Sunday, September 24, 2017

Bill Evans Trio - How My Heart Sings (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:13
Size: 135.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1964/1989
Art: Front

[4:56] 1. How My Heart Sings
[4:56] 2. I Should Care
[6:56] 3. In Your Own Sweet Way (Take 1)
[4:54] 4. Walking Up
[5:58] 5. Summertime
[6:22] 6. 34 Skidoo
[4:11] 7. Ev'rything I Love
[4:24] 8. Show-Type Tune
[5:52] 9. In Your Own Sweet Way (Take 2, Alternate)
[6:23] 10. 34 Skidoo (Take 9, Alternate)
[4:16] 11. Ev'rything I Love (Take 2, Alternate)

Bass – Chuck Israels; Drums – Paul Motian; Piano, Liner Notes – Bill Evans.

This enjoyable album is from the first recording session by Bill Evans’s “second trio” of 1962, with Chuck Israels taking over as bassist after the death of Scott La Faro. The session produced two albums, the all-ballad ‘Moonbeams’ and this one, which mainly features medium to up-tempo numbers. Nevertheless, as Evans said in his original liner notes, the trio aimed to produce a “singing” approach to all the material it played. So along with the lively, skipping rhythms on such tracks as “Summertime” and “In Your Own Sweet Way” and the more driving swing on the Evans originals, “Walking Up” and “34 Skidoo”, there’s a lot of tuneful improvising throughout. The combination of this “singing” approach with the trio’s rhythmic vitality is especially obvious on the title track, an attractively lyrical jazz waltz, on the affectionate parody, “Show Type Tune” (another Evans original), on “I Should Care” and on one of the less well known Cole Porter tunes, “Everything I Love”. The latter is one of my favourites for the way Evans in his playing of the tune manages to convey the lyrical feeling of a slow ballad at a moderately swinging tempo.

Even at this early stage in his residence with the trio, Chuck Israels was proving a highly compatible partner, creating well-constructed lines both in “duet” with the pianist and in his solos. Paul Motian’s drumming is mainly relaxed and at times almost self-effacing but always blending closely with Evans and Israels. Evans also pointed out in his liner notes how easy it would be to underrate Motian’s contribution until one tried to imagine what the music would be like without it. Despite the obvious differences of mood and tempo between this and the companion album, ‘Moonbeams’, it has similar virtues of subtlety and thoughtful interplay within the trio. ~MikeG

How My Heart Sings  

Nat King Cole - More Cole Espanol

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:39
Size: 65.6 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962/2007
Art: Front

[1:48] 1. La Feria De Las Flores
[2:05] 2. Tres Palabras
[2:32] 3. Las Chiapanecas
[2:50] 4. Adios Marquita Linda
[1:58] 5. Aqui Se Habla En Amor
[2:29] 6. Vaya Con Dios
[2:54] 7. La Golondrina
[2:59] 8. No Me Platiques
[2:07] 9. A Media Luz
[1:58] 10. Guadalajara
[2:44] 11. Solamente Una Vez
[2:08] 12. Piel Canela

Despite the similarity in titles, More Cole Español (1962) was not the immediate successor to Cole Español (1958), although both are albums on which Nat King Cole sang songs in Spanish. There is also a third album of Cole's Spanish work, A Mis Amigos (1959), and chronologically it comes in between. In 1987, early in the CD era, Capitol Records put material from all three LPs together on two compilations confusingly titled Cole Español & More, Vol. 1 and Cole Español & More, Vol. 2, presenting the tracks in chronological order by splitting the A Mis Amigos tracks, half at the end of the first disc and half at the start of the second. Mail-order firm Collectors' Choice Music, in its 2007 Cole reissue series, takes a different tack, presenting A Mis Amigos separately (with bonus tracks) and combining the first and third Spanish albums on this two-fer. These discographical details are worth pointing out because the differences between the two albums (Cole Español and More Cole Español, that is) are great. Although Cole did not speak Spanish, he learned the song lyrics for Cole Español phonetically. Nine of the 11 selections had backing tracks recorded by conductor Armando Romeu, Jr., in Havana, Cuba, in February 1958, with Cole adding his vocals in Hollywood in June. The other two, "Cachito" and "Noche de Ronda," were cut with Hispanic musicians in Hollywood under the direction of Capitol Records' Dave Cavanaugh. The tunes were a mixed bag of Latin standards including Mexican mariachi music ("Adelita") and even the Italian "Arrivederci Roma" (sung in Spanish), and Cole's vocals were augmented by the Rivero Quartet and other uncredited singers. While that no doubt was intended to shore up his tentative performances, it actually showed him up, as the native Spanish singers offered a painful contrast to his own pedestrian readings of words he did not understand and pronounced with no flair. (On one track, "Tú, Mi Delirio," he abandoned the microphone for the piano to delightful effect.) Cole's singing voice was as smooth and attractive as ever, which must have helped, though, and the album's sales -- it reached the Top 20 in the U.S. and was a big hit internationally -- indicated that Spanish-speaking audiences were flattered that an American singer would try so hard to communicate with them in their own language. Four years later, More Cole Español was recorded in Mexico City with Mexican singers and musicians, but arranged and conducted by Ralph Carmichael. This collection (tracks 12-23) demonstrated that Cole had made significant advances as a singer in Spanish. He still didn't sound like he always knew what he was singing, and he still seemed to be working on his pronunciation, but on More Cole Español he was clearly having a lot more fun. In part, this had to be because the arrangements were more rhythmic and up-tempo, and Cole must have been taking enthusiasm from the Mexican musicians who accompanied him. And he must have been more familiar with material that included crossover hits like "Vaya con Dios." Whatever the reasons, More Cole Español was his most successful effort at making music for fans south of the border. ~William Ruhlmann

More Cole Espanol

Django Reinhardt - An Introduction To The Guitar Genius

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:27
Size: 143.0 MB
Styles: Continental jazz, Gypsy swing
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Minor Swing
[3:04] 2. After You've Gone
[2:45] 3. Miss Annabelle Lee
[2:45] 4. St Louis Blues
[3:03] 5. You Rascal You
[3:21] 6. Liebestraum No 3
[2:32] 7. I'll See You In My Dreams
[2:50] 8. My Serenade
[2:54] 9. Improvisation
[2:17] 10. Mystery Pacific
[2:53] 11. Swinging With Django
[2:38] 12. Rhythm Futur
[2:45] 13. Swing 42
[3:59] 14. Bolero
[3:01] 15. Dinette
[2:34] 16. Belleville
[3:17] 17. Porto Cabello
[2:46] 18. Djangology
[3:04] 19. Nuits De Saint-Germain-Des-Pres
[3:14] 20. Nuages
[3:20] 21. Blues For Ike

Norway’s Hot Club label is dedicated to the hot jazz era from the 1930s through the mid-'50s. This single-disc set of Django Reinhardt's recordings with his killer band the Hot Club of France claims to be the first volume in his best recordings between 1936 and 1953. For starters, that claim is highly debatable. If planning multiple volumes in a series, why not pick the best tracks from one decade at a time and issue them that way? Secondly, since Reinhardt and his bandmates -- who included, of course, Stéphane Grappelli in the beginning -- cut so many fine sides, simply picking the best-known doesn’t necessarily signify the best in terms of quality. Complaints in advertising aside, there is no doubt that what is here is solid from top to bottom, beginning with the signature reading of “Minor Swing” that offers not only a glimpse, but the entire picture of Reinhardt’s genius in one swinging cut. The version of W.C. Handy's “St. Louis Blues” offers great evidence that Reinhardt in particular and this group in general need not be burning down the house tempo-wise in order to showcase their incredible ability to swing. Reinhardt’s solo is mind-bending to be sure, but it’s the group interplay that is most enlightening. The same can be said for “After You’ve Gone,” with Grappelli engaging Reinhardt in a call-and-response set of solos that is utterly delightfully. The later tracks on this set, such as "Nuits de Saint-Germain-des-Près," feature Reinhardt in a big-band setting playing electric guitar, where he employs techniques of dissonance and distortion to get his ideas across inside the larger ensemble and it works beautifully. That said, it is in the smaller-group settings that the listener will no doubt derive the greatest pleasure. The sound quality ranges from good to near excellent, which is impressive considering the source tapes for much of this material. ~Thom Jurek

An Introduction To The Guitar Genius

Johnny Lytle Trio - Moon Child

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:43
Size: 86.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1962/2013
Art: Front

[4:42] 1. Moon Child
[4:16] 2. The House Of Winchester
[6:37] 3. Work Song
[4:30] 4. The Nearness Of You
[4:37] 5. A Taste Of Honey
[4:32] 6. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
[3:59] 7. The Moor Man
[4:27] 8. Moonlight In Vermont

Bass – Steve Cooper; Congas [Conga Drums] – Ray Barretto; Drums – Peppy Hinnant; Organ – Milt Harris; Vibraphone [Vibes] – Johnny Lytle.

In the 1960s, jazz went in a variety of directions. On one hand, you had free jazz and avant-garde explorers who were extremely abstract and uncommercial; on the other hand, you had accessible soul-jazzers and organ combos that tried to attract the young listeners that jazz was losing to rock and R&B. Johnny Lytle was a prime example of the latter; accessibility and commercial appeal were things the vibist considered positive. That isn't to say that his albums were dumbed down --Moon Child is accessible and groove-minded, but it's also a swinging, creative collection of soul-jazz/hard bop. Produced by Orrin Keepnews in 1962, this vinyl LP has a lot going for it. Lytle is expressive and appealing on well known standards that range from Nat Adderley's "Work Song" to Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You," and he fares just as well on swinging originals that include the title song, "The Moor Man," and "The House of Winchester" (which was written in memory of vibist Lem Winchester). Gratefully, Lytle has a solid team to help him make this album come alive -- one that includes organist Milt Harris, bassist Steve Cooper, and drummer Peppy Hinnant. Conga giant Ray Barretto is added on lyrical performances of "Moonlight and Vermont" and "The Nearness of You," bringing Afro-Cuban touches to those standards. Moon Child was out of print for many years, but, in 2001, Fantasy pleasantly surprised us by reissuing this album and 1963's Got That Feeling! back to back on the same 75-minute CD. And that's a good thing, because Moon Child is a perfect example of how instrumental jazz can have commercial appeal without losing its integrity. ~Alex Henderson

Moon Child

Aretha Franklin - Chain Of Fools

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:49
Size: 70.6 MB
Styles: Soul, R&B
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[2:25] 1. Respect
[2:42] 2. Chain Of Fools
[4:00] 3. I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)
[3:13] 4. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
[2:51] 5. The Weight
[2:39] 6. Baby I Love You
[4:09] 7. Ain't No Way
[3:29] 8. My Song
[2:24] 9. You Send Me
[2:52] 10. The Tracks Of My Tears

Aretha Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1942. A gifted singer and pianist, Franklin toured with her father's traveling revival show and later visited New York, where she signed with Columbia Records. Franklin went on to release several popular singles, many of which are now considered classics. In 1987, she became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2008 she won her 18th Grammy Award, making her one of the most honored artists in Grammy history.

Chain Of Fools

Joe Elliott - Truth Serum

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:31
Size: 182.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[6:36] 1. A Timely Prayer
[5:58] 2. Smile
[7:06] 3. Rain Dance
[5:34] 4. Double Trouble
[9:14] 5. Kaloogeedah
[5:30] 6. Tears
[5:38] 7. Truth Serum
[3:54] 8. Ferias
[5:48] 9. Nite Owl
[5:53] 10. Distant Early Warning
[5:59] 11. Ain't It Great To Be Crazy
[5:47] 12. Owed To Elaf
[6:19] 13. Twisted Cowboy
[0:09] 14. Laughing Guitars

Truth Serum is a collection of compositions I wrote with no preconceived goal of satisfying or conforming to any particular genre label or template. I just wrote what came to me at the moment. I arranged and performed them with my L.A. band, primarily at the legendary Baked Potato in Los Angeles. I wrote expandable solo sections into each tune so the music could flex depending on the mood and atmosphere on a given night.

I’m tremendously grateful for the great musicians who performed these songs with me. Some invested countless hours of rehearsal into the original shaping of the arrangements. Tim McIntyre, Andre Berry and Steve Weingart were the ‘original’ LA band who performed most of these songs with me many times at the Baked Potato. These guys were invested in the project and helped shape the direction of the songs. ~Joe

Truth Serum

Benny Goodman & Andre Previn - Happy Session

Styles: Clarinet And Piano Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:45
Size: 101,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Happy Session Blues
(4:26)  2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(4:51)  3. King and Me
(4:32)  4. Indian Summer
(3:29)  5. What A Diff'rence a Day Made
(2:51)  6. Batunga Train
(7:35)  7. Having A Ball
(3:27)  8. Clarinet a la King
(3:53)  9. Macedonia Lullaby
(3:34) 10. Diga Diga Doo

Recorded after Benny Goodman returned with his 1958 big band from a European tour that included an exuberant stint at the Brussels World Fair, this LP alternates between orchestra performances (the mostly newer compositions include four by a Yugoslavian composer, Bobby Gutesha) and Goodman features with his rhythm section, which co-stars Andre Previn's piano. BG dominates this album and is in excellent form. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-session-mw0000414066

Personnel: Clarinet – Benny Goodman;  Bass – George Duvivier, Leroy Vinnegar, Milt Hinton;  Guitar – Barney Kessel, Turk Van Lake;  Piano – Andre Previn, Russ Freeman;  Saxophone – Babe Clark, Bob Wilber, Herb Geller, James Sands, Pepper Adams;  Trombone – Buster Cooper, Hale Rood, Rex Peer;
Trumpet – Allen Smith, Benny Ventura, Ermet Perry, John Frosk

Happy Session

Freda Payne - Reaching Out

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:05
Size: 94,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right
(3:20)  2. Reaching Out
(2:37)  3. For No Reason
(4:14)  4. The Man Of My Dreams
(5:08)  5. Mother Misery's Favorite Child
(3:06)  6. We've Gotta Find A Way Back To Love
(3:07)  7. Mood For Love
(4:43)  8. Rainy Days And Mondays
(6:33)  9. If You Go Away
(3:50) 10. Right Back Where I Started From

Freda Payne was a onetime flagship of Invictus, the label established by Motown mutineers Holland-Dozier-Holland. Though she only made three albums with the former Detroit hit machine, it was through the first two singles both artist and label became instantly known. Parting with Motown proved the right decision for HDH in their search for more creative recognition. Through Payne's "Unhooked Generation" and " "Band of Gold" they nurtured a newfound soul style. Combining the infectious rhythmic base of their earlier efforts with the Supremes and the Four Tops, HDH ventured into a more funk-oriented approach, with a little less emphasis on the familiar orchestration. Payne's debut album may have been a standout. By the time Reaching Out was released, Holland-Dozier-Holland seemed to have focused their attention elsewhere. They only took writing credits for three compositions, leaving the bulk to Smith and co-producer Dunbar and some ill-advised cover versions. A little less attention to the packaging would have been at its place; not even a bikini-clad Payne can make up for a tragic misstep like treating listeners to her version of "If You Go Away." Her voice remains sensual throughout the album; however, it never comes close to the spine tickling capacities of the debut. Also, Reaching Out is heavily in need of more playful album tracks like "The Easiest Way to Fall" or "Love on Borrowed Time" from her debut album. Only in one instance does Payne revitalize the memory of earlier hits: the darkly grooving "Mother Misery's Favourite Child" reflects the way she had with domestic drama. Though it can't be all blamed on Payne; if only HDH and Dunbar had supplied her with some of the quality stuff they took to the Honey Cone. ~ Quint Kik http://www.allmusic.com/album/reaching-out-mw0000766672

Reaching Out

Stan Kenton - Easy Go

Styles: Piano Jazz, Big Band 
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:17
Size: 142,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:09)  1. Easy Go
(3:15)  2. Love For Sale
(3:19)  3. Viva Prado
(2:56)  4. Something New (Sunset Tower)
(2:39)  5. Theme For Alto
(3:15)  6. Riff Rhapsody
(3:08)  7. Dynaflow
(3:13)  8. What's New
(3:04)  9. Jump For Joe
(2:42) 10. Night Watch
(2:44) 11. Francesca
(2:46) 12. Soliloquy
(2:50) 13. Lazy Daisy
(2:33) 14. Mambo Rhapsody
(3:10) 15. Riff Raff
(2:57) 16. Star Dust
(3:06) 17. Bags And Baggage
(2:54) 18. Bill's Blues
(3:26) 19. Cool Eyes
(3:04) 20. Beehive

Easy Go is a compilation of straight ahead charts recorded by the Kenton band in the years 1950-52 between tours of the Innovations Orchestra. While an artistic triumph, the Innovations Orchestra was not so successful financially, and Kenton had to record a number of albums devoted to just dance and swing tunes to recuperate his losses. Nevertheless, these recordings feature the Kenton band at its most swinging and most relaxed. And all the critics who have said that Kenton never swung need only listen to this CD to hear how wrong they've been over the years. What a collection of sidemen and arrangers. Stan Kenton, Pete Rugolo, Shorty Rogers, Gene Roland, Johnny Richards and Bill Russo all contributed charts. As an example of the range of jazz greats on this album, the trumpet section included Ray Wetzel, Buddy Childers, both Candoli brothers, Shorty Rogers, Al Porcino, and a young kid from Montreal named Maynard Ferguson. Most of the tunes included on Easy Go are long familiar to Kenton fans. Of all the great arrangers whose works appear on this CD, Shorty Roger's original tune "Viva Prado" and his rendition of the standard "What's New" stand out among the crowd. Another chart of special interest is William Russo's "Bill's Blues," one of the most swinging compositions ever penned by the most cerebral of the Kenton stable of composer/arrangers. Easy Go is a must for all Kenton fans and a good starting point for those who are new to the Creative World of Stan Kenton. ~ William Grinnm https://www.allaboutjazz.com/easy-go-stan-kenton-capitol-records-review-by-william-grim.php

Personnel: Stan Kenton, piano, arranger; Ruban McFall, trumpet; Dick Meldonian, sax; Clyde Reasinger,trumpet; George Roberts, trombone; Jimmy Salko, trumpet; Ray Wetzel, trumpet; Ralph Blaze, guitar; Al Porcino, trumpet; Johnny Halliburton, trombone; Dick Kenney, trombone; Paul Weigand, trombone; Don Dennis, trumpet; Bart Caldarell, sax; Jack Millman, trumpet; Mike Pacheco, timbales; Johnny Richards, arranger; Shorty Rogers, arranger, trumpet; Herbie Steward, sax; Milt Bernhart, trombone; Harry Betts, trombone; Bob Fitzpatrick, trombone; Bob Gioga, Sax; John Howell, trumpet; Laurindo Almeida, guitar; Eddie Bert, trombone; Conte Candoli, trumpet; Frank Capp, drums; Buddy Childers, trumpet; Eddie Gomez, maraccas; Herbie Harper, trombone; Bill Holman, Sax; Shelly Manne, drums; Art Pepper, sax; Bud Shank, sax; Don Bagley, bass; Pete Candoli, trumpet; John Graas, French horn; Lennie Niehaus, Sax; Gene Roland, arranger; Pete Rugolo, arranger; Bill Russo, arranger, trombone

Easy Go

Jimmy Barnes - HEAT

Styles: Vocal, Guitar, Rock
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:14
Size: 154,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Sweat It Out
(3:20)  2. Wheels In Motion
(4:01)  3. Stand Up
(3:42)  4. Burn Baby Burn
(4:35)  5. Something's Got A Hold
(3:18)  6. Love Thing
(4:39)  7. Talking To You
(3:47)  8. Stone Cold
(4:17)  9. Wait For Me
(6:15) 10. Tears We Cry
(3:54) 11. Right By Your Side
(4:13) 12. A Little Bit Of Love
(4:37) 13. I'd Rather Be Blind
(4:57) 14. Not The Loving Kind
(4:17) 15. Knock Me Down
(3:10) 16. Catch Your Shadow

Apparently Mr Barnes, the god from Oz, was trying to rediscover his roots on Heat. What he has done is created a record steeped in fine blues rock traditions. With a voice as earthy as Barnes' it's easy to assume that the material was simple to come by, but all the material is well-crafted and emotive. None more so than Something Got A Hold, a gem of a song that rolls and tumbles around a luscious hook. It's no secret that Barnes is a class live performer. Hear his seminal live LP Barnstorming for proof of that. With Heat he should now get the worldwide recognition he deserves for his studio output. Grade B+  http://the-revenge-of-riff-raff.blogspot.com.br/2012/10/album-review-jimmy-barnes-heat.html

Personnel: Vocals, Guitar – Jimmy Barnes; Backing Vocals – Jeff Neill; Bass – Michael Hegerty;  Drums – Tony Brock;  Guitar – Ian Moss, Jeff Neill, Jimmy Barnes;  Keyboards – Phil Shenale

HEAT

Saturday, September 23, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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