Mingus Big Band - Blues & Politics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:58
Size: 171.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary big band
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 8:41] 1. It Was A Lonely Day In Selma, Alabama-Freedom
[ 8:19] 2. Haitian Fight Song
[ 9:44] 3. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
[ 5:12] 4. Don't Let It Happen Here
[11:36] 5. Meditations For A Pair Of Wire
[ 6:33] 6. Pussycat Dues
[ 8:53] 7. Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me
[15:56] 8. Little Royal Suite

The music of jazz bassist-composer Charles Mingus (1922-79) was decidedly vibrant and spirited, much like the man himself. He melded aspects of blues, swing, and bebop with a unique arranging flair (he was a huge fan of Duke Ellington) and a sharp sense of humor in concocting pieces that were sometimes rambunctious and rhythmic, sometimes poignant and brooding. Ultimately, Mingus's music was quite accessible and almost always touched the listener. The New York-based Mingus Big Band--an outgrowth of the Mingus Dynasty groups that were formed after the artist's death--has, since 1991, purveyed his works with authenticity and vitality; the first-rate Blues & Politics is no exception. Here, as the title indicates, selections with a blues essence touch on matters of social importance. "Haitian Fight Song" is a riotous, riff-oriented piece where the band drops in walls of sound over a driving beat. Soprano saxophonist Alex Foster and trumpeter Randy Brecker deliver ear-catching solos. "Pussycat Dues" is a raucous slow blues where trombonist Conrad Herwig's gleaming tone and solid swing are standouts. On the telling "Goodbye Porkpie Hat," tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake epitomizes emotive expression. The climactic "Little Royal Suite" is an intricate, brazen work. On the opening track, the late composer's voice is heard reciting an impromptu poem, "It was a Lonely Day in Selma, Alabama." Heady, heated stuff. ~Zan Stewart

Blues & Politics

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Brianna Thomas - You Must Believe In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:02
Size: 153.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:48] 1. Bye Bye Blackbird
[4:59] 2. Don't Be That Way (Feat. Russell Malone)
[7:27] 3. Love Doesn't Die (Feat. Wycliffe Gordon)
[5:31] 4. I Should Have Known (Feat. Wycliffe Gordon)
[4:03] 5. Daydream
[6:45] 6. Lover Of My Soul (Feat. Riza & Marcus Printup)
[6:38] 7. Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer
[6:39] 8. In A Mellow Tone
[6:03] 9. Stardust
[8:06] 10. Bree's Blues
[4:57] 11. You Must Believe In Spring

Wall Street Journal stated Brianna Thomas "may be the best young straight ahead jazz singer of her generation". Born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, was selected to participate in the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program, an elite artist in residence program for musicians and composers at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Ms. Thomas moved to NYC in 2007 to attend The New School University and has since established herself as a talented vocalist on the music scene. Since graduating college in 2011, Ms. Thomas has performed with many jazz greats including: Clark Terry, Wycliffe Gordon, Wynton Marsalis, Russell Malone, The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra, Michael Feinstein and longtime hero Dianne Reeves. Ms.Thomas also continues to perform worldwide for venues and was a 2014 musical ambassador touring South East Asia for the "American Music Abroad" program, as a guest vocalist with The Amigos Band - singing folk, bluegrass, gospel and jazz. She teaches with JALC's Jazz For Young People Program to educate students in New York City School's about the importance of Jazz in American History and Today.

The ensemble is Brianna Thomas, vocal, Allyn Johnson, piano, Yasushi Nakamura, bass, Ulysses Owens, Jr., drums, with special guests Russell Malone, guitar, Marcus Printup, trumpet, Wycliffe Gordon, trombone, Nick Grinder, trombone, Tivon Penticott, tenor sax, and Riza Printup, harp. ~Grady Harp

NEW LINK! You Must Believe In Love

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Jenna Mammina - Meant To Be

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:52
Size: 106,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. Lotus Blossom
(4:29)  2. Running To Stand Still
(3:54)  3. Dirty Work
(4:20)  4. You Can Close Your Eyes
(3:13)  5. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:17)  6. The Same Things
(2:45)  7. The More I See You
(4:06)  8. A Love That Lasts
(3:02)  9. In A Mellow Tone
(4:16) 10. Distant Water
(2:18) 11. Put 'Em In A Box...
(5:31) 12. Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You

On Meant to Be Jenna Mammina uses jazz, pop, and folk compositions as her vehicles for personal expression. The CD maxes out the bliss factor with quality assists from Andre Bush on electric and acoustic guitars, Matt Rollings on piano and B3 organ, James Genus on acoustic and electric bass, and Tony Mammina on background vocals. She tags her sensitive, air-brushed phrasings and silky nuance on songs by Billy Strayhorn, Donald Fagen, Walter Brecker, James Taylor, Duke Ellington, and Thomas "Fats" Waller, as well as "The Same Things" and "A Love That Lasts," the original compositions Mammina co-penned with long-time collaborator and guitarist Andre Bush. "Lotus Blossom" is her full train piece on this outing. Mammina's choice of phrasings adds dimension and sinew to her whisper-like voice. She's is graceful and balletic in form, but her magnetism comes straight through the speakers. Meant to Be seems to channel wise spirits of old and new and has certainly expanded the boundaries of pop, jazz, and folk standards Jenna Mammina explored on Under the Influence to help her do what she does best  taking different creative styles and producing a meditative-like composition that soothes, entices, and floats. ~ Paula Edelstein https://www.allmusic.com/album/meant-to-be-mw0001202844    

Personnel:  Jenna Mammina - Vocals;  Tony Lindsay Vocals (Background);  Paul McCandless - Horn (English), Sax (Soprano);  Matt Rollings - Organ (Hammond), Piano;  Rob Burger - Accordion;  André Bush - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Musical Director;  Darol Anger - Violin;  Matthew Brubeck - Cello;  James Genus - Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Electric);  John Shifflett - Bass (Acoustic);  John Mader, Jason Lewis - Drums;  Tom Miller - Percussion           

Meant To Be

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Scott Wendholt - From Now On

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 66:25
Size: 122,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. From Now on...
(6:54)  2. Magnolia Tones
(8:55)  3. Solar
(9:02)  4. In a Sentimental Mood
(6:35)  5. At the Falls
(8:24)  6. Times Past
(5:54)  7. Dear Old Stockholm
(8:33)  8. Promise
(7:17)  9. I Remember You

Trombonist Steve Armour appears on From Now On… Scott Wendholt Quartet/Sextet [1123] and he made these observations about Scott in the liner notes to the recording:  “ …, I believe that the closer an artists gets to artistic success not financial or critical success of their art as a commodity, but success in creating the artistic statement he or she envisions the more their art will reflect who they are as people. In his life and in his art Scott carries always an athletic grace and confidence, a certain surety of step and of motion. There is a straightforward clarity and honesty reflected in his demeanor, refreshingly free of the back-slapping, toothy-grinned veneer of so many Jazz status-seekers, as well as in his music.” From any number of perspectives, then, getting more familiar with the music of Scott Wendholt is a gratifying experience. As a step in that direction, a viewing of the following video will bring you closer to it as on it Scott renders a striking version of Mal Waldron’s Soul Eyes with Vincent Herring on alto saxophone, Kevin Hays on piano, Dwayne Burno on bass and Bill Drummond on drums. The track is from Scott’s The Scheme of Things Criss Cross CD [1078].

Personnel: Trumpet – Scott Wendholt;  Alto Saxophone – Steve Wilson;  Bass – Larry Grenadier;  Drums – Billy Drummond;  Piano – Bruce Barth;  Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Tim Ries (tracks: 3, 4, 7. 9);  Trombone – Steve Armour.

From Now On

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Jimmy Cliff - Greatest Hits

Styles: Vocal, Reggae, Pop
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:45
Size: 153,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:36)  1. You Can Get It (new version)
(3:16)  2. I Can See Clearly Now (new)
(3:10)  3. Wonderfull World (new)
(4:46)  4. Vietnam (new version)
(5:02)  5. War A Africa
(4:51)  6. Peace
(3:53)  7. Samba Reggae
(4:04)  8. Roll On Rolling stone
(7:48)  9. Shout For Freedom
(3:33) 10. Stepping Out Of Limbo
(4:16) 11. I'm A Winner
(5:06) 12. Haunted
(3:41) 13. True Story
(2:41) 14. Many Rivers To Cross
(4:01) 15. Brand New Key
(3:53) 16. Brand New Key (Rasta Version)

  It's one of the music industry's great ironies that today, outside of reggae circles, Jimmy Cliff is perhaps better known for his film appearances than his music. Even after a string of hits, the singer never quite managed to break into the mainstream, although he seemed poised for international stardom during the late '60s/early '70s. The singer was born in St. James, Jamaica, on April 1, 1948, with the less prosaic name James Chambers. His talent was evident from childhood, and he began his career appearing at local shows and parish fairs. Feeling ready for the big time at the age of 14, he moved to Kingston and took the surname Cliff to express the heights he intended on reaching. Cliff recorded two unsuccessful singles before he was spotted by Derrick Morgan, who brought him to Leslie Kong. His first single for the budding producer, "Hurricane Hattie," was an instant hit. Unusually, Cliff remained with Kong until the producer's death; most Jamaican artists flit from studio to studio. The singer's loyalty was rewarded, however, by a string of follow-up hits. In the early years, the pair helped set the ska scene alight, both in Jamaica and in Britain, where the singer's singles were picked up by Island Records. "Miss Jamaica," "King of Kings," "One Eyed Jacks," and "Pride and Passion" have since become classics of the original ska era.

By 1964, Cliff's star was so bright that he was selected as one of Jamaica's representatives at the World's Fair. A successful residency in Paris followed, and Island head Chris Blackwell eventually convinced the singer to relocate to Britain. The label itself was in the process of shifting away from Jamaican music and into progressive rock, and thus Cliff began composing songs with an eye to cross over into that market.  It was a risky plan, but ultimately a successful one. In 1968, Cliff released his debut album, the excellent Hard Road, and won the International Song Festival with "Waterfall," a song that became a smash hit in Brazil. He swiftly moved to that country to take advantage of his success, but even greater heights were in the offing. The following year, "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" proved to be his international breakthrough. The single soared to number six on the British charts, and charmed its way into the Top 25 in the States. The song's anti-war follow-up, "Vietnam," proved to be less popular, even if Bob Dylan called it the best protest song he'd ever heard. Regardless, Cliff's new album, 1969's Wonderful World, was critically acclaimed, and saw the singer starting to build a following amongst the AOR crowd. The title track, a cover of Cat Steven's "Wild World," was another smash in 1970, and Desmond Dekker took Cliff's own "You Can Get It if You Really Want" to number two in Britain. And then tragedy struck. Leslie Kong, who had continued to oversee Cliff's career during this entire period, died unexpectedly of a heart attack in August 1971. The singer was at a loss, as he'd grown up under the producer's wing and was abruptly forced to fend for himself. Another Cycle, which arrived later that year, was proof that Cliff was beginning to get his career back on track. One of the last projects Kong had undertaken was overseeing the soundtrack to the movie The Harder They Come. Produced and written by Perry Henzell, this powerful film featured Cliff in the leading role, and upon its release swiftly became an underground classic. The soundtrack, which boasted a clutch of Cliff's own compositions, was an equally seminal record. 

This should have pushed the singer into the mainstream, but Island dropped the ball and turned their attention to Bob Marley instead. The timing was also off in the U.S., where the movie didn't see release until 1975. Cliff left Island's roster and signed to Reprise in the U.S. and EMI in the U.K., but fared no better on either label. 1973's Unlimited, 1974's Struggling Man, and the following year's Brave Warrior were unable to sustain the success of Another Cycle, never mind improve upon it. During this time, Cliff converted to Islam and traveled to Africa in search of his roots, and his newfound religious devotion began to heavily influence his music. In 1975, with the release of The Harder They Come in the U.S., Cliff's second album for the year, Follow My Mind, immediately grabbed America's attention and became his first album to reach into the bottom of the chart. Reprise then decided it was time for a greatest-hits collection, although this would be accomplished via a live album. Rolling Stones' producer Andrew Loog Oldham was brought in to oversee the project, and Cliff was sent out on the road to tour and record. What the label received was one of Cliff's most ferocious albums to date, Live: In Concert. The singer was not ready to wallow in nostalgia, and throughout the rest of the decade he continued releasing albums that were thoroughly modern in sound and fierce in delivery.

Cliff ended his relationship with Reprise in the new decade with 1981's "Give the People What They Want, and moved to Columbia. He formed a new backing band, Oneness, and embarked on a tour of the U.S. with Peter Tosh; there was also a fabulous performance at Reggae Sunsplash that year. 1983's The Power and the Glory inaugurated his partnership with Kool & the Gang, and the album was nominated for a Grammy. Its follow-up, Cliff Hanger, would win the award in 1985. However, 1989's Hanging Fire became his last effort for Columbia, although the singer continued to release material in both Jamaica and the U.K. During this period, Cliff also co-starred in the movie Club Paradise. He returned to the American charts in 1993 with his cover of "I Can See Clearly Now," from the soundtrack for Cool Runnings, which glided into the Top 20. More singles and albums followed, and the singer remained a potent musical force. A comeback album of sorts, Black Magic, which featured duets with high profile stars like Sting, Joe Strummer, Wyclef Jean and others, appeared from Artemis Records in 2004. In 2012 he partnered with Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong for Rebirth, a nostalgic return to form. ~ Jo-Ann Green https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jimmy-cliff-mn0000295276/biography

Greatest hits

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Esbjörn Svensson Trio - When Everyone Has Gone

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1993

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:58

Size: 153,7 MB

Art: Front

(6:42)  1. When Everyone Has Gone

(8:30)  2. Fingertrip

(6:42)  3. Free Four

(8:26)  4. Stella by Starlight

(5:29)  5. 4 am

(4:14)  6. Mohammed Goes to New York, Part I

(5:41)  7. Mohammed Goes to New York, Part II

(3:58)  8. Waltz for the Lonely Ones

(5:34)  9. Silly Walk

(4:18) 10. Tough Tough

(6:20) 11. Hands Off

Like so many American players, Sweden's Esbjorn Svensson has backed his share of pop artists but is essentially a jazz improviser at heart. Svensson's enthusiasm for improvisation came through loud and clear on his Dragon dates of the 1990s, one of which was the decent When Everybody Has Gone. Backed by fellow Swedes Dan Berglund (bass) and Magnus Ostrom (drums), Svensson favors the piano trio format and draws on post-bop influences like Chick Corea, Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett on the standard "Stella By Starlight" and originals ranging from the pensive "4 a.m." to the melancholy "Waltz for the Lonely Ones" and the Middle Eastern-influenced "Mohammed Goes to New York." Much of Svensson's work tends to be introspective and impressionistic, but things get surprisingly funky and almost Horace Silver-ish on "Tough Tough." This CD was released by the Stockholm-based Dragon label, but made its way to some U.S. stores as an import.~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/when-everyone-has-gone-mw0000422878

Personnel: Piano [Grand Piano], Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Roland D 50, Oberheim] – Esbjörn Svensson;  Double Bass, Whistle – Dan Berglund;  Drums, Percussion, Vocals [Arabic Style] – Magnus Öström

When Everyone Has Gone

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Ray Charles - 1950

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:38
Size: 72.4 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. I Will Not Let You Go
[3:04] 2. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hands
[2:31] 3. If I Give You My Love
[3:03] 4. This Love Of Mine
[2:18] 5. Hey Now
[2:31] 6. Rockin Chair Blues
[2:17] 7. I Wonder Who´s Kissing Her Now
[2:44] 8. I'm Glad For Your Sake
[2:11] 9. Goin Down Slow
[2:42] 10. St Pete Blues
[2:18] 11. They´re Crazy About Me
[3:07] 12. Blues Is My Middle Name

These early recordings by Ray Charles have often been righteously criticized as being too deeply influenced by Nat King Cole. That notion is correct, but one can also hear the roots of his arrangement style in these sides, and they also include his very first chart hits, most notably "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand". These are development years for Charles, and he was moving further afield from the smooth jazzy style that Cole had pioneered. The deep R&B influence was here, but it had not yet been fused to gospel. This is mildly interesting stuff for most listeners, but Charles devotees would find revelation in it nonetheless.

1950

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Bebo Valdés, Chucho Valdés - Juntos Para Siempre

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:31
Size: 118.0 MB
Styles: Afro-Cuban jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 2009/2014
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Preludio Para Vevo
[4:50] 2. Descarga Valdes
[4:41] 3. Tres Palabras
[4:11] 4. Rareza Del Siglo
[5:05] 5. Tea For Two
[3:27] 6. Son De La Loma
[8:37] 7. A Chucho
[5:26] 8. Sabor A Mi
[3:09] 9. Perdido
[3:41] 10. Lagrimas Negras
[3:17] 11. La Conga Del Dentista

In this album,cuban piano virtuosos and exceptionally talented composers Bebo and Chucho Valdes, father and son, got together somewhere in Spain to record this joint effort and example of their musical greatness. Also included in this great album are songs each one composed in honor of the other. Many good things can be said about this joint effort, but in my opinion, let it suffice to say that each are a credit to Cuban music and its history, aside from being authorities in the world of "Afro-Cuban Jazz". I highly recommend this album by both the great Bebo and his son "Chucho" Valdes, two immortals of our cuban and latin american music. ~L. Dequesada

Juntos Para Siempre

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Larry Goldings - Whatever It Takes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:36
Size: 147.9 MB
Styles: Post bop, B3 Organ jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[5:49] 1. Big Brother
[6:03] 2. If You Want Me To Stay
[6:13] 3. Willow Weep For Me
[7:42] 4. Boogie On Reggae Woman
[5:46] 5. That's Enough
[6:08] 6. Wrappin' It Up
[6:40] 7. Slo-Boat
[7:06] 8. Up For Air
[5:12] 9. Prayer
[7:52] 10. Yipes!

Larry Goldings is one of the most promising of the younger organists. Although he was originally known as a pianist, Goldings has been mostly concentrating on organ, including a high-profile stint as a member of John Scofield's quartet. For his Warner Bros. debut, Whatever It Takes, Goldings is teamed with guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Bill Stewart for ten numbers, five of which include some notable guests. Two songs match together the soulful altos of Maceo Parker and David Sanborn, young tenor giant Joshua Redman is on three other numbers (including "Yipes," which also includes Parker), and there are two appearances by trombonist Fred Wesley. The music features a lot of appealing grooves that look back to the classic Hammond organ era of the 1960s while remaining contemporary. ~Scott Yanow

Whatever It Takes

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Francesca Sortino - With My Heart In A Song

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:35
Size: 138.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Straight Street
[5:26] 2. But Not For Me
[4:53] 3. You Don't Know What Love Is
[4:01] 4. Noon
[4:05] 5. With My Heart In A Song
[4:59] 6. What Is This Thing Called Love
[5:39] 7. Widow's Walk
[4:11] 8. S' Wonderful
[4:24] 9. The Masquerade Is Over
[5:08] 10. For All We Know
[3:45] 11. Time After Time
[6:09] 12. Echoes
[3:29] 13. Who Can I Turn To

Francesca Sortino An outstanding talent, recognized by eminent critics and musicians in the jazz world. 2002 Young Peoples Oscar Award from European Institute for Sports, Culture and Performing Arts.

She is almost totally self-taught and has worked alongside numerous italian and american musicians, such as Eliot Zigmund, Jim McNeely, Enrico Pieranunzi, Sandro Gibellini, Robert Bonisolo, Maurizio Giammarco, Pierre Michelot, Maurice Vander, Irio De Paula, Rodrigo Botter Maio, Harvie Swartz, Rick Margitza, Eddie Henderson, Romano Mussolini, Gianni Basso, Emanuele Cisi, Dario Rosciglione, Giorgio Rosciglione, Massimo Manzi, Renato Sellani, Marcello di Leonardo, Tony Pancella, Alessandro Minetto, Alessandro Maiorino, Eddy Palermo, Dino Piana, Andrea Pozza, Riccardo Fioravanti, Amedeo Ariano, Nicola Angelucci, Paolo Recchia, Pierpaolo Bisogno, Franco Piana, Stefano Lestini, Francesco Berzatti, Mauro Beggio, Gianni Basso, Andy Gravich, Stefano Bagnoli, Claudio Filippini, Lello Panico, Riccardo Zegna, Rosario Giuliani, Stefano Di Battista, Paolo Fresu, Stefano Sabatini, Fabrizio Sferra, Valery Ponomarev, Charlie Antolini, Renato Chicco, Pietro Ciancaglini, Lorenzo Tucci, Pietro Lussu, Paolo Birro, , Sandro Deidda, Dario Deidda, Fabrizio Bosso, Roberto Rossi, Pietro Tonolo, Luca Bulgarelli, Francesco Lento, Pasquale Bardaro etc. She has taken part in many Festivals and concert series.

With My Heart In A Song

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Cojazz - All Those Melodies

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:56
Size: 141.8 MB
Styles: Traditional, Dixieland
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[8:32] 1. That's All
[8:53] 2. What A Difference A Day Made
[7:44] 3. Don't You Know I Care
[6:48] 4. Serenata
[8:24] 5. I'll Walk Alone
[6:36] 6. This Is Always
[7:49] 7. That Old Feeling
[7:06] 8. Again

The European jazz trio Cojazz is joined by guest tenor saxophonist Gianni Basso for this live engagement at Chorus Jazz Club in Lausanne, Switzerland. Pianist Andy Scherrer knew what he was getting from his Italian addition for this set, a seasoned veteran who not only has played with Maynard Ferguson, the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band, Thad Jones and many more, but also has led his own groups. Basso's style is sprinkled with the influence of numerous earlier greats on his instrument, though his big tone also incorporates a sly humor as he intermingles imaginative quotes into his improvisations. A robust soloist in up-tempo settings, Basso's lyricism in his interpretation of Duke Ellington's lush, unjustly overlooked ballad "Don't You Know I Care" is simply magical. While Scherrer's playing, along with that of bassist Isla Eckinger and drummer Peter Schmidlin, merits strong praise, they allow their guest the lion's share of the spotlight, rewarding the audience with an evening of memorable interpretations of standards and forgotten chestnuts. ~Ken Dryden

All Those Melodies

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Jaki Byard - July In Paris

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:59
Size: 146.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[ 7:36] 1. After The Sun Disappears Xalithen Rose
[ 2:48] 2. C'est Si Bon
[ 7:02] 3. Lonely Woman, So What
[ 2:47] 4. Nostradamus
[10:24] 5. The High And The Mighty
[ 6:36] 6. July In Paris
[ 6:51] 7. Mimi
[19:51] 8. Round Midnight, Well You Needn't, Stages, My Mother's Eyes

This live CD from a new French jazz label appeared right around the time of Jaki Byard's sudden death on Feburary 11, 1999, so it may be the final documentation of the late pianist's work. Byard is clearly in great spirits, except for having to shout down a noisy member of the audience during one number.

With bassist Ralph Hamperian and drummer Richard Allen in the first half, Byard's creative medleys blend contrasting works such as Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" with Miles Davis' "So What"; his introspective originals such as "Nostradamus" and the opening medley of "After the Sun Disappears"; and "Xalithen Rose" and his playful rendition of "C'est Si bon" make for a rather diverse first set. Former pupil Ricky Ford joins them on tenor sax with a tasty original blues "Mimi" and sits in for most of a lengthy medley that wraps the CD. This isn't Byard's best CD, but it is a worthy last date by a man who made many memorable recordings. ~Ken Dryden

July In Paris

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Johnny Nash - Johnny Nash + The Quiet Hour

Size: 184,9 MB
Time: 79:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Pop
Art: Front & Back

01. Imagination (3:25)
02. Like Someone In Love (3:21)
03. I Had The Craziest Dream (3:29)
04. It's Always You (2:49)
05. Midnight Moonlight (3:12)
06. Here Am I Brokenhearted (3:18)
07. My Foolish Heart (3:39)
08. Darn That Dream (3:05)
09. I Wish I Knew (3:04)
10. For All We Know (3:01)
11. I Dream Of You (3:39)
12. That's All (3:22)
13. I Got A Robe (2:26)
14. Bless This House (3:13)
15. I Want Jesus To Walk With Me (4:02)
16. The Eyes Of God (3:18)
17. The Prayer Of St. Francis (3:32)
18. I Believe (2:25)
19. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (4:07)
20. I See God (3:05)
21. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen (3:53)
22. Be The Good Lord Willing (3:16)
23. I Heard Of A City Called Heaven (3:09)
24. The Lord's Prayer (3:10)

This release presents two complete original albuns by Johnny Nash. his self-titled debut "Johny Nash (1958)" and his second release "The Quiet Hour (1959)". He is backed by an orchestra conducted by Don Costa on both LPs.

Bio:
Though by no means an artistic innovator on par with contemporaries such as Bob Marley or Jimmy Cliff, singer Johnny Nash nevertheless proved a pivotal force behind the mainstream acceptance of reggae with the international success of his 1972 chart-topper "I Can See Clearly Now." Born in Houston, Texas on August 19, 1940, Nash honed his vocal skills singing in his Baptist church's choir and by 13 was a regular on the local television series Matinee, performing covers of current R&B hits; in 1956 he was discovered by Arthur Godfrey, appearing on his radio and TV broadcasts for the next seven years. Nash signed to ABC-Paramount to release his 1957 debut single "A Teenager Sings the Blues," scoring his first chart hit early the following year with a rendition of Doris Day's "A Very Special Love"; in late 1958, he also teamed with Paul Anka and George Hamilton IV for the inspirational "The Teen Commandments." Marketed as a rival to Johnny Mathis, he even began a film career with 1959's Take a Giant Step, also appearing in 1960's Key Witness before his career flagged with a series of little-noticed singles for Warner Bros., Groove, and Argo.

Nash returned to prominence in 1965 when the ballad "Let's Move and Groove Together" reached the R&B Top Five; more importantly, the record became a major hit in Jamaica, where he traveled in 1967 on a promotional tour. During a return trip, he cut the ska-influenced single "Hold Me Tight" at Byron Lee's Federal Studios -- a Top Five pop hit on both sides of the Atlantic, the record was issued on his own JAD label, which in early 1970 scored a Top 40 hit with a reggaefied rendition of Sam Cooke's "Cupid" as well. The following year Nash scored a major British hit with his reading of the Bob Marley perennial "Stir It Up"; while living in Britain, he signed to Epic, which in 1972 released his biggest hit, "I Can See Clearly Now," which sat atop the American pop charts for four weeks. Although his popularity at home again dimmed, Nash returned to the U.K. charts in 1975 with his number one classic "Tears on My Pillow," followed a year later by another Sam Cooke cover, "(What A) Wonderful World." He gradually retired from performing, although he released an album, Here Again, in 1986, and made a few live appearances. In the early 2000s he began the work of transferring analog tapes of his material from the '70s and '80s to a digital platform at Tierra Studios in his native Houston. Intensely private, Nash stayed out of the public eye except for occasional tours as the 21st century deepened. ~by Jason Ankeny

Johnny Nash + The Quiet Hour

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Joyce Breach - Remembering Mabel Mercer Vol. 3

Size: 158,7 MB
Time: 67:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. Days Gone By (2:24)
02. I'll Be Easy To Find (3:48)
03. Experiment (3:50)
04. You're Nearer (3:47)
05. So In Love (5:01)
06. You Fascinate Me So (2:42)
07. Isn't It A Pity (4:44)
08. My Resistance Is Low (2:49)
09. Once In A Blue Moon (3:07)
10. You Are Not My First Love (2:35)
11. If Love Were All (4:01)
12. Trouble Comes (1:57)
13. Little Girl Blue (4:17)
14. Time Heals Everything (2:57)
15. Nobody Else But Me (2:51)
16. Bein' Green (2:42)
17. It's All Right With Me (3:17)
18. Everytime We Say Goodbye (3:52)
19. By Myself (3:35)
20. O The Days Of The Kerry Dancing (The Kerry Dance) (3:02)

Volume 3 of Joyce Breach's salute to the beloved cabaret singer Mabel Mercer. Joyce is joined by Keith Ingham (piano), Jeff Tillman (guitar), John Beal (bass), Russell George (violin), Laurie Goldstein (bassoon) and Robin Bushman (violin). Recorded in New York in July 2006.

Remembering Mabel Mercer Vol.3 

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Chris Bennett & Bill Marx - Something Wonderful

Size: 100,5 MB
Time: 36:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. How Do You Keep The Music Playing (3:29)
02. I'm Glad There Is You (4:49)
03. My One And Only Love (4:27)
04. Something Wonderful (2:46)
05. I Have Dreamed (3:38)
06. The Summer Knows (4:16)
07. September Song (4:34)
08. Goodbye (4:27)
09. We'll Be Together Again (4:12)

At the recent recording session for Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Chris Bennett’s 12th studio release, there was a feeling between the small group gathered ‘round the baby grand piano where Bennett and veteran pianist, Bill Marx, were seated, that we were witnessing an impromptu jam session between two jazz masters at play rather than a couple of musicians at work. It was dusk in the desert, and the dimming December light set the mood of a New York supper club at closing time, after all the customers had gone and the last cocktail glass cleared. The venue was actually Bennett’s new digs: the historic Loretta Young estate in the “Deepwell” part of Palm Springs where singers from a bygone era like Julie London and Ginny Simms dwelled among Hollywood luminaries as fabled as William Holden and Elizabeth Taylor, once upon a yesterday. Bennett purchased the one-time home that the two-time Academy Award-winning actress shared with her husband, Oscar-winning costume designer Jean Louis, in 2015. Christening it “Villa Loretta”, Bennett has since transformed the large, elegant formal living room into an intimate event space that has hosted the likes of Diane Schuur, Jack Jones, Barry Manilow, and was also featured in a segment for the “Jimmie Kimmel Show”. Tonight, it’s just Chris and Bill with a dozen ballads, a handful of their closest friends and an extra bottle of wine as the sun sets behind the San Jacinto Mountains.

We didn’t know then that “Something Wonderful” would be the title cut of the 9 tunes selected from these sessions captured on that enchanted night, but it has since become Bennett’s first studio release in seven years and a departure from her standard CD releases which can vary from an 18-piece big band replete with strings to a four-piece jazz combo with backup singers and children’s choir. This time it’s just piano and voice, but the acoustic simplicity of the duo is what makes this project her most powerful work to date and also her most intimate. “Something Wonderful” is a quiet collaboration with jazz giant, Bill Marx, heir to Hollywood royalty as the eldest son of Harpo Marx and nephew of Groucho Marx, of the legendary comedy family, the “Marx Brothers”. A musical prodigy, it was the young Bill who actually arranged his father’s most famous repertoire at the harp. “I’m a composer who happens to play the piano; not a pianist who happens to compose,” he teases. He’s actually a musical genius, but tonight he’s accompanying Bennett the way he used to play for Ann Richards, Esther Phillips, and Joanie Sommers in the 1960’s. Tonight it might as well be Nineteen-Sixty-Something. After all, Chris Bennett is time-traveling through the Great American Songbook with Marx as her guide.

Something Wonderful

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Dial & Oatts, Rich De Rosa & The WDR Big Band - Rediscovered Ellington: New Takes On Duke's Rare And Unheard Music

Size: 177,6 MB
Time: 76:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, big Band
Art: Front

01. Hey, Baby (10:40)
02. Let The Zoomers Drool ( 8:23)
03. I Like Singing ( 9:23)
04. Just A Gentle Word Will Do ( 7:24)
05. Introspection ( 9:11)
06. Kiki ( 8:30)
07. Love Came ( 7:29)
08. Kcor ( 8:24)
09. I Must Be Mad ( 7:16)

Pianist Garry Dial and saxophonist Dick Oatts have teamed up frequently in recent years as "Dial and Oatts," on some occasions to record their own material (Dial and Oatts, 1990) and on others to breathe new life into classic jazz repertoire (Dial and Oatts Play Cole Porter, 1993). Their latest, Rediscovered Ellington, is of course an example of the latter, as the two combine forces with arranger/conductor Rich DeRosa and the WDR Big Band to tackle nine pieces in the Duke Ellington songbook that have been either under-recorded or are only now getting their first recorded exposure. Rather than going the repertory route via slavish imitation, the approach here involves re-imagining these songs through creative arrangements that are largely successful in bringing a contemporary big-band sensibility to this slice of Ellingtonia.

All of the pieces here are from the vaults of Tempo Music, the publishing company that Ellington himself ran and which his sister Ruth took over after Duke's death in 1974. There's a fairly wide time-frame represented, with early tracks like "Hey, Baby" and "Let the Zoomers Drool" dating from the 1940s and later pieces like "KCOR" and "I Must Be Mad" coming from the 1960s. To be sure, it's not top-shelf Ellington: these pieces aren't likely to rival any of the true masterpieces in Ellington's body of work. The value of the album thus ultimately hinges on the strength of the arrangements and the quality of musicianship on display. And on both counts it is quite compelling overall.

When at its best, the WDR Big Band is indeed top-notch: precise, dynamically expansive, and capable of navigating the most complex charts without a hitch. So Dial and Oatts have a terrific palette with which to work, and they take full advantage of it. The album's opener, "Hey, Baby" is perhaps the strongest cut on the record: under DeRosa's expert guidance and Oatts's splendid work on the soprano sax, the band takes a fairly run-of-the-mill melody and transforms it into a 10-minute tour-de-force, with an emotional richness and musical depth that rewards repeated listening. Compare the best- known rendition of the tune found on the Rosemary Clooney/Ellington Orchestra record Blue Rose (from 1956) with this one and you can easily appreciate DeRosa's remarkable arranging talents. On a gentler note, "I Like Singing," taken from a musical Ellington co-wrote with Herbert Martin called Saturday Laughter, is a lovely ballad with an air of melancholy and some fantastic harmonic color from the band; another excellent slower-tempo piece is "Love Came," this one co-written by Billy Strayhorn (who inexplicably isn't given this credit on the album). Previously unrecorded pieces "Introspection" and "Kiki" are delightful mid-tempo tracks that feature superb arrangements and invigorating energy from the WDR band. The ensemble writing for "Kiki" is especially strong, with terrific pacing and multilayered voicings throughout.

Not all of the songs receive this degree of creative re-imagining, however. While it's got a great title, "Let the Zoomers Drool" is more or less a standard blues number, and it's not really given a whole lot extra by the band, although Dial does get a chance to showcase his piano chops convincingly. "Just a Gentle Word From You Will Do," another previously unrecorded piece, is provided a fairly light, Latin-flavored treatment, with Oatts taking a turn on flute this time—but again, there isn't quite enough here to make the performance memorable. Finally, the album's closer, "I Must Be Mad" is built around a piano/alto sax duet between Dial and Oatts. The tune is pleasant enough and it definitely highlights the two musicians' strong rapport, but the piece is unexceptional by Ellington's lofty standards and it doesn't rise to the level of the stronger cuts on the record.

The above limitations notwithstanding, most of the music here is very, very good: even second (or third) tier Ellington is pretty fine stuff! Kudos should go to Dial, Oatts, DeRosa and the WDR Big Band for the passion and dedication they brought to this commendable project. ~Troy Dostert

Personnel: Garry Dial: piano, arranger; Dick Oatts: soprano sax, alto sax, flute, arranger; Rich DeRosa: conductor, arranger, big band orchestrations; Johan Horlen: alto sax, flute, clarinet; Karolina Strassmayer: alto sax, flute; Olivier Peters: tenor sax, clarinet; Paul Heller: tenor sax, clarinet; Jens Neufang: bari sax, bass sax, bass clarinet; Andy Haderer: lead trumpet; Wim Both: alt lead trumpet; Rob Bruynen: trumpet; Ruud Breuls: trumpet; John Marshall: trumpet; Ludwig Nuss: lead trombone; Shannon Barnett: trombone; Andy Hunter: trombone; Mattis Cederberg: bass trombone, tuba; John Goldsby: bass; Hans Dekker: drums.

Rediscovered Ellington

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Matt Forbes - Solitary Man

Size: 107,8 MB
Time: 45:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. Cry Me A River (4:39)
02. What You Won't Do For Love (4:09)
03. I Wanna Be Around (2:52)
04. Solitary Man (3:23)
05. The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else) (2:32)
06. With Or Without You (4:46)
07. I've Got You Under My Skin (3:05)
08. Rainin' (3:04)
09. The Best Is Yet To Come (2:59)
10. Angel Eyes (3:21)
11. After You've Gone (2:56)
12. Some Guys Have All The Luck (Bonus Track) (4:26)
13. On Melancholy Hill (Bonus Track) (3:36)

Bringing a bold, new sound to 'vintage pop', Matt Forbes is being hailed as the freshest voice to hit the genre in more than a decade. Since releasing his debut LP, Coulda Woulda Shoulda in October 2015, Forbes has garnered widespread critical acclaim with national television appearances on E! News, CTV's eTalk and The Marilyn Denis Show. Receiving regular airplay across the US, Canada and UK (BBC Radio 2), the album was a Critic's Pick in HELLO! Canada Magazine, featured on HuffPost Entertainment and rose to #4 on Amazon's Top 10 Chart for Hot New Releases in Vocal Jazz, where it remained for its first three months of release. Forbes' soulful vocals and unmistakable sound are wowing the millennials of his own generation with songs made popular decades before they were born.

With this successful debut under his belt, Forbes has pushed his second full-length album, Solitary Man, in even bolder, unexpected directions. Recorded over a period of six months at the iconic EastWest Studios and Igloo Music in Los Angeles and co-produced by GRAMMY award-winning producer/engineer Nicholai Baxter (La La Land and Lady Gaga's, A Star Is Born), this sophomore follow-up sees the Canadian pop crooner reunite with acclaimed British arranger, Callum Au (Jamie Cullum) and some of Los Angeles' top studio talents to redefine our perception of just what 'vintage pop' can be. Pulling from over a century's worth of pop hits, the result is a remarkable album of vocal pop that both excites and surprises.

From the explosive downbeat of the John Barry, 007-inspired, 'Cry Me A River' to the haunting strains of U2's 'With Or Without You', Forbes manages to transcend genre altogether, establishing strong musical concepts for each of the thirteen tracks and demonstrating a vocal prowess well beyond his years.

For those expecting the big, bold swing that helped put the 20-something Forbes on the map, the classic pop standards are all here, rendered in magnificent technicolor through Forbes' sheer exuberance — and put over the top by Au's wildly inventive arrangements. While comparisons to the Sinatras, Connicks, and Bublés seem inevitable, there's no whiff of imitation here. As a lone baritone in a sea of pop tenors, Forbes is decidedly his own man with his own sound. And it's in those unexpected detours like the moody, folk-tinged title track, 'Solitary Man', that one gets a glimpse of the depth of Forbes' talents and where the young pop singer might take his listeners next.

While this latest effort goes a long way in demonstrating that great music is truly beyond category — as a revivalist of classic pop, Matt Forbes is quickly finding himself in a league all his own.

Solitary Man

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Mary-Catherine Pazzano - You're Gonna Hear From Me

Size: 120,6 MB
Time: 51:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. You're Gonna Hear From Me (4:00)
02. Friendly Star (3:32)
03. A Simple Conversation (5:33)
04. All The Things You Are (4:30)
05. It's De-Lovely (3:55)
06. How Insensitive (5:43)
07. River (4:23)
08. Charade (4:37)
09. Alone In The World (4:39)
10. Manhattan - New York State Of Mind (5:14)
11. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me (3:00)
12. A Cottage For Sale (2:49)

From Glorious Feeling Records comes jazz vocalist Mary-Catherine Pazzano’s debut studio album, “You’re Gonna Hear From Me”. The album takes you on an autobiographical musical journey of self-discovery, starting from a place of unsettledness and not trusting one's own instincts, and evolving to a place of trusting one's own voice and power. With classic jazz standards including “All the Things You Are”, lesser known songs of the Great American Songbook (“Friendly Star”, “You’re Gonna Hear From Me”), Joni Mitchell’s “River”, and Pazzano's own "A Simple Conversation", her first outing is sure to be a moving, accessible listening experience for all.

About Mary-Catherine:
“As impressive as these artists were… it was singer Mary-Catherine Pazzano who truly stole the show. Whether she was scatting her way through a fast number or slowing things down for a powerfully belted tune, Pazzano had the audience enthralled throughout the entire show. Her performance was probably best summed up in the quiet moments that occasionally appeared between the notes, when the room sat in anticipation of her next line – completely silent and breathless.” ~Jon Svec: Reporter, Thornbury Paper

Described as a rising star of the Canadian music scene and as a performer who has her “audience enthralled throughout the entire show”, Mary-Catherine is a singer based in Kitchener, Ontario. Mary-Catherine’s passion has always been singing and performing. She loves exploring the endless repertoire of The Great American Songbook, and making the sublime lyrics her own with a nostalgic, yet modern, flair.

After graduating from the University of Waterloo in 2010 with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Music and Drama (2010), Mary-Catherine embarked on a performance career.

Mary-Catherine’s performance highlights include a tour of New Zealand, headliner at the Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival, The Rex, Jazz Bistro, The Registry Theatre, soloist with the K-W Symphony, and multiple concerts at The Jazz Room.

Mary-Catherine is putting the finishing touches on her debut studio album, “You’re Gonna Hear From Me,” and is honoured to have recorded with Pat Collins, Don Buchanan, Jason Hunter, and Steve James. It will be released September, 2017.

“As she sang and told the stories of those timeless melodies, it felt like she was reciting poetry. She created music of a calibre and artistry seldom heard… A remarkable evening of admirable music.” ~Meaford Express

You're Gonna Hear From Me

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Michael Kaeshammer - The Pianist

Size: 67,5 MB
Time: 28:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz, Boogie Woogie
Art: Front

01. Chicago Breakdown (2:21)
02. Lands End Parade (3:05)
03. Stomp (2:52)
04. Autumn Leaves (3:28)
05. Janice (5:10)
06. Suitcase Blues (1:59)
07. I Beg Your Pardon (2:16)
08. Cadenza (5:48)
09. Lullaby (1:53)

The Pianist did attract enthusiastic reviews, and was nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award. Kaeshammer has won previous WCMAs as Musician of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, while seven Juno Award nominations have netted him two wins.

After studying classical piano for seven years in his German homeland, a 13-year-old Kaeshammer (pronounced "case-hammer") discovered boogie-woogie as played by Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson, and Pinetop Smith. In three years, the teen wunderkind was playing boogie-woogie piano in clubs, concerts, and festivals all over Germany. He attracted attention almost immediately after the family moved to the west coast of Canada, turning heads at performances at blues and jazz festivals during the summer of 1996. His first three recordings, Blue Keys (1996), Tell You How I Feel (1998), and No Strings Attached (2000), showed increasing maturity and artistic evolution. ~ Mark Allan

The Pianist

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Wes Montgomery - So Much Guitar!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:31
Size: 179.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Bop
Year: 1961/2013
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. Twisted Blues
[3:41] 2. Cotton Tail
[5:28] 3. I Wish I Knew
[5:54] 4. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[3:52] 5. Repetition
[4:45] 6. Something Like Bags
[2:16] 7. While We're Young
[7:42] 8. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
[4:07] 9. Jeannine
[6:52] 10. Snowfall
[6:28] 11. Angel Eyes
[2:29] 12. Barbados
[3:47] 13. This Love Of Mine
[4:31] 14. On Green Dolphin Street
[6:19] 15. You Don't Know What Love Is
[4:39] 16. Beaux Arts

Bass – Ron Carter; Congas – Ray Barretto; Drums – Lex Humphries; Guitar – Wes Montgomery; Piano – Hank Jones. Recorded in New York City; August 4, 1961.

One of Wes Montgomery's finest recordings, a Riverside date that showcases the influential guitarist in a quintet with pianist Hank Jones, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Lex Humphries, and the congas of Ray Barretto. All performances are memorable in their own way, with "Cottontail," "I'm Just a Lucky So and So," and a brief unaccompanied "While We're Young" being high points. ~Scott Yanow

So Much Guitar!

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