Art Pepper - Art Pepper Presents "West Coast Sessions!" Vols 5 & 6

Album: Art Pepper Presents "West Coast Sessions!" Volume 5: Jack Sheldon
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:25
Size: 147.5 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1981/2017
Art: Front

[5:11] 1. Angel Wings
[5:11] 2. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
[6:41] 3. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:03] 4. Jack's Blues
[6:07] 5. Broadway
[7:40] 6. Historia De Un Amor
[6:11] 7. Minority
[5:39] 8. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To(Alt. Take)
[4:18] 9. Broadway (Alternate Take)
[5:47] 10. Minority (Alternate Take)
[6:32] 11. Historia De Un Amor (Jack Sheldon Vocal)

Another great band with Pepper, recorded in 1980, as part of a six volume individual album set released originally in Japan. It features Pepper-alto sax, Jack Sheldon-trumpet, The fine and deserving of more recognition Milcho Leviev-piano, Tony Dumas-bass, and Carl Burnett-drums. Straight off--to my ears--what a band. Sheldon has always been a favorite trumpet player of mine, and here he gets a chance to show just how good a player he is--lyrical and swinging or subtly beautiful on ballads. This set (for me) is actually somewhere between four and five "stars".

And with some good tunes like "Angel Wings", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "Jack's Blues", "Minority", plus alternate takes of "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Broadway", and "Minority", and a Sheldon vocal version of "Historia De Un Amor" (which is also on the original album as a beautiful, sensitively played instrumental), this album is one of the best in the series. I would think this volume would be a welcome addition to any Pepper/Sheldon/West Coast jazz fan's music shelf. The music swings on the up tempo pieces and the ballads are simply well played and beautiful. Both Pepper and Sheldon step out front all over this set for some fine solos, and with Leviev and a fine rhythm section, this is hard to beat for some West Coast jazz.

The sound is very good-clear, clean, and open, with a nice "alive" feeling coming through the speakers. The vocal track by Sheldon is from a surviving cassette tape and the sound is of lesser quality, with some distortion apparent. ~Stuart Jefferson

Art Pepper Presents West Coast Sessions! Vol.5 Jack Sheldon                

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Album: Art Pepper Presents "West Coast Sessions!" Volume 6: Shelly Manne
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:15
Size: 119.6 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1981/2017
Art: Front

[ 7:08] 1. Just Friends
[ 5:57] 2. These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
[ 7:20] 3. Hollywood Jam Blues
[ 6:13] 4. Lover Come Back To Me
[ 8:33] 5. Limehouse Blues
[ 6:40] 6. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[10:22] 7. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (Alt Take)

In 1979, Japanese label Atlas struck a deal with cool jazz icon Art Pepper to record a series of dates showcasing some of his fellow West Coast acolytes. Due in part to an existing contract with another label, the saxophonist opted to skirt legal troubles and record the sessions under the auspices that he was a featured guest, rather than the album headliner. Originally released in 1981 as Hollywood All-Star Sessions: Shelly Manne & His West Coast Friends, the 2017 Atlas reissue Art Pepper Presents West Coast Sessions, Vol. 6: Shelly Manne features Pepper alongside drummer Shelly Manne, trombonist Bill Watrous, tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper, pianist Pete Jolly, and bassist Monty Budwig. As with the other Atlas reissues, here we get period photos and new liner notes via the series producer, Pepper's then-wife and manager Laurie Pepper. Although known for his association with the cool jazz sound of '50s West Coast jazz, Pepper (who infamously spent time in prison throughout much of the '60s on drug charges) had matured into an aggressive, adventurous performer by the time these Atlas recordings were made. Thankfully, this dichotomy is part of what makes the Atlas dates so appealing. Essentially a loose blowing session, here we get the saxophonist digging into a batch of well-worn standards from a breezy, and (thanks to Watrous) counterpoint-heavy take on "Just Friends" to the swaggeringly earthy slow blues of "Hollywood Jam Blues" and an uncharacteristically fleet-footed reading of "Lover Come Back to Me." Also particularly engaging is the group's languid, half-lidded take on the ballad "These Foolish Things," which aches with a yearning, noir-ish romanticism. Drummer Manne ably grounds the session with his adept percussion accents and impeccable swing feel. It's also fascinating to listen to the contrast between Cooper's warmly burnished melodicism and Pepper's increasingly kinetic, yet still lyrical flow. Sadly, Pepper died several months after these sessions, making his prodigal return to his West Coast roots that much more poignant. ~Matt Collar

Art Pepper Presents West Coast Sessions! Vol. 6 Shelly Manne                

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Niels Lan Doky Trio Montmartre - The Look Of Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:59
Size: 141.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:32] 1. The Look Of Love
[5:06] 2. The Days Of Wine And Roses
[3:38] 3. Don't Know Why
[5:11] 4. Blues For Kenny
[6:09] 5. I Loves You, Porgy
[4:50] 6. Tender Lies
[3:52] 7. Clash By Night
[4:06] 8. Someday My Prince Will Come
[7:22] 9. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[5:20] 10. Come Summer
[5:06] 11. Rhythm Steps
[5:42] 12. Over The Rainbow

Although still not that well-known in the United States, Niels Lan Doky is an impressive pianist who has recorded pretty extensively, with 14 albums as a leader by 1996. Born to a Danish mother who sang and had hit records and a Vietnamese father who was both a doctor and a classical guitarist, Niels first played guitar when he was seven, switching to piano when he was 12. Three years later, he played with Thad Jones, who wrote a letter recommending him to the Berklee School of Music. Doky lived in Boston while attending Berklee from 1981-1984, spent a long period in New York, and eventually settled in Paris. He has worked with Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Jack DeJohnette, Bob Berg, Clark Terry, Tom Harrell, and many others, and had such players as Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, Bob Berg, Terri Lyne Carrington, and John Scofield as side players on his records. Niels Lan Doky has recorded as a leader for Storyville, Milestone, and Soul Note, and occasionally co-leads the Doky Brothers with his younger sibling Chris, who plays bass; they have recorded a set for Blue Note. ~bio by Scott Yanow

The Look Of Love

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Hot Club De Norvege - Stardust

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:18
Size: 110.6 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:48] 1. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:17] 2. Kvalsundet
[4:27] 3. Ved Rondane
[4:36] 4. Blessed Relief
[3:37] 5. Webster
[4:23] 6. The Bear And The Strawberry Tree
[3:04] 7. Jersey Bounce
[5:03] 8. Stardust
[2:49] 9. It Had To Be You
[3:39] 10. Meanwhile, Down On Earth
[3:15] 11. That's Why They Call Me Shine
[4:16] 12. Dream Of You

HOT CLUB DE NORVEGE - the original pioneers from the renaissance of the Django Reinhardt music in the 70-ies. Their starting point was the music of Django and the Quintette du Hot Club de France, mixed with gypsy folklore, waltzes and mainstram jazz, but also alternatives, like Frank Zappa, and Salvador Dalí (guitar player Larsen started as a painter). Today they have developed their own sound, and has become icons in the contemporary gypsy jazz. STARDUST (2017) is their new album With gypsy jazz from Grieg to Zappa. The title (and the front cover) is a hint to guitar player Jon Larsen's amazing discovery: there is STARDUST (small mineral particles from Space) everywhere! HOT CLUB DE NORVEGE are famous to a large audience for their rare blend of virtuoso music and surrealistic humour, and they are touring world wide. They have performed and recorded with all the stars of the gypsy swing, from Stéphane Grappelli and Stochelo Rosenberg, to Jimmy Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre and Bireli Lagrene. They have also played with several classical ensembles and orchestras, from the Vertavo Quartet and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, to classical stars like Nigel Kennedy. Hot Club de Norvège have released more than 30 CDs, and DVDs. The magical gypsy jazz of Django Reinhardt is sweeping across the world, and Hot Club de Norvège is one of the truly original groups in the genre. Their traditional string jazz quartet has a mature sound like no other, and is often extended when violinist Finn Hauge swich to his chromatic harmonica, in the style of Toots Thielemans. Guitar player Jon Larsen is one of the top jazz guitar players in the Django style today. He is also a composer, and has received several awards.

HOT CLUB DE NORVEGE is: Jon Larsen (guitar), Finn Hauge (violin and harmonica), Stian Vågen Nilsen (guitar) and Svein Aarbostad (bass).

Stardust

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Paul VornHagen - Trust Your Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:03
Size: 100.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz & vocals
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:41] 1. I'm Old Fashioned
[3:47] 2. All Or Nothing At All
[6:16] 3. Moonlight In Vermont
[4:38] 4. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[5:41] 5. Only Trust Your Heart
[4:45] 6. Whisper Not
[4:30] 7. The Party's Over
[4:01] 8. Lullaby Of Birdland
[5:39] 9. Nature Boy

6-time Detroit Music Award winning Paul Vornhagen's newest album, Trust Your Heart, featuring standards such as "Lullaby of Birdland" and "I'm Old Fashioned". Paul is featured on vocals, flute, saxophones and percussion -- and is joined by Detroit jazz greats Gary Schunk on piano and Kurt Krahnke on acoustic bass.

Trust Your Heart

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Gabrielle Stravelli - Dream Ago

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:16
Size: 119.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Dream Dancing
[3:32] 2. Cake Of My Childhood
[3:56] 3. Little Zochee
[5:55] 4. Where Is The Song
[4:33] 5. If Only Love Was Blind
[3:04] 6. Didn't You Tell Me
[2:51] 7. Bicycle Blues
[4:18] 8. It Might As Well Be Spring
[5:45] 9. Dream Ago
[5:15] 10. Prism
[3:27] 11. More
[5:44] 12. Now I Know

“Listening to the jazz singer Gabrielle Stravelli is like imbibing a potent cocktail whose flavor changes as you drain the glass. In the first couple of sips, the predominant taste is the sparkling wine that has drifted to the top, for Ms. Stravelli’s bright, rippling voice exudes a natural effervescence. Before long, it darkens, and the heady liquor underneath kicks in...As she dipped and swooped, twirling notes and phrases with a confidence and playfulness that recalled Ella Fitzgerald in her prime, Ms. Stravelli began interpreting lyrics with a ferocity that her vocal pyrotechnics accentuated...” ~Stephen Holden, the New York Times

Award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal following through her original songs and her unique take on material from the New American songbook as well as classic standards by artists as varied as Pink Floyd and Duke Ellington, Dolly Parton and Johnny Mercer. A trained actor, Gabrielle has a soulful sensitivity for the story in the lyric and was called “a powerhouse of individual expression” by David Finkle of The Village Voice.

In January 2017, Gabrielle released her third album, "Dream Ago" comprised primarily of original material co-written with bassist Pat O'Leary. The album received a five-star review from DownBeat Magazine and garnered raves from the Huffington Post, Scott Yanow of LA Jazz Scene and Tony Frankel of LA's Stage and Cinema among others. In March Gabrielle and her trio toured the album for ten days traveling from Philadelphia across the Midwest.

Dream Ago

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Jerry Byrd - Potpourri

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:45
Size: 65.8 MB
Styles: Steel guitar jazz
Year: 1966
Art: Front

[1:49] 1. Ridin' High
[2:24] 2. Invitation (To Love)
[2:16] 3. Sleepless Nights
[2:14] 4. Indian Love Call
[2:47] 5. Dancing Under The Stars
[2:24] 6. Chile Nights
[2:19] 7. Coconut Grove
[2:26] 8. Goodbye Kiss
[2:47] 9. Harbor Lights
[2:42] 10. Day Dream
[2:11] 11. Torn Sarong
[2:21] 12. Valley Of The Roses

Famed guitarist Jerry Byrd was born on March 9, 1920 in Lima, OH. As a child, he developed a passion for Hawaiian music, although he made his first inroads into performing by playing country on an area radio station between 1935 and 1937. After a stint on Cincinnati's WLW, he joined the Renfro Valley Barn Dance in 1941; a year later, he jumped to WJR in Detroit, and remained there until he signed on with Ernie Lee's Pleasant Valley Boys in 1944.

Byrd remained with Lee until 1946, when he formed his own group, the Jay-Bird Trio. Two years later, he joined Red Foley's band and became a session staple at King Records. Also in 1948, Byrd cut his first singles, "Mountain Mambo" and, under the name Jerry Robin, "Sun Shadows." Later in the year, he issued his first 78, "Steelin' the Blues." While at King, Byrd also recorded a handful of Hawaiian songs, and as the years wore on, the music became his primary focus.

Still, Byrd remained an active figure on the country landscape; in 1950 he became a regular on Foley's NBC television program, and from 1954 to 1956 he was featured on the Nashville-based series Home Folks. An eight-year stint on the program Country Junction followed, and in 1964 he became a member of Bobby Lord's TV band. In 1968, Byrd left country for good, moving to Hawaii to focus exclusively on the state's native music. ~ Jason Ankeny

Potpourri

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Michel Bisceglia - Inner You

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:37
Size: 128,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:20)  1. Sandino
(5:23)  2. Out to Sea
(4:21)  3. Lorenz Àactor
(4:19)  4. Softly As In The Morning Sunrise
(6:52)  5. Simone
(5:34)  6. Paisellu Miu
(4:42)  7. With Purpose
(5:09)  8. Blues For Alice
(8:09)  9. Side Square
(5:44) 10. The Traveller

Inner You is a jazzalbum by pianist Michel Bisceglia, with his renowned European jazztrio, recorded in 2007. It contains a combination of self-composed music and covers of musicians such as Charlie Haden, Charlie Parker and Rocco Granata. 

The album title refers to the adult inner game between the virtuosity and the musical roots of Michel Bisceglia, which highly characterizes his music. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Inner-You-Michel-Bisceglia/dp/B000NJMKYM

Personnel: Michel Bisceglia (piano); Marc Léhan (drums).

Inner You

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Carminho - Alma

Styles: Vocal, Fado
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:36
Size: 154,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. Lágrimas Do Céu
(2:03)  2. Malva-Rosa
(3:47)  3. As Pedras Da Minha Rua
(3:40)  4. Bom Dia, Amor (Carta De Maria Jose)
(3:03)  5. Folha
(3:19)  6. Meu Namorado
(2:06)  7. Fado Das Queixas
(3:51)  8. Fado Adeus
(3:22)  9. Cabeca De Vento
(2:34) 10. Impressao Digital
(2:55) 11. Talvez
(2:41) 12. A Beira Do Cais
(3:55) 13. Ruas
(3:37) 14. Saudades Do Brasil Em Portugal
(3:54) 15. Disse-Te Adeus

Carminho has been hailed as arguably the finest fado singer from her generation, a promise she seeks to confirm with her second album, Alma. Once again working with producer Diogo Clemente and the same A-list musicians featured on her acclaimed 2009 debut, Carminho lends her exquisite voice to an immaculate repertoire that includes both fado standards and new compositions, some even penned by the singer herself. Alma is also poised to become a success in the world music circuit, particularly in Spain, where Carminho's popularity grew following her 2011 duet with Spanish romantic pop singer Pablo Alborán, which reached the top of the charts. ~ Mariano Prunes https://www.allmusic.com/album/alma-mw0002336471                

Alma

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Milt Buckner - New World Of Milt Buckner

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:25
Size: 91,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Misty
(4:04)  2. All Blues
(4:10)  3. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
(4:22)  4. Fever
(2:40)  5. Why Don't You Do Right
(4:07)  6. Moon River
(3:57)  7. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:29)  8. Pick Yourself Up
(3:26)  9. Kansas City
(5:17) 10. Take Five

Milt Buckner, the "St. Louis Fireball," is generally credited with having popularized the Hammond organ during the early 1950s. First introduced in 1934, the instrument was immediately seized upon by Thomas "Fats" Waller, whose syncopated pipe organ records of 1926-1929 form the primal bedrock of the jazz organ tradition. Although the Hammond was also used periodically by Waller's friend Count Basie, Buckner rekindled interest in the organ some seven years after Waller's demise as his exuberant, boogie-based approach to the instrument added exciting new textures to the burgeoning R&B scene, inspiring a whole new generation of organists and ultimately endearing him to mainstream jazz audiences everywhere. Buckner, who also played vibraphone and valve trombone, enjoyed unprecedented success during the final phase of his career, which consisted of mostly European adventures that began in 1966 and ended abruptly with his death in 1977 at the age of 62. Milton Brent Buckner was born in St. Louis on July 19, 1915. His little brother Ted, who should not be confused with their distant relative, Texas born trumpeter Teddy Buckner, was destined to become a saxophonist with the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra (where he actually recorded with Teddy in 1939) and an R&B and Motown sessionman. Milt's parents, who encouraged him to learn to play piano, both died when he was nine years old. The two orphans were sent to Detroit where they were adopted by members of the Earl Walton Orchestra; Milt studied piano from age ten to thirteen with his uncle John Tobias (Walton's trombonist), and began writing arrangements for the band at the age of fifteen. While studying at the Detroit Institute of Arts he performed with Mose Burke & the Dixie Whangdoodles and the Harlem Aristocrats. After drummer and bandleader Don Cox hired him in 1932, Buckner began to develop a uniquely percussive technique employing parallel tonal patterns, later referred to as "block chords," a style now associated with Oscar Peterson and George Shearing. During the '30s Buckner also worked in groups led by Jimmy Raschelle, Lanky Bowman, and Howard Bunts. His first big break came in 1941 when he became Lionel Hampton's staff arranger and assistant director. His predilection for rocking rhythms and boogie-woogie fit nicely with Hamp's approach to entertainment. Buckner worked with Hampton during the years 1941-1948 and 1950-1952.

Buckner's earliest recordings survive as a set of piano solos etched into Presto transcription acetates cut on the last day of August 1941. His next appearance in a studio was as a member of a small group led by Lionel Hampton backing young Dinah Washington on her recording debut in December 1943; these feisty, blues based performances were made available to the public on Harry Lim's Keynote label. In 1945 Buckner made records with saxophonist Herbie Fields, Ellington crooner Herb Jeffries and R&B shouter Wynonie Harris, including Harris' smash hit, a cover of Lionel Hampton and Curley Hamner's highly successful "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop." In 1946 he made the first of a series of recordings with a group variously billed as the Beale Street Boys, the Beale Street Gang, and the Hot Shots. Over the next three years Buckner led a series of dates for the Savoy label. In 1949 he made records with a big band for MGM, sat in on an Eddie Condon Floorshow with drummer Buddy Rich and tap-dancer Baby Laurence on NBC TV, and conducted Teddy Stewart's Orchestra behind Dinah Washington on a date for Mercury records. In 1950 Buckner recorded with the Three Flames for MGM, with singer Florence Wright for National, with Wynonie Harris for Vogue records, with Rufus Thomas ("Mr. Swing") for the Bullet label in Memphis, and with vocalist Mabel Scott and saxophonists Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Buddy Tate and Wild Bill Moore for King. It was during the Moore session that Buckner first switched from piano to organ. He trundled it out again in Houston TX during the spring of 1952 while backing vocalist Sonny Parker with Gladys Hampton's Blue Boys for Peacock records. Milt recorded for the Scooter, Regent and Brunswick labels, and jammed with saxophonist Charlie Parker in 1953 at the bandbox in New York City. He sat piano for the Imperials (with Willie Dixon playing bass) on a Great Lakes session that took place in Detroit during the spring of 1954. Buckner also visited Philadelphia over the summer to record a few tunes with guitarist Big Ham Williams and drummer Sam Woodyard which were issued on 20th Century records, a subsidiary of the Gotham label.

Milt Buckner was a Capitol recording artist from April 1955 through July 1957, sharing the studio with saxophonists Earle Warren and Sam Taylor, guitarists Everett Barksdale and Skeeter Best, bassist Milt Hinton and drummers Osie Johnson and Shadow Wilson. He taped his first Argo LP in New York in December 1959 with guitarist Kenny Burrell and bassist Joe Benjamin. More Argo sessions came together in Chicago in 1960 and 1961, and he had dealings with the Bethlehem label in Cincinnati in 1962 and 1963. In March 1966 a performance with saxophonist Illinois Jacquet was taped live at Lennie's on the turnpike in West Peabody, MA and subsequently released on the Cadet label. Like many U.S. jazz musicians who struggled at home and did better abroad, Milt Buckner clearly preferred the cultural and vocational climate in Europe. Over the 11 years that remained in his life, he only returned to North America for brief concert and club bookings -- five times to the U.S. and twice to Canada. Beginning in 1966 with his first Parisian session in the company of Illinois Jacquet and trumpeter Roy Eldridge, Buckner's discography indicates a more stable working environment involving skilled musicians and appreciative audiences. Milt Buckner's final decade of professional activity is mostly measured in recordings issued on the Black & Blue label, with the exception of a few Prestige, Jazz Odyssey and Riff releases.

Buckner made music in Paris, Villingen, Boulogne, Cologne, Antwerpen, Lausanne, Biarritz, Barcelona, Toulouse, London, Herouville, Valauris, Besancon, Geneva, Salon, Yverdon, Nice, Scheveningen and Leiden. His session mates included multi-instrumentalist Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, trumpeters Buck Clayton, Joe Newman, Johnny Letman and Bill Coleman; trombonist Gene "Mighty Flea" Connors; saxophonists Ben Webster, Candy Johnson, Eddie Chamblee, Hal Singer, Lucky Thompson, Big Nick Nicholas, Marcel Zanini, Guy Lafitte, Arnett Cobb, Buddy Tate, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Illinois Jacquet; pianists André Persiany, Jean-Paul Amouroux and Jay McShann; guitarist Al Casey; bassists Milt Hinton, Major Holley and Roland Lobligeois as well as vocalists Jodie Drake, Little Mary Anglade and Big Joe Turner. Buckner's last studio session took place in Paris on July 4, 1977. Three weeks later, on Wednesday July 27, he collapsed and died after setting up his Hammond organ in preparation for a performance with Illinois Jacquet at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago. ~ arwulf arwulf https://www.allmusic.com/artist/milt-buckner-mn0000489843/biography

Personnel:  Gene Redd vibraphone;  Milt Buckner organ;  Bill Willis bass;  Phil Paul drums

New World Of Milt Buckner

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Andy LaVerne - Faith

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:58
Size: 148,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:06)  1. Touch Sensitive
(10:52)  2. All Things Considered
( 6:21)  3. Avanti
( 9:16)  4. Enigma
( 8:47)  5. Faith
( 5:44)  6. Hidden Agenda
( 6:18)  7. Paramour No More
( 8:31)  8. Double Down

Andy LaVerne continues to explore the path he set out with his previous critically acclaimed release “Genesis” (SCCD 31818), this time with an added voice in trumpet/flugelhorn by Alex Sipiagin as well as Mike Richmond’s overdubbed cello over his bass-line. As in the previous album all titles are new originals by LaVerne, who, to quote Neil Tesser, Grammy Award winning American journalist, is a committed melodist, with truly individualistic tone. “… Intelligent Design lives up to its name as one of LaVerne’s best efforts thus far and one of the finest jazz releases of the year.”

Personnel: Andy Laverne piano; Alex Sipiagin trumpet flugelhorn; Mike Richmond bass cello; Jason Tieman drums

Faith

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George Benson - Guitar Man

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:39
Size: 97.7 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[1:58] 1. Tenderly
[5:08] 2. I Want To Hold Your Hand
[4:06] 3. My Cherie Amour
[3:40] 4. Naima
[4:28] 5. Tequila
[2:43] 6. Don't Know Why
[4:27] 7. The Lady In My Life
[3:22] 8. My One And Only Love
[2:42] 9. Paper Moon
[3:23] 10. Danny Boy
[2:58] 11. Since I Fell For You
[3:39] 12. Fingerlero

2011 release from the Grammy-winning Jazz legend. The album includes a mix of Jazz and Pop standards - some in a combo setting and some solo, but all of them tied together seamlessly by Benson's soulful and exploratory signature sound. Lending a hand on this recording is a solid team made up of veterans and newcomers alike - pianist Joe Sample, keyboardist and musical director David Garfield, bassist Ben Williams and drummer Harvey Mason.

Guitar Man

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Tim Kliphuis Trio - The Grappelli Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:35
Size: 131.8 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. Honeysuckle Rose
[4:40] 2. I Surrender Dear
[3:32] 3. Valse Du Passe
[4:39] 4. How High The Moon
[5:10] 5. La Chanson De Rue
[3:15] 6. Piccadilly
[3:03] 7. J’attendrai
[3:53] 8. Ou Es-Tu Mon Amour
[4:15] 9. Swing 39
[3:40] 10. Souvenir De Villingen
[4:37] 11. Hesitation
[4:23] 12. Shine
[4:33] 13. The Neamess Of You
[2:50] 14. Stompin’ At Decca

Award-winning violinist Tim Kliphuis (NL) is a legend in the Gypsy Jazz world through his work with The Rosenberg Trio, Fapy Lafertin and Angelo Debarre. He has performed at all the major Django festivals worldwide and is seen by many as the inheritor of Stéphane Grappelli’s crown. Tim and his Trio have toured from Canada to Russia, from Scotland to South Africa and their recent CD “The Grappelli Album” has received rave reviews.

Formed in 2007, the Trio celebrate 10 years on the road! Their electrifying performances and remarkable audience rapport have made Tim Kliphuis, Nigel Clark (guitar) and Roy Percy (double bass) firm favourites on the festival scene. The all-jazz programme “Celebrating Stéphane Grappelli” includes music from the Django Reinhardt days, Grappelli's years as a world-famous jazz star and five of his beautiful compositions, never played before on the international stage!

The Grappelli Album

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Clifford Brown - The Emarcy Master Takes (4-Disc Boxset)

Clifford Brown, the jazz trumpeter affectionately known as Brownie, partnered with drummer Max Roach in a memorable quintet in the mid-1950s. Over a few short years he quickly rose from astonishing prodigy to pioneering master -- a stunning trajectory cut short when Brownie died tragically at age 25 in 1956. His amazing story and the amazing music the quintet made takes front and center on Clifford Brown: The EmArcy Master Takes, a new limited edition four-CD set.

The EmArcy Master Takes includes the 49 master takes the Brown-Roach Quintet recorded for the EmArcy label, an 18-month collaboration that resulted in some of the most enduring jazz of all time. The tracks, which eventually made up the classic albums Clifford Brown and Max Roach, Clifford Brown With Strings, Brown and Roach Incorporated, Study In Brown, Best Coast Jazz, and At Basin Street, as well as tracks featured on several posthumous releases, from Caravan to More Study In Brown and others, are presented in chronological order of recording. All tracks are newly remastered from original sources, many of them for the first time since their original CD reissue in the late 1980s.

Playing with Brown and Roach are regular members of their quintet -- Harold Land (tenor saxophone), Richie Powell (piano), George Morrow (bass), and Sonny Rollins, who replaced Land -- plus a slew of other star players, as well as a Los Angeles string section beautifully arranged and conducted by Neal Hefti. EmArcy's Bob Shad produced the sessions.

Album: The Emarcy Master Takes (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:15
Size: 179.1 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2009

[8:03] 1. Delilah
[4:01] 2. Darn That Dream
[7:16] 3. Parisian Thoroughfare
[7:42] 4. Jordu
[6:39] 5. Sweet Clifford
[7:18] 6. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
[6:23] 7. Stompin' At The Savoy
[7:36] 8. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[4:09] 9. I'll String Along With You
[6:49] 10. Joy Spring
[4:31] 11. Mildama
[3:39] 12. These Foolish Things
[4:01] 13. Daahoud

The Emarcy Master Takes (Disc 1)

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Album: The Emarcy Master Takes (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:40
Size: 168.6 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2009

[19:43] 1. Coronado
[17:12] 2. You Go To My Head
[15:09] 3. Caravan
[21:34] 4. Autumn In New York

The Emarcy Master Takes (Disc 2)

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Album: The Emarcy Master Takes (Disc 3)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:53
Size: 162.3 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2009

[3:24] 1. Portrait Of Jenny
[3:25] 2. What's New
[2:58] 3. Yesterdays
[3:27] 4. Where Or When
[3:43] 5. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
[3:14] 6. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[3:26] 7. Laura
[3:32] 8. Memories Of You
[3:01] 9. Embraceable You
[3:14] 10. Blue Moon
[3:25] 11. Willow Weep For Me
[3:23] 12. Stardust
[2:54] 13. Gerkin For Perkin
[4:16] 14. Take The A Train
[4:54] 15. Lands End
[2:50] 16. Swingin'
[5:33] 17. George's Dilemma
[3:22] 18. Clifford Brown - If I Love Again
[6:44] 19. The Blues Walk

The Emarcy Master Takes (Disc 3)

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Album: The Emarcy Master Takes (Disc 4)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:25
Size: 152.1 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:07] 1. What Am I Here For
[5:41] 2. Cherokee
[5:09] 3. Jacqui
[4:53] 4. Sandu
[4:11] 5. Gertrude's Bounce
[3:33] 6. Step Lightly (Junior's Arrival)
[3:28] 7. Powell's Prances
[9:17] 8. I'll Remember April
[5:06] 9. Time
[6:06] 10. The Scene Is Clean
[3:56] 11. Flossie Lou
[7:36] 12. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:15] 13. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing

The Emarcy Master Takes (Disc 4)

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Jools Holland, Jose Feliciano - As You See Me Now

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:28
Size: 113.3 MB
Styles: Pop/Rock/Jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. As You See Me Now
[4:36] 2. Treat Myself
[3:08] 3. Just To Be Home With You
[4:52] 4. Honeysuckle Rose
[3:06] 5. One More Drink
[3:15] 6. Midnight Special
[2:59] 7. Hit The Road Jack (Feat. Ruby Turner)
[3:37] 8. In My Life
[3:31] 9. Let's Find Each Other Tonight
[3:27] 10. You're So Cold (Feat. Rita Wilson)
[3:37] 11. Baby Can I Hold You
[3:58] 12. Believe Me When I Tell You
[2:58] 13. Feliz Navidad
[2:51] 14. Happy New Year

At first glance, Jools Holland and José Feliciano don't seem like an ideal match. Jools kept the boogie-woogie torch burning in the U.K., while Feliciano crossed over in the U.S. thanks to his blend of folk, flamenco, and easy listening. Look a little closer, and it's easy to see that the two share common ground in the middle of the road. Feliciano specialized in smooth, vaguely soulful MOR pop, Holland carved out a niche as an amiable TV host, so they both know how to please a crowd, and As You See Me Now is indeed a crowd-pleaser. Containing a bit of soul, a bit of folk, some jump blues and Beatles, plus a new ska version of "Feliz Navidad," As You See Me Now covers a lot of musical territory, but it feels cohesive because both Holland and Feliciano know not to push any particular sound too hard. Consequently, the record feels loose but measured, an album designed to do nothing more than entertain, and it does a good job at that. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

As You See Me Now

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René Marie - Vertigo

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:55
Size: 153.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:18] 1. Them There Eyes
[6:25] 2. Surrey With The Fringe On Top
[4:54] 3. I'd Rather Talk About You
[5:15] 4. Don't Look At Me Like That
[6:38] 5. I Only Have Eyes For You
[4:01] 6. It's All Right With Me
[7:55] 7. Vertigo
[5:32] 8. Detour Ahead
[7:34] 9. Moonray
[6:22] 10. Blackbird
[6:58] 11. Dixie Strange Fruit

Bass – Robert Hurst (tracks: 1-7, 9-11); Bass Clarinet – Chris Potter (2) (tracks: 6); Drums – Jeff "Tain" Watts (tracks: 1-4, 7, 9-11); Guitar – John Hart (tracks: 4,5); Percussion – Jeffrey Haynes (tracks: 4, 5, 7, 11); Piano – Mulgrew Miller (tracks: 2-14, 7-10); Tenor Saxophone – Chris Potter (2) (tracks: 7, 9); Trumpet – Jeremy Pelt (tracks: 4, 10); Vocals – René Marie. Recorded on February 22 & 23, 2001 at Avatar Studios, New York

Rene Marie's second CD for MaxJazz is, for the most part, a very enjoyable CD. This extremely gifted singer has a very appealing voice and is a talented arranger as well. Her playful arrangement of "Them There Eyes," with bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, is very refreshing, with some fine scat singing, too. Her unusually deliberate and rather sexy take of "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top" adds pianist Mulgrew Miller and also has some fine scat singing, too. Her Latin chart for "I Only Have Eyes for You" proves catchy, with some tasty guitar playing from John Hart. "It's All Right With Me" is slowed to a snail's pace with Chris Potter's noodling bass clarinet and Hurst's brooding bass backing her powerful vocal. "Vertigo," another Marie original, is easily the most exciting piece on the session. The only occasion when she follows anything resembling an expected path is her lush treatment of the ballad "Detour Ahead" in a memorable duet with Miller. There are some weak spots. The original "Don't Look at Me Like That" is monotonous filler; while the Beatles' "Blackbird" is drastically rewritten with a tedious vamp that gives the song a somewhat ominous sound, but it grows tiresome quickly. The medley of "Dixie" (a song reviled by most African-Americans) and "Strange Fruit" (with its dramatic description of lynching) invites controversy. She sings "Dixie" a cappella with a possible touch of sarcasm, then the band is added for the shift into the piece that was first put on the map by Billie Holiday, introduced with almost a funeral march-like cadence. Somehow Rene Marie's lovely voice seems inappropriate for this song, as she doesn't reflect the anguish of its lyrics very consistently. Even with these reservations, this is a highly recommended CD. ~Ken Dryden

Vertigo

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Xavier Davis Trio - Innocence Of Youth

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:45
Size: 146.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[2:11] 1. The Message (Intro)
[3:39] 2. The Message
[6:48] 3. Milk With A Koolaid Chaser
[8:43] 4. Bell
[7:28] 5. Untamed Land
[6:58] 6. Tall Struttin'
[5:52] 7. Milestones
[9:19] 8. Amy's Presence
[6:56] 9. The Day Will Come
[5:49] 10. Innocence Of Youth

Xavier Davis (p), Brandon Owens (b), E.J. Strickland (d).

"Innocence of Youth" is a deeply personal statement. The album, a dynamic, engaging trio recording that teams him with bassist Brandon Owens and drummer E.J. Strickland, fully demonstrates his remarkable artistry. Comprising seven originals along with a tune each by Harrell, Miles Davis and Xavier's younger brother, drummer-composer Quincy Davis, this album spans the range of modern jazz from post-bop to open playing and reveals how much Davis has developed since his last studio recording.

Innocence Of Youth

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Donald Byrd - A New Perspective

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:59
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

( 9:22)  1. Elijah
(10:08)  2. Beast of Burden
( 5:43)  3. Cristo Redentor
( 8:14)  4. The Black Disciple
( 7:30)  5. Chant

With his flair for innovation, Donald Byrd, in late 1963, put together a septet that was recorded with the Coleridge Perkinson Choir providing a capella Gospel support. Duke Pearson provided arrangements which carefully weave eight wordless voices in and out of the septet's blues-derived compositions. Byrd's father was a Methodist minister, so the trumpeter worked with Pearson at, as Byrd states in the liner notes, "approaching this tradition with respect and great pleasure." The recording, which was reissued on CD in 1988, is one of the first to be acknowledged in this manner. Besides Byrd and a 23-year-old Herbie Hancock, this session includes saxophonist Hank Mobley, vibraphonist Donald Best, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Butch Warren and drummer Lex Humphries. Frequently making use of a trumpet, tenor sax and vibes unison doubling, "Elijah" is an up-tempo number that features, among other things, some interesting and exciting piano work from Hancock. The slow, bluesy "Beast Of Burden" uses an interesting piano fill for the deliberate and soulful wordless vocals; alternately, the voices and vibes fill behind Byrd's trumpet solo in like manner. "The Black Disciple" features both Burrell and Hancock stretching out with stellar performances, and Mobley's tenor solo offers a fine example of his full tone and fluid technique. Pearson's compositions "Chant" and "Cristo Redentor" are perhaps the best remembered of the session, featuring Byrd's bold, clear, and deliberate trumpet melodies with the voices and piano adding a touch that showed the jazz world one more possibility among the many in improvised music. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-new-perspective-donald-byrd-blue-note-records-review-by-jim-santella.php?width=1920

Personnel:  Donald Byrd – trumpet;  Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone;  Herbie Hancock – piano;  Kenny Burrell – guitar;  Donald Best – vibraphone, vocals;  Butch Warren – bass;  Lex Humphries – drums;  Duke Pearson – arranger

A New Perspective

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Katie Melua - In Winter

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:27
Size: 82,3 MB
Art: Front

(1:46)  1. The Little Swallow
(3:25)  2. River
(4:24)  3. Perfect World
(1:43)  4. Cradle Song
(3:31)  5. A Time To Buy
(4:07)  6. Plane Song
(3:43)  7. If You Are So Beautiful
(4:05)  8. Dreams On Fire
(4:15)  9. All-Night Vigil - Nunc Dimittis
(4:23) 10. O Holy Night

A gorgeously rendered holiday-themed effort, In Winter finds singer/songwriter Katie Melua backed by the 25-member Gori Women's Choir. The album is Melua's seventh studio production and first since parting ways with longtime collaborator Mike Batt. Recorded in her native country of Georgia (Melua left with her parents at age nine), In Winter is a lushly produced, thoughtfully conceived album featuring arrangements by esteemed choral composer Bob Chilcott. An acclaimed institution, the Gori Women's Choir are famous for their haunting classical harmonies. They prove a superb match for Melua, who both sings along with the choir and frames herself against its angelic, delicately layered harmonies. Although the album is technically a holiday-themed work, it's not a cheery collection of yuletide favorites. Instead, Melua delivers a handful of ruminative and lyrical originals, many inspired by her memories of growing up in what was then the Soviet Union, as well as the complex and often heartbreaking history of Georgia's civil war. She also weaves in several well-curated covers, including poignant renditions of Joni Mitchell's "River," Sergey Rachmaninov's "All-Night Vigil-Nunc Dimittis," and the hymn "O Holy Night." Melua even finds room to sing in Ukrainian, opening the album with a magical rendition of the traditional song "The Little Swallow," whose melody is better recognized to Western audiences as "The Carol of the Bells." These are warmly arranged, beautifully executed recordings that capture the stark, introspective beauty of a rural Eastern Europe in winter. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-winter-mw0002979418               

In Winter

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Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra - The Offense of the Drum

Styles: Latin Jazz, Big Band, Afro-Cuban Jazz 
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:23
Size: 168,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:13)  1. Cuarto de Colores
( 7:27)  2. They Came
( 9:46)  3. On the Corner of Malecon and B
( 6:56)  4. Mercado en Domingo
( 6:28)  5. Gnossienne 3 (Tientos)
( 8:26)  6. The Mad Hatter
(11:40)  7. The Offense of the Drum
( 6:22)  8. Alma Vacia
( 7:02)  9. Iko Iko

The Offense Of The Drum may be the least cohesive record in Arturo O'Farrill's discography, but that's largely by design. Here, O'Farrill firmly adheres to his stated "artistic vision" "to bend what the world knows as Afro Latin jazz over the acoustic horizon" better than anywhere else in his discography. Guests galore and a belief in Afro Latin camaraderie help him realize that goal, resulting in the most intriguing and expansive offering that he's ever released. In some ways this album is simply a documentation of O'Farrill's work at New York's Symphony Space. It was there that he broke new ground with pianist Vijay Iyer, DJ Logic, Colombian harpist Edmar Castaneda, spoken word artist Christopher "Chilo" Cajigas, saxophonist Donald Harrison, and percussionist Samuel Torres. The relationship between each of those artists and O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra is spotlighted on this album. "Cuarto De Colores" the title track of Castaneda's debut album is fleshed out to good effect, thanks in large part to the pen of Torres; DJ Logic and the band lay the groundwork for Cajigas' Puerto Rican pride preaching on "They Came"; Iyer simultaneously toys with the concepts of stasis and development on his ode to O'Farrill "The Mad Hatter"; and a straight line is drawn from NOLA to Cuba when Harrison shows up for "Iko Iko." Each of those pieces stand apart from the others in many respects, yet they stand in solidarity as firm examples of the evolving definition of Afro Latin jazz.

Some of the other numbers walk a relatively straight path from start to finish; "Alma Vacia," a sizzling salsa number from Miguel Blanco, and "Mercado En Domingo," a modern twist on Colombian porro music, both fall into this category. The most eye-opening works, however, are more collage-like in nature. "On The Corner Of Malecon And Bourbon," with its start-and-stop look at soloists and follow-the-lines-of-history stylistic transformation(s), and the title track, with a mushrooming fugue-ish introduction, shifting tides and percussion breaks, prove to be the most ambitious offerings. O'Farrill has never been content to simply accept any stylistic definition in a neat little box. He understands that history and imagination, working hand in hand, can have a limitless partnership. This album goes a long way in proving that point. It's a work of visionary brilliance.~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-offense-of-the-drum-arturo-ofarrill-and-the-afro-latin-jazz-orchestra-motema-music-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Arturo O'Farrill: piano; Ivan Renta: tenor saxophone; Peter Brainin: tenor saxophone; Bobby Porcelli: alto saxophone; David DeJesus:alto saxophone; Jason Marshall: baritone saxophone; Seneca Black: trumpet; Jim Seeley: trumpet; John Bailey: trumpet; Jonathan Powell: trumpet; Tokunori Kajiwara: trombone; Rafi Malkiel: trombone, euphonium; Frank Cohen: trombone; Earl McIntyre: bass trombone, tuba; Gregg August: bass; Vince Cherico: drums; Roland Guerrero: congas; Joe Gonzalez: bongos, bell; Pablo O Bilbraut: percussion (8); Miguel Blanco: conductor (5, 8); Christopher "Chilo" Cajigas: spoken word (2); Edmar Castaneda: harp (1); Ayanda Clarke: djembe (7); DJ Logic: turntables (2); Jonathan Gomez: percussion (4); Nestor Gomez: percussion (4); Donald Harrison: vocals (9), alto saxophone (9); Vijay Iyer: piano (6); Hiro Kurashima: taiko drum (7); Chad Lefkowitz-Brown: tenor saxophone (7); Jason Lindner: conductor (2); Antonio Lizana: vocals (5), alto saxophone (5); Pablo Mayor: conductor (4), maracas: (4); Uri Sharlin: accordion (5); Samuel Torres: conductor (1), cajon (1).

The Offense of the Drum

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Randy Porter (feat. Nancy King) - Porter Plays Porter

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Piano
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:01
Size: 96,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:22)  1. I Concentrate On You
(3:55)  2. I Love You
(4:48)  3. Just One of Those Things
(4:30)  4. Inside Your Mind
(4:43)  5. All Of You
(5:04)  6. Why Can't You Behave
(3:52)  7. Night and Day
(4:07)  8. Get Out of Town
(5:36)  9. Every Time We Say Goodbye

Randy Porter's “Porter Plays Porter” wasn't merely a title of convenience. The quality of Cole Porter's wit, harmony, and mix of dark and light has been part of Randy Porter's vernacular since his early musically formative years when at age 20, Randy was the pianist and musical director of “Cole!” The music, its beauty, irony, intelligence and poignancy has remained with him ever since. There is a resemblance of musical features that puts Randy and Cole on the same page, taking the same major to minor, pain and beauty that gives these musicians more than just a vehicle for improvisation. It's their muse and inspiration. Nancy King has been long considered the top of the elite jazz singers on the planet by followers and lovers of the vocal jazz tradition. Her immense innate musical abilities including phrasing, musical awareness, flexibility and depth of experience through the music of Cole Porter, in the company of Randy Porter, John Wiitala and Todd Strait on a cold Portland day came together in a surreptitious way that just one of those things meant to happen can. - Steve Christofferson https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/randyporter22

Porter Plays Porter

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