Kenny Barron - Sambao

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:56
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

( 6:21)  1. Sambao
( 5:50)  2. Yalele
( 6:37)  3. Bacchanal
( 5:43)  4. Belem
(10:51)  5. Encounter
( 6:08)  6. Ritual
(10:12)  7. Gardenia
( 8:11)  8. On the Other Side

Sambao is Kenny Barron's tribute to Brazilian music done his way. These original compositions by the peerless pianist combine jazz and samba in a modernistic way, with no copying of tunes from the master Antonio Carlos Jobim, and no hint of the populist Stan Getz approach due to the lack of a lead instrument, save Barron's attractive and inventive piano. He's accompanied by heavyweights of the Rio-cum-New York City scene, including guitarist Toninho Horta, bassist Nico Assumpção, and French-born percussionist Mino Cinelu. Barron's (and most people's) favorite jazz drummer Victor Lewis is included, reinforcing the rhythms expertly as usual. Though not a working or touring group on any level, the ensemble sounds extremely tight and exactly in tune with what Barron's wants to portray. The tune "Bacchanal" is one Barron's fans might remember in his early days when recording for the Muse label, also included on the Sonny Fortune LP Serengeti Minstrel, and it is happily revised in full, bright regalia. Cinelu's composition "Yalele" is also joyous, as shouted vocals and a group chorus of the title soar over a deeper piano sound from Barron. The lengthy "Encounter" and "Gardenia" stretch out, allowing all the players to fully interact and especially improvise, the former in a mysterious mood mixing up meters but settling in 4/4, the latter nicely sweet, patient, and more collaborative as Barron's genius musings turn into occasional flourishes à la Oscar Peterson. Modal jazz meets the rain forest during "On the Other Side" as a pure singsong melody is adopted, quite similar to the Barry Harris tribute "Nascimento." "Ritual" is a fast, faded-in-samba jam that might have been an accidental afterthought turned into a welcome inclusion, while the most airy and breezy tune is "Belem," in the straightest Brazilian style. Horta is always excellent, but is more restrained save "Gardenia," and Lewis keeps thing rolling along without allowing them to burst out. Anyone who has appreciated the genius of Kenny Barron over the many fruitful years of his career can easily enjoy this sidebar project, with the hope that someday, he'll do it again. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/sambao-mw0000094902

Personnel: Kenny Barron (piano); Toninho Horta (guitar); Nico Assumcao (bass); Victor Lewis (drums); Mino Cinelu (percussion).

Sambao

---

Karen Gallinger - My Foolish Heart

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:15
Size: 118,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Gentle Rain
(4:13)  2. Isn't It Romantic
(4:15)  3. My Foolish Heart
(4:05)  4. Someone To Light Up My Life
(3:51)  5. Lowdown Dirty Doggin' Days
(5:04)  6. Emily
(2:49)  7. Just Friends
(5:16)  8. Bridges (Travessia)
(4:44)  9. A Night in Tunisia
(3:53) 10. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:26) 11. Remember Who You Are
(4:31) 12. Someone Like You

With a voice and a style reminiscent of Dionne Warwick, if Warwick had become a jazz singer instead of going down the pop and rock road. The similarity to Warwick's vocal qualities comes through on "Isn't It Romantic," "Gentle Rain" and "Someone to Light up My Life." This similarity notwithstanding, Gallinger's second album showcases all of her jazz singing skills and she brings a full payload of these skills to this session. On "Emily" she swoops (a la Sarah Vaughan), using a medium vibrato and moving between octaves with ease. "Emily" is followed by a light, scatting rendition of "Just Friends" with Jeff Jorgenson's providing the main instrumental support.. "The Way You Look Tonight" shows off Gallinger's poignant side as she moves through the Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields classic with only Tom Zink's piano accompaniment. Contemporary pop is represented with "Remember Who You Are" and "Someone Like You" with the requisite rock beat from Zink's programmed synthesizers. On "Lowdown Dirty Doggin' Blues," Gallinger shows she is not only a talented composer, but a more than adequate blues singer as well. Only one complaint, and that's the use of the synthesizer, which is little more than a computer, to create strings, an organ and other instruments giving an artificial feel to some of the cuts. Computer generated music notwithstanding, Karen Gallinger is a performer who possesses ample poise, confidence and maturity. No amateur night stuff here. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-foolish-heart-mw0000245981

Personnel: Karen Gallinger (vocals); Jeff Jorgenson, Gary Gould (saxophone); Tom Zink (keyboards, programming); Herb Jimmerson (synthesizers, programming); Gannin Arnold, Bob Moore (guitar); Anders Swanson (bass); Dave Derge (drums); Chris Wabich, Angel Rodriguez (percussion); Denise, The Waters (background vocals).

My Foolish Heart

---

Clarence Penn - Penn's Landing

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 60:59
Size: 112,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:57)  1. C.P. Time
(10:36)  2. Re: Evaluation
( 7:02)  3. April's Fool
(11:46)  4. Penn's Landing
( 9:24)  5. One For Tony
( 6:38)  6. Quick Fix
( 8:33)  7. Barbara Anastasia

On drummer Clarence Penn's debut as a leader, he has gathered the talents of bassist Rodney Whitaker, tenor saxophonist Ron Blake, and trumpeter John Swana to perform seven post-bop originals three by Penn, two by Blake, and one each by Swana and Whitaker with satisfying results. The underrated Swana and Blake play with passion and great skill as always but, due to the absence of piano, Penn's muscular drumming and Whitaker's huge-toned bass consistently stand out throughout this recording. Favorites include the up-tempo burners "C.P. Time" and "Quick Fix"; "One for Tony," Whitaker's dedication to the late drummer Tony Williams; and the medium-tempo title track, Penn's homage to John Coltrane and Elvin Jones, which captures the spirit of these great musicians without resorting to imitation. All in all, this is a fine debut that makes one eager for Penn's next one. ~ Greg Turner http://www.allmusic.com/album/penns-landing-mw0000033565

Personnel: Clarence Penn (drums); Ron Blake (tenor saxophone); John Swana (trumpet, flugel horn); Rodney Whitaker (bass).

Penn's Landing

---

Hampton Hawes - Hamp's Piano

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:39
Size: 98,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Villingen Blues
(2:25)  2. Rhyhm
(4:22)  3. Black Forest Blues
(9:07)  4. Autumn Leaves
(5:17)  5. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:05)  6. Sonora
(5:14)  7. I'm All Smiles
(5:24)  8. My Foolish Heart

Hampton Hawes was one of the finest jazz pianists of the 1950s, a fixture on the Los Angeles scene who brought his own interpretations to the dominant Bud Powell style. In the mid- to late '40s, he played with Sonny Criss, Dexter Gordon, and Wardell Gray, among others on Central Avenue. He was with Howard McGhee's band (1950-1951), played with Shorty Rogers and the Lighthouse All-Stars, served in the Army (1952-1954), and then led trios in the L.A. area, recording many albums for Contemporary. Arrested for heroin possession in 1958, Hawes spent five years in prison until he was pardoned by President Kennedy. He led trios for the remainder of his life, using electric piano (which disturbed his longtime fans) for a period in the early to mid-'70s, but returned to acoustic piano before dying from a stroke in 1977. Hampton Hawes' memoirs, Raise Up Off Me (1974), are both frank and memorable, and most of his records (for Xanadu, Prestige, Savoy, Contemporary, Black Lion, and Freedom) are currently available. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hampton-hawes-mn0000558596/biography

Personnel:  Piano – Hampton Hawes;  Bass – Eberhard Weber;  Drums – Claus Weiss

Hamp's Piano

---

Dexter Gordon - Go!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:47
Size: 86,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. Cheese Cake
(5:23)  2. I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry
(7:05)  3. Second Balcony Jump
(7:40)  4. Love for Sale
(5:21)  5. Where Are You
(5:42)  6. Three O'Clock in the Morning

From the first moments when Dexter Gordon sails into the opening song full of brightness and confidence, it is obvious that Go is going to be one of those albums where everything just seems to come together magically. A stellar quartet including the stylish pianist Sonny Clark, the agile drummer Billy Higgins, and the solid yet flexible bassist Butch Warren are absolutely crucial in making this album work, but it is still Gordon who shines. Whether he is dropping quotes into "Three O'Clock in the Morning" or running around with spritely bop phrases in "Cheese Cake," the album pops and crackles with energy and exuberance. Beautiful ballads like "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" metamorphosize that energy into emotion and passion, but you can still see it there nonetheless. Gordon had many high points in his five decade-long career, but this is certainly the peak of it all. ~ Stacia Proefrock http://www.allmusic.com/album/go%21-mw0000245374

Personnel: Dexter Gordon (tenor saxophone); Sonny Clark (piano); Butch Warren (bass); Billy Higgins (drums).

Go!

---

Tim Hagans & Bob Belden - Re-Animation Live !

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:43
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

( 0:12)  1. Introduction
( 7:35)  2. Animation/Imagination
( 3:15)  3. Big Moment
(10:34)  4. Hud Doyle
( 5:55)  5. Killer Instinct
( 7:49)  6. 28 If
( 2:58)  7. Dans la Ville Sombre
(10:56)  8. Are You Threatening Me?
( 3:27)  9. Love's Lullaby
( 9:59) 10. Trumpet Sandwich

Given the technical considerations, I didn’t expect that trumpeter Tim Hagans and saxophonist Bob Belden would be able to translate their groundbreaking 1999 project, Animation/Imagination (Blue Note), to the live stage, but they proved me wrong in astonishing fashion. This new disc documents the band’s performance at the Montreal Jazz Festival with Hagans on trumpet, Belden soprano sax, Scott Kinsey keyboards and samples, David Dyson bass, Billy Kilson drums, and DJ Kingsize on the turntables. This project seems to work better on many levels than similar attempts to assimilate techno and jungle elements into jazz. Hagans and Belden chose the ideal meeting point for the two disparate styles: the funk-fusion aesthetic of Miles Davis in the '70s. The results are fresh, enervated and crackling with power. Like many of Miles’ electric albums the tracks here segue seamlessly into one another, keeping the momentum alive. Kilson is an especially strong asset as illustrated by performances like "Hud Doyle" and "Dans la Ville." Hagans is a brooding Dark Magus, and Belden bristles with fiery ideas. If this isn’tthefuture of jazz, at the very least it’s an exciting glimpse into an alternate universe of sound possibilities. ~ Todd S.Jenkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/re-animation-live-in-montreal-tim-hagans-blue-note-records-review-by-todd-s-jenkins.php
 

Personnel: Tim Hagans: trumpet; Bob Belden" soprano saxophone; Scott Kinsey" synthesizers; David Dyson: electric bass; Billy Kilson: drums; DJ Kingsize: turntables.

Re-Animation  Live !

---

Norrbotten Big Band - Future North

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:10
Size: 158,4 MB
Art: Front

(8:46)  1. Future North Suite-Anticipating Sweden
(8:15)  2. Future North Suite-Discovering Norrbotten
(5:48)  3. Future North Suite-Future North
(6:23)  4. Passing Giants
(9:47)  5. Noogaloo
(6:53)  6. Mention The Extension
(6:42)  7. Walking Iris
(6:42)  8. Twist And Out
(9:49)  9. Missed The Ballgame Blues

This is a tour de force of big band writing and playing. American trumpeter Tim Hagans, artistic director of the Lulea, Sweden-based band, composed and arranged the music. As a writer, he has roots in Ernie Wilkins, Thad Jones, and the Gil Evans-Miles Davis collaborations. (Twenty or so years ago, Hagans performed in Scandinavian bands led by Jones or Wilkins.) The charts are rhythmic, intricate, and kaleidoscopic. Hagans’ three-part “Future North Suite” begins with pedal-tone bass and rockish drums. After a punchy horn unison, the band dissolves into a spacey, Bitches Brew-like segment. There’s a collective ad-lib by the full band and a soprano saxophone solo by Hakan Brostrom. The closing ensemble suggests Thad. This is an example of Hagans’ ability to mix and match. On “Waking Iris” he works Birth of the Cool voicings into the chart, which, again, climaxes in a Thaddian style. The band is impeccable, its chops showing in tricky convoluted counterpoint (e.g., “Twist & Out”) as well as in simpler tutti passages where it breathes as one. Hagans solos frequently-the composer dancing through his creation. The Swedish soloists are hip and in tune with the moods of his charts. ~ Owen Cordle https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/norrbotten-big-band-future-north/

Norrbotten Big Band: Tim Hagans (arranger, conductor, trumpet); Hakan Brostrom (alto & soprano saxophones); Jan Thelin (alto saxophone, bass clarinet); Mats Garberg (tenor saxophone, flute); Bangt Ek (tenor saxophone); Per Moberg (baritone saxophone, flute); Bo Strandberg, Dan Johansson, Magnus Ekholm, Tapio Maunuvaara (trumpet, flugelhorn); P-O Svanstrom, Magnus Puls, Peter Dahlgren (trombone); Bjorn Hangsel (bass trombone); Hans Delander (piano, Fender Rhodes); Christian Spering (bass); Jukkis Uotila (drums); Magnus Persson (percussion, didgeridoo).

Future North

---

Trilok Gurtu - Remembrance

Styles: Folk, World, & Country 
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:06
Size: 130,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:17)  1. Brindavan dance
(5:43)  2. Expression of love
(6:12)  3. Witness to marriage
(4:45)  4. Our heritage
(5:36)  5. Evening in India
(3:09)  6. Sounds of India
(6:56)  7. Greetings
(3:13)  8. Street song
(3:27)  9. Eastern journey
(3:57) 10. Worship
(4:47) 11. Remembrance

Producer/percussionist Trilok Gurtu has spent the fifteen-odd years since the release of his first solo album Usfret exploring the potential of collaborations between musicians from the Indian, jazz and African traditions. Over the years he's moved from an energetic avant-garde approach to make gentler, more accessible music. Remembrance features musicians of the quality of the sarangi player Ustad Sultan Khan, the flute of Ronu Majumdar, the tabla player Zakir Hussain and the vocalist Shankar Mahadevan. Trilok's mother Shoba Gurtu makes her first recording with her son since Usfret. With this cast list, it's no surprise that the most successful pieces on Remembrance are those most grounded in the classical Indian tradition. The album's opening track 'Brindavan Dance' is a potentially off-putting percussion and programming workout, dated and somewhat unattractive. But on 'Expression Of Love' we hear Shankar Mahadevan and Shoba Gurtu combine over gentle santoor, Sultan Khan's shocking sarangi and Trilok's syncopated trap drums to powerful and atmospheric effect. Although nothing at all like a traditional raga, except perhaps in the passages of impossibly fast extended harmony, it's simultaneously forward-looking and rooted in tradition, combining an unusual arrangement, sophisticated production and extraordinary musicianship. 'Witness to Marriage' follows, with an affecting Bollywood string arrangement and African vocal sample building into something of an epic of insistent funk and north Indian percussion. The light, but enchanting 'Our Heritage' showcases Majumdar's flute. Trilok syncopates trap drums beneath the flute and a rolling synthesiser sequence, giving the tune his rhythmic trademark. It's quickly obvious that the arrangements and the studiocraft here are grounded in pop territory, for all the album's glorious musicianship. 'Greetings', where Zakir Hussain does his 10,000-fingered tabla thing over synth bass and distracting sequenced synthesiser, exemplifies this. Where Remembrance really comes to life, as it does on 'Evening In India', simply harmonium, vocal and percussion, it's really quite splendid. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/njdp/

Remembrance

---

Maysa - Love Is a Battlefield

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:00
Size: 112,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:23)  1. The Things We Do for Love
(4:43)  2. Can We Talk
(4:58)  3. Love Is a Battlefield
(5:55)  4. Because It's Really Love
(5:13)  5. Inside Out
(4:53)  6. Inseparable
(3:37)  7. As Long As You Love Me
(5:10)  8. Footsteps in the Dark
(4:57)  9. Am I Dreaming
(4:07) 10. Mr. Dream Merchant

Roughly a decade after she released her first Shanachie album, the all-covers Sweet Classic Soul, Maysa recorded another set of reinterpretations, her ninth full-length for the same label. Compared to Sweet Classic Soul, the source material here is broader, pulling from six decades, stretching back to the '60s for "Mr. Dream Merchant," popularized by Jerry Butler. It is highlighted by another Isley Brothers quiet storm staple "Footsteps in the Dark," a stellar duet with All-4 One's Jamie Jones. A few other cuts originate from Maysa's late-'70s/early-'80s sweet spot, including the fiery ballads "Inseparable" (Natalie Cole) and "Am I Dreaming" (Atlantic Starr), and the tears-at-the-rink gem "Inside Out" (Odyssey), all performed faithfully, while the title track (Pat Benatar) gets a measured and restrained makeover. Updates of a couple early-'90s singles Nona Gaye's "The Things We Do for Love" and Tevin Campbell's Top Ten Babyface collaboration "Can We Talk" lead the album. "As Long as You Love Me," not the Impressions song, but the Justin Bieber hit from 2012, is the least expected selection by far. Maysa puts as much into it as she does anything else here, a satisfying companion to Sweet Classic Soul and her other covers LPs. ~ Andy Kellman http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-is-a-battlefield-mw0003033197

Love Is a Battlefield

---

Carmela Rappazzo - The Girl Who Dreams Out Loud, New Standards

Size: 99,1 MB
Time: 35:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'm In Love Again (3:35)
02. These Words (3:47)
03. The Girl Who Dreams Out Loud (3:21)
04. All Together Alone (2:43)
05. Do Wrong Shoes (3:02)
06. These Days (2:27)
07. 5.4 Samba (4:32)
08. Sweet Contentment (2:54)
09. Here's Another Tune (3:58)
10. Vacation (2:23)
11. It's Always You (2:43)

Carmela Rappazzo has been performing and recording music from the Great American Song Books for years . This CD represents a departure from those great songs and introduces a set of "New Standards"
These new jazz standards written by such notables as Hirth Martinez, Donald Fagen , Mike Melvoin, Michael Triandafils and Carmela are a fresh new addition to the world of jazz.
They cover a wide range of styles that will please the straight ahead listeners, the samba/bossa lovers and smooth jazz fans.

Additional info:
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 cd was a departure from covering familiar jazz standards, into a new exploration of original materials by such notables as Hirth Martinez, Donald Fagen, Mike Melvoin and Carmela.
Her latest cd, “Joseph City”, combines straight ahead covers, with some very unique standard arrangements and some originals by Carmela. For this project Carmela worked with Pete Snell, Armando Compean and Lee Spath, and featured on this cd is tango master Coco Trivisonno on bandoneon, cellist Chase Morrison and horn players Steve Marsh and John Fumo, with Stu Elster on Hammond B3 and Scott Breadman on percussion.
Carmela now resides in New Mexico and continues to perform and write her own music.

The Girl Who Dreams Out Loud, New Standards

---

Dejan Terzic - Prometheus

Size: 150,0 MB
Time: 64:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front & Back

01. Prometheus (5:32)
02. Cobblestones (7:08)
03. Anagramma (8:12)
04. Red (4:54)
05. Addition And Subtraction (5:49)
06. Run Through The Fields (7:36)
07. Sundance (7:23)
08. Tragoidia (6:43)
09. Turbofolk (5:51)
10. New Parasomnia (5:16)

Personnel:
Dejan Terzic (Drums)
Matt Penman (Bass)
Chris Speed (Sax)
Bojan Zulfikarpašic (Piano and Fender Rhodes)

With Prometheus CAM JAZZ makes you set off on a journey through the unlimited expressive options of drums. Your tour guide here is Dejan Terzic, a German drummer of Bosnian origin who plays in quartet with Chris Speed on sax, Bojan Zulfikarpašic on piano and Fender Rhodes and Matt Penman on bass, to disclose an amazingly rich expressive realm, made of assorted moods, energy, strength, impressive depths of sound as well as hypnotic ostinatos. Dejan Terzic wrote all of the compositions on this record: his band-mates have risen to the challenge, weaving a wide-ranging, appealing plot with him. From the opening track, “Prometheus”, passing through “Red”, “Addiction and Subtraction” and “Sundance” all the way to the closing track, “New Parasomnia”, listeners will enjoy free improvisations, explosive rhythmic arrangements, dreamy interludes. Music moving from cheerful to passionate, from passionate to free, from free to structured, from structured to sweet, from sweet to outspoken, from outspoken to amusing, from amusing to inward-looking. Underlying this project is an extremely robust jazz, made up of key contributions, meetings, all-round musical life, which results in a fresh, novel, distinctive, irresistibly dynamic jazz.

Prometheus

---

Bob Merrill - Tell Me Your Troubles: Songs By Joe Bushkin, Vol. 1

Size: 114,7 MB
Time: 49:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Frank Remembers Joe (0:49)
02. Oh Look At Me Now (3:46)
03. There'll Be A Hot Time In The Town Of Berlin (2:50)
04. Wise To Myself (3:30)
05. Boogie Woogie Blue Plate (4:59)
06. Tell Me Your Troubles (5:33)
07. Girl Wanted (3:56)
08. Lovely Weather (4:52)
09. Goin' Back To Storyville (6:06)
10. Somerhting Wonderful Happens In Summer (3:44)
11. Man Here Plays Fine Piano (5:02)
12. Red Buttons Remembers Joe (3:49)

Coinciding with the centennial of pianist/composer Joe Bushkin’s birth, the release by trumpeter and singer Bob Merrill of "Tell Me Your Troubles: Songs by Joe Bushkin, Vol. 1" celebrates the musical legacy of a man who was revered by many of America’s foremost entertainers for his wizardry at the keyboard and skills as a tunesmith. He also happened to be Merrill’s father-in-law.

Bushkin penned songs with his longtime lyricist John DeVries or the great Johnny Burke in the repertoires of the likes of Sinatra (Joe’s “Oh! Look at Me Now” was Frank’s first hit), Bing Crosby, Nat “King” Cole, Benny Goodman, Louis Jordan, and countless others. This first volume of a planned two-album commemorative project pays reverential tribute to Bushkin’s oeuvre and its special blend of mood and merriment on contemporary interpretations of 10 songs ranging from the popular to the obscure. The album opens and closes with archival spoken word salutes to Bushkin by Sinatra and comedian Red Buttons.

Cut from the same engaging entertainer’s cloth as Bushkin—not to mention trumpeter-singers like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Prima, and Chet Baker—Merrill was already performing crowd-pleasers like “Oh! Look at Me Now” and “Boogie Woogie Blue Plate” (a 1947 hit for Louis Jordan and his Tympani Five) before he met his future wife Christina and bonded with her gregarious father. “These songs have such a timeless, universal appeal,” says Merrill. “I really hope the album exposes them to a new generation. Maybe Harry Connick, Diana Krall, Michael Bublé, or even Lady Gaga will give them new life.”

"Tell Me Your Troubles" is full of classic tunes and rediscoveries, charismatic vocals, swinging solos, and sparkling arrangements and presents Merrill at his elegant best, whether showcasing his brass palette of trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn or his smooth Tormé-like vocals, easy articulation, and natural enthusiasm. In addition to the A-List rhythm section of guitarist Howard Alden, bassist Nicki Parrott, and drummer Steve Johns, the album features an illustrious list of guest artists including saxophonist Harry Allen, trombonist/singer Wycliffe Gordon, cabaret star Eric Comstock, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, and pianist Laurence Hobgood.

A previously unreleased performance of “Oh! Look at Me Now!,” from Bushkin’s final recording session in 2003 with Merrill, Howard Alden, and drummer Duffy Jackson, is one of the album’s standouts. “Joe’s tempo for the song had increased over the years,” says Merrill, “but I suggested we slow it down to the tempo of Sinatra’s later version, from the 1957 album 'Swingin’ Affair' on Capitol.”

“I got to spend a lot of time with Joe, always looking over his shoulder, absorbing stuff by osmosis,” recalls Merrill, who coaxed Bushkin out of retirement in the early 1990s and performed with him at festivals and clubs such as New York’s Tavern on the Green and L.A.’s Jazz Bakery until his passing in 2004 at age 87. He also produced and wrote liner notes for CD reissues of four Bushkin albums, including last fall’s release of "Live at the Embers" (Dot Time Legends) from 1952.

Born in Manhattan in 1958, Bob Merrill traces his early interest in jazz to the fact that Benny Goodman lived in the penthouse of the building he grew up in on the Upper East Side. After his father took him to a Tonight Show taping where he heard Doc Severinsen, Merrill devoted himself to the trumpet (Bushkin’s second instrument). He studied with William Vacchiano, first trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, and received improv tips as a teen from Red Rodney. Merrill attended both the New England Conservatory of Music (studying with Jaki Byard, in whose Apollo Stompers he played) and Harvard, where he co-founded a jazz concert series at the Hasty Pudding Club and led a house band for such visiting artists as Illinois Jacquet, George Coleman, Lee Konitz, and Warne Marsh.

Merrill released his first album as a leader, "Catch as Catch Can," in 1997, the same year he was featured on American Movie Classics leading the AMC Orchestra on the series "Gotta Dance!" His second album, "Got a Bran’ New Suit," featured pianist Bill Charlap among others. It was followed by "Christmastime at the Adirondack Grill," and then the wildly eclectic "Cheerin’ Up the Universe" (2015), which featured pianist John Medeski and trombonist Roswell Rudd.

Tell Me Your Troubles

---

Don Washington - Soul Boogie

Size: 99,8 MB
Time: 36:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Blues: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Soul Boogie (3:00)
02. Fake It Till You Make It (2:24)
03. All Day Kiss (3:13)
04. Bring Her Back To Me (4:45)
05. Party In The Basement (3:19)
06. Pills Pills Pills (4:27)
07. Tears On My Pillow (7:18)
08. Growing Old With You (5:28)
09. Evie's First Jump (2:43)

Don started playing the piano at the age of five. It was a rule in his father's house that every child learns how to play an instrument and sing. Being the youngest of five children, Don was determined to stand out from the pack, and that he did!

In addition to mastering the piano and organ, he learned to play drums, saxophone, tuba, bass, guitar, trumpet and harmonica. Don's father, the late William M. Washington, groomed his children to be his personal praise and worship team at the Royal Church of God in Christ, in Kent, N.Y. It was during this time that Don learned the vocal and instrumental styles and techniques that would later make him equally comfortable playing uptown swing and down-home blues.

It wasn't until the early 1990's that Don became interested in the blues. Like many young, black kids, he thought that this music was old, outdated, and just left over from slavery. This thought would soon be changed! In the spring of 1991, Don had a chance to see Buddy Guy perform live at the Penguin Club in Ottawa, Ontario. The performance was so powerful that Don left the show mesmerized. He realized at that moment that his gospel roots gave him the tools he needed to play and sing the blues.

When he's not performing, Don teaches 7-12 vocal and instrumental music at Colton- Pierrepont Central School (Northern New York State) where he shares his passion for blues and jazz with his students.

Soul Boogie

---

Anna Lauvergnac & Claus Raible - Free Fall

Size: 117,8 MB
Time: 50:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone (4:43)
02. Angel Eyes (6:59)
03. Lover Come Back To Me (4:46)
04. Detour Ahead (6:27)
05. I'll Remember April (6:19)
06. Autumn Nocturne (5:58)
07. Blow Top Blues (6:13)
08. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me (3:11)
09. Never Let Me Go - For All We Know (6:06)

The music you hear on this album is the result of an incredibly courageous recording session.

Italian singer Anna Lauvergnac and her musical soul mate, German pianist Claus Raible, entered the studio with a well-rehearsed program, ready to start the complex metamorphosis that transforms music from an intangible vision to physical reality.

For her new release Anna has chosen the most intimate and demanding of any musical line up: the duo. The dim lighting in the studio created a candle-light setting that enhanced the closeness of “being just two”.

Anna’s interpretation of each song is instinctive and passionate and her dark and rich sound blends perfectly with the pianist’s harmony and rhythm.
Breaking out of the common pattern of accompanying a soloist, Claus’s playing sounds like an orchestral work enhancing and surrounding Anna’s melody lines.

There is such a strong emotional connection between the two that you can feel and hear this bond in every breath, every word, every chord and every note.

The distinctive trait of this duo and this beautiful album is grounded in the awareness of the jazz idiom and the freshness of authenticity and individuality. Indeed this recording required -and re ects- “passion, intuition, freedom, faith and some madness”

Claus Raible is one of bebop’s modern lifeguards, resuscitating the music with a newfound vitality. He is among those piano maestros who feel especially indebted to the musical heritage of bebop pioneers Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. Raible merges into this tradition and it merges into him. His music is vital, gripping, and moving. Raible never comes across as a musician who scoops things up second hand, slavishly copying and than regurgitating it back. Rather, he lives what he plays. He has internalised bebop so that it is now an integral part of his nervous system.

“Wherever he performs, the band members, other musicians in the audience, and last but not least the audience itself are amazed by his confidence in style, his fantasy of improvisation, and the stupendous virtuosity of his performance” -Claus Regnault

Free Fall

---

Bruce Gertz Quintet - Reptilian Fantasies

Size: 149,5 MB
Time: 63:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Bell Ringers (6:18)
02. Tango Reflexivo (4:33)
03. Snake Shot, Alt. Take (5:51)
04. Cadiz, Alt. Take (4:56)
05. To Boldly Go Where Everyone Has Gone Before (5:52)
06. You Too? Or... (4:41)
07. Freedom From Religion (5:07)
08. You're Invited (4:57)
09. Reptilian Fantasies (6:05)
10. The Lizard Of Odds (4:45)
11. An Internal Affair (3:42)
12. Cryptic Current (2:41)
13. You're Invited, Alt. Take (4:22)

Bassist Bruce Gertz lays a solid foundation for this set, taking the spotlight only intermittently as he shapes 13 modern-jazz tracks ranging from exotic, winding melodies and gently creeping conversations to buoyant hard-bop and freewheeling rhythmic exercises. Longtime associate Jerry Bergonzi provides a bright spark on tenor sax (occasionally doubling on drums), while Ken Cervenka’s understated trumpet gives the album a certain moodiness. Gabriel Guerrero balances ornate and halting piano statements, while Tim Horner describes wide vistas on drums.

Reptilian Fantasies

---

Donna Byrne - It Was Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:07
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. It's You Or No One
(4:21)  2. It Was Me
(4:25)  3. Lulllaby Of The Leaves
(6:27)  4. Lover Come Back To Me
(5:05)  5. The Fool On The Hill
(4:54)  6. Lady Be Good
(5:54)  7. Another Star
(4:57)  8. Exactly Like You
(5:08)  9. Sometime Ago
(3:21) 10. Go Easy
(3:31) 11. Three Bears

In 1995 Donna Byrne was described by Tony Bennett as one of the "best young jazz singers in the country." More often that not, these complements are little more than throw always done as a courtesy. But Byrne's latest album reveals she deserves that complement and more. Teamed with outstanding instrumentalists, they perform a program of a couple of jazz standards, nods to Stevie Wonder and the Beatles, but mostly classic entries from the Great American Songbook. Irrespective of the source of the song, Byrne brings to each of them a freshness and style that's a joy to listen to and, for a musician, a pleasure to share the performance with her. Byrne is blessed with perfect pitch from which she never waivers no matter what she's singing. Her sensitivity to the picture lyrics are conveying and her impeccable phrasing coupled with bass player (and Byrne's husband) Marshall Wood's arrangements that accent the most favorable features of her vocal qualities, help make the album an auspicious event. How all of this comes together is nowhere better illustrated than with the medley of "When Your Lover has Gone" and "Lover, Come Back to Me" an album highlight. On the former, the trumpet of the venerable Herb Pomeroy embroiders pretty musical figures behind Byrne's poignant rendition of the first half of the medley. 

Then Artie Cabral's high powered drumming leads the segue into the second part of the medley as Ken Peplowski's tenor barges upon the scene behind Byrne's exciting swinging. Peplowski picks up the solo cudgels engaging in an extended conversation with Gray Sargent's guitar as Byrne follows on with a moody chorus of the first half of the medley. The result is more than six minutes of an excellent performance of two warhorses with new saddles thrown over them. The other medley on the album shares the highlight award. On the first half of the pair of songs, Byrne's wordless vocalizing and Peplowski's sax replicate tenor sax player Lucky Thompson's authoritative 1956 recording of Oscar Pettiford's "Tricrotism," transforming it into a jazz sonata for vocal scat and tenor sax. Byrne follows by sliding into a medium tempo "Exactly Like You." The remaining tracks are done with equal enthusiasm and proficiency making the listener not only pleased with this album, but looking forward in anticipation of her next release. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/it-was-me-mw0000647908

Personnel: Donna Byrne (vocals); Ken Peplowski (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Herb Pomeroy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bill Cunliffe (piano); Gray Sargent (guitar); Marshall Wood (bass); Artie Cabral (drums).
 

Thank You my Friend!!!

 

It Was Me

---

Alex Conde - Descarga For Monk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:59
Size: 124,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Played Twice
(8:15)  2. Thelonious
(5:52)  3. Think Of One
(6:06)  4. Ugly Beauty
(6:03)  5. 'Round Midnight
(4:28)  6. Monk's Dream
(6:07)  7. Evidence
(6:27)  8. Ruby My Dear
(5:43)  9. Pannonica

Spanish pianist-composer Alex Conde (currently residing in the Bay Area) unites his love of flamenco and the music of Thelonious Monk with these creative arrangements. Conde is a working flamenco musician, having spent the last four years with renowned U.S. flamenco company the Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre Company. He also attended the Berklee College of Music, which may explain the fascination with Monk. He is accompanied by the Bay Area rhythm section of bassist Jeff Chambers and drummer John Arkin, with special guest percussionist John Santos. Monk's music seems to have a special affinity to different approaches. There have been numerous Latin treatments in the past, with Jerry Gonzalez's Rumba Para Monk (Sunnyside, 1989) one prominent example. The opening "Played Twice" immediately establishes the flamenco feeling through the presence of traditional palmas and compas (hand claps and foot stomps) in addition to the rhythm section and percussion. It's an exciting start, and as usual Monk's composition sounds completely at home in this new setting, compliments of the fiery playing of Conde and his group. "Ugly Beauty" is the only other track employing palmas and compas, so the flamenco influence is subtler throughout much of the rest of the program. It's probably telling that the "descarga" of the album title usually refers to a Cuban (later salsa) jam session. In fact "Monk's Dream" comes out swinging, with little overt Latin flavor at all. Conde performs "'Round Midnight" and "Pannonica" solo, the latter with the stride feel that Monk himself sometimes favored. 

The rhythm section mostly restricts themselves to teamwork, providing Conde with support and encouragement. Bassist Jeff Chambers does get a memorable solo on "Bemsha Swing," complete with a brief humorous musical quote. Conde is an excellent pianist who would command attention playing anything, and I look forward to hearing him play his own compositions. But for any lover of Monk or Latin music this is an irresistible combination, with the added spice of a unique Flamenco flavor. ~ Mark Sullivan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/descarga-for-monk-alex-conde-zoho-music-review-by-mark-sullivan.php
 

Personnel: Alex Conde: piano; Jeff Chambers: bass; Jon Arkin: drums; John Santos: percussion; Amparo Conde, Carmen Carrasco: palmas & compas (hand claps, foot stomps).

Descarga For Monk

---

Kenny Dorham - Una Mas (One More Time)

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:44
Size: 84,7 MB
Art: Front

(15:18)  1. Una Mas (One More Time)
( 8:58)  2. Straight Ahead
( 7:20)  3. Sao Paulo
( 5:06)  4. If Ever I Would Leave You (alternate version)

When one thinks of great talent scouts in jazz, the name of Kenny Dorham is often overlooked. However, many top young players benefited from playing in his groups, and for proof one need look no further than the lineup on this 1963 CD reissue: tenor-saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Butch Warren, and (before either player joined Miles Davis) pianist Herbie Hancock and drummer Tony Williams. Together the quintet performs three of the trumpeter's originals ("Una Mas" is the most famous) along with the standard ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You." 

Even if the playing time (under 37 minutes) is a bit brief, the explorative yet swinging music lives up to its potential. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/una-mas-mw0000669425

Personnel: Kenny Dorham (trumpet); Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Butch Warren (bass); Tony Williams (drums).

Una Mas (One More Time)

---

Maynard Ferguson & Big Bop Nouveau - Brass Attitude

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:29
Size: 154,8 MB
Art: Front

( 6:01)  1. Just Friends
( 6:16)  2. Waltz For Nicole
( 4:54)  3. I Love You
( 7:47)  4. Milk Of The Moon
(15:52)  5. Misra-Dhenuka
( 8:38)  6. Knee Deep In Rio
( 5:41)  7. Erica And Sandra
( 7:25)  8. The Lip
( 3:52)  9. Caruso

From the session’s opening "Just Friends" to "The Lip," Maynard Ferguson’s powerful high-note chops are in remarkably fine form. From his brassy lower register to his ultra-high leaps, the trumpeter struts and soars before his 10-piece Big Bop Nouveau ensemble. Starting out almost 50 years ago, Ferguson trained in the big bands of Charlie Barnet, Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey, and Stan Kenton. Over the years, he’s provided working-band experience for innumerable younger jazz stars. The spicy Latin arrangement of Cole Porter’s "I Love You" contains many of the elements that make Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau albums interesting. Allowing each of the band’s members to stand apart from the crowd, the various voices dash off in all directions at once. Drummer Throckmorton flexes his muscles, each of the brass section members toss out spurious ideas, pianist Oswanski hammers away at a continuous vamp, bassist Thompson bends his notes to provide dance steps, and solos pour forth from Carl Fisher, Tom Garling & Ferguson. "Erica and Sandra," "Caruso," and "Milk of the Moon" are lovely ballads that contrast with the up-tempo energy experienced throughout most of the session. Ferguson’s lyrical flugelhorn work is light and fluid; his phrases are imaginative and soar above the ensemble’s clever arrangements. It’s on two of these ballads that the leader introduces the soulful tenor saxophone work of Sal Giorgianni, a confident soloist with a full, clear tone. "Caruso" is an emotional piano-flugelhorn duo that showcases the trumpeter’s wide vibrato and forceful soul-stirring power. Ferguson picks up the firebird (a combination valve & slide trumpet) for special effects on "Misra-Dhenuka," which features his vocal chants, a bowed bass, soulful trombone wails, stirring trumpet & flugelhorn anthems, and individual solo spots. 

At nearly 16 minutes, the piece stands out as the session’s highlight and offers a clear picture of the multi-directional aspect of this band’s arrangements. Pianist Ron Oswanski must have gone through quite a few boxes of manuscript paper to create such an intricate arrangement. The electric bass and electric keyboards used on "Knee Deep in Rio" give off a contemporary sound that mellows the arrangement considerably. However, it’s on this piece that trumpeter Carl Fischer takes the opportunity to show his talents: rich tone, superb control, full range, and exciting depth of ideas. Maynard Ferguson has spent a lot of years introducing "talent deserving wider recognition" and we hope that this will continue for many more years. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/brass-attitude-maynard-ferguson-concord-music-group-review-by-jim-santella.php
 

Personnel:  Maynard Ferguson- trumpet, flugelhorn, firebird;  Frank Greene- trumpet;  Carl Fischer- trumpet, superbone;  Wayne Bergeron- trumpet;  Tom Garling- trombone, superbone;  Matt Wallace- tenor saxophone, alto saxophone;  Sal Giorgianni- tenor saxophone, alto saxophone;  Dave Throckmorton- drums; Ron Oswanski- piano, keyboards; Paul Thompson- electric bass, acoustic bass; Denis DiBlasio- vocals & baritone saxophone on "The Lip."

Brass Attitude

---

Kevin Eubanks - Spirit Talk

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 121,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:13)  1. Landing
(7:21)  2. Contact
(5:02)  3. Union
(6:21)  4. Spirit Talk
(6:24)  5. Earth Party
(4:59)  6. Inside
(5:16)  7. Going Outside
(4:32)  8. Journey
(5:46)  9. Livin'

The first of Kevin Eubanks' Spirit Talk albums is the best, with the guitarist's rolling, syncopated guitar solos blending most naturally with the warm sound of brother Robin's trombone, Kent Jordan's alto flute, and Dave Holland's bass. Drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith provides the music with a good kick in the pants when it needs it, the juxtaposition of his aggressive approach with the rich sounds of the winds working better than would be anticipated. The compositions on Spirit Talk are uniformly strong, with interesting, catchy melodies, odd-metered rhythmic figures, and excellent solos by all parties. Eubanks himself is an oft-overlooked modern master of the guitar, with a funky, percussive approach that is immediately recognizable. However, the mix is slightly odd, favoring Smith's drums at the expense of Eubanks' guitar. This works against the music, but it is not so egregious a miscue that the album as a whole suffers from it. The one exception to the all-acoustic approach on this record is "Inside," where Eubanks swaps his steel string for a darkly colored electric. The melancholy tune, the most straight-ahead on the record, is also one of its strongest moments, with Robin Eubanks' trombone carrying the bittersweet melody. Overall, Spirit Talk is a fine album, well worth owning by fans of modern jazz. ~ Daniel Gioffre http://www.allmusic.com/album/spirit-talk-mw0000620724

Personnel: Kevin Eubanks (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Marvin "Smitty" Smith (vocals, drums, percussion); Kent Jordan (flute, alto flute); Robin Eubanks (trombone); Dave Holland (acoustic bass); Mark Mondesir (drums).

Spirit Talk

---