rare-groove period; it may be chordally very simple, but the groove is tight and percolating, and Green, tenor saxophonist Claude Bartee, and trumpeter Blue Mitchell all come up with hot, exciting solos. The album also benefits from Green's discovery of composer and occasional organist Earl Neal Creque, who contributes two bright, slinky, horn-driven originals: "The Windjammer," which became one of the signature tunes of Green's late period, and "Dracula." They help give the album a more original voice, and indicate that Green was actively making himself at home in his new musical environment, not just mixing dull originals with phoned-in covers of pop and R&B hits (as he and many other '70s Blue Note artists were accused of doing). Of course, there are still pop covers present the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" is a mellow, mid-tempo groove, and Bacharach's "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" doesn't stray far from the melody. Even if those aren't particularly distinctive, the remainder of Green Is Beautiful proves that Green's reinvention as a jazz-funk artist wasn't the misguided disaster it was initially made out to be. ~ Steve Huey http://www.allmusic.com/album/green-is-beautiful-mw0000623413

Personnel:  Guitar – Grant Green;  Bass – Jimmy Lewis;  Bongos – Richard Lendrum;  Congas – Candido Camero;  Drums – Idris Muhammad; Organ – Emanuel Riggins, Earl Neal Creque;  Tenor Saxophone – Claude Bartee;  Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

Green Is Beautiful

---

Dieter Ilg - Parsifal

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:08
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Zum Raum wird hier die Zeit
(3:56)  2. Glocken
(4:18)  3. Parsifal
(4:36)  4. Morgengebet
(4:49)  5. Ich bin ein reiner Tor
(6:32)  6. Zaubergarten
(4:34)  7. Amfortas
(4:01)  8. Unerhortes
(0:44)  9. Herzeleid
(4:23) 10. Kundry
(5:38) 11. Von Welt zu Welt
(3:33) 12. Klageruf
(3:44) 13. Sehnsucht

The monumental becomes sensual and the sensual monumental in this astonishing chamber/jazz reinterpretation of Richard Wagner's opulent Parsifal by Germany's leading bass player, Dieter Ilg. As Wagner is known to have been a passionate admirer of Beethoven, the disc ends with a reinterpretation of that other famous German composer: an almost breathy version of the Ode to Joy. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Parsifal-Dieter-Ilg/dp/B00A44KF1Q

Personnel: Dieter Ilg (Bass);  Rainer Böhm (piano); Patrice Héral (drums).

Parsifal

---

Ed Calle - Ed Calle Plays Jobim

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Desafinado
(5:12)  2. Corcovado
(4:34)  3. Wave
(5:47)  4. The Girl from Ipanema
(4:35)  5. Triste
(5:55)  6. Once I Loved
(4:52)  7. How Insensitive
(5:10)  8. Dindi
(4:26)  9. If You Never Come to Me
(5:07) 10. Meditation
(5:01) 11. Some One to Light Up My Life
(4:17) 12. One Note Samba

Born in Caracas of Spanish parents, Miami-based saxophonist Ed Calle owes his musical career to his father's love of music. When Calle and his family moved to America in 1966, his father suggested that Calle take some music classes. Calle picked tenor saxophone and took to it quickly, soon spending nearly all his free time practicing. As a student at the University of Miami, Calle decided that music was his calling, and received a master's degree in jazz performance. Even before he left school, however, Calle played with artists like Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, and toured with performers such as Julio Iglesias and Bob James. Calle has also worked as a sideman for Arturo Sandoval, Jon Secada, Vanessa Williams, and Frank Sinatra, as well as contributing to television and movie soundtracks. Along with his Latin roots, Calle's playing style is influenced by his love of mathematics--he also holds a bachelor's degree in math from Florida International University. Calle shares his technical background and heritage with the elementary school children he lectures as a traveling music teacher. His solo albums Nightgames (1986), Double Talk (1996), and Sunset Harbor (1999) also reflect his prowess and passion as a musician. The new millennium saw the release of Twilight (2001) on Concord Jazz. ~ Heather Phares http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ed-calle-mn0000146437/biography

Ed Calle Plays Jobim

---

Carmela Rappazzo - Joseph City

Size: 102,8 MB
Time: 40:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Bye Bye Blackbird (4:15)
02. Miss You So (3:32)
03. Let's Fall In Love (2:19)
04. Lit Up From Behind (4:20)
05. All The Things You Are (4:04)
06. Ask Coral` (2:17)
07. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:18)
08. No Moon At All (4:00)
09. Pandora (4:04)
10. Old Black Magic (3:17)
11. Joseph City (4:35)

Vocalist Carmela Rappazzo's fourth release finds her leading a jazz quintet featuring Pete Snell (g), Armando Compean (b) and Lee Spath (dr) through a program of jazz standards and clever originals. The band itself is Beale Street bluesy, and accompanies Ms Rappazzo swingingly through faithful versions of tunes like "Old Black Magic" and "Let's Fall in Love"."Miss You" has her mourning over the mood created by Coco Trivisonno's bandoneon; "Ask Coral" has Rappazzo acting sly and witty over the snappy rhythms, and "Pandora" finds her in a convincing foreboding mood. A disc of all originals could prove to be something quite formidable from this promising lady. -George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

Carmela grew up in upstate New York learning the great american songbooks at an early age, as her father was a big band swing coronet player and the large Sicilian family gatherings always included live music. She got involved in musical theater in high school but was enthralled by jazz. She moved to Boston in her late teens hanging out in Paul’s Mall and the Jazz Workshop listening to the greats play live and sitting in as a singer with friends who were attending Berkley. Arriving back in New York City she attended ‘Theatrium’ (a Strasberg Institute training) and became involved in off-off broadway theater and appeared in a few independent films, later training with Eric Morris. Carmela moved to Los Angeles in ‘92 , working in the L. A. Theater scene and on several feature films with such notable film directors as Rob Reiner, Wolfgang Petersen, Jonathan Lynn and Ken Kwapis. She continued her vocal training with Dan Balestrero. She began to perform in the L. A. Jazz scene with the Jon Mayer trio and recorded her first record ‘Black and White’ , a straight ahead standards record with them. After appearing in many of the local clubs she began to branch out and work with established musicians recording her second cd with Paul Smith, Jim DeJulio and Joe LaBarbera. This cd ‘Regarding Frank’ was a tribute record to Sinatra and his 50’s Capitol years. Shortly after this she formed her own trio which featured guitarist song writer Hirth Martinez. Out of this trio ‘The Girl Who Dreams Out Loud’ was conceived. This new cd, “Joseph City”, combines straight ahead covers, with some very unique arrangements, and original tunes by Carmela. The superb rhythm section is led by Pete Snell on guitar, Armando Compean on bass, Lee Spath on drums, Chase Morrison on cello, Stu Elster on Hammond B3, Steve Marsh on saxophones, John Fumo on trumpet and Scott Breadman on persussion. Also featured on this cd is tango master Coco Trivisonno on bandoneon. Carmela now resides in New Mexico and continues to perform and write her own music.

Joseph City

---

Camille Thurman - Inside The Moment: Recorded Live At Rockwood Music Hall

Size: 113,8 MB
Time: 49:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (7:22)
02. Sassy's Blues (7:40)
03. Road Song (6:12)
04. Detour Ahead (7:43)
05. Nefertiti (7:43)
06. Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (7:41)
07. Cherokee (4:50)

The world of Jazz has been graced by many great female vocalists through the decades -- Ella Fitzgerald, Sara Vaughan, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, to name just a few. Chesky Records is excited to introduce a name we feel will one day be in their company...Camille Thurman. On her Chesky Records debut, Thurman shows her versatility with stunning performances on both saxophone and vocals.

The multi-talented Camille Thurman is an award-winning composer, a formidable saxophonist, and a second-place winner of the prestigious Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition. She has performed with artists ranging from Dr. Billy Taylor, George Coleman, Lew Tabackin, and George Benson, to Chaka Khan, Alicia Keys, and Missy Elliot. She recently made her Jazz at Lincoln Center debut during the Generations in Jazz Festival, leading a killer quartet as she sang, played, and showcased original compositions and some classics. She also recently gave an improvised scatting performance during Battle of the Big Bands that brought down the house in The Appel Room.

The inaugural release of the new Virtual Audio Series from Chesky Records, this album was recorded in front of a live audience at Rockwood Music Hall in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, using a single binaural microphone. This technique places the listener in the middle of a live show. If you didn't know any better, you'd swear you can smell the perfume of the young lady seated to your left.

MQA is an award winning technology that delivers the sound of the studio. The Master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream, but also being backward compatible, so you can play MQA music on any device.

Imagine being present at the original studio performance of your favorite recording artist. Every nuance, every subtlety, every tiny drop of emotion delivered to your ears.

Inside The Moment

---

Tom Kubis - If It Doesn't Hurt It's Not The Blues!

Size: 126,9 MB
Time: 54:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Blues
Art: Front

01. Pearl For Merle (2:45)
02. Back In A Second (2:50)
03. Blues My Sweaty Nighty Gives To Me (3:13)
04. Exactly! (3:46)
05. Cloud 9 1-2 (3:20)
06. Down And Dirty Blues (4:08)
07. Bluesit (2:03)
08. I Just Got Hit With The Blues (4:29)
09. Hey Joja! (2:47)
10. If It Doesn't Hurt It's Not The Blues (2:50)
11. Trainafinado (2:30)
12. Just Preachin' (3:34)
13. I Love Sax (3:24)
14. Little Waltz In Retro (2:41)
15. Lime Juice Greens (2:45)
16. I Remember The Good Old Days (3:46)
17. What Is This Thing Called (3:01)

This jazz album has alway been a dream of mine since I heard Lockjaw Davis do this with 4 tenor saxes. This is a hard swinging, hard bopping bluesy project with the cool sound of the 3 tenor saxophones blasting through ensembles and jazz lines. There are up tempo burners and jazz shuffles and even a waltz to round off all the tunes here. Feet will be tapping for sure! (Tom Kubis All saxes and Organ and Production).

b. 1951, Los Angeles, California, USA. After studying, Kubis began playing alto, tenor and soprano saxophones with various bands. He also played piano for Bobby Vinton. However, Kubis’ chief interest was in writing and his arrangements were in much demand, especially from big band leaders. He formed his own big band expressly to play his charts and this attracted the attention of Jack Sheldon who became an informal co-leader of the band. Apart from writing for the band, Kubis continues to provide charts for others, including Bill Watrous, the BBC Radio Big Band, and his work is also performed by youth and college bands in the USA and UK. His writing is always lively and entertaining, often difficult but never simply for the sake of being hard to play. His own recording career has been relatively meagre, beginning with Dimitri Pagalidis and only in later years has his own big band been heard and appreciated by fans of contemporary big band music around the world.

If It Doesn't Hurt It's Not The Blues!

---

Sylvia Brooks - The Arrangement

Size: 150,3 MB
Time: 64:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (4:12)
02. Cold, Cold Heart (4:18)
03. Body & Soul (5:34)
04. Eleanor Rigby (4:34)
05. What Was I Thinking (4:23)
06. Midnight Sun (5:46)
07. Maybe I'm A Fool (5:31)
08. Guess Who I Saw Today (3:51)
09. Besame Mucho (6:20)
10. Tender Trap (4:11)
11. Sweet Surrender (3:59)
12. Night And Day (4:23)
13. Never Let Me Go (3:39)
14. Angel Eyes (3:44)

With her first two critically acclaimed albums, jazz vocalist Sylvia Brooks introduced a sensuous jazz-noir sound redolent of femme fatales and tough guys, crooked deals and deep-shadowed urban nightscapes. But no great artist wants to be typecast, and with her third album, The Arrangement, she steps out of the mist and fog into the sunlight, where she reveals herself as a singer at home in just about any narrative. An intimate collaboration with an array of brilliant Los Angeles arrangers.

When an artist succeeds in a particular niche she always faces pressure to repeat the performance, but Brooks had no intention of limiting herself. “I wanted to explore different musical styles,” she says. “I love Latin influenced music, big band swing, and rich ballads. I want to explore the whole spectrum musically.”

With a sumptuous velvet-rich voice and emotionally incisive phrasing, Brooks is far too protean a talent to be confined to any particular plotline. In creating The Arrangement, she didn’t just set out to investigate different moods and rhythms. She invited a dazzling cast of writers to craft bespoke charts tailored stylishly for her voice, while giving them casting carte blanche, an act of trust that led to a project marked by a glorious diversity of settings.

Starting with Kim Richmond, who collaborated on her first two albums, she connected with a superlative collection of accompanist/arrangers, including Venezuelan-born pianist Otmaro Ruiz (Dianne Reeves), pianist Jeff Colella (Lou Rawls), French-born pianist Christian Jacob (Tierney Sutton, Betty Buckley), and pianist Quinn Johnson (Steve Tyrell, Diana Ross) “who all have very different styles,” Brooks says. “Quinn is very different from Otmaro, who’s got an entirely different sensibility from Christian.”

Brooks choose the songs, and gave the arrangers two directives. They had to use a combination of brass and reeds, and they could choose the musicians they felt would best serve the direction of the piece, “so it was a real collaboration,” Brooks says. “I wanted them to have complete freedom.”

The album opens with Ruiz’s lush setting for “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Quizas, Quizas, Quizas),” an intoxicating piece that connects Brooks to the Cuban music she heard growing up in Miami. He provides Brooks with another sleek and sensuous Latin vehicle on the oft-interpreted standard “Besame Mucho,” which she delivers as a passionate fever dream accelerated by a simmer tenor sax solo by the reed master Bob Sheppard.

Brooks takes an unexpected left turn as Johnson’s brassy, briskly swinging arrangement transforms Hank Williams’ classic country lament “Cold Cold Heart.” He also proved to be an ideal songwriting collaborator for Brooks, who contributes original lyrics to three beautifully wrought pieces, starting with their slyly funky anthem about mistaken first impressions “What Was I Thinking (The Mirage).” She teamed with the multi award-winning composer Patrick Williams on “Maybe I’m A Fool,” a lovely portrait of romantic self-doubt arranged with rollercoaster energy by Johnson.

Jacob, who wrote the widely hailed score for Clint Eastwood’s 2016 film Sully, collaborated with Brooks on one of the album’s most arrestingly beautiful pieces, “Sweet Surrender,” an intimate piano and voice duet with a graceful melody that needs no embellishments. Another standout track is Jacob’s quietly dramatic setting of Lennon and McCartney’s “Eleanor Rigby,” a rendition so effective and unforgettable as a jazz vehicle (listen to the deft interplay of Jacob’s Fender Rhodes chords and Larry Koonse’s guitar) that one can only marvel at her ingenuity.

Clearly undaunted by legendary artists, Brooks puts her personal stamp on “Guess Who I Saw Today,” the forlorn narrative indelibly linked to Nancy Wilson. She closes the album with an unforgettable version of “Angel Eyes,” a haunting Richmond arrangement that links back to Brooks earlier jazz-noir albums. She’s still a riveting raconteur when it comes to tales of loss and heartbreak, but she’s got a lot of other stories to tell on The Arrangement.

The Arrangement

---

Tommy Emmanuel - Live! At The Ryman

Size: 181,4 MB
Time: 77:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Tall Fiddler (Live) (2:44)
02. The Mystery (Live) (4:29)
03. Windy & Warm (Live) (2:33)
04. Deep River Blues - Doc's Guitar - Blue Smoke - Cannonball Rag (Live) (6:28)
05. Saturday Night Shuffle - Nine Pound Hammer (Live) (6:29)
06. Angelina (Live) (3:27)
07. Blood Brother (Live) (5:27)
08. Beatles Medley - Classical Gas (Live) (7:40)
09. Sails (Live) (5:37)
10. San Antonio Stroll (Live) [Feat. John Knowles & Steve Wariner] (3:54)
11. Guitar Boogie (Live) (9:26)
12. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Live) (6:34)
13. I Still Can't Say Goodbye (Live) (3:42)
14. Workin Man Blues (Live) [Feat. Steve Wariner] (3:57)
15. Eva Waits (Live) (4:41)

The new album was captured during a special show at the famed Nashville venue on February 27th of last year where Emmanuel was joined on stage by Steve Wariner and John Knowles (who are the only other two living CPGs, a.k.a. Certified Guitar Players, a moniker bestowed on four guitarist that he admired by music icon Chet Atkins.

Tommy shared his excitement about being able to share the show with the new album, "It was an unforgettable experience playing my first solo show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Live! At The Ryman

---

Bria Skonberg - With A Twist

Size: 117,2 MB

Time: 49:57

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2017

Styles: Jazz Vocals

Art: Front

01. My Baby Just Cares For Me (3:04)

02. Sway (3:12)

03. Alright, Okay, You Win Soul Bossa Nova (3:18)

04. Cocktails For Two (3:19)

05. Whatever Lola Wants (2:58)

06. Dance Me To The End Of Love (5:33)

07. It's Oh So Quiet (4:57)

08. How I Know (4:10)

09. High Hat, Trumpet, And Rhythm (3:17)

10. Back In Your Own Back Yard (4:34)

11. Same Kind Of Crazy (3:50)

12. Thinking Out Loud (4:45)

13. Time To Go (2:53)

Vocalist, trumpeter and songwriter Bria Skonberg re-imagines it all on her new OKeh/Masterworks album, With a Twist. Coming off a recent Juno Award (Canada’s version of The Grammys) for her first OKeh collection, Bria, Skonberg spins her cool and confident vocal style---and her sleek and timeless jazz chops---into a program that playfully nods to tradition while always looking ahead.

Of the mood she was going after on With a Twist, Skonberg says: “The inspiration was love and adventure, and the many twists and turns and tunnels you can get into. It’s a little about my time in New York, a little bit of cocktail culture. The musical inspiration was a modern-day Esquivel, Perez Prado, maybe some Spike Jones. It’s just important to me to put some love and positivity out into the world right now.”

With a Twist reunites Skonberg with producer Matt Pierson, whom she credits with helping her realize the album’s concept. The album features 5-time Grammy winner Gil Goldstein (who arranged six of the tracks and plays keyboards and accordion), Sullivan Fortner (piano), Scott Colley (bass), Matt Wilson (drums).

With A Twist

---

Donna Byrne - Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:38
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over
(7:37)  2. Street Of Dreams
(3:38)  3. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:15)  4. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:10)  5. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(6:37)  6. Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me
(6:25)  7. The Two Lonely People
(3:12)  8. All Alone On My Own
(5:16)  9. My Melancholy Baby
(4:23) 10. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)
(4:21) 11. He Was Too Good To Me
(5:23) 12. Someone To Light Up My Life
(6:52) 13. A Cottage For Sale - A House Is Not A Home
(3:26) 14. I Hear Music

A gem of a singer, Donna Byrne's latest is a 14-track journey through the pages of the Great American Songbook, and she brilliantly captures the essence of each of these chestnuts. The Boston vocalist knows how to extend herself far beyond mere recitation of words. Her delivery is so engaging, so dazzling, so bright, that each tune is an entertaining foray into the world of the art of jazz vocal. Not only is she equipped with an extraordinary set of vocal chords, as well as excellent and top-of-the-line timing and phrasing, but she does not get hemmed in by conventional vocal wisdom  she lets her imagination provide the direction for the session. Whether it be on a rousing up-tempo number like "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (where she uncharacteristically indulges in some scatting going back and forth with Mike Turk's harmonica), to her poignant delivery of "He Was Too Good to Me," Byrne uses the appropriate combination of swing, elan, wit, or romanticism  whatever is needed to make the performance go. Another factor that makes this CD go are two sets of exemplary musicians who perform their duties as Byrne's supporters, adding their own inventive musical musings. Jazz piano institution and fellow New Englander Dave McKenna once again joins Byrne. But while he makes no attempt to overshadow the singer, his years as a top-flight jazzman come through clearly on tunes such as "My Melancholy Baby." The other pianist on the set, Tim Ray, also shines as he helps with a swinging melody on "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top." Erstwhile reedman Mike Monaghan's slightly biting tenor is in front on tracks such as "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)." Byrne's regular rhythm section, Jim Gwin on drums and husband Marshall Wood on bass, shows that familiarity in no way breeds contempt but respect, harmony, and mutual admiration. The last two cuts are not on the play list: Track 13 is a lovely medley of "A Cottage for Sale"/"A House Is Not a Home," and track 14 is an off-to-the-races "I Hear Music." Don't Dream of Anybody but Me only solidifies Byrne's position as a major contemporary jazz singer. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-dream-of-anybody-but-me-mw0000722605

Personnel:  Donna Byrne -Vocals;  Dave McKenna -Piano;  Tim Ray -Piano/Fender Rhodes;  Jim Gwin -Drums;  Marshall Wood -Bass;  Mike Monaghan -Tenor Sax/Flute;  Kenny Wenzel -Trombone/Flugelhorn;  Mike Turk -Harmonica

Thank You my Friend!!!!

Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me

---

George Shearing Trio - Getting In The Swing Of Things

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:57
Size: 106,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(5:12)  2. Consternation
(7:06)  3. Sweet And Lovely
(3:47)  4. My Little Anna
(4:00)  5. Sweet Lorraine
(2:57)  6. Louis Ann
(5:50)  7. G and G
(3:18)  8. Poinciana
(6:25)  9. This Can't Be Love

This particular George Shearing Trio (with guitarist Louis Stewart and bassist Niels Pedersen) recorded three albums for MPS during 1977-79 and provided an excellent outlet for the brilliant pianist just prior to his association with the Concord label. The Pausa reissue LP has the trio's renditions of five standards and four obscure originals including two ("Consternation" and "G & G") by Shearing. His renditions of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "This Can't Be Love" are most memorable among these generally swinging tracks. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/getting-in-the-swing-of-things-mw0000943446

Personnel:  Piano – George Shearing;  Bass – Niels Henning Ørsted-Pedersen;  Guitar – Louis Stewart

Getting In The Swing Of Things

---

Les McCann - Hustle To Survive

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:53
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Us
(4:12)  2. Changing Seasons
(4:03)  3. Got To Hustle To Survive
(1:27)  4. Butterflies
(6:38)  5. Everytime I See A Butterfly
(4:29)  6. Says Who Says What?
(5:11)  7. Will We Ever Find Our Fathers
(4:08)  8. Well, Cuss My Daddy
(4:12)  9. Why Is Now
(5:11) 10. Let Your Learning Be Your Eyes

Since Layers, Les McCann went on a long retreat away from the cutting edge, basically and literally hustling to survive in a rapidly changing marketplace. Hence the emphasis on vocals and commercial backings on the remainder of his Atlantic albums, which tend to trail off in quality. The title track and "Says Who Says What" continue his string of earthy, topical, radio-friendly soul vocals that tried and tried to score hits the size of "Compared to What" but never quite captured the moment again. McCann's fascination with synthesizers and electronics also continues, although by now he is mostly interested in using the instrument as just another color instead of the basis for the music itself à la Joe Zawinul. McCann's vocals are soulful and sincere and he still plays lots of acoustic piano; it's the material that often lets him down here. Best track is the instrumental "Us," a great funkbuster. ~ Richard G.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/hustle-to-survive-mw0000741540

Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinet – Les McCann;  Bass – James E. Rowser;  Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Miroslaw Kudykowski

Hustle To Survive

---

Mélanie Dahan - Latine

Styles: Vocal, Chanson
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:52
Size: 135,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:32)  1. Utile
(3:59)  2. Berimbau
(5:48)  3. Retrato em branco e preto
(3:25)  4. Vingt ans
(4:45)  5. Que feras-tu de ta vie ?
(4:30)  6. Luiza
(5:00)  7. Le prochain amour
(4:53)  8. El cosechero
(4:31)  9. Flor de lis
(5:41) 10. J'ai eu trente ans
(5:38) 11. Catavento e girassol
(6:04) 12. Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?

Following the success of her first album ("La Princesse et les Croque-notes") and numerous concerts, Mélanie Dahan returns to us in a formula favorable to the expression of her great qualities as an interpreter. She continues to create bridges between French chanson and jazz and we also embark this time in a program more mixed, with Latin sounds. This second opus balances with grace and elegance between France, Brazil, Argentina and reflects nicely the diversity of its influences. Two, three repertoires, therefore, with common roots, which she declines in several forms and colors, in ease from one register to another, and in a style that belongs only to her. It succeeds the tour de force to offer an extraordinarily coherent, dark and luminous universe in the same inflection. Everything Mélanie sings is borrowed from a gentle sensitivity to the service of a refined phrasing, a gourmet mastery of words, a natural know-how. Loving the nuance and the beautiful and just phrase, she has the ability to move and touch the heart without resorting to artifice. The arrangements accord soloists large spaces in which they can move freely. For the occasion, she surrounded herself with the accomplices of her first album: the lyrical flights of harmonic sculptor Giovanni Mirabassi, Marc-Michel Le Bévillon's balloon, round and melodic double bass, and a perfectly Cuban drummer: Lukmil Perez. She made a wish: to record half of the disc with a string quartet, the Storycordes (arrangements: Marc-Michel Le Bévillon), where she only has to distill her delicate voice which finds in this context a new setting. https://www.amazon.fr/Latine-Giovanni-Mirabassi/dp/B004Z1Z9D8

Personnel:  Melanie Dahan : voix;  Giovanni Mirabassi: piano;  Marc-Michel Le Bévillon : Ctb;  Lukmil Perez: Batterie;  Eve-Marie Bodet : violon;  Johan Renard: violon;  Frédéric Eymard: alto;  Clément Petit: violoncelle;  Marc Berthoumieux: accordéon

Latine

---

Ragan Whiteside - Class Axe

Styles: Vocal And Flute Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:47
Size: 112,4 MB
Art: Front

(0:11)  1. Introduction
(4:12)  2. Funktuation
(4:45)  3. Gonna Fly
(4:02)  4. So Glad
(0:54)  5. Always There For Me (Interlude)
(4:34)  6. In Love
(4:33)  7. How Do You Know
(4:10)  8. Options
(1:23)  9. I've Been Thinking (Interlude)
(5:44) 10. 3 A.M.
(4:13) 11. Break Me Down
(4:56) 12. Call Me
(4:17) 13. Meu Amigo Meu Amante
(0:49) 14. Funktuation-Reprise

"...let elegance, also dexterity be recognized; the integrity of this fascinating musical composition should be heard on all smooth jazz and classic soul airwaves world wide; Ragan Whiteside is elegance and one to watch out for in the music industry… let the 'flutress' be heard."~Gary Tann, ''Harlem after Midnite'', Whcr 90.3 Fm, Ny

"She not only has The silkiest and sweetest flute tone in the business, but her tenacity and desire to be recognized in Urban, New-Soul AND smooth jazz genres makes her a musical force to be reckoned with!! Mark my words!"

- Bob Baldwin – Grammy-Nominated Arranger

From her clever introduction (a quick sojourn into a Felix Mendelssohn opus, interrupted by her chuckle and the word “Psyche”) to the first bars of “Funktuation” (Need I define that for you?), you know Class Axe is going to be something special. And it is. Mt. Vernon, Ny’s Ragan Whiteside is someone special. You can just tell. She’s totally connected to the hip, sexy side of the jazz flute (she switched from Classical some time back) for this awesome collection of Smooth Jazz, Urban, Neo-Soul songs that will totally convince you this woman has a huge future ahead of her. It’s hard to believe this is her debut album. The performances… and I’m talking her playing, her singing, her writing… are mature and confident. She’s got the masterful Bob Baldwin and Dennis Johnson producing this disc, which certainly adds a magnitude of strength to the project, but they’ll be the first to tell you that Ragan rises to the occasion beautifully with both her playing and her singing. This is an album that, as Bob Baldwin puts it, clearly shows that “her breakthrough on this instrument can be historical for the genre. She’s smooth, sexy, and radio-friendly.” You’ve really got to hear this one. From the aforementioned “Funktuation” to the delicious Bob Baldwin-penned Latin Samba “Meu Amigo, Meu Amante,” this is an album that gets my highest recommendation. I promise you, this is only the beginning of the Ragan Whiteside story! She is totally a class act with her Class Axe!  ~Scott O'Brien,   SmoothJazz.com  https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ragan2

Class Axe

---

Chris Potter - The Dreamer Is The Dream

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:06
Size: 117,1 MB
Art: Front

( 8:19)  1. Heart In Hand
( 9:52)  2. Ilimba
( 8:18)  3. The Dreamer Is The Dream
( 7:53)  4. Memory And Desire
(10:07)  5. Yasodhara
( 5:34)  6. Sonic Anomaly

Multi-reedist and composer Chris Potter has been an in-demand artist since his late teen years when he began playing the New York clubs. With a diverse catalog that runs from Steely Dan to regular collaborations with Dave Holland, Potter has picked up a number of Grammy nominations and wins. His versatile abilities have made him equally at home touring with the lyrical Jim Hall or recording in the angular style of Steve Swallow's Damaged in Transit . The Dreamer Is the Dream is Potter's third leader release on the ECM label. Potter pares back from the large ensemble that accompanied him on his previous ECM outing Imaginary Cities (2015). This quartet includes ECM artist David Virelles, whose Mbókò (2016) and Antenna (2016), were widely acclaimed. The young Cuban pianist is becoming a staple player for the label, appearing as part of the Tomasz Stanko New York Quartet December Avenue (2017). Bassist Joe Martin has led on two recordings, Passage (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2001) with Mark Turner, Kevin Hays and Jorge Rossy (drums) and Not by Chance (Anzic, 2009), a quartet that included Potter, Brad Mehldau and drummer Marcus Gilmore. Gilmore himself fills out the quartet lending a solid synergistic make-up to the group. The grandson and early student of Roy Haynes, began playing with Steve Coleman at the age of fifteen and later with Vijay Iyer.

Potter's smoky, dark tenor opens the album on "Heart In Hand" to the lyrical accompaniment of Virelles, the piece eventually building to a more fevered pitch. "Ilimba" begins as a fairly mainstream composition that quickly morphs and infuses a fast-paced Latin theme, then opens up to a broader improvisation. Potter breaks out the bass clarinet on the title track where Martin has the opportunity for a vibrant bass solo. The leader switches back to the tenor for an extended duet with Gilmore as the atmospheric tune concludes. The sounds of nature and chimes open "Memory And Desire" as Potter's soprano sax flutters in with a perfect sensory blending and the piece takes on a pastoral atmosphere. More exotic is "Yasodhara" which opens to a fiery improvisation from Potter, toned down for the relatively tranquil closer, "Sonic Anomaly."  

The Dreamer Is the Dream is a testament to Potter's composing as much as to his multi-reed instrumentality. He penned each of the compositions here and they all speak to a deeper sense of mortality, portrayed through lyricism and emotive performances. Potter's responsiveness as a leader shines through in the beautifully orchestrated work of this quartet. One of Potter's best to date. ~ Karl Ackermann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-dreamer-is-the-dream-chris-potter-ecm-records-review-by-karl-ackermann.php
 

Personnel: Chris Potter: tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; David Virelles: piano, keyboards; Joe Martin: double bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums, percussion.

The Dreamer Is The Dream

---