Danny Moss - Weaver Of Dreams

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:20
Size: 163.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[5:19] 1. 9:20 Special
[5:23] 2. This Heart Of Mine
[5:02] 3. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
[4:40] 4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[4:27] 5. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[5:33] 6. A Gal In Calico
[5:03] 7. In A Mellow Tone
[5:59] 8. My Romance
[4:09] 9. Fine And Dandy
[4:41] 10. Weaver Of Dreams
[6:05] 11. I'm Glad There Is You
[3:31] 12. Poor Butterfly
[6:09] 13. There's No You
[5:13] 14. Blue Lou

An excellent English tenor saxophonist, Danny Moss had a rare opportunity to record as a leader for the Nagel-Heyer label during late 1994, in what was his 50th year as a professional musician. Accompanied by pianist Brian Lemon, bassist Len Skeat, and drummer Butch Miles, Moss digs into 14 standards, alternating stomps with ballads. He is a fine player who, due to being based in Europe, tends to get overlooked in the U.S. when one discusses top swing stylists of the 1990s. Moss' quartet outing is easily recommended to fans of straight-ahead mainstream jazz. ~Scott Yanow

Weaver Of Dreams

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Lawrence Welk - Lawrence Welk Swings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:35
Size: 113.5 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Take The A Train
[2:49] 2. One O'clock Jump
[3:06] 3. Woodchopper's Ball
[2:26] 4. Christopher Columbus
[2:28] 5. String Of Pearls
[2:39] 6. Tangerine
[2:11] 7. King Porter Stomp
[2:31] 8. Ciribiribin
[1:53] 9. Who Wouldn't Love You
[2:22] 10. The Old Black Magic
[2:05] 11. Corn Silk
[2:01] 12. Laura Jean
[2:34] 13. Get Me To The Church On Time
[3:11] 14. Begin The Beguine
[2:29] 15. People Will Say We're In Love
[2:18] 16. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:28] 17. Caravan
[2:25] 18. Organ Grinder's Swing
[2:02] 19. Boogie Woogie
[2:16] 20. Moonlight Madonna

Despite its title, Lawrence Welk Swings, this really wasn't a bad idea for a CD, but it seems as though Lawrence Welk and his orchestra didn't leave quite enough proper swing material behind to really do it right. Evidently compiled from several decades of recordings by Welk's band (it's all stereo, but that's still thirty-plus years of stuff to choose from), this is the cream of their renditions of big band numbers. The funny thing is, some of it is not half bad. Oh, it is swing-lite, to be sure, at best -- "Take the 'A' Train" is deadly dull compared to any version that you'd actually set out to hear, and there's no tension to speak of on "One O'Clock Jump," but they go through some effort at piano embellishment and a sax solo; "Woodchopper's Ball," is decent even if it exists in 30 hotter versions. And "Organ Grinder's Swing" answers a question about the name of a piece of music that runs throughout one of the better 1930s Popeye cartoons (the one with -- right -- an organ grinder). But "Christopher Columbus," "String of Pearls" and even worse, "Corn Silk," "Laura Jean" and "Get Me to the Church on Time," are abominable inclusions as swing numbers, played in the requisite rinky-dink, roller-rink Welk style. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Caravan" and especially "Boogie Woogie" aren't bad, but too much of what's here is done in the style of a bad resort hotel band with little sense of taste or style. On the other hand, if you were going to listen to Welk's outfit at all, this CD might be the only current release that you could get through, even if it makes you want to throw your Ellington, Goodman, Dorsey and Shaw originals on as soon as it's over. ~Bruce Eder

Lawrence Welk Swings

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Barney Wilen, Mal Waldron Trio - Movie Themes From France

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:26
Size: 154.4 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[ 6:21] 1. Un Homme Et Une Femme
[ 7:31] 2. Florence Sur Les Champ-Elysées
[ 9:56] 3. Les Parapluies De Cherbourg
[ 8:45] 4. No Problem
[10:31] 5. Manha De Carnaval
[ 6:57] 6. Générique
[ 7:45] 7. Les Feuilles Mortes
[ 9:37] 8. Quiet Temple

Bass – Stafford James; Drums – Eddie Moore; Piano – Mal Waldron; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Barney Wilen. Recorded October 2nd, 1990 at Studio 44, Monster, Holland.

Soft and sensuous, saxophonist Barney Wilen runs gently through eight French movie soundtracks, with the Mal Waldron Trio behind him. Wilen came to international attention decades before with his work with Miles Davis, and several of the themes here were actually written by the trumpeter. Wilen has been criticized for sounding tired on this recording, and, in fact, his sound does sometimes sound somewhat sleepy, though often attractively so. In ways, this sounds a bit like Stan Getz minus some oomph. The results are lazily appealing, the sort of melodies that might be soothing after a long day. This is not to imply, though, that Wilen is anything less than a very strong jazz performer, as his phrasing and choice of notes are smack dab in the middle of the jazz tradition. Yet, even when he builds tension, as he likes to do on his soprano, it has the feel of being held back. He is best heard on tenor, and on those tracks his lilting, soft forays usually hit the mark. Waldron is an oddly sympathetic voice, so much so that the music is often in danger of drifting to paradise. ~Steve Loewy

Movie Themes From France

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Bennie Wallace - Someone To Watch Over Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:42
Size: 125.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 5:12] 1. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[ 5:46] 2. The Man I Love
[ 6:53] 3. Who Cares
[ 5:12] 4. Someone To Watch Over Me
[ 7:21] 5. I Was Doing All Right
[ 5:20] 6. How Long Has This Been Going On
[12:18] 7. It Ain't Necessarily So
[ 6:36] 8. I Loves You, Porgy

Bass – Peter Washington; Drums – Yoron Israel; Piano – Mulgrew Miller; Tenor Saxophone – Bennie Wallace. Recorded at Systems Two, NY on June 30 and July 1, 1998.

There will be those fans of Tennessee tenor saxophonist Wallace who may hear this as an anomalous aside in his career of playing mostly progressive modern jazz. Others may view it a logical step, a concept album dedicated to the music of George Gershwin. What this reviewer finds fascinating about it is that Wallace plays so flexibly within the melodic intent of these well-worn lines, yet always finds a way to make them all his own. There's a certain restraint, and the simple approach is more refined due to the centered focus provided by the always brilliant pianist Mulgrew Miller, rock-solid bassist Peter Washington, and witty drummer Yoron Israel.

Miller's attention-grabbling persona is most clearly present on his arpeggiated intros of the warm waltz take on "Who Cares?" and the mad love-tinged ballad "I Loves You Porgy." Songs such as the ballad version of "How Long Has This Been Going On?" and the easy swing of "The Man I Love" seem like sleepwalking, when in fact these expert musicians can easily play them with effortless elegance. Wallace evokes sonic images of the masters with similar aplomb; he uses wonderful Coleman Hawkins-like embellishments during the title track played with Miller sans rhythm section, and goes into deep blue Ben Webster territory during the lightly swung "I Was Doing Alright." Wallace cannot be completely tamed, though; the 12-minute-plus piece, churning Afro-Cuban switching to steady, driving swing in the bridge, has Wallace in fever pitch with stretched, angular, rambling melodicism, and Miller similarly all over the place as well. Wallace practices typical octave leaping on his solo of the fairly straight-laced melody line of "Nice Work If You Can Get It," proving he can embrace both cool and animated aspects of improvisation.

There's little chaos or bombast, which might disappoint longtime listeners, but instead a nice balance that Wallace attains while retaining the unique flourishes that have made him one of the more recognizable players in jazz. ~Michael G. Nastos

Someone To Watch Over Me

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Stacey Kent, Jim Tomlinson - A Fine Romance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:02
Size: 105.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)
[5:19] 2. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[4:39] 3. I Won't Dance
[4:30] 4. So Nice
[4:23] 5. There's A Lull In My Life
[4:22] 6. Don't Be That Way
[2:58] 7. A Fine Romance
[4:29] 8. If You Never Come To Me
[5:00] 9. Dreamer
[5:34] 10. More Than You Know

Starting out as an American student in London to study languages for her Masters Degree, Stacey's life took an unexpected twist with a chance meeting in Oxford with saxophonist Jim Tomlinson. Jim too was going down an academic path, but their meeting was to change everything and led them to pursue their love of music together. Stacey and Jim's dedication has resulted in success first in England and subsequently France and Europe and now she is a household name in jazz circles worldwide. Their union, both musically and maritally is the stuff of dreams and their work together just gets more and more impressive. They are 'as one' in everything they undertake and their joint musicianship is the perfect combination for their talents. This Vignette shows not only the captivating voice of Stacey herself but also the impressive talents of Jim Tomlinson - saxophonist, arranger and producer par excellence.

A Fine Romance

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Gene Krupa - Krupa Plays Mulligan Arrangements

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:54
Size: 101,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. Bird House
(3:16)  2. Margie
(4:02)  3. Mulligan Stew
(3:50)  4. Begin The Beguine
(2:47)  5. Sugar
(2:52)  6. The Way Of All Flesh
(3:10)  7. Disc Jockey Jump
(3:22)  8. Birds Of A Feather
(3:39)  9. Sometimes I'm Happy
(3:19) 10. How High The Moon
(4:50) 11. If You Were The Only Girl In The World
(5:37) 12. Yardbird Suite

Gerry Mulligan was only 19 in 1946 when he joined Gene Krupa's band, playing a bit of alto and tenor sax, but primarily serving as an arranger. But the Verve LP Gene Krupa Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements wasn't made until 1958, long after Mulligan went out on his own. Although there are solo features built into the framework of each piece, Mulligan was quite confident in his ability to showcase the entire band as well. Mulligan's "Disc Jockey Jump" became a hit for Krupa, though it wasn't recorded until after he left the band. The vague liner notes fail to identify any of the musicians in Krupa's big band, which includes Jimmy Cleveland, Hank Jones, Barry Galbraith, Kai Winding, and Phil Woods, though Woods' alto sax solos are easily identifiable to his fans. Baritone saxophonist Danny Bank is a bit disappointing compared to what Mulligan could have recorded on the instrument, though it would have been unlikely that the composer would have been interested in rejoining Krupa, even for one record date, at the time it was recorded. It's surprising that this excellent LP remained out of print for so long, particularly with the strong resurgence of interest in all aspects of Mulligan's work since his death in 1996. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/plays-gerry-mulligan-arrangements-mw0000205730

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods, Sam Marowitz;  Arranged By, Conductor – Gerry Mulligan;  Baritone Saxophone – Danny Bank;  Bass – James Gannon;  Drums – Gene Krupa;  Guitar – Barry Galbraith;  Piano – Hank Jones;  Tenor Saxophone – Ed Wasserman, Frank Socolow;  Trombone – Billy Byers, Eddie Bert, Jimmy Cleveland, Kai Winding, Urbie Green , Willie Dennis;  Trumpet – Al De Risi, Al Stewart, Doc Severinsen, Ernie Royal, Marky Markowitz

Krupa Plays Mulligan Arrangements

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Miss Tess - Modern Vintage

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:51
Size: 125,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. When Tomorrow Comes
(3:15)  2. Pokey McMumbles
(3:28)  3. Stormy Baby
(2:31)  4. I Don't Need That Man
(3:22)  5. Ladykiller
(2:54)  6. Streetcorner
(4:56)  7. Mike's Blues
(4:04)  8. I Only Really Miss You When I'm Stoned
(4:15)  9. Child of the Devil
(4:25) 10. I Got The Fever
(4:30) 11. Under My Skin
(5:38) 12. I'm on Top of the World

Miss Tess is a young, Boston-based songstress, who mingles freely across eras and styles, equally at home in the elegant and the low-down. Styling her sound “Modern Vintage,” Miss Tess strums and picks her way through an array of rhythms from ragtime to 30s swing to jump blues, her vocals soaring, powerful, but smooth as satin. She writes songs from her own life, infused with the flavors of early jazz, that conjure a cast of dreamers and lovers, down on their luck and charming their ways in and out of trouble. Familiar faces are known to mix in this crowd courtesy of folks like Bessie Smith and Tom Waits, perpetual muses to her style. Having found her way to Boston and the storied Cambridge folk scene, Miss Tess put together The Bon Ton Parade, a dynamic, solo-swapping combo, comprised of drums, upright bass, lead guitar, sax and clarinet. This second album, "Modern Vintage", features this band playing all original material. ~ Jason Rabin https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/misstess2

Modern Vintage

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Earl Hines - Live at the New School

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:37
Size: 160,0 MB
Art: Front

( 5:31)  1. As Long as I Live
( 5:22)  2. The Talk of the Town
(16:20)  3. Fats Waller Medley
( 7:59)  4. I've Got the World on a String
( 6:35)  5. International Medley
( 4:35)  6. Satin Doll
( 9:14)  7. West Side Story Medley
( 7:23)  8. Medley
( 6:35)  9. Boogie Woogie on the St. Louis Blues

This album features pianist Earl Hines at the absolute peak of his powers. Nine years after his renaissance began, Hines seemed to still be getting more daring in his playing. This version of "I've Got the World on a String" is somewhat miraculous (the chances he takes are breathtaking) and the Fats Waller medley (which features six songs) is definitive. The inclusion of "When the Saints Go Marching In" might not have been necessary, and "Boogie Woogie on the St. Louis Blues" is a bit exhibitionistic but those are minor complaints about a definitive and classic session by a true jazz master. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-new-school-mw0000269351

Personnel:  Earl Hines – solo piano

Live at the New School

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Benny Goodman - Hello Benny/ Made In Japan

Album: Hello Benny
 

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 28:16
Size: 53,4 MB
Art: Front

(1:56)  1. Great Day
(3:54)  2. La Boheme
(2:54)  3. Call Me Irresponsible
(2:52)  4. People
(2:32)  5. Hello Dolly
(2:59)  6. The Girl From Ipanema
(3:29)  7. The Pink Panther Theme
(2:03)  8. The Lamp Is Low
(2:07)  9. Hallelujah, I Love Her So
(3:26) 10. Them There Eyes

Album: Made In Japan
 
Year: 1965
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 33:01
Size: 62,3 MB

(4:48)  1. Cheek To Cheek
(2:43)  2. Like Someone In Love
(3:04)  3. Close Your Eyes
(2:37)  4. As Long As I Live
(4:12)  5. Stompin' At The Savoy
(1:41)  6. My Melancholy Baby
(1:53)  7. Memories Of You
(3:19)  8. I've Got The World On A String
(3:02)  9. You're Blasé
(3:44) 10. Dinah
(1:54) 11. Goodbye

In 2003, EMI released Hello, Benny/Made in Japan, which contained two complete albums Hello, Benny and Made in Japan (both originally released on Capitol in 1964) by Benny Goodman on one compact disc. ~ John Bush http://www.allmusic.com/album/hello-benny-made-in-japan-mw0000459419

Personnel: Benny Goodman (clarinet); Benny Garcia (guitar); Herbie Steward, Arthur "Skeets" Herfurt (alto saxophone); Bob Hardaway, Teddy Edwards (tenor saxophone); Tay Triscari, Jimmy Zito, Tony Terran (trumpet); Vern Friley, Bob Edmondson (trombone); Pete Jolly (piano); Colin Bailey (drums).

Hello Benny

Made In Japan

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Gary Peacock Trio - Tangents

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:11
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:39)  1. Contact
(4:50)  2. December Greenwings
(4:10)  3. Tempei Tempo
(2:29)  4. Cauldron
(5:10)  5. Spartacus
(7:11)  6. Empty Forest
(4:42)  7. Blue In Green
(4:07)  8. Rumblin'
(4:04)  9. Talkin' Blues
(2:53) 10. In and Out
(6:50) 11. Tangents

Considering his nearly sixty-five years of recording, Gary Peacock has been relatively selective in his choice of leader projects. His association with luminaries Albert Ayler, Paul Bley, Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett have put him in the company of jazz history makers. When Jarrett's Standards Trio, with Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette, disbanded in 2014 after over twenty recordings, Peacock launched his own piano trio with pianist Marc Copland and drummer Joey Baron. Tangents is the follow-up to Now This (ECM, 2015). Not surprisingly, given their long careers, these musicians have crossed paths before the trio was formed. Baron and Copland most recently played together on John Abercrombie's Up and Coming (ECM, 2017), while Copland and Peacock have collaborated on a number of the pianist's trio releases on the Pirouet label, including Modinha NY Trios Vol. 1 (2006), with drummer Bill Stewart and Voices NY Trios Vol. 2 (2007), with Paul Motian. Peacock contributes five of the eleven compositions on Tangents, with Baron and Copland contributing two and one, respectively. The album also includes the Miles Davis (and/or Bill Evans) standard, "Blue in Green"; a striking version of Alex North's "Spartacus"; and one group composition. "Spartacus," in contrast to the collectively free-improvised "Empty Forest," makes for an effective snapshot of the diversity of styles covered. Beyond that, there is the not-quite-pastoral resourcefulness of "December Greenwings" and the sharply executed, bleeding- edge energy of "Tempei Tempo," with great improvisations from all. At eighty-two years of age, one need only listen to "Rumblin'" to hear Peacock solo like the ageless wonder that he is. In the Tangents liner notes, he embraces a forward-thinking approach to composing at this late stage of his career. Rather than finding a comfortable position, Peacock is much more inclined to experiment with freer forms. He has found empathic partners in Baron and Copland, who he senses as "having the same experience in the moment, feeling the music together." Tangents has to be considered a highlight in the careers of all three artists, as the too-often hyperbole of creative improvisation is exchanged for masterful and unequaled demonstrations of the art and one of the best piano trio albums in some time. ~ Karl Ackermann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tangents-gary-peacock-ecm-records-review-by-karl-ackermann.php

Personnel: Gary Peacock: double-bass; Marc Copland: piano; Joey Baron: drums.

Tangents

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Dinah Washington - Queen: The Music Of Dinah Washington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:33
Size: 99.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. I Don't Hurt Anymore
[2:25] 2. If I Loved You
[2:59] 3. I Thought About You
[7:57] 4. A Foggy Day
[3:07] 5. I'll Drown In My Tears
[2:25] 6. You Let My Love Grow Cold
[2:46] 7. Cry Me A River
[2:26] 8. Sunny Side Of The Street
[3:04] 9. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[9:08] 10. Trouble In The Lowlands (Back Water Blues)
[2:39] 11. A Slick Chick (On The Mellow Side)
[1:21] 12. Dinah Tells A Joke

The 2004 Verve release Queen: The Music of Dinah Washington was compiled by Nadine Cohodas to coincide with her biography of the troubled singer. For a performer with such a large discography, these 12 tracks don't even begin to scratch the surface, but it gives a good idea of the eclectic nature of her material waxed between 1946 and 1961 for the Mercury label. These cuts equally sample Dinah's embrace of R&B, traditional blues, sappy string sections, and Broadway tunes, while swinging with cozy small combos or fronting large orchestras led by Hal Mooney, Teddy Stewart, Tab Smith, and Quincy Jones and featuring a plethora of high profile soloists. For novices or casual fans, the disc isn't a bad way to become acquainted with her Mercury recordings; however, it contains nothing for aficionados. ~Al Campbell

Queen: The Music Of Dinah Washington

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Enrico Rava - Full Of Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:47
Size: 141.5 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[6:31] 1. Recuerdos
[5:02] 2. Surrey With The Fringe On Top
[5:53] 3. Mystere
[5:10] 4. Miss MG
[6:25] 5. Moonlight In Vermont
[5:13] 6. Boston April 15th
[5:43] 7. Happiness Is To Win A Big Prize In Cash
[8:24] 8. Nature Boy
[3:45] 9. Full Of Life
[4:34] 10. Visions
[5:02] 11. Miss MG (Alternative Take)

Enrico Rava's new quartet has no piano or guitar. Already this is not only an anomaly for Italian jazzers, but also a rare occasion in the jazz world everywhere today. Rava's haunted mysterious lyricism has become more and more pronounced over the past decade, and his new band reveals the depth of commitment to exploring new avenues in it. With Javier Girotto on baritone and soprano saxophones, sensational bassist Ares Tavolazzi, and Fabrizio Sferra on drums, the makeup of this band is not unlike that of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker. But makeup is where the similarities end. Rava's sense of adventure is wide-ranging and his restraint in tempo and multi-textural dynamics surpasses the concerns of Mulligan's pioneering experiments in harmony. For instance, the sprightly read of "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" is a commingling of two contrapuntal melodies meeting in the center of a harmonic structure geared to open on either end. On "Mystère," Girotto's statement of theme is halted after six notes before Rava enters, playing around those same notes and eventually creating a melody that whispers by on the changes, or perhaps in spite of them. The funky blues syncopation in Girotto's composition "Miss MG" plays on the staccato concerns of bebop before opening onto a theme that could have been written by Jimmy Giuffre for clarinet -- but here it is scripted for baritone sax and leads into of the most delightfully beguiling solos on the record. On other standards, such as "Moonlight in Vermont" and "Nature Boy," economy of space becomes the prime consideration for how the lyric line is developed. Tempos are taken slowly and purposefully and the ends of lines bleed into one another so that the notion of voice and song is ever present in the improvisation as well as in the theme and its variations. The title cut is the only real anomaly here, with its brisk tempo and flighty front-line statement, moving like something out of a Jack Sheldon/Art Pepper date with shifting time signatures. Ultimately, it's Rava, as soloist, arranger, and bandleader, who holds the keys to the smoky, lustrous world of sound and enchantment. And he uses his musicians to great purpose as they move all around the harmonic world, bringing out hidden delights and wonderfully executed tunes. ~Thom Jurek

Full Of Life

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Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 - From Africa With Fury: Rise

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:12
Size: 119.5 MB
Styles: Afro beat
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. African Soldier
[5:34] 2. You Can Run
[7:39] 3. Mr. Big Thief
[7:02] 4. Rise
[7:42] 5. Slave Masters
[6:55] 6. For Them Eye
[6:12] 7. The Good Leaf
[5:48] 8. Giant Of Africa

As one might expect of a musical giant who married 27 women, the late Nigerian pop radical Fela Kuti fathered some talented kids. Two of them are furthering the family business in Afrobeat, the Africanized vision of James Brown's funk that Fela invented (and which has influenced everyone from Beyoncé to TV on the Radio). Femi, Fela's eldest son, fell out with his dad in the late Eighties, leaving the fold to start his own band. On Africa for Africa, he's still denouncing dirtbag Nigerian politicians over big-band brass and busy polyrhythms. But his grooves have mellowed, as Fela's did over time, and so has his delivery: There's a tenderness in "Boys Dey Hungry for Town" that Fela never approached.

Where his brother smolders, Seun — Fela's youngest son — burns. Still in his twenties, with 'Fela Lives' tattooed across his back, dude has built a ridiculously hot band around the surviving members of Fela's Egypt 80 crew. Longtime Afrobeat fanatic Brian Eno co-produces with a light touch: Percussion is up front, tone colors flicker. "Rise" opens with guitar shaping a looped melody, then takes flight on a trumpet solo while indicting corporate bloodsuckers. Addressing Nigeria's history ("Slave Masters") and militarism ("African Soldier"), Seun's proper coming-out closes with some positive thoughts on cannabis ("The Good Leaf"). Fela lives, indeed. ~Will Hermes

From Africa With Fury: Rise

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Cab Calloway - Hi De Ho Man

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:23
Size: 138.2 MB
Styles: Swing, Jive, Big band
Year: 1974/2008
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Nagasaki
[2:50] 2. Hoy Hoy
[2:49] 3. Jumpin Jive
[2:51] 4. Abi Gezunt
[2:50] 5. Fifteen Minutes Intermission
[2:54] 6. A Chicken Ain't Nothing But A Bird
[2:44] 7. My Gal
[3:21] 8. St. James Infirmary
[2:50] 9. I Want To Rock
[3:05] 10. I'll Be Around
[3:17] 11. Minnie The Moocher (Theme Song)
[2:59] 12. The Honeydripper
[2:57] 13. Hey Now
[3:03] 14. Hi De Ho Man
[3:03] 15. Oh Grandpa
[3:18] 16. Jungle King
[3:15] 17. Two Blocks Down, Turn To The Left
[3:24] 18. San Francisco Fan
[3:05] 19. The Calloway Boogie
[2:46] 20. Everybody Eats When They Come To My House

This double LP from 1974 is a bit brief, including only 20 performances by Cab Calloway and his orchestra (around an hour of music). Several periods are covered, with titles from 1935 ("Nagasaki"), the 1938-1942 period, and nine fairly rare selections from 1945-1947. Highlights include "Jumpin' Jive," "Fifteen Minute Intermission," a 1941 version of "St. James Infirmary," "Hi De Ho Man," and a 1942 rendition of "Minnie the Moocher." On the later tracks, Calloway tries to adapt his sound to rhythm & blues but, despite his best efforts, his orchestra would not survive the '40s. ~Scott Yanow

Hi De Ho Man

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Paola Arnesano, Dado Moroni - Defrà

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:50
Size: 148.4 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:39] 1. Autumn In New York
[3:31] 2. But Not For Me
[6:02] 3. Amarti Con Gli Occhi
[3:58] 4. Someone To Watch Over Me
[6:29] 5. Alfie
[5:06] 6. Like Someone In Love
[7:37] 7. Se Todos Fossem Iguas A Voce
[4:00] 8. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[4:51] 9. I Want To Be Happy
[5:53] 10. Defrá
[4:30] 11. Cherokee
[5:39] 12. Body And Soul
[2:29] 13. Stomping At The Savoy

Paola Arnesano was born in Bari. She studied singing with the soprano Maria Grazia Pani and acting with Antonella Porfido and Franco Damascelli. Her debut as a jazz singer goes back to the end of the eighties when, in co-operation with Mario Rosini on piano, she formed a quintet in her name. In the meantime she studied the piano with Nico Marziliano and she also studied arrangement for big band with the maestro Luigi Giannatempo.

Very fond of jazz samba and bossa nova, she studied their language and repertoire: this would result in the establishment of permanent bands like the Abrasileirado and the Trio de Janeiro, whose co-leader is Guido Di Leone. Mainly attracted to the cool singers of the fifties, she started to develop original projects, such as a jazz re-interpretation of the Italian songs of the forties or the writing of lyrics for a more recent music which had never been sung before. At the same time she started to compose her own music and this would lead to the release of her first two records. In the meantime she was asked to be permanently part of Attilio Zanchi’s quartet which, besides him, the double bass player, was also formed by Guido Di Leone and Gilson Silveira. Moreover she also steadily co-operated with Davide Santorsola, Mimmo Campanale and Maurizio Quintavalle. At that time she got second at the Premio Urbani.

Her concert activity took her to England, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. She gave several seminars in Italian schools and universities. Furthermore, in the last few years, she has also been performing as a member of the Faraualla vocal quartet and she has been co-operating with high calibre musicians such as Noa, Maria Pia De Vito, Paolino Dalla Porta, Francesco Sotgiu, Andrea Parodi, Pino Minafra, Rita Marcotulli, Bebo Ferra, Paolo Pietrangeli, Carmen Consoli, Antonella Ruggiero. Since 1993 she has worked at the music school Il Pentagramma in Bari, where she teaches singing, harmony and improvisation technique. Teacher of jazz singing at Conservatory Niccolò Piccinni in Bari. She won the Italian Jazz Awards "Luca Flores" 2009 as the "best jazz singer" in Italy.

Defrà

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Louie Shelton - Souvenir

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:42
Size: 86.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:23] 1. Rio De Janeiro Blues
[4:10] 2. Walk On By
[4:39] 3. Lowdown
[4:04] 4. Hello
[4:09] 5. Loose Change
[3:06] 6. I Want You Back
[4:48] 7. Song For My Father
[4:33] 8. I Wish
[3:45] 9. I'll Be There

Louie Shelton's name may be unknown to most listeners, but his guitar work has been heard over and over by even casual popular music listeners since the mid-'60s. His career as a session musician began with the Monkees, playing the memorable riffs on several of their recordings. (Remember the cool, rapid-fire, reverb-drenched solo in "Valerie"?) He went on to play on "I Want You Back," "ABC" and "I'll Be There" for the Jackson 5, Boz Scaggs' "Lowdown," and "Summer Breeze" and "Diamond Girl" with Seals & Crofts. He played the guitar solos on pop smashes like Lionel Richie's "Hello" and Neil Diamond's "Play Me," and recorded with artists ranging from Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston, to the Partridge Family, Art Garfunkel and Mama Cass Elliott. He produced a number of albums as well, most notably for Seals & Crofts.

In 1995, Shelton recorded Guitar, an album showcasing his wide-ranging guitar virtuosity and versatility. Though it rocked harder than most of its peers, this recording found airplay on smooth and contemporary jazz radio when released in the United States in 1996. The follow-up, Hot & Spicy, released in April 1998, sounded like a much more calculated attempt to appeal to that market. Urban Culture followed two years later. ~bio by Jim Newsom

Souvenir

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Stan Kenton - Artistry In Bossa Nova

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:06
Size: 88,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:48)  1. Artistry In Rhythm
(3:10)  2. Opus In Chartreuse
(2:28)  3. Interlude
(3:53)  4. Kentonova
(3:32)  5. Eager Beaver
(3:15)  6. Concerto To End All Concertos
(2:21)  7. Brasilia
(3:25)  8. Painted Rhythm
(3:01)  9. Opus In Pastels
(3:29) 10. Jump For Joe
(2:50) 11. Loco-Nova
(2:49) 12. Artistry In Bossa Nova

This LP features the Stan Kenton Orchestra (during the period when it had a mellophonium section) performing some of its familiar standards and a few newer songs with a light Brazilian rhythm provided by percussionists Frank Guerrero and Milt Holland (Larry Bunker fills in for Holland on three songs). Although one might consider this project to be an example of Kenton jumping on the bandwagon (since the bossa nova fad was at its peak at the time), the music is quite enjoyable. 

Kenton on piano is the main soloist throughout, with Conte Candoli having a couple solos on trumpet and high-note trumpeter Bud Brisbois getting a few spots. Kenton's "Brasilia" is a charming piece deserving to be revived. Otherwise, it is interesting to hear such songs as "Interlude," "Concerto to End All Concertos," "Eager Beaver," and even "Artistry in Rhythm" in this setting. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/artistry-in-bossa-nova-mw0000899928

Personnel:  Stan Kenton - piano, arranger, conductor;  Bob Behrendt, Bud Brisbois, Conte Candoli, Bob Rolfe, Dalton Smith – trumpet;  Gil Falco, Bob Fitzpatrick, Kent Larsen – trombone;  Jim Amlotte, - bass trombone;  Dave Wheeler - bass trombone, tuba;  Joe Burnett, Dwight Carver, Bob Grull, Tony Scodwell – mellophone;  Gabe Baltazar - alto saxophone;  Ray Florian, Steve Marcus - tenor saxophone;  Jack Nimitz - baritone saxophone;  Joel Kaye - baritone saxophone, bass saxophone;  Don Bagley – bass;  Dee Barton – drums;  Larry Bunker, Frank "Chico" Guerrero - Latin percussion

Artistry In Bossa Nova

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Freda Payne - Band of Gold

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:09
Size: 80,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. Band of Gold
(3:18)  2. I Left Some Dreams Back There
(3:02)  3. Deeper & Deeper
(3:05)  4. Rock Me in the Cradle
(2:30)  5. Unhooked Generation
(2:58)  6. Love on Borrowed Time
(2:41)  7. Through the Memory of My Mind
(2:58)  8. This Girl Is a Woman Now
(2:58)  9. The World Don't Owe You a Thing
(3:10) 10. Now Is the Time to Say Goodbye
(2:50) 11. Happy Heart
(2:37) 12. The Easiest Way to Fall

Although much of soul vocalist Freda Payne's early '70s association with the mighty Invictus label would be fraught with stress, her 1970 debut album, Band of Gold, was nevertheless a masterpiece of epic proportions. Touted on the sleeve as "people music, for people who like pop, rhythm and blues, ballad, hymns  just about anything," Payne's set certainly reflects that wide range and, while the overall sonic tone of Band of Gold reflects her producers' Motown history, especially across songs like "Unhooked Generation" and the Holland-Dozier penned "The World Don't Owe You a Thing," there are other more spontaneous moments here as well. With a majority of the songs co-written by Ron Dunbar, who would go on to become part of the P-Funk empire, "Payne" wowed her audience first with the top hit "Band of Gold" before diving into "Deeper and Deeper." Both are downtempo love ballads, delivered with a maturity and richness that belies much of the balladeering of the era. 

Other standouts include the young love remembrances of "Through the Memory of My Mind," which allows Payne's vocals to stay fully in front and even includes a subtle Shangri-Las-y spoken work bridge and the smoky intro'd "This Girl Is a Woman Now." It must be said, however, that the title song truly one of the greatest soul ballads of all time so dominates proceedings that it is very easy to overlook these other gems, one reason why Band of Gold rarely attracts much attention today. ~ Amy Hanson http://www.allmusic.com/album/band-of-gold-mw0000861023

Band of Gold

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Jesper Bodilsen - Mi Ritorni In Mente

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 132,8 MB
Art: Front

(9:36)  1. Nature Boy
(6:15)  2. How Deep Is the Ocean
(8:19)  3. Se non avessi piu te
(6:55)  4. Someday My Prince Will Come
(6:21)  5. Mi ritorni in mente
(4:30)  6. Dark Valley Serenade
(4:03)  7. Billie's Bounce
(7:44)  8. The Summer Knows
(4:08)  9. Liten Karin

The Danish bass player, composer, producer and educator Jesper Bodilsen was born January 5th 1970 in Haslev, Denmark. As 3 a year old he moved to Silkeborg with his parents and older brother and there he stayed until he was 18 years old. No one in his family were playing music. But as a 8 year old kid he found an old trumpet at the loft of his grand parents farm and he was immediately interested in trying to make music with the old horn. At the age of 10 he was admitted as a member of the school brass band there he learned to play the cornet and read music. In 1984 Jesper got his first bass - an electric bass -  and one year later he joined a pop/funk band and played his first professional gig short after. He was admitted at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark in 1991 where he studied for 5 years and ended up with a Diploma degree in June 1997. The same year as he received The Memorial Bursary of Edward Eriksen and was hired to teach at the academy. While studying at the school in Aarhus Bodilsen also worked as a professional musician. In June 1994 he was asked to perform at two All Star Concerts at the Riverboat Jazz Festival together with American drummer Ed Thigpen and pianist Duke Jordan. These concerts was a kind of breakthrough for Bodilsen and in the years to come he was peforming with other great jazz artists like James Moody, Benny Golson, Lee Konitz, Tom Harrell, Joe Lovano, Horace Parlan, Jimmy Heath and Phil Woods. Often at the legendary jazz club BENT J in Aarhus. In 1995 Bodilsen moved to Copenhagen and he was immediately asked to join the Erling Kroner Dream Quartet. He was touring with different Aarhus and Copenhagen based bands in the years to come when he in 1997 met Ed Thigpen again. Ed Thigpen wanted him in his trio and together with pianist Carsten Dahl the trio recorded their first album “It´s Entertainment” in 1998. The album was nominated for a Danish Grammy and won the JazzSpecial Prize “Album Of The Year”. Bodilsen was playing and recording with Thigpen until 2010 - a collaboration that lasted 13 years and the music is well documented on 6 album releases.

Jesper Bodilsen has always been interested in producing music, finding interesting musicians to perform with and create new constellations. He has been a co-producer for Danish vocalist Katrine Madsen for more than a decade but in 1999 he started his first band “Scandinavian Summit”. They recorded 2 albums and did tours in Europe, SE Asia, China and Australia. He started his own music production company in 2002 and until now he has produced more than 15 albums, recorded and performed with many great artists. In 1998, 2002 and 2004 Bodilsen was asked to perform at the prestigious Jazzpar Prize concerts and in 2002 the prize winner was italian trumpet player Enrico Rava. Bodilsen did 4 concerts with Rava, Stefano Bollani, Gianlucca Petrella, John Abercrombie and Morten Lund and after the final concert in Copenhagen he asked Bollani and Lund if they would be interested in playing together again. One year later (in march 2003) they did the first trio tour and their first recording for Stunt Records “Mi ritorni in mente”. The first issue of this trio album was released as Jesper Bodilsen Trio. In 2004 Bodilsen was awarded with the Django d'Or Prize as “Performer of the Year” and that same year the trio recorded their second album “Gleda”. Now all the names of the trio was on the cover. The album was no. 4 on the Italian Jazz Charts in 2005 and nominated for an Australian Bell Award 2006 for “Best International Jazz Album”.

From the start the trio was touring around Europe playing clubs and festivals like the Umbria Jazz festival, Copenhagen Jazz Festival and the legendary Birdland in New York. After “Gleda” they recorded with singer Katrine Madsen. The album is called “Close To You” and was nominated for a Danish Music Award as “Best Vocal Jazz Album”. Then 4 years went by before they recorded again. This time on the highly estimated ECM label and with producer Manfred Eicher. The album “Stone In The Water” was acclaimed the best trio recording of 2009 by several jazz magazines around the world. Two of the songs on the album was composed by Bodilsen and that same year he went in the studio with Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius, Peter Asplund on trumpet and the Finnish vibraphone player Severi Pyysalo to record a new album mainly with his own songs. The album “Short Stories for Dreamers” was released in 2010 and was praised for its calmness and lyrical mood. Recently Bodilsen has also been a part of the succesful TV-shows “Sostiene Bollani”. In the fall of 2011 the trio, with Bollani being the host,  did 6 shows brodcasted on the Italian national channel RAI 3. Besides touring around the world and recording albums Bodilsen has also spent more and more time composing music. In 2013 his latest album Scenografie was released on the Italian record label Carosello Records.  All his music - displaying his skills as a composer, bandleader, bassplayer and producer. Mixing different moods and nationalities together with the Italians Stefano Bollani, Joe Barbieri, Nico Gori and Paolo Russo and the Swedish Ulf Wakenius and Peter Asplund. 2013 was also The 10 Year Anniversary of the trio Bollani-Bodilsen-Lund. Ten years after the first trio recording they went in the Avatar Studio in New York and recorded a new album for the ECM label inviting the great Bill Frisell and Marc Turner to join in. The album “Joy Inspite of Everything” was released in 2014 and won the prize as album of the year in Italy. Since Bodilsen left the conservatory in 1997 he has been teaching music throughout his carrier. Many new promising upcoming musicians have had him as a teacher at the Danish conservatories and in 2012 he was elected as chairman of Dansk Jazzmusiker Forening (Danish Jazz Musician´s Association)  an association which works with education for professional improvising musicians. Through masterclasses and courses arranged by DJF, and done by the best musicians and instructors on the international improvising scene, DJF give the Danish musicians the possibility to improve and get inspired. http://www.jesperbodilsen.dk/bio/

Personnel:  Bass – Jesper Bodilsen;  Drums – Morten Lund ;  Piano – Stefano Bollani

Mi ritorni in mente

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Irene Schweizer, Joey Baron - Live!

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:57
Size: 117,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:59)  1. Free for All (Irene Schweizer)
(12:22)  2. Up the Ladder (Joey Baron)
( 7:59)  3. String Fever (Irene Schweizer)
(10:49)  4. Jungle Beat II (Irene Schweizer)
( 4:14)  5. Saturdays (Joey Baron)
( 3:34)  6. Blues for Crelier (Irene Schweizer)
( 3:57)  7. The Open Window (Joey Baron)

A fantastic combination of players both musicians who have an incredible ability to be all over their instruments at once, yet always somehow sound completely in control! Drummer Joey Baron's demonstrated this ability for years, but maybe not as strongly as on this recent album with pianist Irene Schweizer a set that has him matching all the wonderfully dynamic energy we've always loved on her albums for Intakt sounds that are almost a small separate branch of the European improvising world, because they've got a quality that's so individual and distinct! Irene can keep things surprisingly tuneful, even when free and Baron opens up the most tuneful side of his percussion talents, really at home in the territory. Titles include "String Fever", "Up The Ladder", "The Open Window", "Saturdays", and "Jungle Beat II". © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/858865?cat=jazz

Personnel:  Irène Schweizer – Piano; Joey Baron – Drums

Live!

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