George Masso Sextet - Still Burning!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:51
Size: 139.3 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[9:43] 1. Get Out Of Town
[8:46] 2. Dream Dancing
[4:51] 3. Night And Day
[4:25] 4. Easy To Love
[8:25] 5. C'est Magnifique
[7:16] 6. Just One Of Those Thimgs
[4:28] 7. Ballad For A Friend
[7:05] 8. What Is This Thing Called Love
[5:47] 9. I Love You, Samantha

George Masso - trombone; Lou Colombo – trumpet, flugelhorn; Harry Allen – tenor sax; Johnny Varro - piano; Phil Flanigan - bass; Jake Hanna - drums. Recorded live on March 6, 1999 at the Hanse Merkur Auditorium, Hamburg.

An excellent trombonist who records for Arbors, George Masso has had a long if somewhat underrated career. Other than some early gigs (including a 1948 association with Jimmy Dorsey), Masso made his living from teaching in schools up until 1973. However, he always played trombone on the side and, soon after becoming a full-time musician, he toured with the Benny Goodman Sextet (1973). Masso worked with Bobby Hackett, Bobby Rosengarden, and the World's Greatest Jazz Band (the latter starting in 1975) and recorded with Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, and Woody Herman. He led sessions for Famous Door, World Jazz, and Dreamstreet during 1978-1983, frequently sharing the front line with tenor saxophonist Al Klink and trumpeter Glenn Zottola. Since then, George Masso has recorded for Sackville and Arbors and become a reliable fixture at jazz parties and classic jazz festivals. ~ bio by Scott Yanow

Still Burning!

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Ron Jackson, Nicki Parrott - Concrete Jungle

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:34
Size: 150.1 MB
Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:58] 1. Feed The Fire
[6:20] 2. Old Country
[3:54] 3. People Make The World Go Round
[6:20] 4. Bondi
[6:41] 5. For Rachel
[6:45] 6. To Us
[7:25] 7. Concrete Jungle
[4:25] 8. Felicidade
[6:51] 9. Back In The Islands
[5:21] 10. C Minor Jam Blues
[6:30] 11. People Make The World Go Round (long vers.)

Taking on a play list of mostly their individual originals, guitarist Ron Jackson and bassist Nicki Parrott joined other seasoned jazz professionals to put together an album designed for long lasting listening. A bass and guitar duo might be dubbed the "Odd Couple". But the combination works because these two obviously want it to. Jackson's guitar is pitched high and he avoids for the most part smeary chordal attacks allowing Parrott's low pitched instrument to be heard. The Australian based bassist gets a tremendous amount of melody out of that sometimes unwieldy instrument. She's not here just to pluck in order to lay a foundation for everyone else as she demonstrates on a rhythmic "Bondi" which she composed. The album has a Carribean, Latin, Salsa mien to it. Tunes like "Bondi" and "People Make the World Go Round" all have that jaunty Latin beat. "Back in the Islands" is where this song will bring you, down to Jamaica or somewhere like it. This is one of the three tracks where Sam Newsome shows up with his soprano saxophone. The whining instrument seems out of place on this jaunty tune. A flute might have been more appropriate. But there's some dazzling fingering by Jackson here to compensate for the soprano's out of place intrusion. Moreover, there are other delights on this session which will engage the listener. Lafayette Harris' piano joins the fray on the bop blues with "C Minor Jam Blues". Parrott is masterful as she stays right in there on this fast paced tune, making a strong walking bass statement to boot. This track is special and one of the album's high spots. Nat Adderley's jazz classic "Old Country" is another vehicle for Parrott to display her virtuosity on the bass as the first chorus belongs to her with Jackson playing rhythm and Dion Parson's tapping sticks, punctuating at the right spots.

A well conceived, well played outing is captured on this recommended CD.

Concrete Jungle

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Bruce Katz Band - Transformation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:03
Size: 126.0 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues/R&B
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[5:44] 1. Chicago Tranformation
[6:07] 2. Boppin' Out Of The Abyss
[5:55] 3. The Sweeper
[6:15] 4. What Might Have Been
[4:17] 5. Larry The Spinning Poodle
[4:42] 6. Circular Notion
[5:54] 7. Deep Pockets
[4:11] 8. Crime Novel
[5:04] 9. Window Of Soul
[6:49] 10. But Now I See

Recorded two years after the Bruce Katz Band debut CD Crescent Crawl, Transformation is more of the same great instrumental blues/jazz, although a bit harder to get your arms around. Consisting of all originals, Katz plays piano on seven of the tracks and Hammond B-3 organ on the other three. It has more of an avant-garde approach than its predecessor, Crescent Crawl, and its successor, Mississippi Moan. It has everything from a stride shuffle ("Larry the Spinning Poodle") to New Orleans grooves ("But Now I See") to deep jazzy blues ("The Sweeper" and "Deep Pockets"). "Deep Pockets" was later recorded by Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, of which Katz was a member. ~Ann Wickstrom

Transformation

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Cedar Walton Trio - Midnight Waltz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:26
Size: 154.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[ 5:16] 1. Bremond's Blues
[ 6:08] 2. Turquoise
[ 4:52] 3. Cedar's Blues
[ 9:37] 4. Midnight Waltz
[ 6:53] 5. Holy Land
[ 4:30] 6. Theme For Jobim
[10:20] 7. Dear Ruth
[ 5:54] 8. The Vision
[ 7:50] 9. Bolivia
[ 6:04] 10. Ugetsu

During his long career, Cedar Walton has been one of hard bop's most lyrical pianists, as demonstrated on this 2005 trio session for the Japanese label Venus. No matter the tempo or approach, it is very easy to find oneself singing along with Walton's infectious melodies, whether it is the driving "Cedar's Blues," the lighthearted "Midnight Waltz," or his bossa nova salute to a great Brazilian composer "Theme for Jobim." That hardly means the remaining tracks are filler, as there isn't a weak selection present. "Dear Ruth" is a coy piece that must be named for someone special in Walton's life, as this work has a playful, yet reserved aura. Walton saves two of his best-known works for last, a intricate take of "Bolivia," followed by the showstopping finale "Ugetsu." Bassist David Williams and drummer Jimmy Cobb provide great support throughout this enjoyable session. ~Ken Dryden

Midnight Waltz

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Eric Dolphy Quintet feat. Freddie Hubbard - Outward Bound

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:27
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:58)  1. G.W.
( 5:45)  2. On Green Dolphin Street
( 5:14)  3. Les
( 6:51)  4. 245
( 5:28)  5. Glad To Be Unhappy
( 5:41)  6. Miss Toni
( 4:10)  7. April Fool
(12:09)  8. G.W. (alternate take 1)
( 8:07)  9. 245 (alternate take 1)

Unlike Ornette Coleman who wanted to blow orthodox jazz form out of the water John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy initially worked to change the system from within, making music that fit the jazz standards of the time while injecting their own unique spin. This is why Outward Bound, Dolphy's first recording as a leader, is a not-so-distant relative of Coltrane's My Favorite Things (Atlantic, 1960). On balance, both discs have a conventional base. While Coltrane stuck to the Great American Songbook, Dolphy penned over half the tunes on Outward Bound; even so, those originals mesh perfectly with classics like "On Green Dolphin Street and Charles Greenlea's "Miss Toni. It's the respective opening tracks that separate both discs from the norm. As Coltrane used an innocuous song from The Sound of Music to launch us into space, so does Dolphy use "G.W. to prove Coleman's theory that "you could play sharp or flat in tune. 

A fast 4/4 beat drives borderline-dissonant opening salvos from the front line. While the rest of the band lays down beats and fills that would not be out of place on any bop date, Dolphy steps out of the head to blister us with a mind-boggling, lightning-fingered alto solo that threatens to go over a cliff at any moment. Dolphy and his partners maintain this unorthodox balancing act throughout the 1960 session. At the time, the bass clarinet was nearly unheard of as a lead instrument, but Dolphy uses it to great atonal effect on the zippy "Miss Toni. It also applies a noir-like patina to the opening of "Green Dolphin Street. Dolphy's flute on Rodgers and Hart's "Glad To Be Unhappy is flat and mournful one second, jumping and dancing (and sometimes screaming) the next, but rarely following a predictable path. Jaki Byard is Dolphy's faithful wingman, contributing Monk-laced lines that stay within "acceptable guidelines while tipping the reality a little bit further out.George Tucker's foundation on bass is key, rooting the music so the other players can create in space. Roy Haynes displays a range as big as all outdoors, playing drums like a machine gun on the blasting "Les one minute, using brushes like an artist on "Green Dolphin Street the next. Freddie Hubbard's trumpet is as empirical as Dolphy's reedwork is existential; the 21-year old Hubbard's solos (particularly on "Les and the bluesy "245 ) show power and control beyond his years. One wonders what would have happened if he'd stayed with Dolphy and not gone off with Art Blakey. It makes sad sense we lost Coltrane and Dolphy too soon Trane from cancer, Dolphy of complications from diabetes. Stars burn out, meteors crash... but while they live, they burn oh so bright. Outward Bound is Dolphy's first burst of light, a beautiful and frightening glow that must be experienced. ~ J Hunter https://www.allaboutjazz.com/outward-bound-eric-dolphy-prestige-records-review-by-j-hunter.php

Personnel: Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute;  Freddie Hubbard: trumpet;  Jaki Byard: piano;  George Tucker: bass;  Roy Haynes: drums.

Outward Bound

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Barbara Morrison - I Wanna Be Loved

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:04
Size: 119,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. Perdido
(4:15)  2. I Wanna Be Loved
(3:10)  3. This Time The Dream's On Me
(5:08)  4. I'll Close My Eyes
(4:10)  5. Shiny Stockings
(5:04)  6. Skylark
(5:19)  7. Work Song
(5:04)  8. When Sunny Gets Blue
(6:14)  9. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(3:28) 10. September In The Rain
(4:10) 11. Make Me A Present Of You

Barbara Morrison, one of the world’s most delightful and endearing jazz personalities returns to the recording studio and brings her good friend, tenor saxophonist Houston Person with her for her third recording on Savant Records. Her patented Music in the Morrison Manner, featuring blues, standards and even an occasional pop tune, has endeared her to audiences on both coasts and earned her a place among the most talented and skilled jazz vocalists working today. Morrison’s delivery and vivaciousness has the ability to charm listeners while her timing and intonation are virtually flawless and the subtle perfection of her phrasing evokes the great vocalists of the past. The spirit of Dinah Washington hovers over this recording with many of the Great Lady’s tunes receiving a Morrison Makeover while Houston Person weaves his husky-toned arabesques around the timeless melodies. 

~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Wanna-Be-Loved-Barbara-Morrison/dp/B071D41P91

I Wanna Be Loved

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Woody Herman - Road Band!

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:41
Size: 84,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Opus De-Funk
(2:57)  2. Gina
(3:32)  3. I Remember Duke
(6:13)  4. Sentimental Journey
(3:30)  5. Cool Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
(3:21)  6. Where Or When
(5:13)  7. Captain Ahab
(2:49)  8. I'll Never Be The Same
(3:30)  9. Pimlico

This out-of-print LP finds Herman's Third Herd in its prime. Rather than just revisiting his celebrated past, he and his orchestra primarily perform then-recent material, much of it arranged by Ralph Burns. Highlights include a big-band version of Horace Silver's "Opus De Funk," Burns's "Cool Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "I Remember Duke" and Bill Holman's reworking of "Where or When." With tenors Richie Kamuca and Dick Hafer, trumpeter Dick Collins and bass trumpeter Cy Touff as the main soloists, The Third Herd had developed into a particularly strong unit by the mid-'50s. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/road-band-mw0000874164

Personnel:  Woody Herman (clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone);  Richie Kamuca (tenor saxophone).

Road Band!

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Gary Smith - Jazz With A Side Of Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 123.4 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues guitar
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. St. James Infirmary
[5:38] 2. House Of The Rising Sun
[4:27] 3. The Blue Side Of Jazz
[4:32] 4. Chester's Flat
[6:02] 5. Fall Is Falling
[4:48] 6. A Slice Of The Blues
[5:57] 7. Reaching Out For You
[8:05] 8. Love Is Blue
[3:35] 9. Blue Dreams
[7:21] 10. Easy Days

Gary Smith has more than 40 years of experience in the music business and has worked with some of America’s leading entertainers which include: Bernadette Peters, Frankie Laine, Billy Daniels, Barbi Benton, The Coasters, The Platters, Vickie Carr, Kaye Starre, Riders in the Sky, Sheckie Greene, Anna Marie Alberghetti, Danny and The Juniors Barry Williams and many more.

As a guitarist Gary has performed for : President Jerry Ford and Betty Ford, President Bill Clinton, Queen Noor, Prince Charles, Prince Bandar, Senator/Gov Pete Wilson, Madeline Albright, Ricky and Andrea Schroeder, James Filfurth (EMI), Troy Donahue, Gov. Roemer, Gov Jerry Brown, many leaders of Corporate American and numerous weddings and receptions in the Aspen, Vail, Snowmass, Beaver Creek resorts of Colorado. Gary has also been a guest artist with the San Diego Symphony and a member of the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra.

Jazz With A Side Of Blues 

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Kimberly Carper - Quarter 'til Three

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:55
Size: 114.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:54] 1. 'til There Was You
[3:20] 2. My Love Is
[4:04] 3. Inner City Blues
[5:02] 4. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
[4:09] 5. Night Time Is The Right Time
[4:20] 6. When We Dance
[3:17] 7. Temptation
[5:30] 8. I Can't Make You Love Me
[4:01] 9. Fever
[4:05] 10. Songbird
[4:31] 11. Carefree
[4:37] 12. One For My Baby

For many singers, recording their debut CD is a nail-biting coming out party. There are so many things to think about. Beyond the selection of material and the rigors of recording there is that little voice inside your head that can make you second guess your own best instincts. But for 27-year-old Kim Carper, creating the music on her first CD, Quarter Til Three, was pure pleasure.

“My goal was to make a record of the music I love,” Kim explains from the Charlotte home she shares with husband/drummer Donnie Marshall. “I wanted to include songs that just felt good. That has always been important to me, performing music that embraces people as it embraces me, whether it’s jazz, rock, or classical.”

Quarter Til Three certainly feels good, even great. Due in no small part to the sympathetic vibes between Kim, Donnie, and fellow musicians Van Sachs (guitar), Tim Gordon (bass), Tim Smith (tenor saxophone), and Mark Stallings (keyboards), the album flows like a river - cool, soulful, and with its share of surprising twists and turns. With Kim lending her warm, lush vocals to songs by such artists as Bonnie Raitt, Tom Waits, Mercer and Arlen, Goffin & King and Christine McVie, Quarter Til Three is easy to groove to, easy to relax with and easy on the ear. ~Ken Micallef

Quarter 'til Three

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Ike Isaacs & The London Guitars - I Love Paris

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:35
Size: 86.0 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1972/2010
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. Autumn Leaves
[2:30] 2. April In Paris
[4:04] 3. Chez Moi
[3:52] 4. Clopin-Clopant
[2:58] 5. Nostalgique
[2:56] 6. I Wish You Love
[2:42] 7. J'attendrai
[3:45] 8. Paris Fashion
[3:58] 9. C'est Si Bon
[2:47] 10. A Man And A Woman
[2:23] 11. I Love Paris
[2:22] 12. La Vie En Rose

Ike Isaacs (December 1, 1919, Rangoon, Burma – January 11, 1996, Sydney, Australia) was a jazz guitarist from Rangoon, Burma, best known for his work with violinist Stéphane Grappelli.

Isaacs was self taught on guitar. He started playing professionally in college while pursuing a degree in chemistry. In 1946 he moved to England, where he became a member of the BBC Show Band. During the 1960s and '70s, he was a member of the Hot Club of London, led by guitarist Diz Disley, which often collaborated with Stéphane Grappelli. He was a member of the band Velvet with Digby Fairweather, Len Skeat, and Denny Wright. In the 1980s, he moved to Australia and taught at the Sydney School of Guitar.

I Love Paris

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The Beginning Of The End - Funky Nassau

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:19

Size: 80.8 MB

Styles: Funk, R&B, Island rhythms

Year: 1971/2001

Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Funky Nassau Part 1

[2:33] 2. Funky Nassau Part 2

[3:12] 3. Come Down

[4:01] 4. Sleep On Dream On

[4:39] 5. Surrey Ride

[3:38] 6. Monkey Tamarind

[4:53] 7. In The Deep

[4:59] 8. Pretty Girl

[4:17] 9. When She Made Me Promise

Thirty years after its maiden voyage, Funky Nassau sails again on a digitally remastered CD. Their number 15 pop smash "Funky Nassau Part 1 & 2" is the cream of this hands-on production by the Bahamas natives. The nine cuts fuses island rhythms and American jazz/funk into a doable, choppy mixture featuring guitars, bass, drums, and scratch vocals. Misclassified as a disco band, the Beginning of the End served up breezy Phil Upchurch-esque sounds, with "Come Down" and "Surrey Ride" being prime examples. ~Andrew Hamilton

Funky Nassau

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Stuff Smith - Black Violin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:10
Size: 78.2 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 1972/2015
Art: Front

[3:57] 1. Ain't She Sweet
[4:11] 2. April In Paris
[5:42] 3. Sweet Lorraine
[4:39] 4. One O'clock Jump
[6:01] 5. Cherokee
[3:18] 6. Yesterdays
[6:20] 7. What Is This Thing Called Love

Stuff Smith's poor health in his later years didn't stop him from performing or recording, this studio date in Germany was recorded not long before his death on September 25, 1967. With a band of competent but not well known European musicians backing him, the violinist completed seven numbers for his final record, all standards of various vintage. Smith, of course, is the centerpiece of the LP; although he only uses a small portion of his bow, his unorthodox approach to the instrument produces a very distinct sound all his own. His vibrato-filled introduction to "Cherokee" is followed by a fine solo by pianist Otto Weiss and several brief drum breaks by Charley Antolini. His most adventurous playing takes place during "Sweet Lorraine," in a happy arrangement that almost seems like someone whistling as he jauntily walks down the street, though his second solo within the song makes great use of dissonance. Tenor saxophonist Heribert Thusek plays in unison with Smith during the opening to "One O'Clock Jump" and takes a swinging solo prior to the leader; he is also present on one other number, a foot tapping easygoing take of "What Is This Thing Called Love?" Unfortunately, this LP disappeared from print rather rapidly after its 1972 release when BASF quit the record-making business, so fans of Stuff Smith may have a very difficult time locating a copy of this excellent LP. ~Ken Dryden

Black Violin

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David Kikoski - Consequences

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:53
Size: 144,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:00)  1. Blutain
( 7:45)  2. Russian Roulette
( 8:27)  3. Drama.
( 4:31)  4. Placidity
( 9:46)  5. Mr. JJ
( 5:16)  6. (Still) A Glimmer of Hope
( 5:32)  7. Consequences, Part I
( 4:43)  8. Concequences, Part II
( 6:48)  9. Never Let Me Go

On his ninth Criss Cross date as a leader (and 22nd label appearance overall), pianist David Kikoski convenes an extraordinary trio with two famed and longstanding allies, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jeff 'Tain' Watts. It's no stretch to say that a lineup like this is guaranteed to swing - and it does, on a set of finely wrought Kikoski originals, including the two-part title track Consequences. Watts' own uptempo Mr. JJ and slow-grooving Blue Tain round out the set, and Kikoski ends with a poetic solo-piano take of Never Let Me Go. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Consequences-David-Kikoski-Trio/dp/B007GNMIGS

Personnel:  David Kikoski – Piano;  Christian McBride – Bass;  Jeff "Tain" Watts – Drums.

Consequences

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Kirk Knuffke - Chorale

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:02
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:24)  1. Wingy
(6:01)  2. Made
(5:24)  3. Kettle
(5:51)  4. Standing
(9:41)  5. Madly
(7:28)  6. Match
(6:13)  7. Chorale
(8:30)  8. School
(6:26)  9. Good Good

N.Y.C.-based cornetist Kirk Knuffke is an adventurous, forward-thinking artist with a bent toward avant-garde improvisation and modern creative jazz. A native of Colorado, Knuffke studied with trumpeter Ron Miles and pianist Art Lande before relocating to New York City in 2005. Since that time, he has earned a reputation as both an in-demand sideman and bandleader, having performed with such artists as Roswell Rudd, William Parker, Uri Caine, Myra Melford, John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Billy Hart, Steven Bernstein, Jon Irabagon, and many others. He is a veteran member of several of Butch Morris' ensembles, and performs regularly as a member of both drummer Matt Wilson's quartet and the Steve Lacy tribute ensemble Ideal Bread. As a solo artist, Knuffke has released a steady stream of albums including Big Wig (2008), Garden of Gifts (2009), Amnesia Brown (2010), Chorale (2013), and Exterminating Angel (2014). He also has an ongoing duo project with pianist Jesse Stacken in which they explore the more obscure works by legendary jazz composers, such as the Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington-themed Mockingbird (2009) and the Charles Mingus-themed Orange Was the Color (2011). In 2015, Knuffke delivered the trio album Arms & Hands, which featured bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bill Goodwin. ~ Matt Collar https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/chorale/id711496115?app=music&i=711496331

Personnel:  Cornet – Kirk Knuffke;  Double Bass – Michael Formanek;  Drums – Billy Hart;  Piano – Russ Lossing.

Chorale

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Earl Hines - Blues in Thirds

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 60:11
Size: 111,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. Blues In Thirds
(5:35)  2. Velvet Moon (Take 1)
(3:36)  3. Stan Dance
(5:36)  4. Sweet Lorraine (Take 3)
(4:42)  5. Black Lion Blues
(6:16)  6. Tea For Two
(6:27)  7. When I Dream Of You
(6:29)  8. Blues After Midnight
(4:20)  9. Shini Stockings
(5:58) 10. Sweet Loraine (Take 2)
(5:42) 11. Velvet Moon

Earl Hines's solo piano sessions were always a joy. Freed from having to keep a steady rhythm to accommodate a bassist and a drummer, Hines was able to take wild chances with time, with his left hand playing broken patterns rather than sticking to a steady stride. [This Black Lion CD augments the eight selections originally released on an LP with two alternate takes and "Black Lion Blues.."] Hines made many exciting recordings during 1964-77; this set is a good place to start in exploring his frequently dazzling playing. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-in-thirds-mw0000269040

Personnel: Earl Hines (piano).

Blues in Thirds

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George Howard - A Nice Place To Be

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:26
Size: 100,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:09)  1. No No
(5:17)  2. Jade's World
(5:06)  3. Sweetest Taboo
(5:20)  4. Nice Place To Be
(6:03)  5. Let's Live In Harmony
(5:05)  6. Pretty Face
(4:37)  7. Spenser For Hire
(5:46)  8. Stanley's Groove

George Howard's polished fusion of funk, jazz, and urban soul helped the soprano saxophonist become one of the most popular contemporary jazz performers of the '80s and '90s. Since he concentrated on groove and overall sound instead of improvisation, Howard never received much attention from jazz critics, but he retained a large audience well into his second decade of performing. Howard began his musical career in the late '70s. He received his first break when Grover Washington, Jr., one of his musical idols, invited him on a tour in 1979. The tour helped establish Howard's name, and in 1982 he released his debut album, Asphalt Garden, on Palo Alto. The record was a moderate hit, as was its follow-up, 1984's Steppin' Out. It wasn't until the 1985 release of  Dancing in the Sun that Howard earned a large audience. The album reached number one on the contemporary jazz charts. Following the release of Dancing in the Sun, he moved to MCA, where he issued A Nice Place to Be, Reflections, Personal, and Love Will Follow. All four records were considerable successes on the charts.  In 1991, Howard signed to GRP, releasing his label debut, Love and Understanding, that year. It was followed by Do I Ever Cross Your Mind in 1992 and When Summer Comes in 1993. A Home Far Away was released in 1994, and Attitude Adjustment was issued in 1996. 

All of his GRP recordings were quite successful, confirming his place among the most popular contemporary jazz performers of the '90s. His first five years with GRP, plus a selection of his MCA recordings, were summarized on 1997's The Very Best of George Howard.  Howard returned to recording with Midnight Mood, which was released in January 1998. Sadly, it was the last record he would release in his lifetime. He died unexpectedly on March 29, 1998. A few months later, his last recording  a version of Sly Stone's There's a Riot Goin' On, which was conceived as part of Blue Note's cover series was released. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-howard-mn0000648331/biography

George Howard (Soprano sax, lead vocals, bass synth, drum machine, acoustic piano); Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar); Victor Bailey (Bass); Paulinho Da Costa (Percussion); Natan East (Bass); Stanley Clarke (Bass, tenor bass, bass synth, Emu vocals); George Duke (Synclavier Rhodes, TX-8); Rayford Griffin (Drums); Robert Brookins (Keyboards, Emu harp); Wayne Linsay (Bass synth, keyboards, Emu strings); Kevin Chokan (Guitar); Josie James, Lynn Davis, George Merrill, Carl Carwell (Background vocals); Dr. Gibbs (Percussion, bongos, shakere).

A Nice Place To Be

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Dave Brubeck - Indian Summer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:42
Size: 161.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:39] 1. You'll Never Know
[5:15] 2. I'm Alone
[4:51] 3. Autumn In Our Town
[3:13] 4. So Lonely
[4:10] 5. I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over
[4:18] 6. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
[4:18] 7. Pacific Hail
[4:40] 8. September Song
[4:12] 9. Summer Song
[5:00] 10. Thank You
[4:27] 11. Georgia On My Mind
[3:55] 12. Spring Is Here
[4:40] 13. Sweet Lorraine
[4:14] 14. Memories Of You
[3:53] 15. This Love Of Mine
[4:50] 16. Indian Summer

It's not uncommon for anyone to turn toward nostalgia as the years wear on, and at age 86, with nearly 60 years of recording behind him and nearly 50 since he shook up the jazz world with his landmark Time Out album, Dave Brubeck is certainly entitled to look back and take stock of his life. Indian Summer -- the phrase itself suggests an acknowledgement of a waning in progress -- is something of a companion piece to 2004's Private Brubeck Remembers. Like that gem, Indian Summer is a solo piano work comprised of Brubeck's ruminations on standards of the mid-20th century, the period when he was just coming up as an artist and blossoming as a young man. These are reflective, meditative ballads, softly but skillfully played and hinting at melancholy. On time-worn Americana such as "Georgia on My Mind," "September Song," "Sweet Lorraine," and "Spring Is Here," Brubeck is restrained but soulful, out to prove nothing. It's not that age has dulled him; Brubeck's performance is uniformly exquisite, imaginative, and elegant; it's just not edgy. A small handful of original material nicely complements the standards, adding up to one of the more intimate entries in Brubeck's enormous discography. ~Jeff Tamarkin

Indian Summer

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Lenny Welch - Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:46
Size: 116.2 MB
Styles: Pop/Soul/R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Since I Fell For You
[2:26] 2. Are You Sincere
[2:29] 3. I'm In The Mood For Love
[2:36] 4. Stranger In Paradise
[2:26] 5. You Can Have Her
[2:45] 6. You Don't Know Me
[2:46] 7. I Need Someone
[2:22] 8. Darlin'
[2:30] 9. Three Handed Woman
[2:45] 10. I'd Like To Know
[2:06] 11. Changa Rock
[2:21] 12. Boogie Cha Cha
[2:27] 13. It's Just Not That Easy
[2:31] 14. Mama, Don't You Hit That Boy
[2:36] 15. Ebb Tide
[2:18] 16. Congratulations Baby
[2:38] 17. The Old Cathedral
[2:37] 18. A Taste Of Honey
[2:34] 19. If You See My Love
[2:32] 20. Father Sebastian

Singer Lenny Welch was born Leon Welch on May 15, 1938 in Asbury Park, NJ. He started singing as a youngster, assembling groups and participating in talent shows. In his late teens, Welch and his group auditioned for Decca Records in New York. The executives loved "Lenny," which they called Leon, because name flowed better. Decca recorded Welch solo on a couple of promising 45s but the sales were dismal. Two years passed before his next break. Coley Wallace, a prize fighter, introduced Welch to Archie Bleyer, the owner of Cadence Records. The association clicked and "You Don't Know Me" was his first release, it made some noise, but it was the second Cadence single, "Since I Fell for You," a a number five pop hit in 1963, that brought the mass sells and accolades; he also scored with "Ebb Tide," and was on his way to becoming another Johnny Mathis when two devastating circumstances occurred.

For starters, and reasons unknown, Archie Bleyer folded Cadence in September of 1964, the label he had started in December 1952. (Cadence had built the careers of many artists including Andy Williams, the Everly Brothers, and Johnny Tillotson; Andy Williams purchased the companies' masters from Bleyer and reissued them on his Barnaby label, but signed with Columbia Records to release his new recordings, while Bleyer retired to Wisconsin.) Lenny's last Cadence release, "If You See My Love" in 1964, charted at number 92. He also contributed vocals to Eddie Harris' 1964 LP Cool Sax, Warm Heart. But after a couple of hits and one LP release, Since I Fell for You in 1963, Welch was shopping for a new deal.

The second setback came from Uncle Sam. Lenny stayed involved in music while serving his country. He did record hops and weekend dates to promote his new releases on Kapp Records, but nothing significant happened until his duty ended. He landed with Kapp shortly after Cadence closed and charted with "Darling Take Me Back," "Two Different Worlds" (1965), "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" (1966), and "The Right to Cry" in 1967.

Unexpectedly, Welch then took another hiatus; this time to get his mind together, and to practice and research his musical skills and sell his image. While compared to Johnny Mathis and other ballad singers, Welch wasn't playing the cushy Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe gigs, his albums didn't sell like Mathis' or Andy Williams'. The leave of absence was a big mistake; he came back, and began gigging at some major clubs, but it never really happened for him like he envisioned. Attempted comebacks in the '70s didn't pan out, including a marvelous single on the Cur label entitled "To Be Loved/Glory of Love" b/w "My Heart Won't Let Me." Dwindling interest caused the handsome, velvet-voiced singer with the super personality to become a "whatever happened to . . ." topic. You can hear his work on Anthology (1958-1966), on Taragon Records, and the Collectables reissue of Since I Fell for You. He recorded three albums on Kapp: Two Different Worlds (1965), Rags to Riches (1966), and Lenny, in 1967. ~ bio by Andrew Hamilton

Best

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Anoushka Shankar - Traces Of You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:58
Size: 128.1 MB
Styles: Indian music, World
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:34] 1. The Sun Won't Set (Feat. Norah Jones)
[3:39] 2. Flight
[4:51] 3. Indian Summer
[5:03] 4. Maya
[4:38] 5. Lasya
[2:29] 6. Fathers
[4:56] 7. Metamorphosis
[3:31] 8. In Jyoti's Name
[3:40] 9. Monsoon
[3:44] 10. Traces Of You
[3:04] 11. River Pulse
[8:17] 12. Chasing Shadows
[4:26] 13. Unsaid (Feat. Norah Jones)

It’s hard to think of any other music-making device which has such an air of both the archaic and the transcendent as the sitar, the traditional stringed instrument central to the Hindustani classical music of the Indian subcontinent. Probably invented in the 13th century, but with roots shared with the far more ancient veena, the sitar is a visual work of art in itself. For years its sound was unknown in the West, until Ravi Shankar opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Through his pioneering tours, ground-breaking compositions for orchestras and artists such as Yehudi Menuhin, and role as teacher and mentor to George Harrison, John Coltrane and Philip Glass, he brought his music and culture to audiences of disparate ages and genres across the globe. More than just one of the great artistic figures of the 20th century, he was a musical philosopher whose sitar brought people together and whose spirituality transcended cultural and political differences. That the sitar has since become a fixture in the musical worldview of open-minded listeners is solely due to Ravi Shankar.

Anoushka Shankar is now both conserving her father’s musical philosophy and extending it into new sound spaces and contexts. The 32-year old artist not only served her apprenticeship in Indian classical music under Ravi Shankar and performed on stage with him for nearly twenty years, but also benefited from a curious and open-minded upbringing across three continents, and has always pushed the cultural dialogue her father began even further in her own music. She released her first album, Anoushka, in 1998, when she was just 17, and since then has worked with musicians as varied as Sting, Herbie Hancock, Jethro Tull, Concha Buika, Mstislav Rostropovich and Thievery Corporation. For the past decade and a half, this spirited, visionary and clear-sighted musician has subtly and successfully incorporated traditional Indian sounds into a musical panorama dominated by contemporary styles, bringing the spiritual roots of her music to younger generations.

Shankar’s seventh CD, Traces of You, marks a significant step along her pathway as a musician and woman. With the aim of bringing together a variety of cultural experiences and attitudes as organically as possible, she worked with London-based British-Indian producer Nitin Sawhney, particularly noted for fusing Eastern influences with electronica and, more generally, a non-didactic interweaving of Western and Eastern soundscapes for which London, Anoushka’s home and place of birth, provides the optimal environs.

Traces Of You

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Dennis Coffey - Flight Of The Phoenix

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:00
Size: 137.4 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[5:00] 1. Outer Limitz
[3:38] 2. Blue Tuesday
[3:29] 3. Moonwalker
[3:40] 4. Love Will Neve
[5:07] 5. Midnight Fantasy
[5:00] 6. Written On The Wind
[5:47] 7. Fly Away With Me
[6:40] 8. Shaken Not Stirred
[5:20] 9. Since You've Been Gone
[5:26] 10. Strawberry Lane
[5:37] 11. Tequila Sunset
[5:11] 12. Vision Of Aquarius

Dennis Coffey remains an unsung hero from the halcyon era of Detroit soul, contributing guitar to landmark records issued on the Motown, Ric-Tic, and Revilot labels in addition to cutting a series of efforts under his own name, most notably the cult classic blaxploitation soundtrack Black Belt Jones. Born and raised in the Motor City, Coffey learned to play guitar at age 13 while visiting relatives in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Though a fan of country music throughout adolescence, while attending Detroit's McKenzie High he immersed himself in rock & roll, jazz, and blues, drawing inspiration from guitarists from Chuck Berry to Scotty Moore to Wes Montgomery. Coffey made his studio debut backing little-known rockabilly cat Vic Gallon on "I'm Gone," issued on the singer's own Gondola label. From there he played in a rockabilly duo with vocalist Durwood Hutto, eventually signing a recording contract with Jackie Wilson's manager, Nat Tarnopol. Through Tarnopol, Coffey met Motown owner Berry Gordy, Jr., but he nevertheless established his reputation as a session player under the aegis of Ed Wingate's Ric-Tic label, contributing to records including Edwin Starr's "S.O.S. (Stop Her on Sight)," J.J. Barnes' "Real Humdinger," and the San Remo Strings' "Hungry for Love."

Coffey stayed active guesting on recordings by several artists including Booker T. Jones, Adrian Younge, and Andre Williams. He also engaged fans via his website with intriguing and enlightening revelations about his career, Detroit music history, and his guitar heroes, and answering questions. His own group plays a weekly residency at the Northern Lights Lounge; he's also done numerous headline gigs in and around the city at prestigious venues such as Baker's Keyboard Lounge and Dirty Dawg Jazz Cafe and played national festivals and showcases.

Coffey and his production partner Theodore remain active writing and recording new music. On Record Store Day 2016, in collaboration with the non-profit Resonance Records label, Coffey released Hot Coffey in the D: Burnin' at Morey Baker's Showplace Lounge as a limited-edition LP. The live trio album was compiled from 1968 recordings at the famed Motor City institution with organist Lyman Woodard and drummer Melvin Davis (and was originally recorded by Theodore, whose own studio was down the street at the time. The set saw wide release in other formats in January 2017. ~ Jason Ankeny

Flight Of The Phoenix

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