Natasha Miller - I Had A Feelin´

Styles: Vocal And Violin Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:28
Size: 118,3 MB
Art: Front


(4:58)  1. I Had A Feelin´
(5:12)  2. My Magic Tower
(6:10)  3. Unchain My Heart
(5:45)  4. Everlastin  Blues
(3:59)  5. I Return To The Sea
(4:19)  6. Monica
(3:01)  7. Things Are Breakin ike Rocks
(3:40)  8. Big Storyteller
(3:44)  9. A Real Swingin Affair
(5:31) 10. Madame Heartache
(5:05) 11. What Diference Does It Make

For her third album, Bay Area singer Natasha Miller devotes the eleven tracks to the songs of Bobby Sharp. The songwriter achieved his most notable success with "Unchain My Heart," popularized by Ray Charles in 1961 and later by Joe Cocker. Sharp was a New York songwriter who composed from 1946 through 1978. After having recovered from a drug addiction problem, Sharp relocated to San Francisco where he spent eight years as a drug counselor. Upon hearing Miller sing, Sharp contacted the vocalist, and I Had A Feelin' is the result of their labors. The album is structured to showcase ballad performances on the first six tracks and provides the remainding songs as mid- and up-tempo compositions. Miller's delivery on the first five tunes is that of a smoky jazz cafe in an afterhours performance reminiscent of the cool 1950s jazz vocal genre. Included in this section is the aforementioned "Unchain My Heart," which is forever associated with the rhythmic Ray Charles version. 

Natasha Miller proves that the melody and lyrics are perfectly adaptable to the change in tempo. In other words, if you suspend any preconceived notions about how you feel the song should sound, you can discover a new love ballad. These other opening tracks, "My Magic Tower," "Everlastin' Blues" (featuring a funky Hammond accompanyment), and "I Return to the Sea," plus the title tune, are all well written. Songwriter Sharp makes a vocal appearance on "Monica." The pace picks up with the humorous "Things Are Breakin' Like Rocks," followed by "Big Storyteller" and "A Real Swingin' Affair," which insert an eleven minute swinging segment. Miller closes with two more ballads that feature a string quartet on "Madame Heartache" and the poignant lyrics of "What Diff'rence Does It Make." In fact, the label (Poignant) strikes me as being an aptly named vehicle for this singer. ~ Michael P.Gladstone https://www.allaboutjazz.com/i-had-a-feelin-natasha-miller-poignant-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Natasha Miller,vocals,violin;  Michael Bluestone, piano,Hammond organ;  Bill Bell,piano on "Madame Heartache";  Jon Evans,bass;  Tim Bulkley,drums;  Jeff Lewis,flugelhorn/trumpet;  Rob Roth, sax;  Liz Prior Runnicles,viola;  Emil Miland,cello;  Bobby Sharp,vocal on "Monica".

I Had A Feelin´

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Bob James & Keiko Matsui - Altair & Vega

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:20
Size: 108,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:48)  1. Altair & Vega
( 6:42)  2. Frozen Lake
( 6:52)  3. Divertimento 'The Professor & The Student'
( 6:00)  4. Midnight Stone
( 4:24)  5. Invisible Wing
(13:11)  6. Forever Variations
( 3:20)  7. Chorale From Cantata BWV 147

In a culture inundated with movies that go unseen, books that go unread and music that goes unheard, it's easy for worthy art to slip through the cracks. That was the sad and undeserved fate of the 2011 Bob James and Keiko Matsui four-hand piano collaboration, Altair & Vega. Solo recordings are a standard for jazz pianists, and James' and Matsui's training and love of classical music are familiar to their fans, but two musicians playing one piano at the same time is something a little bit different. Altair and Vega are two stars that pass each other once a year, but it took 11 years for James and Matsui to link up and fully realize what began with "Ever After," their first collaboration with piano for four hands on Matsui's Whisper From the Mirror (Narada, 2000). A year later, Matsui joined James for two tracks on his underrated Dancing On the Water (Warner Brothers, 2001). After a decade, the two mainstays of smooth jazz reunited for a record highly unlikely to receive much airplay by any smooth jazz radio station. The interplay between the two is joyful and at times dazzling. James' "Divertimento," with its apt subtitle, not only allows "The Professor and the Student" to show off their considerable chops, it's playful fun. Things get a bit more serious on Matsui's "Frozen Lake," and the grandiose "The Forever Variations" is stately without being stiff or overly solemn. James and Matsui are not trying to set the music world on its ear as much as they are just coming together to jam. To the extent this is a jazz record, the playing is never less than impressive, as the pianists' pairing inspires them to greater heights than those they occasionally settle for. Whether Altair & Vega qualifies as light classical music or granola-free New Age is a subjective judgment. What is beyond question is how much effort has to go into the four-hands/one piano approach. This is harder than it looks folks, and one need go no further than the companion DVD for proof a live concert filmed at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh last year. So why didn't Altair & Vega hit? Perhaps it not being remotely smooth jazz confused the pianists' usual audience. Perhaps the surnames of James and Matsui didn't catch the interest of more traditional audiences who associate the duo with smooth jazz. Either way, it's not too late for both audiences to tune into this terrific collaboration. ~ Jeff Winbush https://www.allaboutjazz.com/altair-and-vega-bob-james-e-oneentertainment-review-by-jeff-winbush.php

Personnel: Bob James: piano (lower part), Yamaha AvantGrand digital piano (2); Keiko Matsui: piano (upper part).

Altair & Vega

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Tito Puente & Woody Herman - Latin Flight

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:25
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:03)  1. Latin Flight
(3:03)  2. New Cha Cha
(2:39)  3. Mambo Herd
(2:39)  4. Tito Meets Woody
(3:02)  5. Cha Cha Chick
(3:10)  6. Blue Gardenia
(4:05)  7. Prelude A La Cha Cha
(4:19)  8. It's Coolin' Time
(2:33)  9. Black Orchids
(3:09) 10. Original No. 2
(4:02) 11. Sinbad The Sailor
(3:19) 12. Mambo Bambo
(3:16) 13. Fire Island

By virtue of his warm, flamboyant stage manner, longevity, constant touring, and appearances in the mass media, Tito Puente is probably the most beloved symbol of Latin jazz. But more than that, Puente managed to keep his music remarkably fresh over the decades; as a timbales virtuoso, he combined mastery over every rhythmic nuance with old-fashioned showmanship watching his eyes bug out when taking a dynamic solo was one of the great treats for Latin jazz fans. A trained musician, he was also a fine, lyrical vibraphonist, a gifted arranger, and played piano, congas, bongos, and saxophone. His appeal continues to cut across all ages and ethnic groups, helped no doubt by Santana's best-selling cover versions of "Oye Como Va" and "Para Los Rumberos" in 1970-1971, and cameo appearances on The Cosby Show in the 1980s and the film The Mambo Kings in 1992. His brand of classic salsa is generally free of dark undercurrents, radiating a joyous, compulsively danceable party atmosphere. Rooted in Spanish Harlem, of Puerto Rican descent, Puente originally intended to become a dancer but those ambitions were scotched by a torn ankle tendon suffered in an accident. At age 13, he began working in Ramon Olivero's big band as a drummer, and later he studied composing, orchestration, and piano at Juilliard and the the New York School of Music. More importantly, he played with and absorbed the influence of Machito, who was successfully fusing Latin rhythms with progressive jazz. 

Forming the nine-piece Piccadilly Boys in 1947 and then expanding it to a full orchestra two years later, Puente recorded for Seeco, Tico, and eventually RCA Victor, helping to fuel the mambo craze that gave him the unofficial and ultimately lifelong  title "King of the Mambo," or just "El Rey." Puente also helped popularize the cha-cha during the 1950s, and he was the only non-Cuban who was invited to a government-sponsored "50 Years of Cuban Music" celebration in Cuba in 1952. Among the major-league congueros who played with the Puente band in the '50s were Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Johnny Pacheco, and Ray Barretto, which resulted in some explosive percussion shootouts. Not one to paint himself into a tight Latin music corner, Puente's range extended to big-band jazz (Puente Goes Jazz), and in the '60s, bossa nova tunes, Broadway hits, boogaloos, and pop music, although in later years he tended to stick with older Latin jazz styles that became popularly known as salsa. In 1982, he started reeling off a string of several Latin jazz albums with octets or big bands for Concord Picante that gave him greater exposure and respect in the jazz world than he ever had. An indefatigable visitor to the recording studios, Puente recorded his 100th album, The Mambo King, in 1991 amid much ceremony and affection (an all-star Latin music concert at Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheatre in March 1992 commemorated the milestone), and he kept adding more titles to the tally throughout the '90s. He also appeared as a guest on innumerable albums over the years, and such jazz stars as Phil Woods, George Shearing, James Moody, Dave Valentin, and Terry Gibbs played on Puente's own later albums. Just months after accepting his fifth Grammy award, he died on June 1, 2000. Several months later, Puente was recognized at the first annual Latin Grammy Awards, winning for Best Traditional Tropical Perfomance for Mambo Birdland. ~ Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tito-puente-mn0000607283/biography

Latin Flight

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Cozy Cole - A Cozy Conception Of Carmen

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:37
Size: 72,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Prelude
(3:21)  2. Chorus Of The Street Boys
(2:46)  3. Habanera
(3:06)  4. Seguidilla
(2:37)  5. Entracte (1 & 2)
(3:12)  6. Gypsy Song
(3:24)  7. Castanet Dance
(3:25)  8. Flower Song
(3:26)  9. Sextet
(3:06) 10. Entracte (3 & 4)

Cozy Cole has been among the most respected drummers ever since the 1930s, when his work with Stuff Smith and Cab Calloway gained wide notice. Many drummers keep the beat, but the mark of the extraordinary is to add the alchemy of Leadership. With Cozy there was no flailing of arms in vain tries for exhibitionism without reason; no overbearing pushing when the drums should be carrying; no noise for noise's sake. His solos have logic and direction. Cozy Cole was without a doubt one of the most musical drummers there ever was. Bizet Swings! That infectious Cozy Cole magic says that with every beat, and it is the synthesis of the entire recording you now hold. ~ http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/cozy-cole-albums/4479-a-cozy-conception-of-carmen.html

Personnel:  Cozy Cole (d), Bernie Privin (flh, tp), George Holt (tp), Bob Hammer (p, glockenspiel, org), Al Klink, John Hafer (ts), Jerome Richardson (bs, b-cl, cl, piccolo), Milt Hinton, Jack Lesberg (b), Phil Kraus, Douglas Allen (perc)

A Cozy Conception Of Carmen

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Fleetwood Mac - Future Games

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:53
Size: 95.9 MB
Styles: Album rock
Year: 1971/2013
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. Woman Of 1000
[5:35] 2. Morning Rain
[2:12] 3. What A Shame
[8:17] 4. Future Games
[7:17] 5. Sands Of Time
[5:21] 6. Sometimes
[4:27] 7. Lay It All Down
[3:19] 8. Show Me A Smile

By the time of this album's release, Jeremy Spencer had been replaced by Bob Welch and Christine McVie had begun to assert herself more as a singer and songwriter. The result is a distinct move toward folk-rock and pop; Future Games sounds almost nothing like Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. Bob Welch's eight-minute title track, featuring lead guitar from Danny Kirwan, has one of Welch's characteristic haunting melodies, and with pruning and better editing, it could have been a hit. Christine McVie's "Show Me a Smile" is one of her loveliest ballads. Initial popular reaction was mixed: the album didn't sell as well as Kiln House, but it sold better than any of the band's first three albums in the U.S. In the U.K., where the original lineup had been more successful, Future Games didn't chart at all; the same fate that would befall the rest of its albums until the Lindsey Buckingham-Stevie Nicks era. ~William Ruhlmann

Future Games

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Robyn Pauhl - One For My Baby

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:01
Size: 121.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[8:38] 1. The Midnight Sun
[5:58] 2. Travelin's Blues
[5:39] 3. Never Will I Marry
[4:09] 4. Oh, Lady Be Good
[5:04] 5. Someone Else Is Steppin' In
[6:00] 6. Caravan
[7:11] 7. Over The Rainbow
[4:43] 8. Little By Little
[5:35] 9. One For My Baby

Robyn is considered to be one of Canada’s promising young vocalists who has successfully established herself as a true-to-form music stylist. Her live performances are an experience not to be missed. Aside from the multiple venues Robyn continues to sell out when she performs, she has made multiple appearances on national television, including Canada AM, Global TV, Breakfast Television, The New VR and Cable 14. Robyn has been featured on the cover of The Hamilton Magazine and has had countless radio, magazine and newspaper interviews. Robyn Pauhl is a dynamic, professional and incredibly talented young woman who never ceases to amaze her fans and audiences.

On July 4, 2003 Robyn officially released her first jazz and blues CD, which music critics hailed as a victory for and independently produced, first-time CD release. Since then she has performed at many festivals and clubs promoting her CD "One For My Baby", which has continuously been played on the radio across Canada. At just twenty-three, Robyn already bears some imposing credentials. She has opened shows for U.S. country stars George Jones at Lulu's in Kitchener, Loretta Lynn at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton and the International Center in Toronto As well as for some eminent Canadian country acts such as Michelle Wright, Prairie Oyster, Jason McCoy, Beverly Mahood, Jim Witter, jazz artist Carol Wellsman and most recently Robyn performed in concert with world renowned jazz bassist, Dave Holland.

An enthralling performer, Robyn has a voice that has enough power and range to make it worth remarking on. Robyn sounds as if her passion could swallow the world. What lifts her performances miles above nastalgia is that she delivers her feelings with astonishing power and ebullience. One can see the emotional intensity that Robyn brings to everything she sings. There is a sincerity in her singing that pierces her audiences, spurring an immediate connection to her listeners.

One For My Baby

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Shakatak - On The Corner

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 67:59

Size: 155.6 MB

Styles: Funk, Contemporary jazz

Year: 2014

Art: Front

[3:29] 1. On The Corner

[4:39] 2. To Be In Love

[4:26] 3. The Greatest Gift

[4:15] 4. No Clouds

[4:16] 5. San Paulo Sunshine

[4:42] 6. Million Voices

[5:14] 7. Good Time

[4:39] 8. Jazz And Romance

[4:53] 9. Deeper

[3:51] 10. Ojai Freeway

[4:13] 11. Daydreamer

[3:21] 12. She's Not Here

[3:30] 13. On The Corner (Latin Mix)

[4:59] 14. The Greatest Gift (Latin Mix)

[7:25] 15. Deeper

Shakatak have enjoyed a level of success and career longevity rarely paralleled in contemporary music. They are the Rolling Stones of Jazz-funk and their music just keeps getting better and better. After a number of successful top twenty singles in the UK and over 50 releases in their back catalogue, the band have gone on to secure huge international popularity which continues as they prepare for their upcoming tours of Mexico and Japan.

After the success of their last release ‘Once Upon A Time’, a one-off project that saw the band re-arrange their classic hits into acoustic versions, Shakatak are back with a newly recorded studio album containing 14 new tracks as well as an additional digital download.

Kicking off with the title track ‘On The Corner’ we are in classic Shakatak territory with their unique vocal/piano mix. The groovy ‘To Be In Love’ follows, its sweeping strings and smoky vocals backed up by Bill Sharpe’s jazzy piano. ‘Sao Paolo Sunshine’ brings us straight into summer with its funky Latin vibes, as does the smooth ‘Ojai Freeway’ and the bossa-nova tinged ‘Jazz and Romance’.

No Shakatak album is complete without some low down funk, and after a few mellow ballads we get our share. ‘Good Time’ is driven along by George’s bass with a guest appearance from the saxophonist Derek Nash, the main jazz soloist with the UK’s Jools Holland’s R&B Orchestra. Nash also brings some classic jazz sounds to the final tune, the haunting instrumental ballad ‘She’s Not Here’. All in all ‘On The Corner’ is an album that perfectly demonstrates the incredible range and diversity of this timeless band!

On The Corner

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Illinois Jacquet - Illinois Jacquet Flies Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:59
Size: 91.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1966/1991
Art: Front

[3:13] 1. Sleeping Susan
[3:15] 2. Robbin's Nest
[3:40] 3. Lean Baby
[3:09] 4. Bottoms Up
[2:44] 5. That's My Desire
[2:52] 6. Black Velvet
[3:26] 7. Teddy Bear
[3:07] 8. Pleasingly Plump
[4:11] 9. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
[3:03] 10. Potpourri
[2:54] 11. The King
[4:20] 12. Robbin's Nest (Alt Take)

Baritone Saxophone – Haywood Henry; Bass – Al Lucas; Drums – Oliver Jackson; Guitar – Barry Galbraith; Piano [Piano Arrangements] – Jimmy Jones; Tenor Saxophone – Budd Johnson, Illinois Jacquet; Trombone – Arnett Sparrow; Trumpet – Fip Ricard, Russell Jacquet. Recorded in New York City on August 11, 1959.

Jacquet plays well enough and his tone is always endearing but the constant criticism by jazz writers of the 1950s about his honks, squeals and screams led to him leaving some of the extremities (and excitement) out of his solos. Although there are some good buildups here and there, none of the performances explode or stand out. Best is the medium-tempo blues "Teddy Bear" which was possibly conceived as a tribute to the recently deceased Lester Young while "Bottoms Up" is essentially a routine runthrough on "Flying Home" and "The King" uses the framework of "Jumpin' at the Woodside." All of the other selections are taken at ballad or dance tempos and Jacquet's sidemen are limited strictly to background work. ~Scott Yanow

Illinois Jacquet Flies Again

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Earl Bostic - Blows A Fuse

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:32
Size: 135,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. Cheroke
(2:42)  2. Two O'clock Jump
(3:05)  3. Cuttin Out
(2:47)  4. Earl Blows A Fuse
(2:27)  5. Disc Jockey Nightmare
(6:11)  6. That A Groovy Thing Pts 1&2
(3:02)  7. Don't You Do It
(2:42)  8. Moonglow
(2:42)  9. Seven Steps
(3:01) 10. Steam Whistle Jump
(2:42) 11. Flamingo
(2:41) 12. Filibuster
(2:53) 13. Who Snuck The Wine In The Gravy
(2:34) 14. Mambostic
(2:32) 15. 8:45 Stomp
(3:12) 16. Sleep
(2:24) 17. Harlem Nocturne
(2:36) 18. Night Train
(2:42) 19. Tuxedo Junction
(2:25) 20. Special Delivery Stomp

Ah, Earl Bostic! The maestro of the alto sax whose rasping big-toned sax stylings shifted hundreds of thousands of singles, EPs and LPs throughout the 1950s. And not only in the US of A, as my uncle used to reminisce about dancing to a café juke box stacked with Bostic platters in the south side of Glasgow back in the ‘50s. The first time I heard the man himself was towards the end of the 1970s on his version of “Harlem Nocturne” which turned up on one of the Old King Gold LPs. It’s a masterpiece of moody sleaze which immediately transported me (in mind, if not in body) to an exotic strip club. If you’re looking for an instrumental record to set a mood or get the dancers a-swingin’ and a-swayin’ then you can’t go wrong with Bostic.

Blows A Fuse

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Wendy Luck - See You In Rio

Styles: Vocal And Flute Jazz 
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:19
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. See You In Rio
(4:54)  2. Only Trust Your Heart
(3:54)  3. London Samba
(4:30)  4. After The Dance
(4:15)  5. Why Did I Choose You
(3:46)  6. Fotografia
(3:38)  7. Serrado
(3:14)  8. A Man Who Loves
(0:57)  9. Prelude: Cafe 1930
(2:48) 10. Cafe 1930
(6:27) 11. Bonita
(3:03) 12. Apanhei-Te, Cavaquinho
(6:44) 13. Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5
(5:05) 14. Rio After Dark

Erstwhile flutist Wendy Luck is now bossa nova vocalist/flutist on See You In Rio. Formerly a New Age player, The Ancient Key (Amosaya, 1998) and The Ancient Journey (Amosaya, 2001) both took advantage of recording inside one of Egypt's Great Pyramids and in temples along the Nile River. Luck has performed with jazz artists including Ornette Coleman and the late Don Cherry, and more recently performs as lead flutist/vocalist with New York's Rainbow Room Orchestra. See You In Rio was recorded in part in Rio de Janeiro, and in part in New York. Long Island keyboardist Cliff Gorman is pianist, producer and arranger; utilizing Brazilian guitarist/vocalist Joao Bosco's rhythm section for the Rio sessions, while recruiting percussionist Cyro Baptista and bassist Sergio Brandao for the New York recording date. So, while Luck has no apparent Brazilian links in her background, she is appearing with an almost entirely Brazilian ensemble. The music is authentic and the vocals are pleasant, pop-oriented bossa nova. Luck's vocal style is easy to take, and she makes these tunes, all sung in English, fit together very comfortably. 

Only a few vocal tunes are from Brazilian sources (Jobim's "Fotografia" and "Bonita," plus Joyce's title tune), while "Cafe 1930" is by Tango master Astor Piazzolla and "Rio After Dark" is penned by New York label owner David Chesky. The latter is lent a samba setting, with the addition of a five-person chorus towards the song's end. Luck's vocals are most effective on Benny Carter's jazz standard, "Only Trust Your Heart," "Rio After Dark" and "Bonita." A third of the album is dedicated to instrumentals that largely showcase for Luck's flute work and she adroitly displays her skills on such tunes as Djavan's "Serrado" Joyce's "London Samba" and Villa-Lobos' classic "Bachianas Brasilieras No.5." The combination of Brazilian-informed music and nicely paced English vocals work well, making See You in Rio a successful new direction for Luck.

~ Michael P.Gladstone https://www.allaboutjazz.com/see-you-in-rio-wendy-luck-wendy-luck-music-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php
 

Personnel: Wendy Luck: vocals, flute; Cliff Korman: piano, arranger; Nelson Faria: guitar; Ney Conceicao: bass; Kiko Freitas: drums; Cyro Baptista: percussion; Sergio Brandao: bassist (1); Henrique Cazas: cavaquinho (12); Fernando Duarte: l7-string guitar (12); Humberto Cazas: percussion (12); Chris DeLanno: vocals (14); Carla Martinelli: vocals (14); Bruno Salgado: vocals (14); Leo Lopes: vocals (14); arissa Gorberg: vocals (14).

See You In Rio

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Don Ellis - Autumn

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:52
Size: 135,5 MB
Art: Front

(19:25)  1. Variations For Trumpet
( 2:00)  2. Scratt And Fluggs
( 6:43)  3. Pussy Wiggle Stomp
( 8:47)  4. K. C. Blues
( 3:16)  5. Child Of Ecstasy
(17:39)  6. Indian Lady

Don Ellis' Orchestra is heard at the peak of its powers on this Columbia LP. "Pussy Wiggle Stomp," a variation on "My dad's better than your dad" but performed in 7/4 time, became the band's theme song, and it has its riotous moments. The 19-and-a-half minute, six-part "Variations for Trumpet" is a major showcase for Ellis, "Scratt and Fluggs" is a brief bit of silliness, and the relatively straightforward "K.C. Blues" features altoist Frank Strozier, John Klemmer on tenor, and keyboardist Pete Robinson. However it is the 17-and-a-half minute "Indian Lady" (a live remake) that really finds the band going crazy. 

Ellis, trombonist Glen Ferris, and keyboardist Robinson play humorous solos before tenors John Klemmer and Sam Falzone engage in a long and nutty tradeoff that is often quite hilarious. The many false endings at the end of this performance add to the general atmosphere. This is a classic release. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/autumn-mw0000426096

Personnel:  Trumpet [Quarter-tone, Amplified] – Don Ellis;  Alto Saxophone – Frank Strozier , Ira Schulman;  Alto Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute – Ron Starr;  Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – John Magruder;  Bass – Dave Parlato;  Bass Trombone – Don Switzer;  Bass, Electric Bass [Fender] – Ray Neapolitan;  Clarinet – Frank Strozier, John Klemmer;  Clarinet, Clarinet [A] – John Magruder;  Clavinet, Piano – Pete Robinson;  Congas – Lee Pastora;  Drums – Ralph Humphrey;  Electric Piano, Piano [Prepared] – Pete Robinson;  Piano, Clavinet, Electric Piano – Mike Lang; Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Clarinet – Ron Starr;  Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Sam Falzone;  Tenor Saxophone – John Klemmer, Sam Falzone;  Trombone – Ernie Carlson, Glenn Ferris, Terry Woodson; Trumpet – Glenn Stuart;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bob Harmon, John Rosenberg, Stu Blumberg;  Tuba – Doug Bixby, Roger Bobo;  Vibraphone, Percussion [Miscellaneous] – Mark Stevens

Autumn

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Chico Freeman - Still Sensitive

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:38
Size: 160,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. Answer Me, My Love
(8:19)  2. Angel Eyes
(7:32)  3. When I Fall in Love
(6:27)  4. Nature Boy
(7:59)  5. If I Should Lose You
(7:50)  6. In Her Eyes
(5:57)  7. Time After Time
(8:49)  8. Someone to Watch Over Me
(7:59)  9. After the Rain
(2:23) 10. San Vicente

An excellent tenor saxophonist and the son of Von Freeman, Chico Freeman has had a busy and diverse career, with many recordings ranging from advanced hard bop to nearly free avant-garde jazz. He originally played trumpet, not taking up the tenor until he was a junior in college. Freeman graduated from Northwestern University in 1972, played with R&B groups, and joined the AACM. In 1977, he moved to New York, where he worked with Elvin Jones, Sun Ra, Sam Rivers' big band, Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, and Don Pullen, in addition to leading his own groups. He recorded a dozen albums as a leader during 1975-1982. Starting in 1984, Freeman has played on a part-time basis with the Leaders, he has recorded on a few occasions with his father and in 1989, he put together an electric band called Brainstorm. Chico Freeman has recorded through the years as a leader for Dharma, India Navigation, Contemporary, Black Saint, Elektra/Musician, Black Hawk, Palo Alto, Jazz House, and In & Out. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chico-freeman-mn0000110829/biography

Personnel: Chico Freeman (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); John Hicks (piano); Cecil McBee (acoustic bass);  Winard Harper (drums).

Still Sensitive

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Stephane Wrembel - Bistro Fada

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:19
Size: 100,0 MB
Art: Front

(1:31)  1. Reflection I
(2:55)  2. Jackrabbit Sky
(3:54)  3. Big Brother
(1:36)  4. Reflection II
(3:53)  5. Chartrettes
(3:06)  6. Bistro Fada
(4:24)  7. Tsunami
(3:07)  8. Spider Bay
(3:57)  9. Goodbye Baby
(3:28) 10. Les Puces de Batignolles
(1:40) 11. Reflection III
(5:17) 12. Vox Populi
(2:44) 13. Evolution
(1:40) 14. Reflection IV

Stéphane Wrembel is a French born jazz guitarist currently residing in New Jersey. Wrembel is best known as a composer and performer of Gypsy Jazz, but is also heavily influenced by world music. Wrembel studied classical piano from age four in Fontainebleau, France, winning prizes in the Lucien Wurmser competition and at the National Conservatory of Aubervillier, before taking up the guitar at age sixteen in order "to learn Pink Floyd songs, Led Zeppelin, old Genesis, and all that stuff." While attending the American School of Modern Music in Paris, Wrembel went to the Django Reinhardt Festival in Samois, France where he was inspired to study composition arranging, jazz and contemporary classical music. Upon graduation, Wrembel was awarded a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music.  Wrembel has issued several albums, under his own name and as The Stephane Wrembel Trio. His song "Big Brother" was featured on the soundtrack for Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona. In 2011 he again collaborated with Allen, composing "Bistro Fada", the theme song for Allen's film Midnight in Paris. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephane_Wrembel

Bistro Fada

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Al Hirt - Trumpet & Strings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:32
Size: 113.4 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1962/2017
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Stranger In Paradise
[2:26] 2. Poor Butterfly
[2:33] 3. Fools Rush In
[2:50] 4. Sleepy Lagoon
[2:47] 5. As Time Goes By
[2:58] 6. East Of The Sun
[2:42] 7. Sleepless Hours
[2:56] 8. True Love
[2:55] 9. I'll Never Smile Again
[2:13] 10. I Cried For You
[2:48] 11. How Deep Is The Ocean
[2:46] 12. Easy To Love
[2:19] 13. Out Of Nowhere
[2:31] 14. Georgia On My Mind
[2:58] 15. Stella By Starlight
[2:45] 16. Willow Weep For Me
[2:51] 17. What's New
[3:22] 18. To Ava

A new side of Al Hirt s amazing artistry was revealed in this album. The big, broad, brass tone that readily identifiable mark of the mightiest horn turns subtle and subdued. Hirt threads his finely honed trumpet against a silken tapestry of strings masterfully arranged and conducted by Marty Paich. For the last six tracks, Henri René surrounds Hirt the master of sharp, bright, powerful bursts of color with a string orchestra including rhythm, four trombones, and one baritone sax. Hirt s horn is occasionally muted, but more often it is heard in restrained full voice as it clearly defines the varying shades of mood. The album s program of well-known selections takes on a new dimension of meaning in Hirt s hands. His horn can be haunting or tender, wistful or wailing, or quietly chuckling in retrospect.

Trumpet & Strings

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Teodora Enache, Guido Manusardi Trio - On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:33
Size: 88.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:05] 1. My Favourite Things
[6:49] 2. You Go To My Head
[4:57] 3. In A Mellow Tone
[2:22] 4. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[2:44] 5. Shiny Stockings
[6:14] 6. Round About Midnight
[4:08] 7. All Of Me
[3:15] 8. Route 66
[5:55] 9. My Funny Valentine

Teodora Enache (born September 30, 1967 in Oneşti) is considered one of the most important Jazz musicians in Romania.

She graduated with Honors the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University in Iaşi, with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. Then, she managed to switch to a successful career in Jazz, graduating the Canto section of Academy of Music in Iaşi and studying canto, improvisation and harmony with Johnny Răducanu and Edmond Deda and rhythm & bongos with Maurice de Martin.

Teodora won the Award for Best Debut at Sibiu International Jazz Festival in 1993. Between 1993 and 2004, she participated in numerous Jazz concerts and festivals in Romania, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Russia and the USA. She performed with internationally acclaimed stars such as Curtis Feller, Les Paul, Stanley Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Rick Condit, Johnny Răducanu, Guido Manusardi, Al Copley and Philippe Duchemin. In 2004 Teodora Enache won The Excellence Prize for the Most Important Contribution in Jazz. She recorded her first disk in 1997, followed by other eight in Romania and the USA. Hers latest project is Rădăcini - Shorashim (English: Roots), Romanian and Jewish songs in Jazz Rhythms.

On The Sunny Side Of The Stree

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John Swanson - Let's Keep In Touch

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:40
Size: 95.4 MB
Styles: Swing, Jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. 10,000 Miles Away
[2:49] 2. Mr. Big
[2:36] 3. Let's Keep In Touch
[4:28] 4. Remember Being In Love
[4:52] 5. Don't Tell Me How To Drive
[3:16] 6. We Make A Pretty Good Team
[4:11] 7. Throw Some Bacon On It
[3:13] 8. The Laughing Buddha Knows
[4:18] 9. I Don't Like Pictures
[5:26] 10. Some People Swear By It
[2:54] 11. Green Grass

Colorful singer-songwriter story-telling offered up in a funky, jazzy style. Swinging big band and small ensemble arrangements punctuate the bluesy crooner vocals. Witty, romantic, and fun!

Somewhere out on New Route 66, about 50 miles west of Sinatra, Swanson is swingin' and singin'. He loves Dave Frishberg songs and other stuff, like tumbler drinks. Lonnie Johnson is God.

John's quirky-cool jazz, blues, and pop music has been licensed for The Night Before (Seth Rogen feature film), ABC (Blood and Oil, Secrets and Lies), CBS (Scorpion), Showtime (The Affair), NBC (Last Call with Carson Daly), Hallmark Channel (Once Upon a Holiday), AMC (Freakshow), Bravo (Southern Charm), ABC Family (The Fosters, Switched at Birth), El Rey Network (From Dusk Till Dawn), MTV, and VH1 . International film, television, and retail radio credits include England, Germany, Finland, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Turkey, and Sweden.

Let's Keep In Touch

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Zoot Sims - Hawthorne Nights

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:18
Size: 94.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1976/2007
Art: Front

[4:42] 1. Hawthorne Nights
[5:04] 2. Main Stem
[6:01] 3. More Than You Know
[5:07] 4. Only A Rose
[4:11] 5. The Girl From Ipanema
[6:20] 6. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[5:26] 7. Fillings
[4:24] 8. Dark Cloud

Unlike most of his Pablo sessions, this Zoot Sims CD is not a quartet outing but an opportunity for his tenor to be showcased while joined by a nine-piece group that includes six horns (three reeds among them). Bill Holman's inventive arrangements are a large part as to why the date is successful but Sims's playing on the five standards, two Holman pieces and his own "Dark Cloud" should not be overlooked. Fortunately there is also some solo space saved for the talented sidemen (which include Oscar Brashear and Snooky Young on trumpets, trombonist Frank Rosolino and the woodwinds and reeds of Jerome Richardson, Richie Kamuca and Bill Hood). A well-rounded set of swinging jazz. ~Scott Yanow

Hawthorne Nights

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Wynton Marsalis - Black Codes

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:54
Size: 135,6 MB
Art: Front

(9:32)  1. Black Codes
(9:08)  2. For Wee Folks
(6:47)  3. Delfeayo's Dilemma
(6:45)  4. Phryzzinian Man
(5:36)  5. Aural Oasis
(7:40)  6. Chambers of Tain
(5:23)  7. Blues

This is probably the best Wynton Marsalis recording from his Miles Davis period. With his brother Branford (who doubles here on tenor and soprano) often closely emulating Wayne Shorter and the rhythm section (pianist Kenny Kirkland, bassist Charnett Moffett, and drummer Jeff Watts) sounding a bit like the famous Herbie Hancock-Ron Carter-Tony Williams trio, Wynton is heard at the head of what was essentially an updated version of the mid- to late-'60s Miles Davis Quintet (despite Stanley Crouch's pronouncements in his typically absurd liner notes about Marsalis' individuality). The music is brilliantly played and displays what the "Young Lions" movement was really about: young musicians choosing to explore acoustic jazz and to extend the innovations of the pre-fusion modern mainstream style. Marsalis would develop his own sound a few years later, but even at age 23 he had few close competitors. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/black-codes-from-the-underground-mw0000188478

Personnel : Wynton Marsalis (trumpet);  Branford Marsalis (tenor saxophone);  Kenny Kirkland (piano);  Ron Carter, Charnett Moffett (bass);  Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums).

Black Codes

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Natasha Miller - Don't Move

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:30
Size: 109,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Don't Move
(4:45)  2. You Don't Have To Learn (How To Sing The Blues)
(4:07)  3. Stolen Love (On Highway 99)
(5:10)  4. Snow Covers The Valley
(6:33)  5. Once More
(4:40)  6. Prisoner Of The Blues
(3:46)  7. Don't Set Me Free
(4:41)  8. Bye Bye Bayou
(5:19)  9. At Midnight
(2:48) 10. As The Years Come And Go
(2:14) 11. Doin' The Impossible

Once again, spunky vocalist Natasha Miller teams up with 81-year-old songwriter Bobby Sharp (Unchain My Heart, Don't Set Me Free), and this time, she’s got an album of destined-to-be jazz standards that outdoes everything she's produced to date. The new CD Don't Move (scheduled for a March 28, 2006 release) features 11 songs written by Sharp, most of which have never been recorded before. That makes this album something of an historic event in its own right. What makes it a musical event of the first order is Sharp’s songwriting, Natasha’s gift for flawless phrasing, and stunning arrangements penned by a group of musicians whose roots go deep and whose talents run to the top of their class pianists Bill Bell (Duke Ellington, Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson), Larry Dunlap (Cleo Lane, Mark Murphy), Ellen Hoffman (Oakland East Bay Symphony, Linda Ronstadt), and Josh Nelson (Peter Erskine, Ernie Watts). Some of the arrangements call for a 3-piece horn section and a string ensemble to augment Natasha’s jazz trio. “It’s only a 9-piece band, Miller says, “but the arrangements are so full and the band so tight, I sometimes think I’ve got The Stan Kenton Orchestra or Nelson Riddle and his strings behind me.”  Sharp’s songwriting, as always, demonstrates his impeccable talent. He possesses an uncanny ability to unify the elements of his songs so they tell moving stories with a profound simplicity always with style and grace (and sometimes, with a good bit of humor). Those elements, along with the energy Natasha brings to each song, make music you just can’t get enough of. In fact, the title of the album Don’t Move is not just lifted from one of the tracks; you’ll find it personally compelling. When you listen to it, you simply won’t want to move, that is. “Bobby’s a genius, a one-man Mercer-and-Arlen team,” Natasha says. “His work will go down in the songbook of great American classics.”

As she has in all her previous work, both live and recorded, Miller again demonstrates she can sing anything put in front of her (possibly even the phone book). Her voice harbors a rich palette of colors, sometimes sassy and insistent (“Don’t Set Me Free,” “Don’t Move”), sometimes sultry and ironic (”At Midnight,” “You Don’t Have to Learn How to Sing the Blues”), and sometimes wistful and longing, as in the haunting “Snow Covers the Valley,” with its hint of the tragic realities found in old Irish ballads. But even when she’s “A Prisoner of the Blues,” there’s no crying in her beer here. These are songs for grown-ups rendered by a 34-year-old artist who knows that even though fate may often deprive us from what we want, we keep on going anyway. What Natasha does is to bring these qualities together with finesse and power, delivering each song to the listener’s doorstep, where they don’t beg for entry, they come as familiar guests. Put all this together vocal color, a tone that runs from hushed to fills-up-your-heart, a touch of attitude, range and power with Natasha’s natural gift for just the right lyrical timing and you wonder how these songs could be sung any other way.  As if that’s not enough, there’s the remarkable “sound” of the recording itself, due in large measure to the fact the album was produced at Skywalker Studios (George Lucas) in Northern California and engineered by the highly-respected Leslie Ann Jones. When you get that much talent under one roof, both in front of the mikes and behind the board, wonderful things happen. The group recorded all 11 tracks in a day and a half. Most were “down” on the first take. Natasha produced this her fourth album and is funding it through her independent record label Poignant Records based in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Her previous release I Had a Feelin' (also a collection of Bobby Sharp tunes) was well received by jazz radio (charting in JazzWeek), and played by jazz programmers around the world. I Had a Feelin' has garnered local and national media attention and has sparked a movie production deal about Natasha and Mr. Sharp, as well.

And the band? It includes all the West-Coast musical heavies Los-Angeles-based pianist Josh Nelson, and from the Bay Area, John Shifflet/upright bass, Tim Bulkley/drums, Rob Roth/saxophone, Jeff Lewis/trumpet and flugelhorn, Adam Theis/trombone, Liz Prior Runnicles/viola, Emil Miland/cello, and Natasha/violin. Don't Move is a CD with a rich array of color and emotion, bringing another segment of Bobby Sharp's songbook to life. There’s music here for everyone a little bit of the blue and the noir and a whole lot of up-tempo, foot-stompin’ surprises. There’s also the touching duet, “As the Years Come and Go,” sung by Miller and Sharp, a love song written by Sharp in younger years, now a testament by these two friends to their remarkable personal and musical partnership. Natasha is one of the Bay Area’s busiest performers and regularly sells out Yoshi's jazz club in Oakland. She made her Monterey Jazz Festival debut on Sept 18, 2005 with her 9-piece band to a standing-room- only audience who honored her with 2 standing ovations. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/nmiller4

Don't Move

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Weather Report - Black Market

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:34
Size: 88,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Black Market
(4:41)  2. Cannon Ball
(7:53)  3. Gibraltar
(5:08)  4. Elegant People
(3:27)  5. Three Clowns
(3:14)  6. Barbary Coast
(6:37)  7. Herandnu

The shifts in Weather Report's personnel come fast and furious now, with Narada Michael Walden and Chester Thompson as the drummers, Alex Acuna and Don Alias at the percussion table, and Alphonso Johnson giving way to the mighty, martyred Jaco Pastorius. It is interesting to hear Pastorius expanding the bass role only incrementally over what the more funk-oriented Johnson was doing at this early point that is, until "Barbary Coast," where suddenly Jaco leaps athletically forward into the spotlight. 

Joe Zawinul or just Zawinul, as he preferred to be billed contributed all of side one's compositions, mostly Third World-flavored workouts except for "Cannon Ball," a touching tribute to his ex-boss Cannonball Adderley (who had died the year before). Shorter, Pastorius, and Johnson split the remainder of the tracks, with Shorter now set in a long-limbed compositional mode for electric bands that would serve him into the 1990s. While it goes without saying that most Weather Report albums are transition albums, this diverse record is even more transient than most, paving the way for WR's most popular period while retaining the old sense of adventure. ~ Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/black-market-mw0000192680

Personnel: Joe Zawinul (vocals, guitar, melodica, piano, grand piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Oberheim synthesizer, tabla); Jaco Pastorius (vocals, mandocello, electric bass, drums, steel drum); Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, lyricon); Alejandro Neciosup Acuña (drums, congas, tom tom, percussion); Chester Thompson , Narada Michael Walden (drums); Manolo Badrena (congas, tambourine, timbales, percussion); Don Alias (percussion).

Black Market

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