Ted Rosenthal Trio - Rhapsody In Gershwin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:40
Size: 134.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[17:06] 1. Rhapsody In Blue
[ 4:52] 2. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
[ 5:53] 3. Fascinatin' Rhythm
[ 5:40] 4. I Loves You Porgy
[ 5:30] 5. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[ 6:06] 6. Strike Up The Band
[ 6:34] 7. Someone To Watch Over Me
[ 6:54] 8. Love Walked In

Ted Rosenthal: piano; Martin Wind: bass; Tim Horner: drums.

The glories of George Gershwin have been well-documented in jazz settings. In fact, many would argue that Gershwin's music has been done to death. So does the world really need another tribute to this iconic tunesmith? In theory, it does not. Supply and demand, and the very nature of saturation, would say that a more-than-sufficient dose of Gershwin has been given to the world, so it's time to move on. However, these principles have never applied to this type of art. When somebody has something valuable to add to the jazz canon, it doesn't matter if they're the first, tenth, hundredth, or thousandth person to essay a specific topic. Good art is good art, and Rhapsody In Gerswhin certainly qualifies under this measure.

For his fifteenth album as a leader, pianist Ted Rosenthal decided to dive into the Gershwin songbook, visiting oft-covered favorites with his trio mates—sensitive-and-swinging drummer Tim Horner and beautifully balanced bassist Martin Wind. Together, they reimagine what this music can be. This trio works at the balance point between expectations and possibilities. It gives Gershwin's melodies, harmonies and rhythms their due, but applies transformative touches to all of them. The seventeen-minute "Rhapsody In Blue" is the perfect example. All of the sweeping sections and elegant melodic strains are there, but transitory nature surrounds this interpretation as the trio swiftly cuts from idea to idea. Shifting roles, styles and ideas enliven this performance of an oh-so-familiar classic. The seven other songs on the album speak to sophistication and wit. "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off" finds Rosenthal playing against and around the rhythm section, brilliantly avoiding the too-cute-by-half trap that so many versions of this song fall into. "Fascinatin' Rhythm" lives up to its name for a change, with quizzical call and response between Rosenthal and Horner, flowing streams of piano beneath Wind's arco melodies, and driving swing episodes. "I Loves You Porgy" is a mellow Bill Evans-ish beauty, "They Can't Take That Away From Me" finds Rosenthal and Wind in fine form, gliding atop the gilded swing of Horner, and Rosenthal's "Strike Up The Band" rewrite is rhythmically striking, moving from understated strolls to fast-and-furious sprints. The album then closes with a slowly drifting "Someone To Watch Over Me" and a lively "Love Walked In."

With Rhapsody In Gerswhin, Rosenthal reminds that single-mindedness in programming does not equate to one dimensional performances. Everything here might bear the trademark of George Gerswhin, but the multi-faceted nature of these performances is all about Rosenthal. ~Dan Bilawsky

Rhapsody In Gershwin

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Lester Young - Kansas City Swing

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:55
Size: 167,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
(3:00)  2. Countless Blues
(2:59)  3. Them There Eyes
(2:53)  4. I Want A Little Girl
(2:57)  5. Pagin' The Devil
(4:12)  6. I Got Rhythm
(4:09)  7. I'm Fer It Too
(3:06)  8. Hello Babe
(3:06)  9. Linger Awhile
(3:14) 10. Just You Just Me
(3:11) 11. I Never Knew
(3:10) 12. Afternoon Of A Basie-ite
(3:07) 13. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:44) 14. After Theatre Jump
(4:12) 15. Six Cats And A Prince
(4:28) 16. Lester Leaps Again
(3:53) 17. Destination KC
(2:55) 18. Three Little Words
(3:20) 19. Jo-Jo
(2:51) 20. Four O'Clock Drag
(3:18) 21. I Got Rhythm

Lester Young was one of the true jazz giants, a tenor saxophonist who came up with a completely different conception in which to play his horn, floating over bar lines with a light tone rather than adopting Coleman Hawkins' then-dominant forceful approach. A non-conformist, Young (nicknamed "Pres" by Billie Holiday) had the ironic experience in the 1950s of hearing many young tenors try to sound exactly like him. Although he spent his earliest days near New Orleans, Lester Young lived in Minneapolis by 1920, playing in a legendary family band. He studied violin, trumpet, and drums, starting on alto at age 13. Because he refused to tour in the South, Young left home in 1927 and instead toured with Art Bronson's Bostonians, switching to tenor. He was back with the family band in 1929 and then freelanced for a few years, playing with Walter Page's Blue Devils (1930), Eddie Barefield in 1931, back with the Blue Devils during 1932-1933, and Bennie Moten and King Oliver (both 1933). He was with Count Basie for the first time in 1934 but left to replace Coleman Hawkins with Fletcher Henderson. Unfortunately, it was expected that Young would try to emulate Hawk, and his laid-back sound angered Henderson's sidemen, resulting in Pres not lasting long. After a tour with Andy Kirk and a few brief jobs, Lester Young was back with Basie in 1936, just in time to star with the band as they headed East. Young made history during his years with Basie, not only participating on Count's record dates but starring with Billie Holiday and Teddy Wilson on a series of classic small-group sessions. In addition, on his rare recordings on clarinet with Basie and the Kansas City Six, Young displayed a very original cool sound that almost sounded like altoist Paul Desmond in the 1950s. After leaving Count in 1940, Young's career became a bit aimless, not capitalizing on his fame in the jazz world. He co-led a low-profile band with his brother, drummer Lee Young, in Los Angeles until re-joining Basie in December 1943. Young had a happy nine months back with the band, recorded a memorable quartet session with bassist Slam Stewart, and starred in the short film Jammin' the Blues before he was drafted. His experiences dealing with racism in the military were horrifying, affecting his mental state of mind for the remainder of his life.

Although many critics have written that Lester Young never sounded as good after getting out of the military, despite erratic health he actually was at his prime in the mid- to late-'40s. He toured (and was well paid by Norman Granz) with Jazz at the Philharmonic on and off through the '40s and '50s, made a wonderful series of recordings for Aladdin, and worked steadily as a single. Young also adopted his style well to bebop (which he had helped pave the way for in the 1930s). But mentally he was suffering, building a wall between himself and the outside world, and inventing his own colorful vocabulary. Although many of his recordings in the 1950s were excellent (showing a greater emotional depth than in his earlier days), Young was bothered by the fact that some of his white imitators were making much more money than he was. He drank huge amounts of liquor and nearly stopped eating, with predictable results. 1956's Jazz Giants album found him in peak form as did a well documented engagement in Washington, D.C., with a quartet and a last reunion with Count Basie at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival. But, for the 1957 telecast The Sound of Jazz, Young mostly played sitting down (although he stole the show with an emotional one-chorus blues solo played to Billie Holiday). After becoming ill in Paris in early 1959, Lester Young came home and essentially drank himself to death. Many decades after his death, Pres is still considered (along with Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane) one of the three most important tenor saxophonists of all time. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lester-young-mn0000259529/biography

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Lester Young;   Double Bass – Al Hall, John Simmons, Rodney Richardson , Slam Stewart , Walter Page;  Drums – Jo Jones, Sidney Catlett;  Electric Guitar – Eddie Durham; Guitar – Freddie Green;  Piano – Ellis Larkins, Joe Bushkin, Johnny Guarnieri, Prince Charming;
Trombone – Dickie Wells;  Trumpet – Bill Coleman, Buck Clayton

Kansas City Swing

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Randy Weston - Plays Cole Porter In A Modern Mood

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:39
Size: 68,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Get Out of Town
(3:13)  2. I Get a Kick Out of You
(3:00)  3. I Love Her
(4:42)  4. In the Still of the Night
(4:31)  5. Just One of Those Things
(3:37)  6. Night and Day
(2:53)  7. What Is This Thing Called Love
(3:09)  8. I've Got You Under My Skin

Cole Porter tributes are a dime a dozen in the bop world. Although competently executed, many of them lack imagination. But back in 1954 -- when a 28-year-old Randy Weston recorded Randy Weston Plays Cole Porter in a Modern Mood saluting Porter wasn't an idea that beboppers had run into the ground and beaten to death. It was still an intriguing idea, and the element of intrigue is definitely present on this record (which contains Weston's first session as a leader). Forming a drumless duo with bassist Sam Gill, the pianist tackles eight well-known Porter standards. And he does it on his own terms, bringing a strong Thelonious Monk influence (with elements of Bud Powell) to angular performances of "I Love You," "Night and Day," and other favorites. Even in 1954, these standards had been recorded countless times by swing, pre-rock pop, and cabaret artists. But for a bebopper like Weston, Porter's songbook was still fertile ground. In the 1960s and 1970s, when Weston was exploring modal post-bop and incorporating elements of world music, some beboppers would become the stodgy, stuffy, cranky old conservatives who cursed anything having to with modal playing, avant-garde jazz or fusion. But in 1954, bop was still dangerous and cutting-edge (although it was more accepted than it had been in the 1940s). This Riverside LP was produced by Orrin Keepnews, which is appropriate because Keepnews worked with Monk extensively and understood an equally intellectual player like Weston. Not that Weston was ever a knee-jerk clone of Monk or anyone else; as Monk-minded as he was in 1954, he was still his own man. With Randy Weston Plays Cole Porter in a Modern Mood, the pianist's career as a leader was off to an impressive start. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/plays-cole-porter-in-a-modern-mood-mw0000876773

Personnel:  Randy Weston – piano;  Sam Gill - bass

Plays Cole Porter In A Modern

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Christian McBride - Conversations with Christian

Styles: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz 

Year: 2011

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 76:27

Size: 175,2 MB

Art: Front

(4:21)  1. Afrika (feat. Angelique Kidjo)

(4:40)  2. Fat Bach and Greens (feat. Regina Carter)

(4:19)  3. Consider Me Gone (feat. Sting)

(6:18)  4. Guajeo Y Tumbao (feat. Eddie Palmieri)

(5:21)  5. Baubles, Bangles and Beads (feat. Roy Hargrove)

(7:07)  6. Spiritual (feat. Dr. Billy Taylor)

(5:09)  7. It's Your Thing (feat. Dee Dee Bridgewater)

(5:32)  8. Alone Together (feat. Hank Jones)

(5:35)  9. McDukey Blues (feat. George Duke)

(9:06) 10. Tango Improvisation #1 (feat. Chick Corea)

(6:39) 11. Sister Rosa (feat. Russell Malone)

(5:36) 12. Shake 'n Blake (feat. Ron Blake)

(6:39) 13. Chitilins and Gelitefish (feat. Gina Gershon)

Plenty of ink has been spilled by those espousing their opinions on the art of the trio, but the duo format doesn't get its due nearly as often either in print or on record. The trio format allows for various permutations in musical interaction, but pairing two artists together is all about direct, head-to-head conversation, and bassist Christian McBride knows a thing or two about this. While McBride has made a name for himself as a go-to bassist for all occasions and styles of music, his podcasts, Sirius-XM Radio Show (The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian McBride) and work as the co-director of The National Jazz Museum in Harlem have also shown the bassist to be an engaging presence in one-on-one games of the aural variety.  While McBride considered the idea of a duo record in the late '90s, he had other things on his mind at the time. Now, more than a decade later, he brings this concept to fruition with some help from thirteen A-list partners. Violinist Regina Carter joins the bassist for a baroque-meets-the-blues exploration of Johann Sebastian Bach's Double Violin Concerto ("Fat Bach And Greens"), vocal-pop icon Sting makes an appearance with guitar-in-hand on "Consider Me Gone," McBride and vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater engage in saucy repartee on the funky and engaging "It's Your Thing," while shtick comes into the picture on a bluesy Jew's harp and vocals-meet-bass number with actress Gina Gershon ("Chitlins And Gefiltefish").

While McBride is more than comfortable and compelling in every setting on this album, the piano and bass partnerships on display seem to rise above the rest of the performances. Eddie Palmieri brings high energy Latin jazz into the mix on "Guajeo Y Tumbao," the dearly departed Dr. Billy Taylor brings a sense of calm and peace to the album with his own "Spiritual," which opens and closes with some gorgeous arco work from McBride, and George Duke delivers the most chops-heavy piano work on the record, with "McDukey Blues." While the late Hank Jones' isn't nearly as aggressive as Palmieri or Duke, his connection with McBride may be more powerful and palpable, and this pair deserves to be dubbed The Great Jazz Duo for this performance. Preconceived notions concerning structure seem to surround most of these numbers, but McBride's duet with pianist Chick Corea is of the organically-developed variety. Suspense-filled sounds and Spaniard-Argentine influences abound as "Tango Improvisation #1" takes shape, but a blues foundation sneaks into the music as the piece develops, and the final act surrounds choppy, paranoid single-note statements from Corea's piano. Conversations With Christian McBride may, ultimately, be critically eclipsed by the bassist's fine big band record, The Good Feeling (Mack Avenue, 2011), that arrived a mere two months before this collection, but that would be a shame. These albums are actually companion pieces that highlight McBride's mastery of all things musical. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/conversations-with-christian-christian-mcbride-mack-avenue-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Christian McBride: bass; Angelique Kidjo: vocals (1); Regina Carter: violin (2); Sting: vocals (3), guitar (3); Eddie Palmieri: piano (4); Roy Hargrove: trumpet (5); Dr. Billy Taylor: piano (6); Dee Dee Bridgewater: vocals (7); Hank Jones: piano (8); George Duke: piano (9); Chick Corea: piano (10); Russell Malone: guitar (11); Ron Blake: tenor saxophone (12); Gina Gershon: vocals (13).

Conversations with Christian                

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Bruce Ditmas - What If

Styles: Free Jazz, Fusion  
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:54
Size: 138,8 MB
Art: Front

(10:12)  1. Island Seven
(10:21)  2. What If
( 7:52)  3. Clever Conversation
( 3:19)  4. 3348 Big Easy:  Deep Blue Sleep
( 7:18)  5. 3348 Big Easy:  Thursday Nite Special
( 4:09)  6. 3348 Big Easy:  Voodoo Street Beat
( 8:00)  7. Pulp
( 3:46)  8. Power Surge
( 4:54)  9. Don't Wake Me

Drummer Bruce Ditmas’ wish list comes to fruition on the 1995 “Postcards” release titled, What If. Among the noteworthy crop of re-releases from Arkadia Records who now own the Postcards catalogue is this mind boggling work featuring a who’s who of modern jazz stylists such as pianist Paul Bley, bassist Dominic Richards, saxophonist Sam Rivers and guitarist John Abercrombie. According to the liners, Ditmas handed Postcards something similar to a Christmas want-list as they proceeded to round up these consummate and highly influential jazz musicians. On What If Ditmas slashes and burns while boasting a booming, resonant sound as he provides the thunderous intro for pianist Paul Bley on the opener, “Island Seven”. Here and throughout, Ditmas engages complex polyrhythms in effortless fashion as he provides the enormous pulse behind Abercrombie’s angular and somewhat ferocious attack, which rekindles memories of his now classic ECM release, “Timeless”. The title track, “What If” is electrically charged and proceeds at a feverish pace as the great Sam Rivers’ sinewy and explosive tenor sax work along with the forceful rhythms and turbo charged interplay among the bandmates offers something which borders fusion and modern jazz. Paul Bley stretches out in elegant fashion on “Clever Conversations” while Ditmas and Richards employ a relentless rhythmic assault. Unadulterated intensity provided by Abercrombie’s signature and somewhat manic guitar stylizations along with the muscular rhythmic assault are prevalent factors on the barnburner titled, “Pulp”. On “Power Surge”, the heat continues while “Don’t Wake Up” is ethereal and dreamy thanks to Bley’s colorful and textural articulations on synthesizer along with his pensive or somewhat dirge-like acoustic piano work. A fitting finale to an unyielding and explosive affair! Upon its original release, What If received critical praise and accolades and justifiably so as it becomes rather obvious from the onset that Ditmas was geared up for this date. What If offers a potpourri of modern/free-jazz, fusion and takes off into the stratosphere to some unknown destination, as the men only know one way, which is straight ahead with no looking back. * * * * ½ ~ Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/what-if-bruce-ditmas-postcards-review-by-glenn-astarita.php

Personnel: Bruce Ditmas; Drums: John Abercrombie; Guitars: Paul Bley; Piano & Synthesizers: Dominic Richards; Bass: Sam Rivers; Tenor & Soprano Saxophone.

What If

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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  

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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