Tommy Flanagan - Sea Changes

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:10
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:31)  1. Sea Changes
(4:25)  2. Verdandi
(5:00)  3. Dalarna
(7:07)  4. Eclypso
(6:39)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(4:44)  6. See See Rider
(6:47)  7. Between The Devil And The Deep
(5:32)  8. Beat's Up
(6:11)  9. I Cover The Waterfront
(5:16) 10. Relaxin' At Camarillo
(4:53) 11. Dear Old Stockholm

Sea Changes is an honest-to-god jazzconcept albumfrom composer / pianist Tommy Flanagan. Born in 1930 Detroit, but known more resonantly as a ‘Big Apple’ jazzman, where by the mid-1950s he had moved to groove alongside the likes of Coleman Hawkins, Miles Davis and Oscar Pettiford. Flanagan was frequently Bud Powell’s replacement at Birdland, and has also worked extensively with vocalists Tony Bennett and for nearly a dozen years (off and on) with Ella Fitzgerald. For the past two decades he has performed almost exclusively in small ensembles such as the one captured here with the remarkably single-minded rhythm team of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Louis Nash. On Sea Changes, the pianist reinvents several tunes from his debut album under his own name, Overseas, released in 1957 by the Swedish company Metronome and featuring Flanagan with drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Wilbur Little, his then-current cohorts in the J. J. Johnson band on tour in Sweden. He reprises several of his own compositions "Eclypso," "Verdandi," "Delarna," "Beats Up"and his cover of Charlie Parker’s "Relaxin’ At Camarillo," then cleverly complements these with marine-influenced new titles like "How Deep Is The Ocean?" (Irving Berlin), "I Cover The Waterfront" (Johnny Green) and "The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" (Harold Arlen). 

Flanagan also honors the city in which he recorded Overseas for Metronome with a glowing rendition of "Dear Old Stockholm" to end Sea Changes.Flanagan find some seriously deep blues in the workhorse "C. C. Rider" and in "Ocean," so deep they’re almost purple, and as a listener you find yourself wondering if you’ve ever heard Irving Berlin sound quite this funky before. "Beats Up" and "Verdandi" (which Flanagan recalls dedicating "to the Swedish Temperance Society. I think it’s best to be sober to get through that tune!" in the liner notes) crackle crisply through more frantic yet never out-of-control rhythms. Washington and Nash perform together like an absolute two-headed, four-handed rhythm monster throughout. As a composer, Flanagan frequently delivers user-friendly, simple yet memorable melodies  I seriously doubt that I’ve ever heard "Delarna" or "Eclypso" before, but they both sound so darn Familiar; "Delarna" brings to mind the gorgeous wonder of "Embraceable You," or perhaps it’s "Isn’t It Romantic?", and "Eclypso" bops and weaves like a compact left hook in a clever Sonny Rollins workout. You’d imagine that an artist reaching the fourth decade into his body of work might have "sea-n changes". But in its own dignified, almost quiet, way, Sea Changes demonstrates that Tommy Flanagan remains a musician’s musician in every sense of the word – as an improviser and soloist, as a composer and arranger, as a melodic interpreter and as an accompanist for ample, robust solos by his musical partners. Proves it one more time, yet again and still. ~ Chris M.Slawecki https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sea-changes-tommy-flanagan-evidence-music-review-by-chris-m-slawecki.php

Personnel: Tommy Flanagan (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Lewis Nash (drums).

Sea Changes

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Konstantin Klashtorni - Led By You

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:37
Size: 97,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Back It Up
(4:04)  2. So Lovely
(4:55)  3. It Dews
(4:05)  4. Haven't Got The Heart
(4:04)  5. Led By You
(3:41)  6. Close
(3:59)  7. On The Way
(4:30)  8. Ocean Of Joy
(4:50)  9. Look Around
(4:10) 10. Stay Romantic

‘Led By You’ is the latest project from Konstantin Klashtorni. It follows on the heels of his critically acclaimed debut solo release ‘Downtown’ and promises to make a major mark in the ultra competitive world of smooth jazz saxophone. This is very much a virtuoso project for Konstantin. As well as writing, programming and producing all ten tracks he variously plays saxophones, flute, keys and additional guitars but still finds space to include some excellent backing musicians. Yerman Aponte plays bass, Udo Demandt is on drums, the guitar of Roy Lewis features on four of the cuts and, in addition, Klashtorni blends in some significant guest performances. The music of Konstantin Klashtorni is seriously catchy with none more so than the title cut. The phrasing of the uplifting intro is revisited throughout the track to frame the simple melody and produce a chunk of top notch feel good smooth jazz. Another one that stays in the head and won’t go away is ‘So Lovely’. Both gentle and infectious it evokes thoughts of summer sun glinting on rippling water. Feel good and uplifting could be the theme of the entire album and this is typified by the opening track, the mid tempo and lightly funky foot tapper ‘Back It Up’ where the trumpet of Michael Simon and trombone of Santiago Cananda Valvere add to the full, rich sound. Simon and Valvere also feature on ‘To Feel Free’. It’s a piece of smooth jazz for any occasion that seems straight from the west coast. This same sun drenched ‘driving with the top down’ vibe is apparent with ‘Ocean Of Joy’, on which Ibernice McBean flirts with atmospheric subliminal vocals, and on ‘Stay Romantic’ where Klashtorni succeeds in producing a big sound that is at the same time mellow and sweet. 

The backing vocals of Ibernice McBean are also used on the romantic ‘Close’ where they blend to sensational effect with Klashtorni’s ultra smooth sax and on ‘Haven’t Got The Heart’, a quality slice of smooth melodic R & B with Mitchell Brunings taking the lead on vocals and Klashtorni maintaining the lightest of touches on sax. ‘It Dews’ is late night smooth jazz for lovers through which Klashtorni weaves a catchy hook and he is again in turned down mode with the melodic chill of ‘Look Around’, a tune further enriched by the trumpet of Michael Simon. ‘Led By You’ will be released on May 22. It is an outstanding collection of commercially attractive smooth jazz that, in many ways, represents a coming of age for Klashtorni. He perfectly meshes production skills to rival Paul Brown and Brian Culbertson with his own individual musical talents and captures the twin peaks of melody and rhythm that are at the heart of everything good in smooth jazz. http://smoothjazztherapy.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/04/konstantin_klas.html

Personnel:  Konstantin-saxophones,keyboards,programming;  Udo Demandt-drums;  Yerman Aponte-bass;  Roy Louis-guitar;  Michael Simon-trumpet,flugel;  Santiago Canada Valvere-trombone;  Mitchell Brunings-vocals on #4;  Ibernice McBean-backing vocals

Led By You

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Makoto Ozone - Spring Is Here

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:47
Size: 119,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:25)  1. Beautiful Love
(5:29)  2. Spring Is Here
(6:12)  3. Someday My Prince Will Come
(7:39)  4. On the Street Where You Live
(7:20)  5. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
(7:56)  6. My One & Only Love
(5:25)  7. O' Grande Amore
(5:17)  8. Tangerine

A premier jazz musician in Japan, Makoto Ozone has made a successful transition to America, where he became equally prominent in this nation's improvisational community. He began on organ at four, then took up piano as a teenager. He went to Berklee in 1980 and studied composing and arranging. He was noticed by Gary Burton and later recorded with him and was part of his band. Ozone's striking ability (especially on mid-tempo pieces) and impressive technique made him a big hit at the Kool Jazz Festival. His 1984 debut recording featured Burton and bassist Eddie Gomez. It was a stunning example of complete knowledge and mastery of the full jazz piano spectrum. Ozone later worked with European pianist Michel Petrucciani and spent extensive time studying classical music. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/artist/makoto-ozone-mn0000670021/biography

Personnel:  Bass – George Mraz;  Drums – Roy Haynes;  Piano – Makoto Ozone

Spring Is Here

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The Wynton Kelly Trio - Undiluted

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:57
Size: 82.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1965/2016
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. Bobo
[6:31] 2. Swingin Till The Girls Come Home
[3:49] 3. My Ship
[3:59] 4. Out Front
[4:02] 5. Never
[4:50] 6. Blues On Purpose
[3:46] 7. If You Could See Me Now
[4:59] 8. Six Eight

Bass – Paul Chambers; Drums – Jimmy Cobb; Leader, Piano – Wynton Kelly. Recorded: February 5th, 1965.

This is the best example of the Wynton kelly trio. Two tracks I feel are particularly extraordinary - Blues on purpose and swinging till the girls come home. The swing generated here supercedes any piano trio I have ever heard . Its beyond my comprehension that Verve see fit to leave this recording in the vaults collecting dust. Paul Chambers is also at the top of his game and jimmy Cobb has never played as well as he does here. However its straight Undiluted Wynton that we hear ,and thats as good as it gets. ~Tom O. Hare

Undiluted

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Freddie Ravel - Sol To Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:56
Size: 137.2 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1995/2006
Art: Front

[4:21] 1. Sol To Soul
[4:14] 2. Havana Nights
[5:06] 3. We Belong Together
[3:42] 4. Erotika (With Maurice White)
[4:38] 5. A Perfect Day
[4:47] 6. Slip In The Gap
[5:04] 7. Sailaway
[4:13] 8. Quedate Conmigo
[4:47] 9. Dance For The Sol
[4:21] 10. Over You
[4:54] 11. Mambozique
[3:47] 12. Passion Dance
[5:56] 13. In A Sentimental Mood

Jazz keyboardist Freddie Ravel has a host of session credits to his name, along with a number of recordings of his own. Born and bred in Los Angeles, Ravel's Colombian and Eastern European heritage immediately opened him up to a wide range of cultures; and his appetite for other outside cultures -- thanks in no small part to extensive world traveling -- has exposed him to numerous styles of music. Earth, Wind & Fire, Al Jarreau, Strunz & Farah, Madonna, Quincy Jones, and Sergio Mendes can claim to have worked with Ravel at one point or another, just to mention a few major artists. He began issuing records of his own in the early '90s, beginning with 1991's Midnight Passion and 1995's Sol to Soul, both of which were released by Verve Forecast. Six years passed until his debut for GRP, Freddie Ravel. He's also a well-versed orchestral composer. ~bio by Andy Kellman

Sol To Soul

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Dionne Warwick - My Friends And Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:48
Size: 109.4 MB
Styles: Vocal, R&B, Adult Contemporary
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Walk On By (Feat. Gloria Estefan)
[2:58] 2. Message To Michael (Feat. Cyndi Lauper)
[3:58] 3. Close To You (Feat. Mya)
[4:17] 4. I'll Never Love This Way Again (Feat. Gladys Knight)
[2:25] 5. Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head (Feat. Kelis)
[3:55] 6. Déjà Vu
[3:06] 7. I Say A Little Prayer (Feat. Reba Mcentire)
[3:42] 8. Anyone Who Had A Heart (Feat. Wynonna Judd)
[3:24] 9. Then Came You (Feat. Lisa Tucker)
[3:01] 10. Wishin' And Hopin' (Feat. Olivia Newton-John)
[4:55] 11. Love Will Find A Way (Feat. Cheyenne Elliott)
[3:25] 12. The Windows Of The World (Feat. Deborah Cox)
[5:44] 13. Do You Know The Way To San Jose (Feat. Celia Cruz)

My Friends & Me, Dionne Warwick's collection of duets that revisit her classic recordings, benefits from her many talented friends in the music industry, but most of all from a family member. Her son Damon Elliott has worked with his mother for close to ten years, when he's not producing for contemporary hitmakers Pink, Destiny's Child, Jessica Simpson, Kelis, and Mya. Elliott's production for this record is engaging and charming, right up to the minute digitally on the rhythm end, but with plenty of space within the tracks to echo the airy productions of Warwick's long-time producer, Burt Bacharach. Also, Elliott kept most of these versions piano-based and added a tight backing chorus that is virtually necessary for anyone familiar with the original "Walk on By" or "Anyone Who Had a Heart." Dionne Warwick's voice, however, hasn't aged as well as her contemporaries, and the record often resembles a tribute album whose subject only stops by occasionally. (More often than not, the guests are featured more than Warwick herself.) The only track with radical changes is "The Windows of the World," which is presented with no less than four vocal guests (Angie Stone, Chanté Moore, Deborah Cox, Da Brat) and in a version that allows Da Brat to rap on the state of the world between the lines of the verses. Elsewhere, highlights come with Cyndi Lauper's quiet, pleading version of "Message to Michael," Kelis' "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," and Wynonna Judd's surprisingly smoky "Anyone Who Had a Heart." ~John Bush

My Friends And Me

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Al Caiola - The Very Best Of Al Caiola

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:01
Size: 112.2 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:03] 1. Wheel Of Fortune
[0:00] 2. Ring On Her Finger
[1:41] 3. El Relicario
[2:50] 4. Beautiful Dreamer
[3:26] 5. Malagueña
[3:31] 6. On Top Of Old Smokey
[2:33] 7. Espana Cani
[2:07] 8. Be Mine Tonight (Noche De Ronda)
[2:16] 9. La Paloma
[2:23] 10. Cielito Lindo
[3:21] 11. Clementine
[2:59] 12. Dixie
[3:03] 13. My Old Kentucky Home
[2:18] 14. Nelly Bly
[1:56] 15. Oh Susanna
[3:09] 16. Ole Kentucky
[2:20] 17. Ring, Ring De Banjo
[2:00] 18. In The Mood
[3:08] 19. Granada
[1:47] 20. Tico Tico

Guitarist Al Caiola initially made his reputation as a session musician, playing on records made by Percy Faith and Andre Kostelanetz, among others. Caiola was the conductor and arranger for United Artists Records in the late '40s and early '50s. After leaving UA, he signed with RCA, where he released a number of singles in the '50s. In the early '60s, he went back to United Artists, which is where he scored his first hit with the theme to the film The Magnificent Seven. The single peaked at 35 in early 1961 and it was quickly followed by the theme to the television series Bonanza, which climbed to number 19. For the rest of the '60s, Caiola released a number of easy listening instrumental albums and also hosted a television show, which was only aired for a short while. Caiola continued to record throughout subsequent decades; he died in Allendale, New Jersey in 2016 at the age of 96. ~ bio by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Very Best Of Al Caiola

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David Grisman, Frank Vignola, Robin Nolan, Michael Papillo - The Living Room Sessions

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:53
Size: 125.7 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:10] 1. Claire De Lune
[5:38] 2. Black Orpheus
[4:03] 3. September Song
[8:17] 4. Sway With Me
[6:54] 5. Dawg's Waltz
[5:34] 6. Swing Gitan
[6:51] 7. Tears
[7:21] 8. Premier Guitar
[4:02] 9. Autumn Leaves

Ever wonder what it's like to be sitting in a living room feet away from master acoustic instrumentalists jamming on a Saturday afternoon? Well now is your chance. David Grisman, Frank Vignola, Michael Papillo and gypsy guitarist, Robin Nolan enjoyed a spontaneous afternoon of jamming in Seattle so we all decided to bring in a recording crew and capture the unbelievable music that went on this special day!

The Living Room Sessions

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Annie Ross - Loguerhythms

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 77:30

Size: 177.4 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz, Poetry

Year: 1962/2014

Art: Front

[3:57] 1. Bellini

[4:30] 2. The Ballad Of The Water And The Flame

[3:31] 3. The Ass' Song

[5:17] 4. The Liberal Man

[3:45] 5. Johnny

[4:27] 6. Sick Man

[3:32] 7. Things

[0:50] 8. He

[3:10] 9. Go To The Wall

[5:25] 10. The Ballad Of The Ape And The Judge

[1:02] 11. The General

[2:58] 12. Western Ladies

[1:42] 13. Lithe Girl, Brown Girl

[2:07] 14. Steep Gloom Among Pine-Trees

[0:13] 15. Sometimes It's Like You're Dead

[1:54] 16. Drunk As Drunk On Turpentine

[1:43] 17. Wings Whirr By Moon And Midnight

[1:37] 18. Can You Trap Shadows Like This

[3:15] 19. Tonight, I Write Sadly

[3:00] 20. The Way You Look Tonight

[2:38] 21. I'm Beginning To Think You Care For Me

[2:17] 22. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

[3:11] 23. Everytime

[3:11] 24. The Song Is You

[2:44] 25. Jackie

[3:18] 26. The Time Was Right

[2:06] 27. I Want You To Be My Baby

English poet Christopher Logue wrote screenplays for Ken Loach and Ken Russell and appeared as Cardinal Richelieu in the latter’s The Devils. Jazz singer Annie Ross was the driving force behind the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. The two are uneasily paired in a Cherry Red’s set that reissues an album of Ross’ jazz adaptations of Logue’s poetry. Originally released in 1963, Loguerhythms‘ dozen tracks are supplemented by Logue’s own readings. The two vocalists’ deliveries could not be more different, and even though Ross is the headliner, the performing poet comes off better.

Ross’ set, recorded live with drummer Tony Kinsey’s jazz combo band begins with “Bellini,” a song in the vein of witty song play like Cole Porter’s “You’re the Top,” that namechecks Billie Holiday but also Ho Chi Minh and Jean-Paul Sartre. It’s an auspiciously playful start, but “The Ballad of the Water and the Flame” sinks the album quickly, its music and lyrics ponderous in lines like “With the water I drown Hell.” Loguerhythms gives this set its name, but it’s the weakest material here, lyrically witty but musically forced. That forced writing can come across in Ross’ phrasing, which strains to make vocal conversation out of poetry that doesn’t sound conversational at all. Ross was the star of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross because of her sex appeal, smarts and comic timing, the group’s sultry face and its most distinct musician. But her solo work shows that sometimes she needs a straight man or two.

Part of the problem is that Ross is singing music that rhythmically confines her. The vocal group Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, whose vocalese repertoire took instrumental jazz compositions and wrote lyrics not just for the heads but for solos, was the best showcase for her talent. Their take on saxophonist Wardell Gray’s ‘Twisted” is classic vocalese that challenges Ross, who takes the role of lead instrument and rises to the occasion. Logue’s poetry constrains Ross, caging her rhythmic chops. The arrangements don’t help. The long “The Ballad of the Ape and the Judge” even resorts to a circus rhythm, then to nearly unaccompanied vocals which leave Ross out in the cold without a groove. This is more dramatic reading than jazz. Ross is a good actress – see her performance in Robert Altman’s Short Cuts, but she’s only as good as her material, and Logue’s mannered language understandably gives Ross some trouble. Who would sound natural singing about an ape and a judge?

Logue’s own jazz version of his poetry, originally released on the 1959 EP Red Bird Jazz & Poetry, follows Ross’ set. His mannered delivery is accompanied by the same Tony Kinsey combo that backed Ross, but in a more relaxed setting. Logue’s style of dramatic readings with jazz accompaniment is not the kind of thing I seek out, but it suits his material more naturally than Ross’ Loguerhythms. Logue sounds like he’s leading the band, while Ross, uncomfortable with material that just isn’t right for her, too often sounds like the band leads her. On paper, a track like “Can You Trap Shadows Like This” sounds like it shouldn’t work. Logue performs an up-tempo reading of his poem over a bright jazz combo. The poet doesn’t have what anyone would call jazz chops, but he has good timing, and his confident interplay with the band makes it work better than anything in the headliner’s set.

Cherry Red packs the CD to run a generous 77+ minutes with Annie Ross performances of jazz standards with Gigi Gryce and other simpatico combos. This material is better suited to Ross’ gifts than the Logue material, but she still sounds curiously out of sorts. The version of “Jackie” included here lacks the confidence of the version Ross recorded with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Annie Ross may be the marquee name on this set, but fans of Christopher Logue may find it more satisfying.

Loguerhythms    

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Benny Carter - All Of Me

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet And Trumpet Jazz 
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:16
Size: 147,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. All Of Me
(2:46)  2. Cuddle Up
(3:16)  3. Ev'ry Goodbye Ain't Gone
(3:09)  4. Babalu
(3:20)  5. Midnight
(3:08)  6. My Favorite Blues
(3:10)  7. Lullaby To A Dream
(3:04)  8. What A Difference A Day Made
(2:47)  9. Sunday
(3:05) 10. Ill Wind [alt. take]
(2:56) 11. Back Bay Boogie
(2:51) 12. Tree Of Hope
(2:52) 13. 35th And Calumet
(2:56) 14. The Sheik Of Araby
(2:46) 15. Push Out
(3:22) 16. Confessin'
(3:17) 17. Boulevard Bounce
(3:40) 18. The Lonely Beat
(2:05) 19. The Mugger
(2:28) 20. The Jukebox
(2:46) 21. Phantom Raiders

A strong sampling of Benny Carter's music is heard in this hodgepodge CD reissue. Twelve of the altoist's 16 Bluebird big-band recordings of 1940-41 (including a previously unissued version of "Ill Wind") precede nine titles gathered from a wide variety of sessions with one song apiece taken from dates led by Mezz Mezzrow, Willie Bryant, Ethel Waters, Artie Shaw and Lucky Thompson and four performances reissued from Carter's soundtrack album of his score for the M Squad in 1959. Obviously not a set recommended to completists (the European Classics series is much preferred), the high quality of the music ("All of Me" has a classic Carter arrangement) makes this a worthwhile purchase for more casual collectors. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-of-me-mw0000674400

Personnel: Benny Carter (alto saxophone, clarinet, trumpet), Ethel Waters (vocals), Bud Freeman, Ben Webster, Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone), Doc Cheatham, Henry "Red" Allen (trumpet), Teddy Wilson (piano), Barney Kessel (guitar), Red Callender, Milt Hinton (bass), Chick Webb (drums).

All Of Me

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Marian Montgomery - Lovin' Is Livin'.... And Livin' Is Lovin

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:48
Size: 68,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:17)  1. Teach Me Tonight
(3:07)  2. Just A Dream
(1:53)  3. There! I've Said It Again
(2:01)  4. The Moment Of Truth
(1:50)  5. Lovin' Is Livin'
(2:00)  6. I Still Get Jealous
(2:00)  7. Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey
(2:18)  8. I Wanna Be Loved
(2:27)  9. I'm Falling For You
(2:10) 10. Please Do It Again
(3:40) 11. Love Is An Old Maid's Dream

Born Maude Runnels, 17 November 1934, Natchez, Mississippi, USA, d. 22 July 2002, Bray, Berkshire, England. Montgomery quit school to sing on television in Atlanta, Georgia. After working in advertising and publishing, performing in plays and singing in strip joints and jazz clubs, she became an established cabaret performer. Montgomery was signed to Capitol Records after Peggy Lee heard her demo tape, and she recorded three albums for the label. She moved to the UK in 1965 to sing at a new London club, the Cool Elephant, with John Dankworth’s band. That same year she married composer and musical director Laurie Holloway and began to establish herself on the London club scene, equally at home at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club as she was on the less demanding cabaret circuit.

Possessing a voice that was once likened to ‘having a long, cool glass of mint julep on a Savannah balcony’, she expanded her career with a starring role in the 1969 West End revival of Anything Goes, and frequent appearances on radio and television, as well as concerts and cabaret in the UK and abroad. Her one-woman show was televised by the BBC in 1975. Besides her musical association with Holloway, she successfully collaborated with classical composer/pianist Richard Rodney Bennett on several projects, including Puttin’ On The Ritz, Surprise Surprise andTown And Country. With an instantly recognizable, relaxed and intimate style, Montgomery became one of a handful of American artists to take up permanent residence in the UK. She lost her long battle against cancer contracted from passive smoking in July 2002. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/marian-montgomery-mn0000233883

Lovin' Is Livin'.... And Livin' Is Lovin

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Christian Winther - The Only Plan

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 142,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:39)  1. New York Strut
(7:25)  2. Back It Up
(6:56)  3. Misty Thursday
(8:52)  4. Bright Light
(7:04)  5. There It Is
(7:03)  6. High Ground
(7:28)  7. The Only Plan
(8:39)  8. Dahomey Dance

Winther emigrated from his native Denmark, studied jazz at the University of New Orleans and now resides in the Crescent City. This album reflects his adoption of and adaptation to the local musical culture. It marks his rise as another promising tenor saxophonist among the ranks of well-schooled young jazz musicians. The feeling of this album is bright and sunny. (It was recorded before Hurricane Katrina.) Rhythms indigenous to New Orleans abound, as pianist Richard Doron Johnson, bassist Neal Caine and drummer Ali Jackson Jr. dish out the infectious grooves. The ensemble sound of the horns (Winther and trumpeter Marcus Printup) recall the Blue Note era. You might call this a hard-bop-meets-New Orleans scene. Winther originals dominate the program, beginning with the second-line-tinged “New York Strut.” His jaunty, stride-piano-introduced “There It Is” and Monkish “High Ground” are also worthy of note. Winther’s tenor is warm and fluid, with traces of Eric Alexander and perhaps the late New Orleans tenorman Red Tyler. On “High Ground,” he hints at Charlie Rouse. Printup, who increasingly impresses with each new album he appears on, is in admirable form, with boldness and exuberance that suggest a young Freddie Hubbard. ~ Owen Cordle https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/christian-winther-the-only-plan/ 

The Only Plan

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Adonis Rose - On The Verge

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:03
Size: 144,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:04)  1. Robin In Pink I
(9:18)  2. Liyah's Blues
(9:20)  3. Lies In Beauty
(6:39)  4. Shed
(7:28)  5. Gingerbread Boy
(8:57)  6. Robin In Pink II
(7:40)  7. On The Verge
(5:33)  8. Shades Of Light

While rhythm is as fundamental to mainstream jazz as changes and melody, to denizens of New Orleans it's even more elemental. Drummer Adonis Rose may have left the Crescent City in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but it hasn't changed the approach he's honed on two previous releases as a leader Song for Donise (Criss Cross, 1998) and The Unity (Criss Cross, 1999). On the Verge brings back three collaborators from these earlier releases trumpeter Nicholas Payton, saxophonist Tim Warfield and bassist Reuben Rogers but Rose changes pianists this time, enlisting the increasingly ubiquitous pianist Aaron Goldberg and a relative newcomer, vibraphonist Warren Wolf (last hear on trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's Identity (MaxJazz, 2005)). The result, while never short on groove, covers considerable dynamic territory rather than being as consistently hard-hitting as one might expect from a drummer-led session. That's not to say there isn't some bodacious energy to be found on this largely original set of eight tunes, featuring four from Rose and one each from Goldberg and Warfield. The fiery 9/8 theme of Rose's modal title track is urgently propelled by Rogers and Rose, who light a serious fire under Goldberg's Tyner-esque solo, Warfield's potent tenor and a vibrant solo from Wolf that suggests, if there's any justice, that he'll be heard more from and soon. Rose takes his most visceral solo of the set over Goldberg and Rogers' ostinato before curiously ending, seemingly in mid-sentence. 

Rose's "Liyah's Blues swings hard, with a straightforward stop/start melody that opens up for strong solos from everyone, but especially Payton, whose tradition-centricity is equally expanded by his forward-reaching ideas, supported and urged on by Rose, Goldberg and Rogers. The shifting tempos and cued sections of an imaginative take on Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy make it fit within the context of the originals, and breathes new life into this enduring classic. Elsewhere the material ranges from the deceptive simplicity of Warfield's late-night ballad, "Lies in Beauty, to the organic and relaxed 5/4 pulse of Goldberg's "Shed. Two extended versions of Rose's soft but nevertheless rhythmically insistent "Robin in Pink blend the cerebral with passionate understatement, while the set closes with flautist Hubert Laws' "Shades of Light, its gentle Latin vibe acting like a cool-down from the workout of the preceding title track. On the Verge is a down-the-middle set of contemporary straight-ahead jazz that's not likely to shake any foundations or introduce any significant innovations. But with a set of engagingly diverse material and committed performances by Rose's sextet, it's an album that makes a case for the continued validity and modernity of the mainstream tradition. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/on-the-verge-adonis-rose-criss-cross-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Adonis Rose: drums; Nicholas Payton: trumpet; Tim Warfield: tenor and soprano saxophones; Warren Wolf: vibraphone; Aaron Goldberg: piano; Reuben Rogers: bass.

On The Verge

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Makoto Ozone - Pandora

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:46
Size: 154,0 MB
Art: Front

( 5:15)  1. You Never Tell Me Anything!
( 5:24)  2. Lullaby for Rabbit
( 5:47)  3. Reunion
( 5:10)  4. Sofi
( 6:13)  5. If I Had Known...
( 6:50)  6. Brazilian Sketch
( 6:34)  7. Pennillium
( 6:41)  8. Blessing the World
(10:17)  9. Pandora
( 4:06) 10. Tiffany's Waltz
( 4:24) 11. Around the Corner

Makoto Ozone and the Trio is joined by the award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis on Pandora. His trio Clarence Penn on drums and James Genus on bass who has replaced Kiyoshi Kitagawa plays 11 original compositions written by either Ozone or Penn. Of particular interest is Ozone's performance on "Pennillium," which displays his strong musical personality with excellent piano artistry: arpeggios, authentic cadences, and chord stylings. While Penn's expertise and sensitive brushwork highlights the harmony of "Sofi," Genus still has some work to do as far as applying his bass colors to Ozone's piano stylings with the right contrast. However, this can certainly be attributed to his newness with the group. Overall, Pandora is very good due to Marsalis' excellence on "Reunion" and the title track, as well as the songwriting skills of both Penn and Ozone. ~ Paula Edelstein http://www.allmusic.com/album/pandora-mw0000587251

Personnel:  Makoto Ozone (piano);  Branford Marsalis (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone);  Clarence Penn (drums).

Pandora

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Betty Johnson, Elisabeth Gray & Lydia Gray - Three Shades Of Gray

Size: 99,3 MB
Time: 31:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Mood Indigo (Betty Johnson, Elisabeth Gray & Lydia Gray) (2:41)
02. It Had To Be You (Betty Johnson) (2:14)
03. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face (Betty Johnson) (1:57)
04. Our Love Is Here To Stay (Betty Johnson & Elisabeth Gray) (2:40)
05. Someone To Watch Over Me (Lydia Gray) (3:28)
06. Little Girl Blue (Elisabeth Gray) (4:02)
07. Why Did I Choose You (Betty Johnson) (2:21)
08. Moon Glow (Betty Johnson, Elisabeth Gray & Lydia Gray) (2:57)
09. He Was Too Good To Me (Betty Johnson) (2:21)
10. I'll Be Seeing You (Lydia Gray) (2:30)
11. Time After Time (Betty Johnson & Elisabeth Gray) (2:16)
12. Danny Boy (Betty Johnson, Elisabeth Gray & Lydia Gray) (2:13)

So many people have such fond memories of Betty Johnson’s angelic voice; whether it was listening to her sweet solos as a young girl with her gospel singing family, The Johnson Family Singers, or following her solo career in the 1950’s with catchy hits like “The Little Blue Man” and “I Dreamed.”

Betty’s daughters, Lydia and Elisabeth Gray, are also singers in their own right. Both have recorded several cds and enjoy active singing schedules: Lydia in The USA and Elisabeth in Europe. While Lydia and Elisabeth record and perform both modern songs as well as standards, they agree that singing the oldies with their mother is the greatest of privileges and pleasures; her total control of harmony and interpretation, as well as her now rich, mellow voice, make her the ideal singing partner. They feel so blessed to have a mother who is not only the most talented singer they know, but the best mother they could have imagined. Their songs are infused with the kind of love and connection unique to a close-knit family. The three hope to continue making memories for people of all generations, all over the world.

Three Shades Of Gray

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Larry Coryell's 11th House - Seven Secrets

Size: 146,8 MB
Time: 63:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Alabama Rhap Corollary (4:57)
02. Mr. Miyake (5:00)
03. Dragon's Way (7:59)
04. Philly Flash (5:04)
05. Molten Grace (5:14)
06. Seven Secrets (6:43)
07. The Dip (5:08)
08. Having Second Thoughts (6:40)
09. Some Funky Stuff (5:55)
10. Mudhen Blues (5:46)
11. Zodiac (4:55)

The final recording by legendary jazz fusion pioneers Larry Coryell and Alphonse Mouton in the reformed the Eleventh House in their all new album Seven Secrets which will be released on June 2nd. The late guitarist Coryell assembled founding members Randy Brecker (trumpet), long-timer John Lee (bass), the addition of son Julian (guitar) and the late Alphonse Mouzon (drums) to bring the rock and funk back to jazz again with a batch of eleven powerhouse tracks. The album is truly a group effort with Coryell relying on each member to contribute compositions to the new album (much like he did back in the 70 s).

In January, he went into a studio in St. Augustine, Florida, and recorded a new Eleventh House project titled Seven Secrets (Savoy/429 Records) with charter members from 1973: Randy Brecker on trumpet and Alphonse Mouzon (1948 2016) on drums, along with John Lee (bassist on the group s 1975 album Level One and 1976 follow-up, Aspects) and Coryell s son Julian, a six-string shredder in his own right, on second guitar.

The results, which will be released in June, are electrifying. Fueled by Mouzon s big-as-a-house back-beats and power-precision fills, Daddy Coryell cuts loose with sheer abandon on several cuts, like his Mr. Miyake and Mouzon s kinetic 7/4 title track. Coryell deals in audacious string-bending on the blues-rocker The Dip and the earthy Mudhen Blues, and delivers some Wes Montgomery-style octaves on the mellow Having Second Thoughts.

But the real killer on Seven Secrets is Lee s Dragon s Way, a 6/8 romp that will whet the appetites of true fusion fans. Sparked by Mouzon s slamming groove and Lee s slippery, singing tones on his resounding Rob Allen fretless bass (with ebony fingerboard and nylon strings), this catchy number also showcases the young Julian s mondo chops, which are coming directly out of the Steve Vai Joe Satriani school. Papa Coryell follows those mind-blowing fusillades with something simple, lyrical, tasty and blue a typically Zen response from the guitar master. --Downbeat

Seven Secrets

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Erica Papillion-Posey - From The Deep

Size: 120,3 MB
Time: 51:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. War Of Art (5:50)
02. Softly (Feat. Eric Jordan) (6:25)
03. Estate (5:09)
04. Summertime (Feat. Eric Wheeler) (6:03)
05. Chemistry (Feat. Tenia Nelson) (7:21)
06. Juju (Feat. Al Chesis) (4:59)
07. Tell Me (6:01)
08. S'wild (Feat. Zay Alejandro Rios) (4:33)
09. Habanera (Feat. Natalia Perez Del Villar) (5:29)

In this, much anticipated, 2017 sophomore release, From the DEEP boasts 5 original compositions, 3 new arrangements of familiar standards and 1 complete reimagining of a celebrated opera aria, there is something for every jazz aficionado! With joined co-writer and pianist, Tenia Nelson, executive producer and songstress, Erica Papillion-Posey has fashioned original lyrics from the text of her 2015 book of poetry and prose, "Musings from the Mind of a Mezzo", creating a global, international sound that speaks to the masses through percussive rhythms, words and sounds summoned from bottomless expression of self.

From The Deep

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Latimore - A Taste Of Me: Great American Songs

Size: 121,7 MB
Time: 52:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Blues, Soul, R&B, Jazz
Art: Front

01. A Taste Of Me (Sabor A Mi) (5:30)
02. At Last (4:42)
03. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know (6:38)
04. Since I Fell For You (4:55)
05. You Are So Beautiful (5:44)
06. What A Difference A Day Makes (4:02)
07. Dig A Little Deeper (4:50)
08. Let's Straighten It Out (4:40)
09. The Very Thought Of You (4:28)
10. Cry Me A River (3:27)
11. Smile (3:23)

For his latest release, A Taste Of Me: Great American Songs, Latimore has truly come full circle. He has reunited with producers Ish Ledesma and Steve Alaimo, not to recreate the past - but to create something modern that still remains relevant to who Latimore is as an artist. Nothing reveals a great songwriter's soul than the music that influences them the most. Choosing material from the Great American Songbook, Latimore asserts his own unique take on some timeless songs, including two of his own, and manages to make them all sound brand new. Much of the credit must go to producer Ish Ledesma, who has assembled a top-notch, compact studio band that absolutely nails every track, allowing Latimore the latitude (pun intended) to navigate the tunes to the best of his ability. Adding to this mix are the Albert Brothers, two of the best mixing engineers/producers on the planet. Ron and Howard Albert, best known for their awesome body of work on recordings at the famed Criteria Studios in Miami, have recorded or produced classic albums from such artists as The Eagles, The Bee Gees, the Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa, Aretha Franklin, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Derek and the Dominoes, the Allman Brothers Band, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles, Joe Cocker, and many others. One of the revolutionary achievements the brothers are best known for is their creation of the "Fat Albert" drum sound, by individually adding a separate microphone to each part of a drum kit. Because of the compact band and the sparse arrangements on the new album, Latimore's voice is front and center - and by making that aspect the main focus is perhaps why this record sounds so intimate, so warm and so real. Couple that with the fact that Latimore's rich matured voice sounds wiser than ever. It is especially poignant that the album contains the classic tune "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know," written by Al Kooper - for Al was the one who produced and wrote the very first single from the first full-length Latimore album way back when. And so, with this new album, one can say that the circle is now complete. Let's hope there's many more like this one to follow.

A Taste Of Me

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Chris Barber's Jazz Band - Barber In Detroit

Size: 178,1 MB
Time: 75:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz: Big Band
Art: Front

01. Bourbon Street Parade (Live) (1:48)
02. Bobby Shaftoe (Live) (2:41)
03. My Old Kentucky Home (Live) (5:56)
04. Majorca (Live) (3:17)
05. The Old Rugged Cross (Live) (2:12)
06. Chimes Blues (Live) (6:31)
07. Saratoga Swing (Live) (8:55)
08. The Martinique (Live) (2:39)
09. Sweet Sue (Live) (4:10)
10. Savoy Blues (Live) (3:26)
11. Panama (Live) (6:23)
12. Didn't He Ramble (Live) (2:52)
13. I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair (Live) (3:35)
14. Too Many Drivers (Live) (3:25)
15. Lowland Blues (Live) (5:47)
16. It's Got Me Going (Live) (2:45)
17. Jeep's Blues (Live) (4:39)
18. High Society (Live) (4:46)

Since the 1930s the Musicians' Union had a ban preventing American musicians touring the UK. By the late 1950s this was relaxed as long as a UK band was 'swapped' for an American band. Chris Barber's band was not the first to go, but was the first to be allowed to tour rather than play a single residency in one venue. In 1959 when it did its first US tour the Barber band was the leading Trad Jazz band in the UK. The tour was an outstanding success and the band toured again in the Autumn of that year.

Not recorded officially a recording was made surreptitiously of one of the concerts in Detroit. Lake Records acquired the tapes of this historic concert and present them here for the first time. It shows the band on fine form and wowing American audiences. The full concert was not available and so bonus tracks from other concerts around the time of the Detroit one have been added.

Barber In Detroit

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Nazneen Rahman - Answers No Questions

Size: 100,6 MB
Time: 37:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Nazneen Rahman
Art: Front

01. Everything Must Change (3:53)
02. Crazy Kind Of Life (4:04)
03. Love Is A Losing Game (3:11)
04. Not So Invincible (5:32)
05. We Gave Up Our Rights (4:03)
06. Keep It Close (3:36)
07. Fly Little Bird (5:13)
08. Smile (4:43)
09. Answers No Questions (3:19)

London based singer-songwriter and internationally renowned scientist Nazneen Rahman is releasing her new album Answers No Questions next month. Ahead of its debut, she has shared the album's lead single, ‘Everything Must Change’, with Hot Press.

Nazneen Rahman is a world-leader in the field of Cancer Genetics, having recently been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s 2016 Birthday Honours for her services to Medical Sciences. Alongside this successful career in the sciences, Nazneen Rahman has passion for songwriting.

Hailed as somewhat of a role model by the media already, Nazneen was featured in BBC Woman’s Hour "Power List of Game Changers 2014", The Evening Standard’s list of London’s 1000 Most Influential People and, with many radio,TV and interview appearances, Nazneen Rahman has seen her fair share of the spotlight. Now, after the success of her first album, Can’t Clip My Wings, Nazneen Rahman is set to release her follow-up, Answers No Questions.

‘Everything Must Change’, the leading single from that album, channels the jazz and trip-hop influences of her youth, as Nazneen sings empowering words of acceptance and resolution, of pasts lost but futures gained.

Answers No Questions

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