Dr. Lonnie Smith, Alvin Queen - Lenox & Seventh

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:23
Size: 117.6 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[6:18] 1. L.S. Blues
[5:50] 2. Slightly Monkish
[7:57] 3. Who Can I Turn To
[5:59] 4. Billie's Bounce
[9:07] 5. There Is No Greater Love
[4:55] 6. Minor Chant
[4:25] 7. Oleo
[6:48] 8. Chopsticks

LONNIE SMITH : organ; MELVIN SPARKS: guitar; ALVIN QUEEN : drums. Recorded at the Sysmo Studio, Paris ; May 28, 1985.

Dr. Lonnie Smith was born in Lackawanna, New York, into a family with a vocal group and radio program. Smith says that his mother was a major influence on him musically, as she introduced him to gospel, classical, and jazz music. He was part of several vocal ensembles in the 1950s, including the Teen Kings which included Grover Washington Jr. on sax and his brother Daryl on drums. Art Kubera, the owner of a local music store, gave Smith his first organ, a Hammond B3.

Lenox & Seventh

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Ana Caram - The Other Side Of Jobim

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:57
Size: 116.6 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Brazilian jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[4:43] 1. Esperanca Perdida
[4:00] 2. Olha Maria
[6:27] 3. Demais
[5:47] 4. Ana Luiza
[4:46] 5. Correnteza
[3:40] 6. Sem Voce
[3:17] 7. Falando De Amor
[3:36] 8. Samba Torto
[5:05] 9. Eu Te Amo
[5:28] 10. Caminhos Cruzados
[4:05] 11. Eu Nao Existo Sem Voce

Exalted as "The George Gershwin of Brazil," Antonio Carlos Jobim was an incredibly prolific composer who wrote many songs that became standards in Brazilian and jazz circles. But in fact, Jobim also composed many great songs that aren't standards, and on this absorbing CD, Ana Caram insightfully spotlights some of the Jobim pearls that aren't nearly as well known as "The Girl From Ipanema," "Triste" or "Corcovado." Indeed, The Other Side of Jobim underscores the fact that for every "Desafinado" or "One Note Samba" he wrote, there was a lesser-known treasure like "Ana Luiza," "Olha Maria" or "Esperanca Perdida." Even those with an extensive knowledge of Brazilian music may not be familiar with "Correnteza" or "Demais," but as Caram obviously realizes, they certainly deserve to be. ~Alex Henderson

The Other Side Of Jobim

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Renato Sellani, Danilo Rea - Amapola

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:55
Size: 100.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:04] 1. My Foolish Heart
[5:29] 2. My Funny Valentine
[4:40] 3. Mi Sono Innamorato Di Te
[4:12] 4. Volare
[4:02] 5. Quando
[5:58] 6. Once Upon A Summertime
[4:32] 7. Afternoon In Paris
[3:21] 8. Amapola
[3:05] 9. Wave
[3:28] 10. You Never Told Me

Renato Sellani - piano, Danilo Rea - piano. Recorded at The House Recording Studio in Rome on January 2 & 3, 2008.

Amapola

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Bob Reynolds - Hindsight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 92.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:35] 1. Ready, Set
[7:07] 2. Step Aside
[7:52] 3. When It's Over
[5:24] 4. Swedish Blues
[4:15] 5. Fight Or Flight
[7:03] 6. Silver Lining
[5:06] 7. Late In The Game

I’m excited to release my latest album, Hindsight. It features 3 of my favorite musicians—Aaron Goldberg (piano), Reuben Rogers (bass), and Obed Calvaire (drums)—on 7 original songs.

Bob Reynolds is an impressive tenor-saxophonist with an original tone who has gained fame for his work with Snarky Puppy and John Mayer. Hindsight is his seventh CD as a leader and his first studio album leading a classic jazz quartet.

Reynolds was born in Morristown, New Jersey and spent much of his childhood growing up in Jacksonville, Florida. While he was originally interested in film music and becoming a director, once he started playing the alto sax in junior high school (three years later switching to tenor), he became devoted to becoming a musician. Reynolds gained experience playing with much older musicians in the Beaches Preservation Swing Band, worked locally, and earned a degree from Berklee where he had influential lessons from Hal Crook and George Garzone. After moving to New York he performed in a wide variety of styles with many groups including five years with singer-songwriter Jonah Smith and six on which he toured the world with John Mayer. Bob Reynolds, who moved to Los Angeles in 2008, has in recent years been playing, touring and recording with Snarky Puppy; he is featured on We Like It Here.

“My agenda for the CD,” says the saxophonist, “was to use a traditional tenor-piano-acoustic bass-drums quartet and create some unexpected colors and sounds. I sought to create the illusion that this is a larger band than it actually is, as if there were (sometimes) a vocalist and a soloist.” The music on Hindsight was recorded a few years ago. “We recorded too much material,” he admits, “and these performances were put aside until I recently rediscovered them and immediately knew they had to be released.”

Hindsight

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Bridget Maynes - In The Key Of Swing 2

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:51
Size: 123.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Swing
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. You Hit The Spot
[3:29] 2. This Can't Be Love
[3:29] 3. I'll Remember April
[4:52] 4. If I Had You
[2:53] 5. Baby, What Do You Have In Mind
[4:49] 6. A Nightengale Sang In Berkeley Square
[2:37] 7. When You're Smiling
[5:24] 8. Dreamer
[4:39] 9. Popsicle Toes
[3:35] 10. Just Friends
[4:00] 11. Guess Who I Saw Today
[3:27] 12. I Love Being Here With You
[4:10] 13. Baby, Baby All The Time
[3:17] 14. Come Back To Me

"As an independent female vocalist born in Phoenix Arizona and raised in Glendale, I studied piano and keyboards with my brother Glendale's Pianist Robin Maynes. Fortune allowed me to meet many wonderful local artists from the local music scene and beyond including “the Aug” Auggie Mendoza. As a singer and song stylist, our CDs: IN THE KEY OF SWING 1 & 2 (Big-Band Style Jazz) were pure pleasure to create and produce.

In The Key Of Swing 2

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Oliver Jones Trio - Cookin' At Sweet Basil

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:32
Size: 131.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1988/2016
Art: Front

[6:36] 1. Snuggles
[7:03] 2. The Sweetness Of You
[6:28] 3. Looking For Lou
[5:32] 4. Bossa For C.C.
[7:20] 5. If I Were A Bell
[7:29] 6. My Funny Valentine
[8:36] 7. Stay Young
[8:24] 8. Jitterbug Waltz

Veteran Canadian pianist Oliver Jones, who was finally becoming famous in the U.S. in 1987, is heard on this live set in N.Y.C. playing with bassist Dave Young and drummer Terry Clarke. Jones performs five of his diverse but consistently swinging originals, including "Snuggles" plus "If I Were a Bell" and "My Funny Valentine." An excellent example of the impressive pianist's playing talents. ~Scott Yanow

Cookin' At Sweet Basil

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Junior Mance Trio - At The Village Vanguard

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:27
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Looptown
(4:50)  2. Letter From Home
(4:01)  3. Girl Of My Dreams
(6:20)  4. 63rd Street Theme
(6:39)  5. Smokey Blues
(5:13)  6. 9h20 Special
(4:44)  7. Bingo Domingo
(5:29)  8. You Are Too Beautiful

Pianist Junior Mance has long been typecast as a soulful blues player so, as if to confuse listeners, he starts off this live set with an uptempo "Looptown" on which he displays technique worthy of Oscar Peterson. Mance's many fans have no reason to despair though for, in addition to a boppish rendition of "Girl of My Dreams," the pianist does perform a generous amount of blues and soulful pieces. Bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley also help out . ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-village-vanguard-mw0000652735

Personnel: Junior Mance (piano); Larry Gales (bass); Ben Riley (drums)               

At The Village Vanguard

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Della Reese - Moody

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1965
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 39:13
Size: 72,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. The Good Life
(3:36)  2. Then You'll Know
(2:54)  3. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(2:35)  4. The End Of A Love Affair
(2:45)  5. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
(4:22)  6. All By Myself
(3:22)  7. More Than This I Cannot Give
(2:55)  8. My Silent Love
(2:57)  9. I Should Care
(4:48) 10. Little Girl Blue
(2:35) 11. Can't We Talk It Over
(3:04) 12. Have A Good Time

Renowned as both a television star and a top-flight interpreter of jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, and straight-ahead pop music, Della Reese's many talents have ensured a long, varied, and legendary show biz career. In addition to being nominated for both an Emmy and a Grammy and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Reese is also an ordained minister in the Universal Foundation for Better Living, an association of churches she helped found in the early '80s.  Born Deloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, the young Reese began singing in the Baptist church choir in her hometown of Detroit at age six. In 1945, having developed quite rapidly, she caught the ear of legendary gospel queen Mahalia Jackson, who invited Reese to join her touring choir; Reese did so for the next five summers. Upon entering Wayne State University to study psychology, Reese formed a women's gospel group, the Meditation Singers, but her college career was cut short by the death of her mother and her father's serious illness. Reese worked odd jobs to help support the rest of her family; she also continued to perform with the Meditation Singers and various other gospel groups. Encouraged by her pastor, Reese began singing in night clubs in hopes of getting a singing career off the ground; recently married to a factory worker named Vermont Adolphus Bon Taliaferro, her name was too long to fit on marquees, and she eventually arrived at her performing alias by splitting up her first name. After impressing a New York agent, who promptly signed her, Reese moved to New York and joined the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra in 1953. A year later, she had a recording contract with Jubilee, for whom she scored hits like "And That Reminds Me," a 1957 million-seller.

Switching to RCA Victor, Reese landed her biggest hit in 1959 with "Don't You Know," a song adapted from Puccini's La Bohème; this cemented her career, leading not only to plentiful appearances on variety shows, but successful nightclub tours of the country and eventually nine years of performances in Las Vegas, as well as recording contracts with a variety of labels over the next few decades. Building on her previous variety show experience, Reese made a small bit of television history in 1969 when she became the first woman to guest-host The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Later that year, she became the first black woman to host her own variety show, the syndicated Della, which ran until 1970. Following its cancellation, Reese returned to her night club tours, often putting in guest appearances on television shows like The Mod Squad, Sanford and Son, and Chico and the Man; after three prior failed marriages, Reese also found a lasting relationship with producer Franklin Lett, whom she married in 1978. On October 3, 1980, while taping a song for The Tonight Show, Reese suffered a brain aneurysm which nearly proved fatal; however, thanks to a successful operation, she was able to make a full recovery. She kept up her singing career and appeared on television shows like Designing Women, L.A. Law, and Picket Fences, as well as the Eddie Murphy films Harlem Nights and The Distinguished Gentleman. Most recently, Reese starred in the Redd Foxx sitcom The Royal Family from 1991-1992, and in the inspirational drama series Touched by an Angel. ~ Steve Huey https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/moody/id952371210

Moody

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Clyde McPhatter - Deep Sea Ball: The Best Of Clyde McPhatter

Styles: Vocal, R&B, Soul
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:11
Size: 106,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:15)  1. I Can't Stand Up Alone
(2:30)  2. Seven Days
(2:11)  3. Treasure Of Love
(2:16)  4. Rock And Cry
(2:32)  5. I'm Lonely Tonight
(2:58)  6. Without Love (There Is Nothing)
(2:21)  7. Deep Sea Ball
(2:23)  8. Just To Hold My Hand
(2:42)  9. My Island Of Dreams
(2:06) 10. No Matter What
(1:45) 11. Come What May
(2:34) 12. Lovey Dovey
(2:41) 13. I'm Not Worthy Of You
(2:36) 14. A Lover's Question
(2:10) 15. Thirty Days
(2:29) 16. You Went Back On Your Word Little Girl
(2:44) 17. No Love Like Her Love
(2:25) 18. Long Lonely Nights
(2:25) 19. Since You've Been Gone

This is about as perfect a summary of Clyde McPhatter's solo years with Atlantic as there is to buy, in the absence of a box of his complete output for the label or a Sequel Records reissue of his Atlantic LPs. Those who are most familiar with McPhatter's singing from his days with the Drifters will be pleased by all 19 songs here, which represent a more mature voice and embody musical ambitions that carried McPhatter toward the same kind of expansive, pop-oriented R&B that Sam Cooke also started working toward (and would hit bigger with) a couple of years later. He could still rock out, as on the title track, but he also had a sense of the dramatic in his singing and used it to powerful effect on songs like "Without Love." "Treasure of Love" and "A Lover's Question" may be McPhatter's best remembered solo hits, but even the non-chart sides here, like "I Can't Stand Up Alone" (which harks back to McPhatter's roots as a gospel singer) and the big-band R&B of "I'm Lonely Tonight," are gorgeous pieces of music that demand to be heard. The only drawback is that the material isn't in chronological order, which wouldn't be a problem at all if the recording dates had been listed next to the tracks in the notes. But it sounds fine and the music is so compelling that it holds up regardless of the programming decisions. ~ Bruce Eder https://www.allmusic.com/album/deep-sea-ball-the-best-of-clyde-mcphatter-mw0000675213                 

Deep Sea Ball: The Best Of Clyde McPhatter

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Jo Jones - Our Man, Papa Jo!

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop, Swing
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:03
Size: 151,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:43)  1. Take the 'A' Train
(5:41)  2. My Last Affair
(7:09)  3. Stompin' at the Savoy
(6:18)  4. Broadway
(3:00)  5. As Time Goes By
(3:29)  6. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
(4:24)  7. Solitude
(4:39)  8. It Don't Mean a Thing
(6:49)  9. I've Found a New Baby
(5:35) 10. All of Me
(6:50) 11. The Days of Wine and Roses
(6:22) 12. Dissertation

The final session for a jazz legend. Drummer Jo Jones was nearing the end when he got together with his old friends, pianist Hank Jones and bassist Major Holley, for this 1982 session. He still managed to play with some degree of authority and anchor the rhythm section, while saxophonist Jimmy Oliver and Jones took care of solo responsibilites. This has been reissued on CD. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/our-man-papa-jo%21-mw0000649591

?Personnel: Jo Jones (drums), Jimmy Oliver (tenor saxophone), Hank Jones (piano), Major Holley (acoustic bass).      

Our Man, Papa Jo!

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Azar Lawrence - Legacy And Music Of John Coltrane

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2007
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 70:21
Size: 129,1 MB
Art: Front

(13:54)  1. I Want to Talk About You
(16:17)  2. Mr. P.C.
(27:31)  3. Impressions
(12:37)  4. My Favorite Things

Does the world really need another John Coltrane tribute album? It gets exhausting to choose among the multitudes that already exist. However, if even half of them were as vital and powerful as tenor saxophonist Azar Lawrence’s Legacy and Music of John Coltrane, there’d be no need for jadedness. Despite being a marginal name in post-’60s hard-bop and avant-jazz, Lawrence paid his dues in McCoy Tyner’s ’70s band and appeared on some of the era’s seminal albums, including Miles Davis’ Dark Magus and Woody Shaw’s The Moontrane. He even recorded three fairly well-received albums for Prestige from 1974-76. Lawrence is as good a candidate as any for a Coltrane tribute, and his lower-profile status over the past three decades makes the concept more intriguing. For this live date, recorded at Cincinnati’s Hyatt Regency, Lawrence is augmented by tenor saxophonist Edwin Bayard’s Quartet, rounded out by pianist William Mennefield, bassist Dean Hulett and drummer Mark Lomax II. Choosing two standards (Billy Eckstine’s “I Want to Talk About You” and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things”) and two Coltrane originals (“Mr. P.C.” and “Impressions”), the ensemble really nails the Coltrane sound of 1963-1965. Lawrence leads the set with a solo prefacing “I Want to Talk About You,” expertly navigating the chord changes with robust tone. Throughout the recording he proves readily schooled in Coltrane’s “sheets of sound” approach, avoiding the screeching multiphonics of post-1965 Trane. Undoubtedly the highlight, “Impressions” reveals Bayard as Eric Dolphy to Lawrence’s Trane, the two trading off on modal solos with boundless energy, conviction and astonishing sympathy. The rhythm section of Hulett and Lomax cook throughout, especially the latter, whose forceful drumming would have made Elvin Jones proud. Overall, this is a tribute well worth any Coltrane fan’s time. 

~ Scott Verrastro https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/azar-lawrence-edwin-bayard-quartet-legacy-and-music-of-john-coltrane/

Personnel:  Azar Lawrence - tenor sax;  Edwin Bayard - tenor sax;  William Mennefield - piano;  Dean Hulett - bass;  Mark Lomax II - drums

Legacy And Music Of John Coltrane

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Joyce Breach - Remembering Mabel Mercer Vol. 1

Size: 151,0 MB
Time: 64:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. On The First Warm Day In May (2:36)
02. Some Fine Day (2:54)
03. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) (3:35)
04. The End Of A Love Affair (4:17)
05. It's A Lie, It's A Fake (1:40)
06. Look At Me (3:17)
07. Carry Me Back To Old Manhattan (2:47)
08. If You Leave Paris (2:23)
09. Isn't He Adorable (3:10)
10. My Shining Hour (3:15)
11. From This Moment On (2:12)
12. Year After Year (3:29)
13. He Was Too Good To Me (3:13)
14. Walk Up (3:19)
15. Let Me Love You (3:10)
16. It Was Worth It (3:05)
17. Young And Foolish (3:35)
18. Let's Begin (2:43)
19. Sweet Talk (2:39)
20. These Foolish Things (6:31)

Joyce Breach salutes the beloved cabaret singer Mabel Mercer on a set of 20 songs that were among the many associated with Mercer. Breach does not sound like her idol tone-wise and she is slightly more jazz-oriented, but she has the same type of sensitivity to lyrics. Seven of the 20 songs (many of which are obscure) were composed by Bart Howard, and only six of the tunes on the set are well known enough to be considered standards. Fans of both Mabel Mercer and straightforward cabaret singing will enjoy this heartfelt set. ~by Scott Yanow

Remembering Mabel Mercer Vol. 1

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Emilie-Claire Barlow - Lumieres D'Hiver

Size: 121,2 MB
Time: 51:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Xmas
Art: Front

01. Combien De Noel (3:42)
02. Janvier (4:13)
03. I'll Be Home For Christmas (4:01)
04. Hey Santa (4:00)
05. The Christmas Waltz (French Version) (3:41)
06. Le Dernier Noel (3:47)
07. Lumieres D'Hiver (3:51)
08. Please Come Home For Christmas (2:17)
09. River (3:43)
10. Marie-Noel (3:24)
11. Chanson Pour Une Nuit D'Hiver (4:21)
12. As-Tu Vu Le Pere Noel (3:33)
13. Noel Blanc (3:55)
14. My Dear Acquaintance (3:12)

Emilie-Claire Barlow is an award winning and critically acclaimed Canadian jazz singer, arranger, record producer and voice actress. A two time Juno Award winner and six-time? nominee, she has released 11 self-produced albums on her own label, ?Empress Music Group.

She is known for her inspired re-imaginings and affectionate treatment of both classic pop and jazz songs, delivered with a relaxed, polished demeanor, charming humour, and a voice of unforgettable beauty. Her performing career spans over 20 years in venues ranging from Toronto’s storied Montreal Bistro, Tokyo’s Cotton Club and more recently concerts with symphony orchestras at Toronto’s Massey Hall and Montreal’s Maison Symphonique. She has performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival on seven occasions including a 2015 performance on the Main Stage with 50,000 people attending.

Ms. Barlow has led bands featuring the finest musicians in Canada. Her work as a band leader and producer has been recognized with a Juno Award nomination for “Producer of Year” for her recording “Clear Day” featuring the Metropole Orkest— notable for being only the 2nd Jazz recording nominated in this category. Ms. Barlow is also one of a very small group of women to be honoured with a “Producer of the Year” nomination.

Ms. Barlow’s all francophone recording “Seule ce soir” won a Juno and Felix Award in 2013 representing a remarkable achievement in Canadian bilingualism.

Lumieres D'Hiver

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Gil Spitzer - Falando Docemente

Size: 132,8 MB
Time: 56:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Bossa Nova
Art: Front

01. Angel Eye (6:41)
02. Embraceable You (3:43)
03. Blues For Harry A (4:27)
04. The Very Thought Of You (5:19)
05. Bossa Antigua (4:09)
06. This Is For Luisa (3:55)
07. This I Dig Of You (4:12)
08. Nature Boy (5:19)
09. Triste (4:04)
10. Early Autumn (5:24)
11. My Romance (4:40)
12. Valse Hot (4:52)

Bossa Nova music, from Brazil, became part of the America's DNA in the early 1960s, with albums like Jazz Samba (Verve Records, 1962) and Getz/Gilberto (Verve Records, 1964). The key players: Saxophonist Stan Getz, guitarist Charlie Byrd, vocalist/guitarist Joao Gilberto; composer/pianist Antonio Carlos Jobim.

With Falando Docemente alto saxophonist Gil Spitzer—who cites Stan Getz as a major influence—offers up his debut with a Bossa Nova/Getz-ian mainstream jazz sound, with an exquisitely crafted, always enchanting set that also pays tribute to alto saxophonist Paul Desmond—of the Dave Brubeck Quartet fame—and the Great American Songbook.

The familiar "Angel Eyes" opens the set, in a bit of an up-tempo mode. Spitzer's tone is sweet and clean—a gorgeous and mellifluous flow, a classic jazz sound in front of crisp rhythm section, with Chico Pinheiro's acoustic guitar giving the sounds some snap. Gershwin's "Embraceable You" marinates in the Bossa Nova mood, sounding like an outtake from Getz/Gilberto. Then things gets bluesy on Spitzer's lone original composition on the disc, "Blues For Harry A." He is joined here by tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, who gives the sound Lou Donaldson vibe.

A touch of elegance is added on three tunes with the addition of a string quartet—a gorgeous take on the often-covered "The Very Thought Of You," a pensive "Nature Boy," and oddly—but very effectively—on Sonny Rollins' "Valse Hot," that sounds like a spirited classical music piece here.

Spitzer nods to Dave Brubeck's favorite alto sax man on "Bossa Antigua," from Paul Desmond's overlooked 1964 RCA Victor album of the same name, laying laid out the tune with a loving faithfulness to the original.

Spitzer and the band and the guests are full of easy-flowing virtuosity and velvety cool passion throughout, on this remarkable debut. ~Dan McClenaghan

Personnel: Gil Spitzer alto saxophone; Chico Pinheiro: guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12); Harry Allen: tenor saxophone (3, 7, 10); Julian Shore: piano (1, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6-12); Nilson Matta: acoustic bass; Mauricio Zottarelli: drums (5, 6, 9, 11); Steve Johns: drums (1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12); Fernando Saci: percussion (2, 9, 11); Amanda Lo: violin (4, 8, 12); Monica Davis: violin (4, 8, 12); Angela Pickett: viola (4, 8, 12);Jessie Reagen Man: cello (4, 8, 12).

Falando Docemente

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Tommy Emmanuel & David Grisman - Pickin'

Size: 104,7 MB
Time: 44:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Folk, Bluegrass
Art: Front

01. Zorro's Last Ride (3:11)
02. Cinderella's Fella (3:21)
03. Cgp & Dawg (4:51)
04. Farm & Fun Time (3:09)
05. Newly Wedding (4:38)
06. Sweet Georgia Brown (3:51)
07. Standing Rock (3:52)
08. Dawg's Waltz (3:43)
09. Tipsy Gypsy (3:14)
10. Tracy's Tune (5:20)
11. Port Townsend Blues (3:08)
12. Waltzing Matilda (2:18)

It’s exciting to review two preeminent musicians in their first-ever collaboration, Pickin‘, on Acoustic Disc. Tommy Emmanuel shows why he has been named one of only five Certified Guitar Players (CGP) by the late master himself, Chet Atkins, with his mixture of Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Folk and Rock. David “Dawg” Grisman continues to be the premiere player of Dawg Music with his unique combination of Bluegrass, Jazz and Folk on the mandolin.

The pair have never played together before, but with almost 100 albums between them, they understand how to put together a record that their fans will listen to over and over. Music lovers and musicians of all genres will enjoy the music created by these two and will be amazed at the combined talent of the duo and how they make intricate music look easy.

The 12-song album immediately sets an energetic tone with “Zorro’s Last Stand.” Dawg’s skillful mandolin picking creates sounds that ignite images of a bluegrass swashbuckler in action.

Emmanuel and Grisman complement each other well in “Cinderella’s Fella.” The beginning has an old movie soundtrack vibe before switching to a full sound that highlights Tommy’s distinct fingerpicking style.

The next song, “CGP & Dawg,” written specifically for this pairing, is a jam that shows why Chet Atkins bestowed the honor of CGP upon Emmanuel. With a thumb to play one line and fingers to play bass, chords and melodies, his dexterity is astounding. Tommy and Dawg take turns trying to out-pick each other in this unforgettable arrangement.

“Farm & Fun Time” elicits thoughts of a rural family going into town on the weekend as the light-hearted music soothes any residual cares from a hard work-week. Tommy’s snare-brush technique creates an additional texture. The laughter between the two musicians is contagious and shows how well they mesh.


Dawg’s intricate mandolin notes on “Newly Wedding” feeds the soul. Tommy’s virtuosic fretwork has the sound of an entire string band backing Grisman’s touching composition in one of many highlights on Pickin’.

Emmanuel’s sustaining notes offer a tease as to what is coming next. He switches gears into an up-tempo version of “Sweet Georgia Brown” with individual notes in between the two-finger harmony. Dawg (the nickname given to him by Jerry Garcia) picks a blistering mandolin riff.

“Standing Rock” is another new song that sounds like an entire blues band. Grisman battles it out on the mandolin while Emmanuel plays lead, melody and slaps the guitar body for a percussive effect. The level of talent shows through once again.

Emmanuel takes the lead in “Tipsy Gypsy” with a beat that gets you out of your seat. He plays three notes at once with his Travis picking style, (named for the great, Merle Travis.) The laughter between the two again reveals how much fun they have when playing together.

“Tracy’s Tune” is quite personal to Dawg as it’s an instrumental love letter to his wife. It’s both subdued with prolific picking–a true testament of talent. Each master musician plays lead while the other complements him with backing notes that mesmerize.

The penultimate song, “Port Townsend Blues,” is a jam that would be a great closing song for a live concert. Dawg’s nimble picking grooves along with Tommy’s finger play that emulates an electric guitar’s tremolo system with his harmonic progressions. Saying, “It rocks,” is an understatement.

Unfortunately, the album has to end, but you can’t go wrong with an Australian beer-drinking song. “Waltzing Matilda” is a well-known classic, but has a unique take with these two masters. Fiery fingering on the mandolin and acoustic guitar urge you to hit “play” again.

“Pickin” is an album you’ll want to add to your collection. ~By David Simers

Pickin'

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The Ray Brown Trio - Three Dimensional

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:16
Size: 140.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 1992/2006
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. Ja-Da
[6:56] 2. Paradise
[6:22] 3. You Are My Sunshine
[4:49] 4. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
[4:07] 5. Gumbo Hump
[7:18] 6. Classical In G
[6:48] 7. My Romance
[4:45] 8. Take Me Out To The Ball Game
[7:29] 9. Ellington Medley
[4:25] 10. Equinox
[3:46] 11. Time After Time

Excellent trio date with Brown's formidable bass interaction with drummer Jeff Hamilton and pianist Gene Harris. Harris plays with his usual bluesy punch and delicate touch, while Hamilton fits like a glove with Brown. This is heady, solidly professional material. ~Ron Wynn

Three Dimensional

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Roberta Donnay, Prohibition Mob Band - Bathtub Gin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:40
Size: 143.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:51] 1. Bathtub Gin
[4:49] 2. Why Don't You Do Right
[3:25] 3. If You Want The Rainbow (You Must Have The Rain)
[3:52] 4. Wake Up And Live
[2:43] 5. Just What The Doctor Ordered
[4:09] 6. When I Take My Sugar To Tea
[5:58] 7. Shake Sugaree
[4:27] 8. Throw Your Heart (Over The Fence)
[3:50] 9. (We've Got To) Put The Sun Back In The Sky
[3:36] 10. Happy Feet
[3:36] 11. Bye Bye Blackbird
[3:18] 12. Kitchen Man
[4:57] 13. Smile
[3:36] 14. Horizontal Mambo
[6:25] 15. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues

Roberta Donnay: vocals; John R. Burr: piano; Sam Bevan: bass; Michael Barsimanto: drums; Rich Armstrong: coronet, trumpet, flugelhorn; Sheldon Brown: saxophones, clarinet; Wayne Wallace: trombone; Nicolas Bearde: vocals; Deszon Clairborne: drums; Danny Grewen: trombone; Annie Stocking: vocals; Steve Malerbi: chromatic harmonica.

Roberta Donnay is a Jazz Age preservationist, guardian of Depression-era sounds, and extender of traditions, but her music isn't covered with cobwebs or dated in any way. On Bathtub Gin, this singer-composer puts a new coat of paint on the songs of the '20s and '30s, contributes originals sympathetic to the sounds of those times, and conjures thoughts of life during prohibition.

Across fifteen tracks, Donnay and her group—the aptly-titled Prohibition Mob Band—deliver snappy statements, sly songs, roaring numbers, and relatively subdued sounds. Everything listeners have come to expect from this music is present: a swinging rhythm section, pithy solos, muted brass exhibitionism, tom breaks, vocals with a dose of sass and humor, the spirit of the blues, gutbucket horn asides, and intelligent songcraft are all here for the taking. This group plays with a sense of verve, regardless of whether it's covering timeless gems ("Bye Bye Blackbird"), period classics ("Kitchen Man"), or original music ("Horizontal Mambo"), but it also knows how to work with emotional weight ("If You Want The Rainbow (You Must Have The Rain)" and "Smile"). Donnay proves to be a compelling front woman, capable of working a coy line, a ribald number ("Kitchen Man"), or an entrancing, country-laced beauty ("Shake Sugaree") with equal success; pianist John R. Burr shows himself to be a strong soloist; the blustery brass men—trumpeter Rich Armstrong and trombonist Wayne Wallace—turn up the heat; multi-reedist Sheldon Brown adds color with his clarinet and zest with his saxophone work; and the rhythm team of bassist Sam Bevan and drummer Michael Barsimanto serve as the power unit for the band. Several guests drop in—most notably, vocalist Nicolas Bearde ("Just What The Doctor Ordered") and chromatic harmonica player Steve Malerbi ("Smile")—but it's the core band that captivates.

Exploring the music and spirit of this bygone era is clearly a labor of love for Roberta Donnay. She injects enthusiasm into her chosen material, shows respect for her musical primogenitors, and conjures thoughts of a different time with Bathtub Gin. ~Dan Bilawsky

Bathtub Gin

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Dave Liebman Quartet - Setting The Standard

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:29
Size: 129.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1993/2014
Art: Front

[5:47] 1. Milestones
[7:39] 2. Old Devil Moon
[9:25] 3. I'm A Fool To Want You
[7:12] 4. Without You
[4:51] 5. Grand Central Station
[6:40] 6. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[6:51] 7. Invitation
[8:01] 8. Nica's Dream

Bass – Rufus Reid; Drums – Victor Lewis; Piano – Mulgrew Miller; Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax] – Dave Liebman. Recorded at Red Rock, Hartford, Pensylvania, May 1992.

"Reinventing" the standard may be more like it. For those listeners who, even in this short-attention-span post-modern age, remember the original melodies (perhaps from listening to Sinatra or Sonny Stitt records), Dave Liebman's revisions should prove both surprising and refreshing. His soprano is somewhere between Kenny G and Steve Lacy, both of whom seem to have forgotten about standards altogether. His rhythm section is remarkably responsive and empathetic, whether following the leader through out-of-tempo stretches or pouring on the heat. Personally, I would have enjoyed the session more if the leader had switched horns on a couple of the tracks and perhaps employed a bit more "straight ahead" swing (abandoning regular meter proves more of a jolt than altering harmony or even melody). The most satisfying track is Coltrane's "Grand Central Station," a tune that hardly qualifies as a standard in the "Great American Songbook."

All and all, exceptional playing on the parts of both Liebman and Miller (who gets as much solo time as the leader). And the audio on this Italian release is simply first rate, balanced and "true" throughout (what a pleasure not to have to ratchet down another overly boosted bass sound). This is a recording that wears extremely well. ~Samuel C.

Setting The Standard

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Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Rattle Them Bones

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:49
Size: 100.3 MB
Styles: Retro Swing
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[0:34] 1. The Adventures Of....
[4:17] 2. Diga Diga Doo
[3:13] 3. The Jitters
[3:20] 4. Let It Roll Again
[4:07] 5. It Only Took A Kiss
[3:24] 6. She's Always Right (I'm Never Wrong)
[3:34] 7. Why Me
[4:33] 8. Devil's Dance
[3:20] 9. It's Lonely At The Top
[5:09] 10. Still In The Mood
[2:55] 11. Gimme That Wine
[5:18] 12. 5-10-15 Times

Since hitting it big in the '90s during the swing revival, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy have stuck to their retro-guns while finding ways to explore new ground. To these ends, 2003's Save My Soul found the band delving into New Orleans rhythms and R&B, while 2009's How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway featured the music of the legendary Hi-De-Ho man. That album brought them deeper into a hardcore jazz sound and most likely helped them in signing with the Savoy Jazz label for 2012's similarly jazz-inflected Rattle Them Bones. Once again centered around the sweet and lyrical lead vocals of guitarist/songwriter Scotty Morris, the album features a mix of new material, jazz covers, and even an unexpected take on Randy Newman's "It's Lonely at the Top." These are crisply produced, urbane, and always swinging tunes that often have an old-school big-band sound. This impressive large ensemble sound comes via the longtime core rhythm section of pianist Joshua Levy, bassist Dirk Shumaker, and drummer Kurt Sodergren, as well as such featured players as trumpeter Glen "The Kid" Marhevka, and saxophonists Karl Hunter and Andy Rowley. With all arrangements by Levy, the band is also complemented by a bevy of stellar studio musicians who round out several cuts here. Also featured here is vocalist Meaghan Smith, who duets with Morris on the romantic midtempo ballad "It Only Took a Kiss." Longtime fans of the group’s neo-crooner jazz sound, as well as anybody who digs solidly crafted and always swinging traditional jazz and pop, should find much to enjoy here. ~Matt Collar

Rattle Them Bones

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Jim Hall - Commitment

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:04
Size: 105.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1976/2012
Art: Front

[ 7:13] 1. Walk Soft
[ 3:30] 2. One Morning In May
[11:44] 3. Lament For A Fallen Matador
[ 3:20] 4. Down The Line
[ 1:50] 5. When I Fall In Love
[ 5:48] 6. My One And Only Love
[ 5:58] 7. Bermuda Bye Bye
[ 6:37] 8. Indian Summer

There is lots of variety on this CD reissue, which features guitarist Jim Hall in several different settings. He has separate duets with pianist Don Thompson (Hoagy Carmichael's delightful "One Morning In May"), his wife Jane Hall (who sings "When I Fall In Love"), pianist Tommy Flanagan, and drummer Terry Clarke. He also overdubs acoustic and electric guitars on his solo "Down the Line," teams up with pianist Flanagan and flugelhornist Art Farmer on two duets, and uses a slightly larger group on "Lament for a Fallen Matador," a Don Sebesky adaptation of a classical piece that has the haunting voice of Joan LaBarbara. Overall, there is plenty of intriguing music on this recommended set. ~Scott Yanow

Commitment

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