Ray Vega - Squeeze, Squeeze

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:19
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Black Nile
(4:05)  2. Smile, You're In Beirut
(7:59)  3. Contemplation
(4:41)  4. Ne Quitez Pas
(5:40)  5. Squeeze, Squeeze
(6:04)  6. Both
(6:10)  7. Salazar
(4:46)  8. Sky!
(6:10)  9. Crescent Mood
(4:28) 10. La Tercera

Trumpeter Ray Vega is a triumphant example of a musician liberated rather than straightjacketed by his Latin jazz expertise. Years of playing in bands as notable as Tito Puente's and Mongo Santamaria's clearly have reaped rewards in terms of his bright, rhythmically punchy, powerhouse delivery. Vega's own description of his current style as "Latin Bop" accurately describes his second disc as a leader on Palmetto. The bow to bop is made perfectly clear by his covers of Wayne Shorter's "Black Nile" and McCoy Tyner's "Contemplation." In both instances the Latin accents and tone colors and I hear Dizzy Gillespie's influence on Vega are mingled by edgy, fluttery runs bringing a most un-Latin ancestor to mind, Lee Morgan. This isn't to say that Vega doesn't have his own distinctive sound, but he's unafraid to reveal influences both close and far from his Latin roots. Vega's band works well with his Latin bop focus, particularly percussionist Wilson "Chembo" Corneil and drummer Adam Weber. The title tune, one of four original compositions by Vega, is a tour de force of various Latin dance styles weaving in and out out of a funky bop theme. It evokes a street carnival atmosphere, a spontaneous joy, that permeates this highly playable and adventuresome session. ~ Norman Weinstein https://www.allaboutjazz.com/squeeze-squeeze-ray-vega-palmetto-records-review-by-norman-weinstein.php

Personnel: Ray Vega, Boddy Porcelli, Igor Atalita, Gregg August, Wilson "Chembo" Corneil, Adam Weber

Squeeze, Squeeze

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Spanish Harlem Orchestra - United We Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:48
Size: 157.5 MB
Styles: Salsa, Latin jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Sho Intro
[6:04] 2. Llego La Orquesta
[5:42] 3. En El Tiempo Del Palladium
[5:32] 4. Se Formó La Rumba
[6:13] 5. Sacala Bailar
[5:28] 6. Ahora Si
[5:23] 7. Que Bonito
[4:38] 8. Salsa Pa'l Bailador
[5:32] 9. Mujer Divina
[5:19] 10. Soy Candela
[4:40] 11. Plena Con Sabor
[6:09] 12. Danzon For My Father
[4:10] 13. Late In The Evening

Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the two-time Grammy winning Salsa and Latin Jazz band, sets the standard for excellence for authentic, New York style, hard core salsa. Live or recorded, it doesn't get any better. Whether a concert hall or an outdoor jazz festival, there is no easing you in, they are coming at you full force from start to finish. Their energy on stage, rich sound and musical precision leave audiences mesmerized until the last note is played. With an unwavering respect for the musics rich history, thirteen world-class musicians and vocalists come together to create an unparalleled musical experience.

Now in its fourteenth year, SHO, as they are known to fans, is dedicated to the sounds of the barrio. Their music is characterized by the raw, organic and vintage sound defined by the genre. They are on a mission to keep the musical legacy of salsa dura "hard salsa" alive and expand its audience to those who love great music, not just Latin music. Grounded in the past, while focused on the future, they strive to keep the music relevant, while creating a unique and fresh approach. With four albums, and as many Grammy nominations, this Latin Jazz powerhouse knows it is crucial to continually push themselves and raise the bar. They recently released their fifth album, featuring two of America's great jazz icons, Chick Corea & saxophonist Joe Lovano. Oscar Hernandez and Spanish Harlem Orchestra continue to raise the bar of excellence in their music.

United We Swing

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Julie London - Lonely Girl

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:36
Size: 67.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1956/2010
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Lonely Girl
[2:07] 2. Fools Rush In
[2:38] 3. Moments Like This
[2:35] 4. I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City
[2:35] 5. It's The Talk Of The Town
[1:56] 6. What'll I Do
[1:54] 7. When Your Lover Has Gone
[2:43] 8. Don't Take Your Love From Me
[2:35] 9. Where Or When
[1:48] 10. All Alone
[2:10] 11. Mean To Me
[2:09] 12. How Deep Is The Ocean
[1:47] 13. Remember

Liberty Records was pleasantly surprised when Julie London's debut album was such a big hit. Julie Is Her Name did contain the hit single "Cry Me a River," but each featured mellow jazz guitar and bass backing -- which was considered commercial suicide in 1955. So, instead of changing direction and recording the follow-up Lonely Girl with a full orchestra, Liberty wisely allowed London to strip the accompaniment down even more on the album by dropping the backing down to one instrument. Lone guitarist Al Viola plays gentle Spanish-tinged acoustic behind the hushed vocalist, and it suits London perfectly. While the singer was often chided for her beauty and lack of range, she deftly navigates these ballads without any rhythmic underpinnings to fall back on. London's intense focus on phrasing and lyrics recalls Chet Baker's equally telescopic approach. So while most of the album contains the usual midnight standards, London sings them in her own way. The title track is the one unfamiliar tune here, and it's a real gem, penned by Bobby Troup (he was London's producer, paramour, and future husband). The low-key Lonely Girl beat the sophomore slump and initially did almost as well in the charts as Julie Is Her Name. Instead of stripping away the guitar in order to make London's next release be the first a cappella torch album, Troup crafted Calendar Girl, a big-budget orchestral affair that was more in keeping with the thematic pop albums released at the time. ~Nick Dedina

Lonely Girl

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Dominick Farinacci - Adoro

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:23
Size: 140.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:00] 1. Adoro
[7:02] 2. Summertime
[6:30] 3. Adios Nonino
[7:00] 4. Body & Soul
[8:31] 5. Un Cancion Para Matilde
[5:47] 6. Love Dance
[5:47] 7. January
[4:03] 8. Contemplation
[6:08] 9. Mea Culpa
[4:30] 10. I Wish You Love

Ohio-born trumpeter Dominick Farinacci is a technically gifted and lyrical artist with a bent for swinging, straight-ahead jazz. Born in Cleveland in 1983, Farinacci first began playing trumpet in the sixth grade. Along with private lessons, he gained valuable experience attending the Saturday music program at Cleveland's Tri-C Community College. By the time he entered high school, he was already an accomplished jazz musician, performing regularly around the city.

As a teenager, Farinacci was selected as a member of the prestigious High School Grammy Awards All-Star Big Band in California; an honor he earned three years in a row. Also during high school, he attended the Berklee College of Music Summer Jazz Program and opened for trumpeter Wynton Marsalis at the Tri-C Jazzfest in Cleveland. Based off that performance, Marsalis invited Farinacci to appear on the PBS concert special Live from Lincoln Center: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong.

After high school, Farinacci was accepted into the inaugural class of the Juilliard Jazz Program. It was while studying at Juilliard that his performance at another Lincoln Center concert, a tribute to trumpet legends Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard, that Farinacci caught the attention of producer Todd Barkan who signed him to a recording contract. In 2002, he released his debut album, Manhattan Dream, featuring pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Chip Jackson, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. The following year, he won first place in the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition. Several more albums followed, including 2004's Besame Mucho and 2006's Adoro.

After graduating Juilliard, Farinacci remained in New York City and continued releasing albums like 2009's Lovers, Tales and Dancers and 2011's Dawn of Goodbye. He also spent two years living on and off in Qatar in the Middle East as the first Global Ambassador for Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2016, Farinacci released his first album for Mack Avenue, Short Stories, featuring production from industry legend and fellow Cleveland native Tommy LiPuma. ~ Matt Collar

Adoro

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Horace Parlan - Frank-Ly Speaking

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:11
Size: 128.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1977/1994
Art: Front

[ 3:54] 1. Frank-Ly Speaking
[ 4:28] 2. Quietude
[ 6:30] 3. Hit It
[ 8:14] 4. Mirror Lake
[10:04] 5. Chocolate Cadillac
[ 6:39] 6. Misty Thursday
[ 7:22] 7. U.A.I
[ 8:55] 8. Veronica's Walk

Alto Saxophone – Frank Strozier; Bass – Lisle Atkinson; Drums – Al Harewood; Piano – Horace Parlan; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster. Recorded February 5, 1977.

This 1977 session in the United States marked a rare return to his native land for pianist Horace Parlan, where he reunited with old friends and made his first recording with another veteran. Featuring alto saxophonist Frank Strozier, bassist Lisle Atkinson, drummer Al Harewood, and ex-Basie tenor saxophonist Frank Foster (working with Parlan for the first time), the band benefited from playing a one-nighter and holding an afternoon rehearsal rather than going into the studio cold. Most of the selections played on this date were composed by fellow expatriates, including Thad Jones, Idrees Sulieman, and Duke Jordan, along with Parlan's buoyant hard bop vehicle "Frank-ly Speaking." The sauntering rendition of Jones' "Quietude," Atkinson's intricate "Hit It," and an extended workout of Sulieman's "Chocolate Cadillac" are also among the session's highlights, while the playing is inspired throughout the date by everyone involved. ~Ken Dryden

Frank-Ly Speaking

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Rolf Ericson & Johnny Griffin - Sincerely Ours

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:53)  1. Double Digit
(8:02)  2. Fragrance
(6:06)  3. Oblivion
(5:53)  4. Taboo
(4:42)  5. Sweet And Handsome
(7:58)  6. Korn Blues

One of Sweden's finest trumpeters, Rolf Ericson played in the U.S. often enough to gain a strong reputation. He started on trumpet when he was eight and, after hearing Louis Armstrong play in Stockholm in 1933, he switched to jazz. Ericson recorded in Sweden with Alice Babs and others starting in 1945, moved to New York in 1947, and played with Charlie Barnet (1949) and Woody Herman (1950). After returning to Sweden in 1950, he recorded as a leader and with Arne Domnérus and Leonard Feather's Swinging Swedes. He also toured and recorded with Charlie Parker. Back in the U.S. during 1953-1956, Ericson played with the big bands of Charlie Spivak, Harry James, the Dorsey Brothers, and Les Brown and was with the Lighthouse All-Stars. In 1956, he toured Sweden and played with Ernestine Anderson and Lars Gullin. During 1956-1965 in the U.S., Ericson was with Dexter Gordon, Harold Land, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson (1960-1961), Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman, Gerry Mulligan, and Charles Mingus, among others. There were also occasional tours with Duke Ellington during 1963-1971 and plenty of freelance jobs. In 1971, he settled in Germany as a studio musician, but Ericson returned to the U.S. several times over the next couple of decades. His warm tone and creative yet melodic style were always considered an asset. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sincerely-ours/id305133628

Personnel:  Trumpet – Rolf Ericson;  Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Griffin;  Piano – Fritz Pauer;  Bass – Lukas Lindholm;  Drums – Ronnie Stephenson;  Flugelhorn – Rolf Ericson

Sincerely Ours

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Julienne Taylor - The Heart Within

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:20
Size: 103,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. I Knew I Loved You
(3:51)  2. Guitar Man
(3:33)  3. You Are Not Alone
(2:13)  4. I Was Born to Love You
(3:32)  5. Forever Our Love
(3:44)  6. If You Leave
(5:10)  7. Forbidden Colours
(2:39)  8. We Go Round
(3:03)  9. Please, Please, Please
(3:13) 10. Hard to Say I’m Sorry
(3:53) 11. Can't Let Go
(2:11) 12. You Are My Love
(3:31) 13. Baby Can I Hold You?

An album with a selection of fresh interpretations of new wave, classic love songs and originals in her own unique and distinctive style. Highlights include a beautiful version of Michael Jackson's You Are Not Alone, The Smith's Please, Please, Please and Queen's I Was Born To Love You and her original songs which include 'Can't Let Go','We Go Round' and 'Forever Our Love'. ~ Editorial Reviews  https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Within-Julienne-Taylor/dp/B005Z2WBNC         

The Heart Within

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Jerry Bergonzi - Just Within

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:12
Size: 149,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:01)  1. Our Love Is Here to Stay
(8:51)  2. Optimum Propensity
(5:29)  3. Out House
(7:36)  4. Red's Blues
(5:43)  5. Before It Happens
(9:38)  6. The Ray
(7:08)  7. Hank
(8:41)  8. Solar Return
(5:02)  9. Giant Steps

Although this is a tenor-organ-drums trio, the music is much more advanced than typical soul-jazz. Tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi ranges style-wise from Joe Henderson on the first few selections to early John Coltrane on the later cuts. Organist Dan Wall shows more versatility than the usual Jimmy Smith-inspired organist, and drummer Adam Nussbaum is alert in support. The music is mostly comprised of Bergonzi's advanced but fairly straight-ahead originals, with the exceptions being a fresh rendition of "Our Love Is Here to Stay" and a version of "Giant Steps" that has sections in 6/4 and 5/4 time. Everyone plays up to par on this excellent modern post-bop date. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/just-within-mw0000030717

Personnel: Jerry Bergonzi (tenor saxophone); Dan Wall (organ); Adam Nussbaum (drums)    

Just Within

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Clifford Jordan - Hello, Hank Jones

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:53
Size: 68,6 MB
Art: Front

(15:23)  1. Vienna
( 6:58)  2. Bohemia After Dark
( 7:32)  3. Love for Sale

Direct-to-disc recordings were highly sought by audiophiles during their heyday in the late '70s and early '80s, prior to the widespread availability of digital recordings. The technology had its advantages, especially during jazz sessions, where musicians the caliber of Clifford Jordan weren't handicapped by the engineer's inability to splice takes or overdub afterwards. Jordan, who is the leader of the session, shines on tenor sax, driven by an outstanding rhythm section with seasoned pianist Hank Jones, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Freddie Waits. Following an extensive exploration of Jordan's very catchy post-bop "Vienna" (which he previously recorded nine years earlier for the LP In the World), the quartet shifts into a bop mode with a superb take of Oscar Pettiford's "Bohemia After Dark" and a hard-blowing interpretation of Cole Porter's "Love for Sale." Like all direct-to-disc recordings, this long unavailable LP is a limited edition that was in short supply and difficult to find even when it was issued. Any jazz fan fortunate enough to locate a copy decades later will enjoy the performances and marvel at the warm, very intimate sound achieved by the musicians and the engineers on that summer day in 1978. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/hello-hank-jones-mw0000877175

Personnel:  Clifford Jordan - tenor saxophone;  Hank Jones - piano;  Reggie Workman - bass;  Freddie Waits - drums

Hello, Hank Jones

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LeeAnn Ledgerwood, Ron McClure, Billy Hart - Renewal

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:48
Size: 142,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:32)  1. Summernite
( 6:26)  2. I Wish You Knew
( 5:02)  3. All Blues
( 3:51)  4. Renewal
(10:55)  5. Adagio
( 7:14)  6. A Shade of Jade
( 5:28)  7. 502 Blues
( 8:01)  8. My Foolish Heart
( 7:15)  9. Autumn Leaves

An album that bursts out beautifully, right from the very first note then continues to hold us rapt throughout, with that strong sense of surprise we love from a really well-done piano trio album! LeeAnn Ledgerwood's no stranger to the recording studio, but this album really feels like something special and different a set that has her musical imagination maybe sparked with even more swing than before, all balanced with a warmly lyrical touch and set up in perfect communication with the bass of Ron McClure and drums of Billy Hart! 

The album's the sort that someone might be playing, and you'd step over and ask "What's that?" especially on the more upbeat numbers, which really grab us. Titles include the originals "Renewal" and "I Wish You Knew" plus "All Blues", "Summernite", "502 Blues", "A Shade Of Jade", and "Autumn Leaves".  © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/859856/LeeAnn-Ledgerwood:Renewal

Personnel: LeeAnn Ledgerwood, piano;  Ron McClure, bass;  Billy Hart, drums.

Renewal

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Big John Patton - Let 'em Roll

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:50

Size: 91.2 MB

Styles: Bop, Soul-jazz

Year: 1965/1993

Art: Front

[6:48] 1. Let 'em Roll

[7:20] 2. Latona

[6:52] 3. The Shadow Of Your Smile

[6:45] 4. The Turnaround

[5:35] 5. Jakey

[6:27] 6. One Step Ahead

Drums – Otis Finch; Guitar – Grant Green; Organ – John Patton; Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson. Recorded on December 11, 1965.

In an unusual setting for a groove/soul jazz setting, B3 organist extraordinaire big John Patton creates a band around himself that includes Grant Green, drummer Otis Finch, and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. It's truly weird to think of vibes on a groove date, but the way Patton's understated playing works, and the way Green is literally all things to all players, Hutcherson's role is not only a clearly defined one, but adds immeasurably to both depth and texture on this date. What also makes this possible is the symbiotic relationship between Patton and Green. There is a double groove conscious swing happening on every track here, from the bluesed-out slip and slide of the title track which opens the record to a killer version of Hank Mobley's "The Turnaround," which expands the blues vibe into solid soul territory because of Hutcherson's ability to play pianistically and slip into the funk groove whenever necessary. Green's deadly in his solo on the track, shimmering arpeggios through Patton's big fat chords and chunky hammering runs. Also notable are Patton's own tunes, the most beautiful of which is "Latona," a floating Latin number with a killer salsa rhythm in 6/8. As Patton vamps through the chorus, Green slips in one of his gnarliest solos ever. It begins with a groove like run in the hard bop blues and then shoves itself into overdrive, capturing the cold sweat of a Bola Sete or Wes Montgomery in his groove years. But when Green goes for the harmonic edges, all bets are off: Hutcherson lays out, and he and Patton go running to the bridge and bring the melody back just in time to take it out. This is one of the least appreciated of Patton's records, and there's no reason for it; it is great. ~Thom Jurek

Let'em Roll 

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Courtney Pine - Black Notes From The Deep

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:09
Size: 94.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Rules
[4:51] 2. You Know Who You Are
[3:19] 3. Darker Than The Blue
[5:35] 4. Rivers Of Blood
[3:15] 5. In Another Time
[4:53] 6. The Morning After The Night Before
[4:25] 7. A Change Is Sure To Come
[6:27] 8. How Many More
[3:56] 9. Butterfly
[1:13] 10. A Word To The Wise

Ever one to mix things up, Britain’s most celebrated jazzer follows a low-key ballads album with a collection centred on funk-oriented duets with vocalist Omar, though Courtney Pine – back on tenor sax for the first time in years – conjures assorted moods. Rivers of Blood is a brooding meditation taking its title from Enoch Powell’s 1968 racist speech, while A Change Is Sure to Come is a wistful, flute-driven piece. Omar brings an elegant touch to Herbie Hancock’s Butterfly, and snappy vitality to opener Rules. Robert Mitchell’s piano shines among a supporting trio, and Pine, whether in contemplation or post-bop flurry, shows why he’s still top dog. ~Neil Spencer

Black Notes From The Deep

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Yusef Lateef - Part Of The Search

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1974/2006
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. K.C. Shuffle
[0:39] 2. Oatsy Doatsy 1
[2:27] 3. Soul's Bakery
[3:25] 4. Lunceford Prance
[3:41] 5. Rock House
[0:15] 6. Oatsy Doatsy 2
[3:36] 7. In The Still Of The Night
[3:25] 8. Superfine
[4:11] 9. Strange Lullaby
[2:56] 10. Big Bass Drum
[9:53] 11. Getting Sentimental

Yusef Lateef's Atlantic albums tended to be erratic affairs with plenty of chances taken and the overall results being a mixed success. This set (reissued on CD) is one of his better efforts from the era. Lateef, doubling on tenor and alto this time, is backed not only by his trio but a big band, string quartet, three background vocalists and a variety of electric keyboardists and guitarists. There are enough good tracks (particularly "Lunceford Prance," "Rockhouse" and "I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You") to make this a release worth checking out. ~Scott Yanow

Part Of The Search

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Cilla Owens - 'tis What It Is

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:20
Size: 124.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:11] 1. I Mean You
[4:17] 2. Little Niles
[3:24] 3. Thou Swell
[2:06] 4. Twisted
[4:57] 5. 'tis What It Is
[5:18] 6. The Nearness Of You
[7:40] 7. Little Sunflower
[3:23] 8. You Don't Know What Love Is
[6:15] 9. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:13] 10. Simple Samba
[4:20] 11. Take The 'a' Train
[4:12] 12. Fine And Mellow

Cilla Owens' credits include appearances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, the original Small's Paradise, Symphony Space, Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, and the legendary Village Gate. She has performed in Germany, the Caribbean, and at various music festivals including Jazzmobile, The Newport Summer Fest, and La Fete de la Musique. For several years she performed with the Great Day Chorale, dedicated to the preservation of the Negro Spiritual, under the inimitable direction of master musicologist Louvinia Pointer. Cilla Owens is presently the Director of the Jazz Vocal Workshop at Hunter College/CUNY, where she earned a second B.A. in Music, and a M.A. in Performance. She is also the founder/director of the Jazzvox Performance Workshop as well as a private vocal coach.

Throughout the years Cilla has had the pleasure of performing with a variety of artists including Lionel Hampton, Bross Townsend, Michael Hill, Bob Cunningham, Tony Lewis, and Babi Floyd. She is a regular at the historic Cornelia Street Cafe in Greenwich Village, where she gets to rock the house along with Paul Shapiro's 'Ribs And Brisket Revue'.

'tis What It Is

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Jackie McLean - A Fickle Sonance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:03
Size: 80.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/2000
Art: Front

[7:03] 1. Five Will Get You Ten
[5:51] 2. Subdued
[4:51] 3. Sundu
[6:46] 4. A Fickle Sonance
[5:44] 5. Enitnerrut
[4:44] 6. Lost

Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was one of the few jazz players to come up through bebop and incorporate free jazz into his style. Even though A Fickle Sonance preceded McLean's intense 1962 album Let Freedom Ring, the playing remained in a swinging blues-oriented style, showing no hint of the direction his music was about to take. The sidemen on the date (Tommy Turrentine [trumpet], Sonny Clark [piano], and Butch Warren [bass]) prove to be an invigorating combination of musicians, however not as involved in the burgeoning free music as drummer Billy Higgins. At the time of these sessions, Higgins had already played with Ornette Coleman, providing a link to the avant-garde, but nevertheless his playing follows the hard bop pace of the others. McLean provides two original compositions, "Subdued" and the title track, while Clark, Turrentine, and Warren fill the remaining tracks. ~Al Campbell

A Fickle Sonance

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Bobby Previte's Weather Clear Track Fest - Hue And Cry

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

( 4:05)  1. Hubbub
( 5:59)  2. Smack-Dab
( 6:04)  3. Move Heaven And Earth
(14:10)  4. 700 Camels
( 7:03)  5. Valerie
(13:16)  6. Hue And Cry
( 7:15)  7. For John Laughlan And All That We Stood For.

Hue and Cry features an eight-strong, all-star version of Bobby Previte's Weather Clear, Track Fast band and results in one of his finest efforts as a leader. Along with Henry Threadgill, Previte, in the late '80s and early '90s, was one of the leading figures of avant-garde jazz, using mid-sized groups to explore complex compositional ideas more than as solo vehicles. He's also extremely adept at tension-and-release structures, often using what might have been an introductory riff for anyone else as an extended phrase, wringing out every bit of melody from it, and leaving the listener in a juicy state of anticipation for the eventual burst into the central theme. Previte uses an interesting pairing up in this band, with Don Byron and Marty Ehrlich often both playing clarinet, Robin Eubanks and Eddie Allen on brass, and, most prominently, Anthony Davis on piano alongside Larry Goldings' organ. Goldings is particularly out front on many of the pieces here, giving the band a very different cast from their earlier recording. 

Only the ambitious "700 Camels" fails to cohere completely; the remainder of the tracks all have both imaginative writing and (at the least) solid playing and soloing. On the other hand, the similarly lengthy title track pulls all the right switches, layering material in a rich fabric and hurtling toward a satisfying climax. The closing number is an unusual dirge, with Previte playing a martial rhythm, Davis trickling out single notes like rainfall, and Ehrlich keening on soprano. Recommended! ~ Brian Olewnick  https://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1497658/a/hue+and+cry.htm

Personnel: Bobby Previte (drums), Marty Ehrlich (alto & tenor saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet), Don Byron (baritone saxophone, clarinet), Eddie Allen (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Anthony Davis (piano), Larry Goldings (organ), Anthony Cox (bass)

Hue And Cry

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Esther Williams - Inside Of Me

Styles: Vocal, Soul 
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:51
Size: 85,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:49)  1. I'll Be Your Pleasure
(3:55)  2. Inside Of Me
(3:40)  3. Make It With You
(3:40)  4. You Are The Spice Of My Life
(4:28)  5. You Can Use It
(5:56)  6. Ready For Love
(3:42)  7. Who Said It Was Wrong
(3:38)  8. You Can Have It All

When Esther Williams' Inside of Me was first released in 1981, there was a lot of talk about how disco had died. To hear some people tell it, disco was so out of fashion in 1981 that even Donna Summer was trying to be new wave. But truth be told, disco was quite plentiful in 1981. Disco never died; it evolved and diversified, and new terms emerged in the ‘'80s (dance-pop, deep house, Hi-NRG). Williams enjoyed some exposure in dance clubs in 1981, especially with her seductive hit "I'll Be Your Pleasure" (which opens this album). Inside of Me, which the Brooklyn-based Funky Town Grooves reissued on CD in 2011, doesn't get into Euro-disco at all; rather, Williams favors a disco-soul approach (à la Loleatta Holloway or Jocelyn Brown) on club-friendly offerings such as "I'll Be Your Pleasure," "You Can Have It All," and "You Can Use It." 

But it would be a mistake to think that Inside of Me is strictly an album of uptempo dance grooves. Actually, the slower jams are very much in the Philadelphia soul vein, including "You Are the Spice of My Life," "Ready for Love," and the title song. So even though some parts of this 36-minute CD are club-friendly, other parts of it have a lot of quiet storm appeal. Inside of Me was not a huge commercial hit when it first came out on LP back in 1981; regardless, this is a solid effort from the talented but underexposed Williams (who married Washington, D.C.-based jazz saxophonist Davey Yarborough and shouldn't be confused with the actress who appeared in all those MGM musicals in the '40s and '50s). And it is good to see Inside of Me reissued on CD after being out of print for many years. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/inside-of-me-mw0000847118               

Inside Of Me

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Gare du Nord - Kind of Cool

Styles: Smooth Jazz, Future Jazz 
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:47
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. Kind Of Cool 1 (Inner City Groove)
(5:49)  2. Sold My Soul
(4:14)  3. L'Hôtel Beat
(6:08)  4. Panchira (Rasa Clinic, 1962)
(5:29)  5. Profondo Blu
(4:13)  6. Dark Chill
(4:59)  7. Kind Of Cool 2 (Miles Et Juliette)
(4:35)  8. Chinese Whispers, Japanese Strings
(3:38)  9. You're So Tight
(4:45) 10. Yo... Que Pasa?
(4:27) 11. I'm Not A Woman, I'm Not A Man
(1:13) 12. Très Cool

As I fluttered through the album shelf in a well-known store, one album caught my eye more than others. Perhaps it is the exotic French inscription, Gare du Nord, or the oval and intriguing wrapping, but in my opinion the combination of the two is the winner, since at that time the journey still clung to me following my return from Paris and I have always loved the purple color.  Gare du Nord is the busiest train station in Europe and is located in the heart of Paris. The name means "the station of the north", and I think it is the most appropriate name for this pair, thanks to the versatility, urbanity, speed and changing styles that characterize railway stations in general and their music in particular. This is the second album of the French-inspired duo, which originally came from Germany and Belgium. Most of the songs were produced in large industrial cities such as Memphis, Berlin and London, and the album was produced in just three weeks. Despite the little time, the album is a delightful and colorful combination of sounds, languages and colors. A combination of different styles of blues, bossa nova, electronic music, jazz and a lot of soul that create one album with a clean and light sound and an uneven but complete musical line.

The album opens with the Kind Of Cool section, which has a distinctly urban feel. It was as if, at this moment, the door of the train car closed and galloped toward the next stop. A pleasant start accompanied by light jazz touches and an urban groove. Next, Sold My Soul, presents a different and different side from the opening, a combination of blues music touching along with wonderful and deep text, all of which is won by the pleasant voice of C Robert Walker who collaborates with the duo. In the fourth section, Panchira, Indian oriental music is associated with an amazing female voice and involves Western electronic rhythm. Panchira is a Japanese expression that was said to a Japanese girl with her skirt up and part of her body exposed. The album cover shows this picture not by chance. To a certain extent I felt that the duo had left no room for coincidence and closed all the edges, creating a clean and accurate album. The sixth track, Dark Chill , was written in the wake of the Twin Towers disaster, a symbol of the dark moments that accompany our lives. There is a mix of chilling media reports with threatening and mesmerizing music.

Later on the album the train continues to gallop between languages ??and places, Busana Nova melodies, light jazz and Latin rhythms. I could really feel the city, the place and the atmosphere in the wake of rooted music. The track that closes the album, Tres Cool, is like the final station, the sound of the groove from the opening returns again in a way that sums up the whole long trip. The auctioneer calls everyone to come down. Beyond the pleasant sounds that make you want to lie on a couch in the sun, it seems that the album is a quick urban creation of changing styles and sounds from one of the creators' ears. Beyond that, it hints at the universality of the Gare du Nord music center. The variety of styles that characterize the album gives it a special touch of internationality, a kind of touching the soul while riding a cool train around the world. When the final station is not known, every listener can choose a place to go down. Translate by Google  http://www.106fm.co.il/albums/12771

Kind of Cool

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Vincent Herring - Mr. Wizard

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:31
Size: 115,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. All God's Children Got Rhythm
(4:43)  2. Citizen Of Zamunda
(4:05)  3. Hopscotch
(5:04)  4. You Leave Me Breathless
(5:04)  5. Four By Five
(7:43)  6. Encounters
(5:21)  7. Cassius
(7:19)  8. The Walk Home
(5:40)  9. Mr. Wizard

With more than a dozen discs as a leader under his belt, Vincent Herring has developed a foolproof prescription for making great records: employ compatible sidemen, choose appealing compositions and approach the music with zealous devotion. On Mr. Wizard the brilliant saxophonist follows this formula faultlessly and the result is another rewarding listening experience. Herring has one of the most recognizable voices on alto saxophone in music today and is increasingly developing his own personality on soprano as well, as heard on three of the nine tunes here. Joined by young veterans of his recent recordings  trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, bassist Richie Goods, drummer E.J. Strickland and an impressive newcomer in pianist Danny Grissett the leader navigates his quintet through a program mainly comprised of originals by the group’s members.  Beginning with a bebopping arrangement of “All God’s Children Got Rhythm,” featuring alternating alto and trumpet calls and responses in the melody and four bar exchanges with Strickland, the band shows where it’s coming from before Goods’ “Citizen Of Zamunda,” with its modernistic Native American sounding melody and rhythm featuring the leader’s soprano, demonstrates where it can go. Grissett’s “Hopscotch,” named for its stuttering introduction, is an engaging line that might easily be mistaken for a Horace Silver classic. Herring’s impassioned alto is particularly attractive on “You Leave Me Breathless.” The quintet fires up McCoy Tyner’s tricky “Four By Five” with admirable aplomb, breathing new life into a classic from a still neglected period of the jazz repertory. A second Grissett original, “Encounters,” is an harmonic exploration of the territory originally mined by Miles Davis’ ‘60s quintet, with the entire group blending into an expressive impressionism propelled by Strickland’s provocative percussion discussions. A pair from the pen of Pelt, “Cassius” and “The Walk Home,” the former a swinging affair and the latter a pensive waltz, demonstrates the trumpeter’s strength as a composer. Herring wraps up the date with his own “Mr. Wizard,” a Jazz Messengerish anthem that gives everybody in the band the kind of workout you can expect to hear in one of their exciting live performances. ~ Russ Musto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mr-wizard-vincent-herring-review-by-russ-musto.php

Personnel: Vincent Herring: Alto Sax, Soprano Sax; Danny Grissett: Piano; Richie Goods: Bass; Jeremy Pelt: Trumpet; E.J. Strickland: Drums.

Mr. Wizard

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Louis Hayes - Serenade For Horace

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop

Year: 2017

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:00

Size: 135,5 MB

Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Ecaroh

(5:20)  2. Señor Blues

(5:51)  3. Song For My Father (feat. Gregory Porter)

(4:08)  4. Hastings Street

(5:14)  5. Strollin'

(5:55)  6. Juicy Lucy

(5:03)  7. Silver's Serenade

(6:44)  8. Lonely Woman

(5:01)  9. Summer In Central Park

(5:49) 10. St. Vitus Dance

(4:56) 11. Room 608

This gem of a tribute album is, in the words of the poet Wordsworth, a "recollection in tranquility" conceived and led by drummer Louis Hayes in memory of his beloved lifelong friend, pianist Horace Silver. In 1956, Silver invited Hayes to New York City from his native Detroit to join the Horace Silver Quintet, which produced a series of ground-breaking Blue Note albums. Now, at 80, Hayes' drumming is as superb and as youthful as ever, a reason in itself to have this album. He brings together a group of seasoned, dedicated musicians to honor Silver, not by imitating or outdoing him, but by playing his music with great fidelity to Silver's ideas and the hard bop period which he helped to innovate. Thankfully, Hayes had the wisdom neither to copy nor expound upon but definitely emulate Silver's contribution in many respects. Pianist Tom Lawton has aptly summarized Silver's unique playing as follows: "Horace had a mixture of a very guttural approach to bebop: a percussive right-hand attack and often very raw, drum-like left-hand accents, (best example: "Opus de Funk"). He also explored a funky, gospel-tinged, soul and groove influenced music ("Song For My Father") that had a unique feel because of his father's origin in the island of Cape Verde." The Cape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa were slave trade transit points to South America and the Caribbean and where Creole culture -so important to jazz originated, and which shares the Portuguese influence with Brazil. Silver composed his well- known "Song for My Father" after a trip to Brazil that profoundly influenced his subsequent playing. Silver was a prolific composer, sometimes adding his own lyrics. Most of his originals on this album are from the extended and extensive Blue Note recordings between 1952 and 1981. "Ecaroh" (Horace spelled backwards!) and "Room 608" are from the pre-Hayes Jazz Messenger period in which hard bop was literally invented. The album provides a retrospective that is firmly rooted in Silver and hard bop, but is more laid back and less feisty than the original Silver recordings.

The first tune, "Ecaroh" presages the whole album. Hayes' drumming is superb and measured, in contrast to the banal prestidigitation we hear too often. His swing is lighter and more subtle than in the Silver era, perhaps influenced a bit by Elvin Jones. The horn players Abraham Burton on tenor saxophone and Josh Evans on trumpet, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, and bassist Dezron Douglas are completely in service of the music rather than inserting their own idiosyncracies. Next, the iconic "Señor Blues" is a tad slower than on the Silver recording Live at Newport '58 (Blue Note, 2008). Hayes and the group emphasize the R&B influence over the Latin rhythm implied in the title. The saxophone and trumpet work is sharp and clean, echoing Silver Newport cohorts Junior Cookand Louis Smith. Guest vocalist Gregory Porter does a fine if understated delivery of "Song for My Father" with inflections that bear a distinct resemblance to Kurt Elling. The Brazilian samba rhythm that influenced Silver in writing this song comes through clearly. Dee Dee Bridgewater's version (Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver, Verve, 1995) is faster and more intense. Porter is closer to Silver's intention, but Silver's inspired piano improvisations on this song are well worth going back to for their own sake. At the suggestion of the producer Maxine Gordon, Hayes wrote one original for the collection. "Hastings Street" was stimulated by his memories of Detroit and is a "classic" hard bop tune that is a prefect vehicle for solos, in this case by Burton, Evans, and Nelson. Some feather-like vibes comping by Nelson adds a special touch, and there is some generous co-improvising at the end, something Silver liked to do in his arrangements. "Strollin'" is a virtual replica of the Horace Silver Quintet version on Horace-Scope (Blue Note, 1960) with Junior Cook on tenor and Blue Mitchell on trumpet. "Juicy Lucy" features an outstanding saxophone solo by Burton. The group does a straightforward version of "Silver's Serenade," while Silver's "Lonely Woman" (not the Ornette Coleman tune) is notable for Bryant's extended piano tribute to Silver, which one has been waiting for all along! Silver had a sunny disposition on most days, and "Summer in Central Park" is, as the title suggests, a pleasant sunny day walk in the park. The title of the next tune, "St. Vitus Dance," portends something different but turns out not to be so. St Vitus Dance is a disease characterized by rapid, uncoordinated jerking movements. The version on this album swings so well that it is a cure for that disease rather than a symptom of it! The album ends with "Room 608," a fast-paced strictly bebop tune which shows the important Bud Powell influence on Silver. Silver could have become just another great bebop player, but he was wise enough to pursue his own voice, which, if we can judge from the lyrics of "Song for My Father," is a striving that came from the advice of his dad. And Louis Hayes is to be thanked for adhering to his stated goal: a loving remembrance and tribute to Horace Silver rather than a flashy post- modern pot-boiler. ~ Victor L.Schermer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/serenade-for-horace-by-victor-l-schermer.php

Personnel: Louis Hayes: drums and leader; Abraham Burton: tenor saxophone; Josh Evans: trumpet; Steve Nelson: vibraphone; David Bryant: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass. (Gregory Porter, vocalist, on Song for My Father.”)

Serenade For Horace

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