Tim Miller - Trio

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:32
Size: 95,4 MB
Art: Front

(0:59)  1. Intro
(3:59)  2. Untied
(3:58)  3. Shift
(2:42)  4. Paris
(1:31)  5. Sparkle
(4:35)  6. Straight Lines
(4:07)  7. The Trees, The Sun
(4:09)  8. Density One
(4:49)  9. TR
(4:11) 10. Two View
(2:31) 11. Density Two
(2:56) 12. MG

Tim Miller's third indie effort stands out by manifesting his influences as an aural whole. Compositionally, the freedom and openness in the music reflects the deep influence of Keith Jarrett, while sonically, the air-infused yet electric guitar sound dances with bass and drums mixed in a pastoral acoustic style. Even with headphones, the listener hears the trio of instruments entwined in the air, coupled by intense playing and musicianship. From the perspective of guitar-related influences we hear the chordal inspiration of a fellow Bostonian, voicing-god Mick Goodrick. Linearity is Miller's calling card, seamlessly melding Allan Holdsworth's 21st Century legato technique with a non-guitar-centric, truly jazz vocabulary and phraseology, with notes percussing from the fretboard in pianistic fashion. Another facet that takes Trio up a notch is the particular attention paid to tone and articulation on the high end. Miller devoted requisite consideration and time to sonics, and the dividends are sumptuous. An advocate of the ergonomically correct Klein axes, Miller's performance on "Untied sounds as if he's playing two of them at once, electric for the atmospheric chords of the intro and acoustic for the quick sixteenth-note turn-backs found on high, doubled by the drums. Take Toriyama's tone is apart from the more athletic norms of the "fusion realm, with more of the room than the kit in the mix. His use of slackened snare, coupled with bassist Josh Davis' booming upright sound, is especially effective on this track. Miller employs a super-thick tone for his solo, alternating bop-legato mastery with sax-like repeated figures that belie the layout of the fretboard. Miller can lay into a rock'n'roll repeating hyperspeed four-note figure akin to traditional Hendrix or Page twelfth-fret pentatonics, but in the middle of the neck, using four notes at spread intervals of the harmony-of-the moment, something more out of Mike Brecker's vocabulary. While the recording weighs in at the forty-minute mark, there's much to be said for concentration and self-editing. "Sparkle is ninety seconds of inspired melodic riffing against Toriyama's percussion arsenal and will alone reward consecutive listening surpassing the total of the disc's real time. It would be an interesting musical exercise to map out here where each of Miller's melodic phrases begins or ends, or to pick the midpoint of each. I am sure each roadmap would in turn comprise alternate songs. Similarly, the three minutes of "MG, dedicated to mentor and Berklee fellowman Goodrick, forge a successful marriage of modern rock balladry with jazz. "Straight Lines is the composition of the set, a mid-tempo cut smoldering with the passion and memorable melody usually reserved for ballads, especially in Miller's opening solo salvo. The two "Density compositions, using minimal themes fashioned from rhythmic chordal materials growing out of and into weaving strands of single-note improvisation, reveal substantial rewards unearthed by exploring repetition as a means of mining new melodic and improvisational territory. Nothing should stand between this one getting heard and Miller's justifiably meteoric ascension on the worldwide guitar-watchers org-chart. ~ Phil Dipietro https://www.allaboutjazz.com/trio-tim-miller-timmillermusiccom-review-by-phil-dipietro.php

Personnel: Tim Miller: guitar; Joshua Davis: bass; Take Toriyama: drums.

Trio

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Stanley Clarke, Patrice Rushen, Ndugu Chanclar - Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:53
Size: 134.8 MB
Styles: Fusion, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[7:30] 1. Lover Man
[6:52] 2. Mack The Knife
[5:41] 3. Salt Peanuts
[5:51] 4. I Mean You
[6:28] 5. Now's The Time
[5:59] 6. Take Five
[4:51] 7. Jeru
[3:49] 8. Manteca
[6:07] 9. Oleo
[5:41] 10. Perdido

Patrice Rushen - piano; Stanley Clarke - upright bass; Ndugu Chancler - drums.

Bassist Stanley Clarke, one who has always made easy transitions between musical styles, focuses exclusively on standards for this 2001 session, accompanied by pianist Patrice Rushen and drummer Ndugu Chancler, recorded directly to two-track without overdubs or editing. Clarke is generous in sharing the spotlight, giving plenty of space to his fellow musicians. One of the obvious highlights is the brisk bossa nova setting of "Lover Man," which removes any of the plaintive message of its unheard lyrics. A rather avant-garde introduction disguises the introduction to a turbulent rendition of "Oleo." The explosive rendition of "Salt Peanuts" detours into a post-bop setting far from its roots, while the overly tense introduction to "Now's the Time" comes off as a bit pretentious. "Take Five" opens with a dark Latin vamp before its familiar theme emerges, showcasing Chancler but never sufficiently gaining momentum. A bonus DVD includes interview excerpts with the musicians during the session, along with some of the performances. This is a good CD that might have been even better with a day or two of rehearsal together. ~Ken Dryden

Standards

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Ruth Price - Lucky To Be Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:46
Size: 104.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1983/2013
Art: Front

[2:37] 1. Be My Love
[5:48] 2. Lucky To Be Me
[4:11] 3. Something Funny
[3:07] 4. My Romance
[6:25] 5. Haunted Heart
[5:35] 6. Little Jazz Bird
[4:20] 7. Heather On The Hill
[3:06] 8. Never Let Me Go
[4:55] 9. Loving Friends
[2:46] 10. Irresistible You
[2:50] 11. You Are There

Despite remaining quite active as a singer, Ruth Price had not recorded as a leader in over 20 years when she cut this long-overdue (and now out-of-print) LP. Joined by pianist Tom Garvin, bassist Andy Simpkins, drummer Roy McCurdy and occasionally tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb, Price emphasizes love songs on the mostly ballad-oriented and lyrical session. Among the 11 lyrics that she uplifts are "Lucky to Be Me," "My Romance," "Little Jazz Bird" and "Irresistible You." ~Scott Yanow

Lucky To Be Me

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Peter Cincotti - Long Way From Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:34
Size: 108.9 MB
Styles: Piano & vocal jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. Long Way From Home
[3:28] 2. Sexy
[4:01] 3. Made For Me
[4:05] 4. Story For Another Day
[3:24] 5. Palermo
[3:43] 6. Too Soon
[4:18] 7. Roman Skies
[4:48] 8. Half Of You
[3:35] 9. What's Sara Doing
[4:03] 10. Wanna Be
[3:19] 11. Hangover City
[4:29] 12. Sounds Of Summer

A born and bred New Yorker, Cincotti spent much of his childhood going to school during the day and playing clubs at night. Legendary music producer Phil Ramone was there one of those nights, a discovery that led Ramone to produce Peter’s debut album which reached #1 on the Billboard jazz charts, making 18-year old Cincotti the youngest artist ever to do so. Since then, Peter has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall to L’Olympia in Paris, collaborated with artists ranging from Andrea Bocelli to David Guetta, has been featured in blockbuster films such as Spiderman 2, represented the global fashion brands Ermenegildo Zegna and Tod’s, and just recently appeared as himself in Season 3 of the hit Netflix series House Of Cards, singing a duet with the president played by Kevin Spacey.

​Along the way, his vibrant and socially-aware songwriting caught the ear of 16-time Grammy winner David Foster, who produced Cincotti’s third album East Of Angel Town yielding the song “Goodbye Philadelphia”, which became a smash hit overseas reaching the Top Ten on Pop Radio charts across Europe. Peter’s experiences have shaped his music through the years, changing the layers of his sound and the dimensions of his style. Because of this, his fans await each new album like they are engrossed readers anxious to reach the next chapter of their favorite book. Cincotti has morphed genres and blended influences in a variety of ways, but his story currently unfolds over uncharted terrain on his new album Long Way From Home. Written, arranged, and produced by Cincotti, this collection of songs is the product of “moving my pianos to a house on the Jersey Shore, building a recording studio, and spending the majority of the last two years alone at the control board,” he explains. “It felt great to work through the night with no NY complaining neighbors and explore every idea in my head. But I’m pretty sure I went partially insane along the way. At one point, whenever I fell asleep, a new song would introduce itself in whatever dream I was having. So I’d wake up and write it down. Several songs on this album were written that way. It got to a point where I felt like I wasn’t even composing, I was just writing down what was already there.”

Long Way From Home

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The Organ Trio - Gig Bag

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:52
Size: 137.1 MB
Styles: Organ jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[5:13] 1. Strayhorn
[5:35] 2. The Duke
[4:53] 3. Gig Bag
[5:13] 4. El Jo
[5:07] 5. Nessun Dorma
[4:34] 6. Don't Ask
[5:01] 7. Slow Flow
[4:55] 8. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[4:22] 9. Lullaby
[4:34] 10. Dilly Dally
[3:53] 11. Theme From Godfather 2
[6:26] 12. Blueberry Hill

A new generation of jazz organists have a new approach to the old monster. They replace the funky, high-energy attack of the Sixties masters with harmonic subtlety and delicate washes of tonal colour. The Organ Trio's Mike Gorman is a leading exponent of the style, which blends beautifully with the guitar of Jim Mullen and drums of Matt Skelton. Naturally, with Mullen on board, the music swings compulsively and there's plenty of good melodic grit to keep you listening - but there's surprise and a bit of mystery as well. You wouldn't imagine that three jazz musicians could turn 'Nessun Dorma' into a wispy, ethereal little thing, would you? They also bring out the elegant contours of Brubeck's 'The Duke' and swing 'Blueberry Hill' into the middle of next week. But it's the originals that really catch the attention, especially Mullen's 'Don't Ask' and Gorman's 'Slow Flow'. ~Dave Kelly

Gig Bag      

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The Brothers Four - Golden Anniversary

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:01
Size: 167.2 MB
Styles: Folk
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:57] 1. Green Leaves Of Summer
[2:34] 2. The Hammer Song
[3:43] 3. Shenandoah, The Wide Missouri
[3:49] 4. I Hear America Singing
[2:21] 5. Turn Around
[4:59] 6. Bluegrass Medley
[2:47] 7. Goodnight Irene
[3:19] 8. Where Have All The Flowers Gone
[3:23] 9. Try To Remember
[3:09] 10. Whiskey In The Jar
[3:16] 11. Lady Greensleeves
[2:37] 12. Eddystone Light
[2:56] 13. This Land Is Your Land
[3:17] 14. Seven Daffodils
[2:39] 15. Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport
[4:08] 16. Four Strong Winds
[7:52] 17. Calypso Medley
[6:38] 18. Railroad Medley
[2:47] 19. Michael Row The Boat Ashore
[3:40] 20. Greenfields

Mark Pearson (vocals, guitar, banjo); Karl Olsen, Mike McCoy (vocals, guitar); Bob Flick (vocals).

The smooth, musical sound of The Brothers Four has delighted millions for well over 50 years. Folk songs from America, Ireland, Scotland, Africa, Japan and China round out a repertoire of acoustic tunes old and new. Since the early 1960s The Brothers Four have played thousands of college concerts, sung for U.S. presidents at the White House, appeared at countless Community Concerts, performed with symphony orchestras and jazz stars and toured dozens of foreign countries. They are truly "America's Musical Ambassadors to the World."

Musical million-sellers for The Brothers Four include such releases as "Greenfields", "Seven Daffodils", "Try to Remember", and "Across the Wide Missouri". Their hit recording of "The Green Leaves of Summer" from the motion picture "The Alamo" was nominated for an Academy Award and they performed the song at the awards presentation for the world-wide network telecast. The Brothers Four were global pioneers in the musical movement which came to be known as the "folk revival", and of the few groups from those times still performing today, they remain one of the best known and most popular. Their all-acoustic presentation consists of guitars, banjo, upright bass, and of course the trademark rich blend of their four voices. An evening with this quartet is an unforgettable time of pure, acoustic music and entertainment.

"GOLDEN ANNIVERARY" is their most recent CD collection, recorded live during their recent 50th Anniversary World Tour. Featuring their warm harmonies, familiar medleys and brilliant originals along with a 100-voice choir, The Brothers Four have never sounded better!

Golden Anniversary

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Charlie Parker - Bird OST

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:42
Size: 93.2 MB
Styles: Soundtrack, Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1988/2002
Art: Front

[4:38] 1. Lester Leaps In
[4:25] 2. I Can't Believe That You're In Love with Me
[3:30] 3. Laura
[3:37] 4. All of Me
[3:33] 5. This Time the Dream's On Me
[4:18] 6. Ko Ko
[2:10] 7. Cool Blues
[3:18] 8. April In Paris
[3:19] 9. Now's the Time
[4:42] 10. Ornithology
[3:07] 11. Parker's Mood

Through the miracle of modern technology and countless hours of studio toil, producer Lennie Niehaus matches original solos by alto sax titan Charlie "Bird" Parker with accompaniment by modern players. The sidemen playing with the long-dead legend include bassists Ron Carter and Ray Brown, drummer John Guerin, and trumpeter Jon Faddis. It's a treat to hear Bird's brilliance in crystal-clear stereo, although the too-loud crowd noise from the original recordings on four of the 11 tracks is disconcerting. The soundtrack is from a celluloid tribute by jazz fan Clint Eastwood. ~Mark Allan

Bird OST

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Maceo Parker - Life on Planet Groove

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:58
Size: 174,2 MB
Art: Front

(16:39)  1. Shake Everything You've Got
(11:27)  2. Pass The Peas
( 3:45)  3. I Got You (I Feel Good)
( 7:08)  4. Got To Get U
( 8:58)  5. Addictive Love
( 6:21)  6. Children's World
( 7:23)  7. Georgia On My Mind
(14:13)  8. Soul Power '92

A scorching album of funky grooves from Maceo Parker, assisted by the rest of the JB's on backing horns. The album was recorded in concert at a club called Stadtgarten in Cologne, Germany, and the crowd seems just as responsive in most ways as any Atlanta mob. Along with the JB horns, Vincent Henry accompanies on bass throughout the album/concert. The album starts out with an original Maceo composition, then moves into a pair from his old boss James Brown. After that, there's another Maceo number, a cover of "Addictive Love," a rendition of "Georgia on My Mind," and a composition undertaken by a veritable army of funk veterans. 

This is probably just about the best solo Maceo Parker album there is, at least until the release of Funkoverload. If you're a funk fan, or a soul-jazz fan, this album might just provide what you need. Maceo on his own always provides a nice collection of soul and funk, and this one is no exception. ~ Adam Greenberg https://www.allmusic.com/album/life-on-planet-groove-mw0000088479

Personnel:  Maceo Parker - alto saxophone, vocals; Candy Dulfer - alto saxophone;  Larry Goldings - Hammond organ;  Vincent Henry - bass, alto saxophone;  Rodney Jones – guitar;  Pee Wee Ellis - flute, tenor saxophone, vocals;  Kym Mazelle – vocals;  Kenwood Dennard – drums;  Fred Wesley - trombone, vocals

Life on Planet Groove

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Zara Mcfarlane - Until Tomorrow

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:51
Size: 100,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. More Than Mine
(4:17)  2. Captured (Part 3)
(3:47)  3. Mama Done
(5:14)  4. Until Tomorrow
(4:04)  5. Blossom Tree
(5:14)  6. Feed The Spirit (The Children And The Warlock)
(2:36)  7. Waking Sleep (Thoughts)
(4:51)  8. Chiaroscuro
(4:10)  9. Desire
(4:41) 10. More Than Mine (Alternate Take)

Until Tomorrow, from young London-based singer and writer Zara McFarlane, is a delight. This is not McFarlane's first recording her 2010 self-produced six-track EP, also called Until Tomorrow, debuted some of these songs, and she has also recorded with the Jazz Jamaica All Stars but it's her first full-length album. Filled with fresh and beautifully crafted compositions, it signals McFarlane's maturing talents as a singer and songwriter with a distinctive take on the art of the song.  McFarlane is no bluesy shouter, but she is most definitely a soulful singer. Her voice moves effortlessly from the plaintive yearning of "More Than Mine," through the slinky soul of "Blossom Tree" and "Chiaroscuro," to the pure and crystalline sounds of "Waking Sleep." There's often a childlike innocence and honesty to her performance, making her a consistently engaging singer. Her lyric, with their tales of lost love, sadness, romance and sensuality, are equally engaging all the more so because they have an air of mystery, often hinting at a narrative but leaving the listener to complete the story. On "Mama Done" McFarlane delivers a flurry of lyrics part sung and part rapped and occasionally threatening to overwhelm the singer over a tight Latin-tinged groove from pianist Peter Edwards, bassist Nick Walsh and drummer Andy Chapman."Until Tomorrow" benefits from a relatively sparse arrangement: delicate and spacious playing from Walsh and Chapman, over which McFarlane's voice floats with sparkling clarity. It also features the album's finest solo, a dazzlingly emotive performance from Edwards. 

The three saxophonists are used sparingly but effectively. The soft, lyrical, solo on "Blossom Tree" and the more frenetic one on "Chiaroscuro" are especially noteworthy sadly, the players' individual contributions are uncredited on the promotional copy of the album. McFarlane also interprets and slightly re-titles two tunes written by Harry Whitaker, best known for his work with Roberta Flack: "The Children & The Warlock" and "Thoughts." McFarlane's versions stay close musically to Whitaker's own, but her lyrics and vocals give both tunes added depth. "Feed The Spirit (The Children & The Warlock)" lets the whole band stretch out, giving the singer's emotionally intense vocal a strong, punchy backing. By contrast, McFarlane's beautiful rendition of "Waking Sleep (Thoughts)" is intense and perfectly measured. The vocal on her own "More Than Mine" is equally intense and affecting, but the backing is freer and builds its intensity over time to convey the singer's despair. In this collection of beautiful and affecting songs, "Blossom Tree" is the most immediately engaging a potential standard in the making. But Until Tomorrow is filled with musical treasures, waiting to be discovered. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/until-tomorrow-brownswood-recordings-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php

Personnel: Zara McFarlane: vocals; Binker Goldings: saxophone; Camilla George: saxophone; Zem Adu: saxophone; Peter Edwards: piano; Nick Walsh: double bass; Andy Chapman: drums.

Until Tomorrow

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Don Braden - The New Hang

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:43
Size: 148,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:24)  1. Through The Fire
(5:57)  2. Without A Song
(7:00)  3. When I Fall In Love
(6:32)  4. The Traveler
(8:13)  5. No Complaints
(5:39)  6. Wish List
(7:02)  7. Release
(4:39)  8. Mother's Wish
(4:36)  9. Code Blue
(7:35) 10. The New Hang

The ever youthful Don Braden has released his 12th recording as a leader, The New Hang , a splendid collection which showcases not only his prowess as one of jazz' tenor ambassadors but the prowess of a stellar supporting cast. Things start off with a surprisingly jaunty and upbeat version of Chaka Khan's "Through the Fire." Braden swings during his solo, moving in and around the melody as drummer Cecil Brooks III thrashes behind him. Organist Kyle Koehler follows and lays down the law with his gritty solo turn. The standard "Without A Song" is played at a joyful up-tempo with everyone burning through their solos, especially Koehler. This is followed by another standard, "When I Fall In Love," a lovely duet between Braden and Koehler which features textures from blues and gospel.  "The Traveler" is another burner where Braden blows like crazy as the rhythm section drives him. Trombonist Conrad Herwig's fiery solo takes over to add spice to the already simmering gumbo. The tune shifts with the bass line defining the funk groove which lies dormant. "Wish List" finds Braden playing in an appropriately wistful tone. The song features another great Koehler solo and excellent drumming by Brooks. The band shifts into an R&B mode with "Release." Braden springs fountains of invention from his horn, triumphantly seizing the upper register like a prize.  Braden shifts tempo on "Mother's Wish," which he plays with a clear, strong, confident tone. "Code Blue" is another excellent horn interplay and even more dynamic drumming by Brooks. The disc ends with the title track, a standard blues with more hot tenor from the leader and more great down-in-the-trenches work by Koehler. From straight-ahead jazz to gospel, up-tempo to ballads, there's no musical style to which Braden can't apply his technical mastery and boundless imagination. Herwig, Koehler and Brooks complete the stellar ensemble work, making The New Hang a thoroughly enjoyable listen. ~ Terrell Kent Holmes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-new-hang-don-braden-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes.php

Personnel:  Don Braden: tenor sax;  Conrad Herwig: trombone;  Kyle Koehler: organ;  Cecil Brooks III: drums.

The New Hang

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Rita Marcotulli, Andy Sheppard - On The Edge Of A Perfect Moment

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:53
Size: 124,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. Element
(8:03)  2. Les Mains D'Alice
(6:20)  3. Waves And Wind
(1:38)  4. Sound Of Stone I
(7:21)  5. Lullaby For Igor
(2:38)  6. Monkies Business
(4:04)  7. On The Edge Of A Perfect Moment
(5:37)  8. Us And Them
(5:50)  9. Carnival
(1:42) 10. Sound Of Stone II
(5:09) 11. Rabo De Nube

Italian pianist Marcotulli's duets with British saxophonist Sheppard have been discreet gems which, in recent years, have occasionally been seen glittering around the jazz scene, and this set is a more faithful representation of that intimacy than the pair's more eclectic album, Koine, released four years ago. Marcotulli has lived in Scandinavia, and the ghostly, wistful long-note jazz of Jan Garbarek, Arve Henriksen and others has had an impact here. Sheppard's tone control and ability to do more with less has been an eloquent feature of his mid-life music, but a startling edginess often bursts out of it, in fierce split-notes or rumbling, upward-spiralling runs against slowly swaying piano figures. Waves and Wind appoints the piano (in Marcotulli's Jarrett-like incarnation) and the saxophone to play each role respectively, and Sound of Stone is an abstract wriggle through soprano figures and skittering percussion. Lullaby for Igor is like a slow townships dance, while Pink Floyd's Us and Them is a reverie that imperceptibly gathers momentum, and Carnival a driving tango. The result is a real contemporary improvised dialogue, on very good original material. ~ John Fordham  https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/may/11/jazz.shopping

Personnel:  Piano, Liner Notes – Rita Marcotulli;  Saxophone – Andy Sheppard

On The Edge Of A Perfect Moment

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Anthony Geraci - Serendipity

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:07
Size: 107.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:51] 1. Alyakim
[3:11] 2. Flakey Foont
[5:03] 3. You Don't Know What Love Is
[6:19] 4. Jason's Lament
[5:24] 5. I Can't Go Back To You
[5:29] 6. Provence
[4:49] 7. Wake Me Up When September Ends
[5:59] 8. Toddacus Rex
[4:59] 9. Neda

Pianist and composer Anthony Geraci has backed up a virtual who’s who of American blues artists. B.B.King, Otis Rush, Big Mama Thorton, Chuck Berry, Big Walter Horton (and the list could go on) have had Anthony’s fiery piano accompany them on stages across North America and Europe. Anthony has spent the better part of thirty five years with Sugar Ray and the Bluetones and Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters. He was nominated for a Grammy in 2000 for his work on Super Harps 1 (Telarc International Records) and has been featured on over fifty recordings. His new recording Serendipity (HugaDog Records) showcases Anthony’s affinity with the Jazz idiom while maintaining his love and respect for the Blues. Seven out of the nine tracks were composed by Anthony, and all were arranged by him. From the liner notes by Michael “Mudcat” Ward: “This latest collection of tracks illustrates the multiple ways Anthony has created and performed beautiful melodies set forth entirely in harmonic and emotional balance. Whether serious or lighthearted, this is high-spirited, meaningful music.” Musicians on Serendipity include: Sugar Ray Norcia and Taryn Noelle- vocals; Paul Ahlstrand-saxophones; Gabe Jarrett-drums (son of legendary pianist Keith Jarrett,) Barry Reis-trumpet (Horace Silver, Joe Lavano.) Anthony has toured extensively in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South America, Lebanon, and the United States.

Serendipity

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Stew Cutler - After Hours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:40
Size: 93.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:43] 1. No Greater Love
[7:11] 2. Just My Imagination
[5:23] 3. Bambou
[4:34] 4. Au Privave
[6:39] 5. Recluse
[4:00] 6. Lukewarm
[5:10] 7. C.C
[2:57] 8. Them That Got

The centerpiece of New York City based Jazz and Blues guitarist and songwriter Stew Cutler’s new album After Hours is his instrumental interpretation of The Temptations’ classic song “Just My Imagination.” In addition to Stew Cutler’s beautifully played guitar, the cast of musicians on this recording are better than good, with organist Chip Crawford shining on this tune, drummer Skoota Warner masterfully and elegantly keeping the beat and acoustic bassist Booker King laying down a strong, but subtle foundation. This song is so beautifully performed and so expertly mixed that one forgets that normally you hear a singer too.

The album After Hours, has a “live” feel to the music and much of that credit can go to the fact that most of the music was recorded with minimal takes on one day, yet the production quality is excellent.

After Hours

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Gino Paoli, Danilo Rea - 3

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:13
Size: 103.5 MB
Styles: Chanson, Pop/Jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. La Complainte De La Butte
[3:31] 2. La Mer
[2:27] 3. Quand Tu Dors Pres De Moi
[3:14] 4. Ne Me Quitte Pas
[4:06] 5. Les Feuilles Mortes
[3:21] 6. Le Déserteur
[3:46] 7. Marie Marie
[3:21] 8. Avec Le Temps
[2:59] 9. Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours
[1:50] 10. Ballade à Sylvie
[3:02] 11. La Chansons De Prévert
[3:49] 12. Une Belle Histoire
[3:01] 13. Non Andare Via
[3:23] 14. Col Tempo

Born in Monfalcone, in early childhood Gino Paoli moved to Genoa, the Italian city with which he became associated and that he called home. Singing in local bands, Paoli was discovered by Dischi Ricordi, which began releasing his singles. Beginning in 1960 the songs that would come to define him -- including "Sassi," of which 300 versions were eventually recorded -- were issued. Despite his success, the '60s were tumultuous years for Paoli, and he took a break from music. He returned in 1971 with Le Due Facce Dell'Amore, and one of his most beloved albums, I Semafori Rossi Non Sono Dio (a tribute to Spanish singer Joan Manuel Serrat), arrived in 1974. Paoli continued releasing nearly an album a year over the ensuing decades. ~ Marisa Brown

Born in Vicenza almost by accident, Danilo Rea is Roman but not of adoption. It is Roman because its music story is born in Rome, among the walls of its home, where the enchantment for the old vinyls of Modugno is stronger, even from the smallest of any fun: the real game is to play piano, true charm is music, the real dream is the melody, the true abandonment is in harmony. And the passion becomes a study at the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia, where he graduates in piano with the highest marks and where he currently teaches in jazz.

Classical, rock and pop studios influence its formation and converge through jazz, its true passion, in an unmistakable and unique style composed of two fundamental ingredients: melody and improvisation.

As soon as he was older he started with the historical Trio of Rome with Enzo Pietropaoli and Roberto Gatto; Parallelly accompanies as pianist the most important Italian songwriters: Mina wants it before Gino Paoli, and both remain faithful in the years to this day. Meanwhile he collaborated with Claudio Baglioni, Pino Daniele, Domenico Modugno, Fiorella Mannoia, Riccardo Cocciante, Renato Zero, Gianni Morandi and Adriano Celentano. (Translated from Italian.)

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Tom Scott, Paulette McWilliams - Telling Stories

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:12
Size: 131.0 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:13] 1. New York on Sunday
[4:14] 2. Trav'lin' Light
[4:34] 3. Tangled in Beethoven
[5:22] 4. You Go to My Head
[4:23] 5. Live the Life I Love
[3:41] 6. Life Is the Fountain
[3:53] 7. Stuck on You
[4:45] 8. Too Hot
[5:30] 9. Don't Be on the Outside
[4:37] 10. Don't Go to Strangers
[4:59] 11. You Facinate Me So
[6:56] 12. Ode to Billy Joe

Vocalist Paulette McWilliams (you've heard her before whether you know it or not) and veteran session pro Tom Scott swing hard on this collection of mostly standards. McWilliams has a killer range and Scott provides the tasteful and unpredictable arrangements while soloing on saxes for most of the tunes. One tune, "Too Hot" seems geared for airplay. A slick production with a sparseness that refreshing. Recommended for fans of serious jazz vocals and Scott's always distinctive playing! ~Mormovies/Amazon

Telling Stories

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The Dave Liebman Big Band - Tomorrow's Expectations

Size: 100,3 MB
Time: 37:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013/2017
Styles: Jazz: Big Band
Art: Front

01. Well, Baby, Too Close To The Savoy (4:38)
02. Tomorrow's Expectations (6:22)
03. G.I.G (5:27)
04. Loudly (6:00)
05. Standoff I (2:03)
06. Standoff II (2:36)
07. Human Laughter (6:55)
08. Moroccan Medley (3:32)

Dave Liebman has been one of the most respected jazz musicians for over 40 years. His early albums with Elvin Jones and Miles Davis in the 70’s set the standard for what modern jazz was to become: intense harmonic, melodic and rhythmic explorations challenging the mind and sweeping with emotion. In his own groups, “Lookout Farm”, “Quest” and various duos, trios and quartets, Liebman explored novel compositional vehicles and near-telepathic group interaction. Always looking for new sonic avenues to explore, Liebman formed his all-star ‘Dave Liebman Big Band’ (DLBB) in 2002 , under the direction of the brilliant saxophonist and composer Gunnar Mossblad. Over the past decade, the DLBB has performed and recorded mostly arrangements of Liebman’s own compositions in this classic jazz genre. It was his openness to new and challenging big band interpretations of his compositions that brought about his encounter with Arnon Palty’s awesome arranging skills, which led to this wonderful album.

Dr. Arnon R. Palty is an award winning composer, arranger, bass player and renowned educator from Haifa, Israel. His distinctive electric bass sound and upright jazz bass playing has been featured on hundreds of stage and recording productions in Israel and the USA, including live performances with Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Benny Golson, Didier Lockwood, Airto Moreira, Zakir Hussain, and others. Arnon also leads his own Big Band and a 10-piece Funk/Fusion group called "Plutonium", and has recorded several projects with them.

As an educator, Arnon’s sharp ear and keen intellect have made him the Harmony, Theory, Arranging and Ear-Training Professor of choice at the Jerusalem Academy of Music as well as Rimon school of Music, Tel Aviv University, and the Hed music school at the Ono Academic College. His acclaimed Ph.D. thesis, “Connecting Points in Jazz Dialects - The Harmonic Metamorphosis” is scheduled to be published soon by Academic Press.

In September 2011, Dave Liebman celebrated his Birthday with a weeklong engagement of the Big Band at the “Birdland” jazz club in New York, and it was there that the band first performed Arnon’s arrangements of two of Liebman's compositions: "Standoff" and “Tomorrow’s Expectations”.

In 2012, Arnon was finally able to secure a generous grant from "EOJM" (European Foundation for Outstanding Jazz Musicians) to arrange, record and produce the DLBB performing the eight fine tunes that make up this extraordinary album.

The album opens with "Well, Baby, Too Close to the Savoy”, a wittily titled original by Arnon Palty, conceptually combining two well-known Jazz standards: "Too Close for Comfort", "Stompin’' at the Savoy", along with citations from Monk’s “Well You Needn’t” and from the famous 1926 song "Baby Face".

It’s Arnon’s tribute to the old ballroom spirit and energy of the swing era bands, and it even includes a short homage to the Grammy award-winning chart of "Sing, Sing, Sing" that Jim McNeely wrote for the DLBB. Fantastic solo by Dave Liebman on soprano saxophone, followed by beautiful solos by Vic Juris on guitar, Gunnar Mossblad on alto saxophone, and Dave Riekenberg on tenor saxophone.

The combination of Liebman’s unique voice on the soprano sax with Arnon’s inspiring arrangements, which showcase the top-notch musicianship of the DLBB players, will surely make this album a classic. ~Dan Adler

Tomorrow's Expectations

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Rondi Charleston - Resilience

Size: 104,8 MB
Time: 44:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Resilience (4:21)
02. Around The Corner (5:26)
03. Joy Spring (4:28)
04. Scrapbook (4:02)
05. Sunny Side Of The Street (3:17)
06. Just A Heartbeat (4:31)
07. Evidence (5:25)
08. I've Got The World On A String (3:48)
09. Refugee (3:58)
10. A Healing Song (5:16)

Rondi Charleston knows the importance of a story well told. This talent, which served her well as an Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer at ABC News, has continued to blossom over the years. Charleston is a jazz vocalist who matches superior musicianship with a unique ability to craft resonant narratives. “I feel that the artist’s job is not only to capture what’s going on in the world around her, but to reflect on what’s going on; to try to make sense out of chaos, so to speak. Hopefully, I can also entertain, inspire, and leave audiences with a feeling of hope for the future,” she insists. “My challenge is to write music and lyrics that do all three.” She has been meeting the challenge since 2009 in a series of impressive releases on the Motema Music label, and reveals new depths as a vocalist, composer and bandleader on Resilience, her newest release.

Along the way, she has collaborated with some of the jazz world’s most highly respected musicians. With pianist Fred Hersch, she co-wrote the song, “The Cave Knows” for the film No Place On Earth, which had worldwide theatrical release with Magnolia Pictures. With pianist Lynne Arriale, she co-wrote “A Song For The Ages” for the 2008 presidential inauguration of Barack Obama which was featured on Entertainment Tonight. She has been featured at the Women In Jazz Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Blue Note, Joe’s Pub, and Lyrics and Lyricists in New York, and around the country at Yoshi’s, Dakota Jazz, Catalina’s, and Mayne Stage in Chicago.

Resilience

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Roby Lakatos & Bireli Lagrene - Tribute To Stephane And Django

Size: 167,4 MB
Time: 72:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz: Gipsy Jazz
Art: Front

01. Djangology ( 5:30)
02. Tears ( 6:14)
03. Nuages ( 8:12)
04. Troublant Bolero ( 6:12)
05. Mr Grappelli ( 6:21)
06. Minor Swing ( 5:33)
07. Mimosa ( 6:30)
08. Nuits De Saint Germain-Des-Pres ( 8:17)
09. Stella By Starlight (10:08)
10. Cherokee ( 9:10)

Personnel: Roby Lakatos: violin; Biréli Lagrène: guitar; Vilmos Csikos: double bass; Renaud Crols: piano; Niek De Bruijn: drums.

The exciting meeting of two living legends of Jazz!

For the first time "The fastest-fingered fiddler in the world" Roby Lakatos is joined by "speed demon" guitar hero Biréli Lagrène for a unique tribute to Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt.

Both musicians performed in their youth with Stephane Grappelli. For this album they surrounded themselves with the superlative big band of the Modern Art Orchestra and by two first rate Jazzmen of the younger generation: thrilling drummer Niek de Bruijn and guitar sensation Andreas Varady.

This is an explosive tribute to Manouche Jazz with standards such as "Djangology", "Nuages", "Stella by Starlight" and "Nuits de Saint-Germain-Des-Près".
Roby Lakatos (1965) was born into the legendary family of gypsy violinists descended from Janos Bihari, “King of Gypsy Violinists”. At age nine he made his public debut as first violin in a gypsy band. His musicianship evolved not only within his own family but also at the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Budapest, where he won the first prize for classical violin in 1984. He has collaborated with Vadim Repin and Stéphane Grappelli, and his playing was greatly admired by Sir Yehudi Menuhin. Roby Lakatos is not only a scorching virtuoso, but a musician of extraordinary stylistic versatility. Equally comfortable performing classical music as he is playing jazz and his own Hungarian folk idiom, Lakatos is the rare musician who defies definition. He is referred to as a gypsy violinist or ‘devil’s fiddler’, a classical virtuoso, a jazz improviser, a composer and arranger, and a 19th-century throwback.

Biréli Lagrène (1966) was born in a traditional Manouche-Romani family and community and started playing the guitar at the age of four. When, at the age of eight, he covered Django Reinhardt’s repertoire, his relatives were already calling him a child prodigy. After having mastered the late great Django Reinhardt's Gypsy swing repertoire, the guitarist tried his hand at fusion jazz and rock. This exceptional and precocious talent took the jazz world by storm with his dazzling speed and phenomenal bursts of improvisation. Lagrène met some of the most distinguished jazz musicians on the international scene, such as Stéphane Grappelli, Benny Goodman, Benny Carter, Larry Coryell, Jaco Pastorius and Al Di Meola. Guitarists like Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Jimi Hendrix were his models. At once dynamic and lyrical, this sparkling musician is without a doubt one of the most prominent musicians of his generation.

Tribute To Stephane And Django  

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Kent Sidvall - Victory For The Cool Jazz

Size: 104,0 MB
Time: 44:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Blues/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Victory For The Cool Jazz (1:10)
02. Autumn Leaves (3:14)
03. Coffee And Cigarette (2:52)
04. My Funny Valentine (4:34)
05. When The Saints Go Marching In (4:35)
06. Our Land (1:55)
07. Little Wing (3:33)
08. My Hat (3:20)
09. Summertime (3:30)
10. Whiskey Drinkin' Woman (2:43)
11. The Blues Took Care Of Me (5:35)
12. When The Saints (Sweet Reprise) (4:43)
13. Kaffe Och En Cigarett (2:50)

People first became familiar with the tragic life story of Kent Sidvall in a documentary series on Swedish national television called "Det är inte så dumt att bli gammal". The documentary has been viewed by the millions in all of the Scandinavian countries so far and is slated for showing International film festivals in the coming months. The film tells the tale of Kents life journey from complete desolation to the rise to stardom. In Kents own words "I lived each day as if it was my last, thinking I would drink myself to death. Through music, I'm back on my feet again with life ambitions." Besides the film, Kent has also written an autobiography which talks about his childhood, his time in religious cults, running errands for the underground, having been dead for 15 minutes etc. Kent has a fascination with jazz and the history that surrounds the whole WWII era.

The album consists largely of songs from this era, carefully adapted to fit Kents deep, haunting voice. The intro, "Victory for the cool jazz" includes a Winston Churchill speech, "My hat" is an original composition with a homage to all the soldiers who came back from the war and were given Stetson hats. "Our Land" is actually the Finnish national anthem, but in a recited version with a "Russian mans choir" in the background, including amongst others familiar faces Nicolai Dunger, Peter Morén (of Peter Bjorn and John) and a few more of the local "indie elite".

Victory For The Cool Jazz

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Sugarpie & The Candymen - Cotton Candy Club

Size: 140,2 MB
Time: 60:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Swing
Art: Front

01. Navigalonda (3:10)
02. Baby No More (3:17)
03. Fire (3:09)
04. Tu Fagli Credere (3:12)
05. Cosi Splendida (3:23)
06. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (3:41)
07. Ovunque Lei Sia (3:27)
08. Inconsapevole (3:34)
09. Lithium (3:16)
10. Red (3:16)
11. Vedi Di Saper Cantar (3:06)
12. Break On Trough (3:03)
13. Rock'n'roll All Nite (3:03)
14. You Give Love A Bad Name (3:00)
15. Attimo (3:43)
16. The Final Countdown (4:10)
17. Naviga L'onda (3:10)
18. A Modo Mio (3:17)

Sugarpie & the Candymen began in 2008, when five musicians from Piacenza and Cremona – small towns in Northern Italy – decided to share their passion for swing, manouche jazz, blues, soul, pop, and vocal close harmonies.

A band was born, with the challenge to marry all these musical styles.

The band is made up of singer Miss Sugarpie, aka Lara Ferrari, and her Candymen: Jacopo Delfini (gipsy guitar and harmonies), Renato Podestà (electric guitar, banjo and harmonies), Roberto Lupo (drums) and Claudio Ottaviano (double bass). From 2008 to early 2016, the lead vocal chair was held by Georgia Ciavatta.

Very soon the band became a full-time commitment, starting an intense tour in hundreds of jazz clubs around Italy and Europe.

This first period allowed Sugarpie and the Candymen to work out both their sound and their repertoire: their musical caleidoscope has the most diverse artists one close to the other, such as Led Zeppelin and Django Reinhardt, The Beatles and Bessie Smith, Van Halen and Benny Goodman, Guns 'n' Roses and Ray Charles, Queen and Peggy Lee and so on.The challenge has been won!

In 2010 the band kept evolving and started writing and performing their original songs, both in Italian and English.They started playing the bigger stages of prestigious festivals all around Europe, and they even did a brief US tour.

In the summer of 2011 Sp&TC played at the Ascona Jazz Festival winning the Audience Award.

Sugarpie and the Candymen have released three albums under the IRMA Records label: the first, eponymous, Sugarpie And The Candymen in 2009, the second one Swing'n'Roll in 2011 and the third Waiting For The One in 2014.

Some of their songs had radio airplay on the major national radio stations in Italy (RadioRai1 and RadioRai2) and Switzerland (RSI1, 2, 3). In December 2011 they performed live at the historic radio program Caterpillar, on RadioRai2.

To further enhance their sound, the band had the opportunity to collaborate both live and in the studio with some brilliant Italian and American musicians, such as Michael Supnick, Dean Zucchero, Paolo Tomelleri, Rudy Migliardi, Gregory Agid, Davide Ghidoni, Gianni Di Benedetto and Mattia Cigalini.

In summer 2014 the band met Renzo Arbore, a very famous Italian TV and radio personality and jazz musician himself, and started a collaboration that gave the band the opportunity to play at the Christmas Concert in the Vatican (aired on the national TV in December 2014), the opening night of the Cremona Jazz Festival (April 2015) and the web/radio program Webnotte during the Umbria Jazz festival in July 2015.

In 2015 tha band played also at the EXPO in Milan for Nutella and other famous italian brands.

In the fall the band played live at two prestigious radio shows, such as Webnotte and Radio2 Social Club, introducing their 4th album Let it swing, a tribute to the great Beatlles in a progressive-swing way.

Cotton Candy Club

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