Erin Bode - Photograph

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:01
Size: 111,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. The Mountain
(3:11)  2. Heart of Mine
(4:31)  3. To Lose
(4:47)  4. Stephanie Moore
(4:08)  5. November
(4:20)  6. The Letter
(4:29)  7. Joseph
(5:27)  8. Photograph
(4:08)  9. Beating on the Door
(4:03) 10. Telescope
(3:45) 11. Wise Man

Vocalist Erin Bode's debut, Don't Take Your Time (MAXJAZZ, 2001), showcased her abilities to coat jazz singing with a user-friendly, pop-oriented patina, but subsequent albums have taken her farther afield from the world of straightforward jazz vocals. Bode showed early promise as a singer/songwriter, with the title track on her debut release, and she's made good on that promise on Over And Over (MAXJAZZ, 2006) and The Little Garden (Native Language, 2008). Both of those albums put strong emphasis on Bode-as-writer, with the latter leaning toward a folk-based sound sporting modern production values, and she continues that trend with Photograph. Her original compositions resemble prior works in some ways, but Bode uses far different instrumental textures to deliver some of this material. Occasional songs, like "Joseph" and the album-closing "Wise Man," sound like they could be carryovers from The Little Garden sessions, but those tracks are the exception, not the rule. The biggest game-changer, in terms of sound, comes in the form of the DX7. Yamaha unveiled this synthesizer in the early '80s, and the sound of this machine came to epitomize the direction of many a pop artist during that era. Multi-instrumentalist Adam Maness Bode's prime collaborator and co-writer on all eleven tracks adds this instrument to his arsenal on three tunes, lending them a retro-'80s pop sheen. Bode fans who have enjoyed soaking in the earthy elements of her prior albums might not take to the slightly sugary "Heart Of Mine" or "Stephanie Moore," but the DX7 doesn't dominate the entire album, and it provides some complementary additions to "Beating On The Door." At other times, Bode strikes a balance between Nanci Griffith and Lisa Loeb ("Wise Man"), and shows Paul Simon-esque compositional savvy on "The Letter," where Adam Maness acts as a sound architect, his marimba and guitar work at the core of the group sound. Bode's voice is an emotionally resonant instrument of beauty on "November," and Maness is a masterful accompanist, cushioning Bode's voice with guitar and a bed of subtle synthesizer sounds. While this album is the least jazz-oriented production of Bode's career, her celestial vocals remain a draw in any genre and she hits quite a few along the way on Photograph. ~ Dan Bilaswsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/photograph-erin-bode-self-produced-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Erin Bode: vocals, whistle; Adam Maness: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, marimba, glockenspiel, DX7, synthesizers, accordion, road case, 750 piece 'Christmas Magic' puzzle, electric piano, phone; Syd Rodway: acoustic bass, banjo, electric bass, whistle, acoustic guitar, background vocals; Mark Colenburg: drums and percussion (1, 11); Jimmy Griffin: electric guitar (2, 4); Derek Phillips: drums and percussion (2-4, 6-9, 10); Seamus Blake: saxophone (4); Chris Hobson: hand claps (9), background vocals (6-7, 11).

Photograph

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Ramsey Lewis - Fantasy

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:01
Size: 92,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. This Ain't No Fantasy
(4:01)  2. Ram Jam
(4:28)  3. It's Gonna Change
(3:43)  4. Les Clefs De Mon Coeur (The Keys To My Heart)
(4:13)  5. Victim Of A Broken Heart
(4:16)  6. Slow Dancin'
(4:58)  7. Never Give Up
(4:34)  8. Part Of Me
(5:29)  9. The Quest

Pianist and composer Ramsey Lewis has been a major figure in contemporary jazz since the late '50s, playing music with a warm, open personality that's allowed him to cross over to the pop and R&B charts. Lewis was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 27, 1935, and was introduced to music by his father, who directed the choir at a local church and enjoyed the music of Duke Ellington and Art Tatum. Lewis began studying the piano when he was four years old, and was soon accompanying the choir at Sunday services. At the age of 15, he joined a jazz combo called the Cleffs, who played at parties and dances. Lewis was interested in a leaner, more bebop-oriented sound, and when the group splintered after several members joined the military, he formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio with two other former Cleffs, bassist Eldee Young and percussionist Redd Holt. The trio became a fixture on the Chicago jazz scene, and they were signed to a deal with Chess Records, releasing their first album, Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Jazz, in 1956.  Lewis and his trio continued to record and tour steadily over the years, building a sizable audience among jazz fans, but their career received a serious boost in 1965, when they recorded a swinging version of Dobie Gray's hit "The In Crowd" at a gig in Washington, D.C. Chess released the track as a single, and it became a sizable pop hit, earning Lewis his first gold record, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance. As Lewis' star rose, he returned to the pop charts in 1966 with versions of "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water." Meanwhile, Young and Holt left Lewis' trio to form their own group, Young-Holt Unlimited, and the pianist hired a new rhythm section, Cleveland Eaton on bass and Maurice White on drums. n 1970, White resigned to form his own group, and Morris Jennings signed on as the trio's new percussionist. Lewis continued to record for Chess until 1972, when he moved to Columbia Records, and as his music developed a more contemporary groove, White's group, Earth, Wind & Fire (also on Columbia), was beginning to enjoy considerable success on the R&B charts. White produced Lewis' 1974 album, Sun Goddess, in which he experimented with electronic keyboards for the first time, and several members of EWF played on the sessions; it became a major crossover hit and took Lewis to the upper ranks of the smooth jazz/fusion scene. Lewis would record R&B-influenced material through the '70s, but continued to explore his roots in more traditional jazz sounds as well as Latin rhythms. In 1983, he went into the studio with Eldee Young and Redd Holt for the album Reunion; in 1984, he collaborated with Nancy Wilson on The Two of Us; in 1988, he recorded with London's Philharmonia Orchestra for the album A Classic Encounter, and in 1989, Lewis and Dr. Billy Taylor cut a set of piano duets, We Meet Again.

In 1992, Lewis signed with the successful jazz label GRP Records, and in 1995, he launched the side project Urban Knights, in which he collaborated with a handful of successful crossover jazz stars, including Grover Washington, Jr., Earl Klugh, and Dave Koz. In 1997, Lewis added disc jockey to his résumé, hosting a popular show on Chicago's WNUA-FM that ran until 2009; the show went into syndication in 2006 under the name Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis, and is still on the air. In 2005, Lewis looked back on his roots in gospel music with the album With One Voice, which earned him the Stellar Gospel Music Award for Best Gospel Instrumental Album. In 2007, he was commissioned to write a jazz ballet for the Joffrey Ballet Company, and "To Know Her..." debuted at Highland Park, Illinois' Ravina Music Festival, where Lewis is artistic director of the festival's jazz series, and helped found their Jazz Mentor Program. Lewis has also written several pieces for string ensemble and orchestra that have premiered at Ravina; highlights were featured on the 2009 album Songs from the Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey, his first release from Concord Records. In addition to his work as a performer, composer, educator, and disc jockey, Lewis has received five honorary doctorate degrees, won the National Endowment for the Arts' Jazz Master Award in 2007, and is one of the few noted jazz artists to carry the Olympic Torch, having briefly escorted the flame as it passed through Chicago en route to the 2002 Winter Games. In 2011, he delivered Taking Another Look, a reworking of his classic 1974 electric jazz-funk album Sun Goddess. The album was reissued in a deluxe package with bonus tracks in 2015. Two years later, Lewis was a featured guest on pianist Alan Storeygard's trio album New Directions. ~ Mark Deming https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ramsey-lewis-mn0000334770/biography

Personnel: Ramsey Lewis (piano, keyboards).       

Fantasy

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Jan Garbarek, Bobo Stenson Quartet - Dansere

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:10
Size: 88,5 MB
Art: Front

(15:02)  1. Dansere
( 4:55)  2. Svevende
( 6:13)  3. Bris
( 1:34)  4. Skrik & Hyl
( 5:38)  5. Lokk (Etter Thorvald Tronsgard)
( 4:46)  6. Til Vennene

Among the many stylistic twists and turns negotiated by Jan Garbarek early in his career, the subtle shift in direction from the previous, spectacular Witchi-Tai-To to Dansere was probably the most decisive. In fact, Dansere, recorded in 1975, was one of the first examples of what would come to be known as the "ECM sound," not so much for the usual crystalline recording quality but for a creeping, languidly pastoral sensibility that would become more and more prominent both in Garbarek's own work as well as in the label's releases in general. Still, that granola and Birkenstock aura is subdued enough in this album to grudgingly recommend it to fans of his earlier work. Bassist Palle Danielsson, while less angular and experimental than Arild Andersen, provides a solid and propulsive foundation for Garbarek and Stenson, the former tending to increasingly rein in his playing as the influence of Albert Ayler, so prominent in his first albums, continued to wane. Instead, one can hear traces of Keith Jarrett, with whom Garbarek had recently been working and, indeed, much of Dansere compares favorably with Jarrett's quartet work from around the same time. Fans of his subsequent work with the Hilliard Ensemble might find this relatively tough sledding while lovers of albums like Tryptikon could well hear excessive smoothness, but it stands up decently enough on its own merits. ~ Brian Olewnick https://www.allmusic.com/album/dansere-mw0000197829

Personnel:  Jan Garbarek – saxophones;  Bobo Stenson – piano;  Palle Danielsson – bass;  Jon Christensen – drums       

Dansere

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Clifford Lamb - Brothers & Sisters

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:34
Size: 58.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:54] 1. Hold The Line
[5:13] 2. Brothers & Sisters
[5:41] 3. What's Going On
[4:48] 4. Red & Blue
[2:43] 5. Fair Weather
[3:13] 6. Kamala's Dance

On Brothers & Sisters, Clifford Lamb builds upon his previous release to further bridge the several streams that flow together in his music: his work as a composer; his flair for arranging music written by others; his abilities as an improvising pianist, working with first-rank collaborators; and his desire to incorporate newer developments into a style and career steeped in the jazz tradition. Add in a concern with matters of fairness and justice, and that’s a lot to pack into 25 minutes. Yet this set feels neither rushed or overstuffed – a testament to the purpose and command at the heart of these songs.

Take the title track, for example. Although inspired by recent events – a political campaign that has exposed the deep divisions in American life – it in fact could have sprung from pretty much any epoch in the history of man. Spanish-born vocalist Laura Vall (of the indie pop band The Controversy) provides the ethereal introduction, aided by Cindy Blackman Santana’s shimmering cymbal work. Then Lamb and the legendary bassist Buster Williams fill out the groove, setting the stage for poet Chaim Dunbar to remind listeners of a message that always needs restating: “Unaware of our family ties,” raps Dunbar, “we become complicit in our own demise.” Adds Lamb: “It reflects the urgency I feel about what’s going on in the world, politically and socioeconomically, along with my feeling about how people should ideally be getting along. We’re all the same, and we should address each other as human beings first.”

Brothers & Sisters is the second of Lamb’s “cameo collections,” short albums of six or seven tracks that present a digital-age version of the vinyl era’s EP (Extended Play) discs. These allow Lamb to follow the lead of hip-hop and pop artists who – unburdened by the directive to complete a full-length album for each release – can intensify the relevance of their music by shrinking the gap between creation and consumption. As with the previous release Bridges, Lamb recorded direct to two-track, with no post-production tweaks to amend what took place in the studio. What you hear is what they played.

Brothers & Sisters

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Barb Gordon - Eight To The Bar

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 32:00

Size: 73.3 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Just One Kiss

[4:29] 2. One Note Samba

[4:46] 3. Misty

[5:13] 4. Popsicle Toes

[4:03] 5. My Favourite Things

[3:30] 6. Lullaby Of Birdland

[4:45] 7. Second Time Around

[2:15] 8. Twisted

Barb Gordon's smoky, deep and lilting sound sets her apart from other vocalists. Known and loved for her energy and obvious love of her craft, she is one of the most exciting and entertaining performers to hit the Toronto jazz scene in years. An old soul with a fresh style, Barb channels a wide range of artists, including Billie Holiday, Betty Carter, Joan Armatrading, Barbra Streisand, Joni Mitchell, and Blossom Dearie in her renditions of beloved standards and lesser-known gems. Her sound and delivery, however, are characterized by Barb's distinctive interpretations and contagious enthusiasm for the music.

Her first album, “Eight to the Bar," received positive reviews and grew Barb's fan base around the world. Her recent release, “For the Record,” was produced by acclaimed Toronto musician/writer/producer Michael Maxwell, and engineered by Jeff Wolpert. Joining Barb is a brilliant rhythm section including the electric Adrean Farrugia on piano, Mark Cashion on bass and Ted Warren on drums; along with an amazing lineup of Canada's finest musicians on the guitars, strings and horns.

Eight To The Bar

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Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - Going Places !!!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:49
Size: 68.3 MB
Styles: AM Pop, Easy Listening
Year: 1965/2016
Art: Front

[2:05] 1. Tijuana Taxi
[2:10] 2. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[2:45] 3. More And More Amor
[2:07] 4. Spanish Flea
[2:27] 5. Mae
[2:33] 6. 3rd Man Theme
[1:46] 7. Walk, Don't Run
[2:45] 8. Felicia
[2:37] 9. And The Angels Sing
[2:16] 10. Cinco De Mayo
[1:48] 11. A Walk In The Black Forest
[4:25] 12. Zorba The Greek

Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass were rolling right down the middle of the American pop scene like a locomotive in 1966 -- and this album captures them at the peak of their exuberance. By now, there really was a live, touring edition of the Tijuana Brass, and there was an easily identifiable TJB sound, with its strummed Latin American guitars, twin trumpet leads, delicate marimba or vibes (played by Julius Wechter of Baja Marimba Band fame in the studio), and strong grooves rooted in Latin American music, jazz, and rock. Alpert's family of sidemen and composers were busy generating their own catchy hits, like Wechter's deadly, infectious "Spanish Flea," and the tragically short-lived Ervan Coleman's wonderfully goofy "Tijuana Taxi." The bossman's trumpet could be joyous, mocking, and melancholy in turns, and his choices of tunes totally unpredictable; who else would dare juxtapose "The 3rd Man Theme," "Walk, Don't Run," "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," and "Zorba the Greek" on one record? No other TJB record has as much unbuttoned fun and humor as this one -- and not surprisingly, it spent six weeks at number one in 1966. ~Richard S. Ginnell

Going Places !!!

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Laurence Hobgood - Left To My Own Devices

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:22
Size: 135.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. It Could Happen To You
[7:01] 2. The Heather On The Hill
[4:09] 3. Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me
[2:40] 4. Panonica
[7:35] 5. The Waltz
[5:07] 6. Say It (Over And Over Again)
[4:53] 7. Goin' Back To Joes
[4:01] 8. The Vocal Tune
[5:41] 9. Witchcraft
[3:59] 10. Cycle
[4:29] 11. The Masquerade Is Over
[4:21] 12. The Inconstant Lover
[2:46] 13. Lovesick Blues

For Laurence Hobgood's debut recording as a leader, he has chosen the solo piano format. It's a challenge for the most skilled of performers, but for the clearly brilliant Hobgood, it all seems as pure and natural as the driven snow of his native Chicago. Ideas easily tumble forth, rearrangements of standards sound renewed and revived, while the original material he plays is infused with a playful intensity and in many instances classical quality. His regular running mate vocalist Kurt Elling appears on four selections as crooner, wise man or surreal romantic soothsayer. Meanwhile it is Hobgood, as impressive a player as there is anywhere, who commands total attention. "It Could Happen to You" is usually played introspectively, but Hobgood infuses it with a buzzing, hyperactive, and minimalist deconstruction, astounding on all levels. Brittle phrases stopped and started, then furiously improvised, is the hallmark for Thelonious Monk's "Panonica," and he does fellow Chicagoan Ed Peterson's "The Vocal Tune" (it's an instrumental) with a kinetic bounce and truly amazing technique. Not completely bent on pyrotechnics, the pianist uses a lean, horse loping bluesy pace for "Do Nothing 'Til You Hear from Me," employs tiny and tender arpeggiated stair step chords for Lerner & Lowe's "The Heather on the Hill," is patient and pristine during "Say It" (Over & Over Again), is reverent and hymnal on "The Inconstant Lover," goes baroque on the David Onderdonk waltz "Cycle," and is spooky and dark for "Witchcraft." The songs with Elling range from a pensive "The Waltz," the classic barroom theme "Goin' Back to Joe's," two-chord song of finality "The Masquerade Is Over," and the straight boogie "Lovesick Blues" with Elling's purposefully strained and campy whine. A solid, complete, and whole project fully realized and executed, it's great to hear Hobgood with and without his bossman Elling, and more so an auspicious debut that should be sought by all fans of contemporary jazz piano. ~Michael G. Nastos

Left To My Own Devices

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Roy Eldridge, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie - Jazz Maturity

Styles: Trumpet And Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:31
Size: 113,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:03)  1. Quasi-Boogaloo
( 8:08)  2. Take The A Train
( 7:56)  3. I Cried For You (Now It's Your Turn To Cry Over Me)
(11:21)  4. Drebirks
( 6:20)  5. When It's Happy Time Down South
( 6:41)  6. Indiana

Teaming together Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge should result in some classic music, but by 1975, Eldridge (although still a fierce competitor) was past his prime and Gillespie was starting to fade. The material performed for this CD reissue is just not all that inspiring a few overly played standards and blues. Despite some good efforts by Gillespie and Eldridge, pianist Oscar Peterson easily emerges as the most impressive soloist; better to acquire the magnificent collaborations of the 1950s instead. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-maturitywhere-its-coming-from-mw0000651159

Personnel: Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet); Oscar Peterson (piano); Ray Brown (bass); Mickey Roker (drums)               

Jazz Maturity

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Clare Teal - The Road Less Travelled

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:19
Size: 127,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Dream
(3:31)  2. So Blue
(3:36)  3. The Road Less Travelled
(3:35)  4. Blue Skies
(4:03)  5. Something I Dreamed Last Night
(4:07)  6. Miss Otis Regrets
(4:09)  7. Out Of Nowhere
(4:00)  8. Velvet Moon
(3:22)  9. This Time The Dream's On Me
(3:21) 10. Change Partners
(3:42) 11. What A Diff'rence A Day Makes
(4:39) 12. Madrugada
(3:46) 13. Teach Me Tonight
(3:04) 14. I'm Beginning To See The Light

Except for the duet with Jamie Cullum on the title track and the delicately yodelled country ballad So Blue, these are mostly American Songbook standards in 14 selections for British singer Clare Teal's third album. Though the opening of the duet makes Cullum sound as if he is wrestling for a lower register he doesn't have, the song becomes exhilarating, and confirms the velvety softness and triumphant power that makes Teal a little different from all the other low-volume singers that frequent this neck of the jazz woods. This album has a lot of bounce for a retro set, aided by a lively band playing Martin Litton's bright and propulsive arrangements. Teal is an inventive scat singer; her handling of slow material has a smoky sensuality coupled with a full, luxurious sound that never loses its richness. The arrangements offset the familiarity of the material, and the singer even casts a fresh eye over jazz samba with her restrained account of Mandrugada. A bit too much like dinner jazz for some, but made with skilful devotion. 

~ John Fordham https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/oct/31/jazz.shopping

The Road Less Travelled

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Etypejazz - Under The Influence

Styles: Vocal, Big Band
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:17
Size: 120,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Do you want to know a secret
(5:32)  2. I've Got You Under My Skin
(2:30)  3. Wives + Lovers
(2:30)  4. Agua de Beber
(5:55)  5. Play Me
(3:33)  6. Shout to The Top
(3:23)  7. How Deep Is Your Love
(3:50)  8. Fragile
(4:33)  9. Let's Stay together
(2:33) 10. You Are The Sunshine of My Life
(4:41) 11. No Aphrodisiac
(5:07) 12. Blue Eyes
(2:58) 13. Copacabana
(1:37) 14. S'Wonderful

Australian Live Music Awards winners - Etype, is one of Australia's hottest commercial, contemporary bands, performing smooth Jazz, Blues and Swingin' Soul. Imagine a late night dinner party jam session with James Brown, Joss Stone, The Brand New Heavies, Dionne Warwick and Michael Buble. Etype perform a mix of original and uniquely arranged songs. The band has performed frontline for international greats, such as Harry Connick Jr, Sir Cliff Richards, George Benson and Rod Stewart. Shows vary from intimate audiences of 50 people up to over 800 audience. Festival and support performances have seen the band perform for audiences of up to 35,000 people in Australia, and up to 1600 people in the United States Under the Influence buy CD music. "Every so often some new talents emerge, destined to do great things Under the Influence CD music. Such is the case with Etype Under the Influence album for sale. 

They have a healthy instinct to provide the right kind of musical material to the audiences, that is key to their success Under the Influence songs. I wholeheartedly support them and wish them a well-deserved bright and successful future.".  https://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7755211

Under The Influence

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Joachim Kühn - Free Ibiza

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:54
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Figuertas
(4:06)  2. Mar Y Sal Nights
(2:11)  3. Casa Nuestro
(3:25)  4. Flamingos At Cap Des Falco
(3:58)  5. Can Masia
(2:46)  6. Free Ibiza Afternoon
(3:25)  7. Es Cavallet
(4:30)  8. August In Ibiza
(2:44)  9. Talamanca
(2:42) 10. Free Ibiza Night
(4:26) 11. Clean Vision
(6:30) 12. Benirras
(3:38) 13. Free Ibiza Early Morning
(3:58) 14. Salinas Waves
(2:33) 15. Eirissa
(3:37) 16. Moment Of Happiness

Like the spectacular bouffant hairstyle he s sported since the 1970s, pianist Joachim Kuhn s music is at home in two, generally discrete traditions: intellectually rigorous, harmonically complex, longhair conservatoire music and a less cerebral strand of world jazz driven by vamps and grooves. ~ All Music Guide  https://www.amazon.com/Free-Ibiza-Joachim-Kuhn/dp/B005IQXTRC

Personnel: Joachim Kühn (piano).            

Free Ibiza

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Brian Charette - Backup

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:16
Size: 153,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:49)  1. Tadd's Delight
(7:43)  2. Chelsea Bridge
(7:24)  3. A Shade Of Jade
(5:49)  4. Backup
(5:55)  5. The Blessing
(5:47)  6. Dance Of The Infidels
(6:43)  7. Spring Is Here
(6:25)  8. Daahoud
(5:23)  9. These Are Soulful Days
(9:14) 10. Ritha

Brian Charette's a contemporary organist who's always out to set himself apart from most of the rest not by forcing any sort of experimental modes on the Hammond, or by trying to race up and down the keys but just by relaxing into a tune, and really finding a way to deliver a performance that's clear and crisp, yet undeniably soulful! Whereas other younger Hammondists might be driven to work in the territory of the Jimmys McGriff and Smith or Jack McDuff Charette's almost got more of the understated quality of Shirley Scott, especially on a trio date like this. Brian keeps his tone nicely in check always playing with these round, fully-formed notes even on material by artists like Larry Young or Joe Henderson and he's balanced out here by the piano of Henry Hay and drums of Jochen Rueckert, in a way that uses the piano to almost underscore and echo the lines of the organ. Titles include "The Blessing", "Backup", "A Shade Of Jade", "Tadd's Delight", "These Are Soulful Days", and "Dahoud".  © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/859854/Brian-Charette:Back-Up

Personnel:  Brian Charette - Hammond organ; Henry Hey - piano;  Jochen Rueckert drums

Backup

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Budd Johnson - Ya! Ya!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:14
Size: 96.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[9:57] 1. Ya! Ya!
[7:30] 2. In A Mellowtone
[4:36] 3. The Best Things In Life Are Free
[5:16] 4. Body And Soul
[3:10] 5. B&B Blues
[4:02] 6. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[7:41] 7. I'll Be Seing You

Mighty tenor from the great Budd Johnson – an album titled with a similar name to one of his Chess Records sessions – but done in a very different vibe! This set has an easygoing swing to it – that timeless approach that made the Black & Blue label material feel classic, even at the time of its release – and which has only made the label's productions sound better and better over the years! Budd's got lots of room to stretch out and blow in his solos – as does Charlie Shavers on trumpet, and Andre Persiany on piano – working here in a quintet with Roland Lobliegois on bass and Oliver Jackson on drums. The set's worth it alone for the ten minute title track "Ya Ya" – and other titles include "Body & Soul", "I'll Be Seeing You", "The Best Things In Life Are Free", and "In A Mellowtone". CD features unissued bonus tracks "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" and "B&B Blues"

Ya! Ya!

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Blue Ensemble - In A Sentimental Mood

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:38
Size: 86.2 MB
Styles: Dixieland
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. In A Sentimental Mood
[5:35] 2. All Blues
[4:36] 3. Footprints
[3:24] 4. Stella By Starlight
[3:38] 5. So What
[3:53] 6. Blue Bossa
[4:14] 7. Autumn Leaves
[3:49] 8. Just Friends
[3:51] 9. Bluesette

In A Sentimental Mood

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Lenore Raphael - A Beautiful Friendship

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:17
Size: 147.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:48] 1. A Beautiful Friendship
[9:12] 2. I Love You
[8:21] 3. Alone Together
[5:42] 4. Like Someone In Love
[5:54] 5. We'll Be Together Again
[7:44] 6. Stella By Starlight
[6:47] 7. Darn That Dream
[6:43] 8. Jordu
[8:02] 9. Let It Go

Lenore Raphael: piano; Hilliard Greene: bass; Rudy Lawless: drums.

A Beautiful Friendship is a wonderful, swinging mainstream/bebop piano trio album. Pianist Lenore Raphael has the ability to create new tunes out of timeless standards and make them fresh and her own. The album title reflects the relationship between the musicians. The interplay between the piano, bass and drums tells us that these are three people who have worked together often and enjoy the ride. Ballads are pure emotion; up tempo tunes are swinging and full of joy.

A Beautiful Friendship

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Claudio Roditi - Impressions

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:26
Size: 158.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:29] 1. Moment's Notice
[6:41] 2. Naima
[6:26] 3. Impressions
[7:15] 4. Bye Bye Blackbird
[7:53] 5. The Monster And The Flower
[6:47] 6. Bossa Do Brooklyn
[9:36] 7. Speak Low
[6:57] 8. A Ra
[4:10] 9. Giant Steps
[7:06] 10. Come Rain Or Come Shine

Claudio Roditi's 2006 return trip to his native Brazil prompted this recording session, which draws extensively from John Coltrane's repertoire and adds a few originals. Joined by saxophonist Idriss Boudrioua (who doubles on alto and soprano), pianist Dario Galante, bassist Sergio Barroso, and drummer Pascoal Mereilles, Roditi sticks to trumpet for the entire date. Opening with three straight Coltrane compositions is a challenge that's successfully met by the quintet. "Moment's Notice" and "Impressions" add a lively samba groove underneath the horns, while Boudrioua switches to soprano for the shimmering take of the timeless ballad "Naima." Roditi adds a mute for a lighthearted take of "Bye Bye Blackbird," propelled by a soft samba rhythm and Boudrioua's subdued alto. The trumpeter's originals include the playful bossa nova "The Monster and the Flower" and the sauntering "Bossa do Brooklyn," which sounds as if it were inspired by girl-watching on clear spring day. "Giant Steps," the final Coltrane composition played on the session, is taken at a relaxed tempo. There's never a dull moment during this enjoyable meeting. ~Ken Dryden

Impressions

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Maxine Sullivan - Swing Street: Original 1931-1939 Recordings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:51
Size: 150.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Loch Lomond
[2:21] 2. I'm Coming Virginia
[2:37] 3. Annie Laurie
[2:58] 4. Betsy Blue Skies
[2:42] 5. Mighty Like The Blues
[2:36] 6. Woo-Woo
[2:56] 7. Hot String Bean
[2:49] 8. Jim Jam Stomp
[3:18] 9. I'm Crazy 'bout My Baby
[3:17] 10. Dragging My Heart Around
[2:32] 11. The Joint Is Jumpin'
[2:23] 12. Off Time
[2:36] 13. Choo-Choo
[2:48] 14. The Wail Of The Scromph
[2:42] 15. Swing Boy Swing
[2:13] 16. Poor Robinson Crusoe
[3:09] 17. Call Of The Delta
[2:47] 18. Shanghai Shuffle
[2:56] 19. Harlem Boogie
[2:31] 20. After Tonight
[2:30] 21. Don't Wake Up My Heart
[2:54] 22. Where In The World
[2:41] 23. In Any Language
[2:33] 24. Rosie The Redskin

Maxine Sullivan (vocals), John Kirby (double bass), Frank Newton (trumpet), Buster Bailey (clarinet), Claude Thornhill (piano), O'Neill Spencer (drums), Pete Brown (alto saxophone), Babe Russin (tenor saxophone), Lou Hurst (vocals), Joe Marsala (clarinet), Jack LeMaire (vocals), Ray Biondi (violin), Fats Waller (piano), Myra Johnson (vocals), Honey Bear Sedric (clarinet), Dick Porter (vocals), Jimmy C. Johnson (trombone), Midge Williams (vocals), Honey Bear Sedric (vocals) Joe Marsala Chicagoans, Sedric and his Honey Bears, Dick Porter Orchestra, Seven Chocolate Dandies, Jimmy Johnson Orchestra, Midge Williams Jazz Jesters.

Maxine Sullivan, born Marietta Williams in Homestead, Pennsylvania, was an American jazz vocalist and performer. As a vocalist, Maxine Sullivan was active for half a century, from the mid-1930s to just before her death in 1987. She is best known for her 1937 recording of a swing version of the Scottish folk song "Loch Lomond". Throughout her career, Sullivan also appeared as a performer on film as well as on stage. A precursor to better-known later vocalists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan, Maxine Sullivan is considered one of the best jazz vocalists of the 1930s.

Swing Street: Original 1931-1939 Recordings

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Katie Melua - Ketevan

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 102,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Never Felt Less Like Dancing
(5:03)  2. Sailing Ships From Heaven
(3:02)  3. Love Is A Silent Thief
(2:59)  4. Shiver Ans Shake
(3:35)  5. The Love I'm Frightened Of
(3:38)  6. Where Does The Ocean Go?
(3:35)  7. Idiot School
(3:23)  8. Mad, Mad Men
(3:43)  9. Chase Me
(2:48) 10. I Never Fall
(4:18) 11. I Will Be There

Having reunited with her longtime mentor, former Wombles singer/songwriter Mike Batt, for her 2012 symphonic album, Secret Symphony, vocalist Katie Melua continues in an orchestral vein with her sixth studio album, 2013's Ketevan. Much like its predecessor, Ketevan is a languid, often cinematic-sounding album that builds upon Melua's talents as an interpreter of other people's material as well as her own songs. Having taken a creative detour to work with electronic producer William Orbit for 2010's The House, Melua once again returns to her roots as Batt's protégée. Raised in the Eastern European state of Georgia, Melua moved with her family to England when she was eight. Batt discovered the then 19-year-old Melua while she was attending the Brit School of Performing Arts in 2003. Subsequently, they have worked together on most of her albums. Taking its title from Melua's Georgian birth name, Ketevan features songs and arrangements from Batt, as well as contributions from his son Luke Batt. Melua also earns a handful of co-writing credits herself, as on the sinewy "Love Is a Silent Thief" and the '60s-influenced torch song "Chase Me," both of which beautifully showcase her crystalline technique and softly soulful style. As with other Melua/Batt productions, Ketevan also serves as a vehicle for Batt to flex his melodic skills as a songwriter and arranger. A veteran of '70s bubblegum pop, Batt has also experimented with rock opera and adult contemporary music, all of which he brings to bear on his work with Melua. Here, he frames Melua's voice in grand, sweepingly romantic arrangements on songs like "Sailing Ships from Heaven" and "I Will Be There," which sound something like Kate Bush singing Scott Walker compositions. Similarly, the Melua/Mike Batt/Luke Batt-composed "Where Does the Ocean Go?" is an ambitious folk-inflected epic inspired by poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Fluid and utterly gorgeous, Ketevan is a unique and delicate vessel. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/ketevan-mw0002558370

Personnel:  Katie Melua – vocals;  Tim Harries – bass;  Mike Batt – piano, accordion, harmonium, backing vocals;  Dan Hawkins – bass;  Luke Batt – guitar, piano, drums, percussion;  Joe Yoshida – drums;  Henry Spinetti – drums, percussion

Ketevan

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Ramsey Lewis - Funky Serenity

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:02
Size: 111,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Kufanya Mapenzi (Making Love)
(5:22)  2. If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Want to Be Right
(2:40)  3. What It Is!
(5:12)  4. My Love for You
(5:35)  5. Nights in White Satin
(4:09)  6. Serene Funk
(9:36)  7. Dreams
(5:08)  8. Betcha by Golly Wow!
(4:58)  9. Where Is the Love

Cleveland Eaton, Ed Greene, and Morris Jennings accompany Ramsey Lewis on this commercial-flavored 1973 release. While jazz/pop/soul versions of "Where Is the Love" and "If Loving You Is Wrong" come off limp, spacy renditions of "Nights in White Satin"; Eaton, Jennings, and Lewis' two compositions, "Serene Funk" and "Dreams"; and a beautiful interpretation of Thom Bell and Linda Creed's "Betcha by Golly Wow" make this an enjoyable and essential reissue. Originally issued on Columbia Records (1973). 

~ Andrew Hamilton https://www.allmusic.com/album/funky-serenity-mw0000010670  

Personnel: Ramsey Lewis (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Wurlitzer piano, electric harpsichord); Ed Green (electric violin, percussion); Cleveland Eaton (bass, percussion); Morris Jennings (drums, conga, percussion).   

Funky Serenity

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George Cables - In Good Company

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:28
Size: 150,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:39)  1. After The Morning
(5:04)  2. Mr. Anonymouse
(6:52)  3. Naima's Love Song
(4:36)  4. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(8:17)  5. Lotus Blossom
(6:29)  6. Love You Madly
(6:24)  7. EVC
(8:13)  8. Lush Life
(5:57)  9. Voyage
(1:54) 10. Day Dream

George Cables’ title refers first to the pianist-composers he covers-John Hicks, Kenny Barron, Ellington and Strayhorn-and second to his trio with bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Victor Lewis. The album’s a cheery swinger, an exemplar of mainstream piano jazz. In short, the kind of record Cables always makes. But it’s his accompanists, and Victor Lewis in particular, that earn the titular salute. Essiet records semi-regularly with Cables, and evinces an ability to disappear inside the pianist’s rich left-hand chords and the architecture and tenderness of his touch, as on Hicks’ “After the Morning” and Ellington’s “Love You Madly.” But Lewis has been with Cables for 15 years, and the album’s second track, Cables’ “Mr. Anonymouse,” plainly shows why. A bass ostinato bears down as Cables barrels over it with speedy single-note lines; underneath, Lewis lays out a cymbal-and-kick locomotion that’s preternaturally steady. If the pianist is a runaway train, the drummer lays down tracks for it in real time. Lewis’ fingerprints are everywhere on In Good Company. His frequent accents shape Cables’ “EVC” almost singlehandedly, and the upshot of rendering Strayhorn’s poignant “Lotus Blossom” midtempo is to establish the ride cymbal as a playful foundation for Cables’ improvisation. (It also gives Essiet a chance to shoot the breeze.) Lewis gets his own snappy solos on “It Don’t Mean a Thing” and Kenny Barron’s “Voyage,” and space for his brushwork on “Lush Life” and “Day Dream.” The pianist shouldn’t get short shrift; his lithe but thoughtful fingerings uplift every corner of In Good Company, and provide occasional surprises like the Monk-esque glissandi on “Lotus Blossom” and subtle syncopation breakdowns on “Naima’s Love Song.” Lewis simply shows himself to be Cables’ equal-surely the best of company. ~ Michael J.West https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/george-cables-in-good-company/

Personnel: George Cables (piano); Victor Lewis (drums).

In Good Company

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