Saturday, December 16, 2017

Herb Ellis, Joe Pass - Two For The Road

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:21
Size: 101.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1974/2006
Art: Front

[4:48] 1. Love For Sale
[3:27] 2. Manha De Carnaval
[3:06] 3. Am I Blue
[4:30] 4. Seven Come Eleven
[2:47] 5. Guitar Blues
[3:57] 6. Oh Lady, Be Good
[2:46] 7. Cherokee (Concept 1)
[4:04] 8. Cherokee (Concept 2)
[3:22] 9. Seulb
[2:24] 10. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[2:15] 11. Try A Little Tenderness
[3:58] 12. I've Found A New Baby
[2:52] 13. Angel Eyes

This recording was the third and final matchup between guitarists Herb Ellis and Joe Pass and, unlike the first two (which were both made for Concord), this is a duo date rather than a quartet session. Pass was just beginning to gain recognition for his remarkable unaccompanied solos, but Ellis had not recorded in such a sparse setting before. They complement each other quite well on such tunes as "Love for Sale," "Seven Come Eleven," "Oh, Lady Be Good," "I've Found a New Baby," and two versions of "Cherokee." Highly recommended. ~Scott Yanow

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Guido Basso, Doug Riley - A Lazy Afternoon

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:37
Size: 127.3 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1997/2003
Art: Front

[3:41] 1. A Lazy Afternoon
[6:56] 2. Never Let Me Go
[5:20] 3. Sweet Georgie Fame
[7:09] 4. My Foolish Heart
[6:29] 5. Estate
[6:22] 6. Lush Life
[6:23] 7. I Can Dream Can't I
[6:10] 8. Embraceable You
[4:31] 9. Polka Dots & Moonbeams
[2:32] 10. A Lazy Afternoon (Alternate Version)

He's not Canada's best known jazz musician, but Guido Basso has been around since the mid-'60s, playing tart, hot licks, and heading large and small bands. He's made mellow mainstream sessions, done Afro-Latin and big band dates, plus bop and originals. ~ Ron Wynn

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John Bunch - Tony's Tunes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:07
Size: 146.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. I've Got The World On A String
[4:44] 2. Somewhere Along The Line
[5:05] 3. Emily
[4:04] 4. Broadway
[5:04] 5. The Second Time Around
[6:29] 6. Sleepin' Bee
[4:44] 7. Forget The Woman
[3:48] 8. Takin' A Chance On Love
[3:36] 9. The Good Life
[4:44] 10. Chicago
[3:53] 11. Maybe September
[6:44] 12. Street Of Dreams
[3:55] 13. Girl Talk
[3:16] 14. Put On A Happy Face

John Bunch (piano); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Jay Leonhart (bass). Recorded at Nola Recording Studio, New York, New York on May 12, 2003.

No one can accuse John Bunch of having a short career; born on December 1, 1921, the veteran pianist was 81 when he recorded Tony's Tunes for Chiaroscuro on May 12, 2003. What's the secret to Bunch's success? In addition to having impeccable chops and an inherent sense of swing and melody, Bunch is smart enough to realize that a musician needs to be true to himself. All these years, Bunch has been a swing-oriented pianist along the lines of Teddy Wilson and Nat King Cole; that's his turf, and he has excelled by sticking with what he does best. This CD is called Tony's Tunes because all 14 of the songs are ones that Bunch played with Tony Bennett in the '60s, when he was the singer's music director -- familiar gems that range from "Street of Dreams" and Harold Arlen's "I've Got the World on a String" to Neal Hefti's "Girl Talk." Tony's Tunes is a tribute to Bennett, but it's a tribute on Bunch's own pianistic terms; there are no vocals at all, and Bunch maintains an improviser's mindset whether he is interpreting "Chicago" (that toddlin' town!) or "Put On a Happy Face." When Chiaroscuro president Hank O'Neal (who produced this release) first came up with the idea for Tony's Tunes, he seemed to envision an album of unaccompanied solo piano. But Tony's Tunes ended up being a trio session -- not a traditional piano trio (piano, bass, and drums), but a drummer-less trio uniting Bunch with frequent companions Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar) and Jay Leonhart (bass). That piano/guitar/bass format is, of course, the same format that the Nat King Cole Trio favored in the '30s and '40s, and it's a format that works pleasingly well for Bunch throughout this fine CD. ~ Alex Henderson

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Di Anne Price - Deja Blu

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:05
Size: 98.6 MB
Styles: Blues-jazz piano & vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Tonight's The Night (2002 Version)
[5:05] 2. Wild Women Don't Have The Blues
[8:51] 3. Wong Key Hole
[3:02] 4. Fisherman's Blues
[4:25] 5. The Spinach Medley- I Didn't Like It The First Time
[3:24] 6. Fishing In The Sea Of Matrimony
[4:07] 7. Knocking Myself Out
[3:37] 8. Will My Man Be Home Tonight
[4:22] 9. Blues Have Been Good To Me
[3:03] 10. Pig Meat

Di Anne gets to the heart and meaning of a song that appeals to everyone. “When I play this music, sing these songs, I'm saying ‘share this story with me. I want real drums, real bass, and I want it to be my voice that people hear, not something created in a studio.”

Di Anne’s approach to music is shared with "Her Boyfriends" - drummer Tom Lonardo, saxophonist Jim Spake, and bassist Tim Goodwin. "Playing with them makes my back tingle. It's like making love," Di Anne says. "When we play, we're telling a story, and no matter where I start, they go with me." ~John Taylor

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Arnett Cobb - Just Like That

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 103:53
Size: 237.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[5:20] 1. Blue And Sentimental
[6:53] 2. The Way You Look Tonight
[4:44] 3. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
[5:20] 4. Black Velvet
[4:46] 5. Darn That Dream
[6:02] 6. Georgia On My Mind
[5:01] 7. Smooth Sailing
[3:17] 8. Your Wonderful Love
[5:07] 9. P.S. I Love You
[8:18] 10. Blues Around Dusk
[7:11] 11. Willow Weep For Me
[5:36] 12. (I'm Left With The) Blues In My Heart
[4:46] 13. Hurry Home
[8:54] 14. Lover Come Back To Me
[2:49] 15. Why Try To Change Me Now
[7:34] 16. Blue Me
[4:24] 17. Charmaine
[7:43] 18. Blue Sermon

A stomping Texas tenor player in the tradition of Illinois Jacquet, Arnett Cobb's accessible playing was between swing and early rhythm & blues. After playing in Texas with Chester Boone (1934-1936) and Milt Larkin (1936-1942), Cobb emerged in the big leagues by succeeding Illinois Jacquet with Lionel Hampton's Orchestra (1942-1947). His version of "Flying Home No. 2" became a hit, and he was a very popular soloist with Hampton. After leaving the band, Cobb formed his own group, but his initial success was interrupted in 1948, when he had to undergo an operation on his spine. After recovering, he resumed touring. But a major car accident in 1956 crushed Cobb's legs and he was reduced to using crutches for the rest of his life. However, by 1959, he returned to active playing and recording. Cobb spent most of the 1960s leading bands back in Texas, but starting in 1973, he toured and recorded more extensively, including a tenor summit with Jimmy Heath and Joe Henderson in Europe as late as 1988. Arnett Cobb made many fine records through the years for such labels as Apollo, Columbia/Okeh, Prestige (many of the latter are available on the OJC series), Black & Blue, Progressive, Muse, and Bee Hive. ~ Scott Yanow

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King Pleasure - Golden Days

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:49
Size: 70.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1960/1981
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Moody's Mood For Love
[2:59] 2. The New Symphony Sid
[2:55] 3. Don't Worry About Me
[2:24] 4. Little Boy, Don't Get Scared
[2:47] 5. Parker's Mood
[3:47] 6. Golden Days
[4:39] 7. Tomorrow Is Another Day
[5:13] 8. No, Not Much
[3:06] 9. All Of Me

Bass – Wilfred Middlebrooks; Drums – Earl Palmer; Piano, Arranged By – Gerald Wiggins; Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land, Teddy Edwards; Trombone – Matthew Gee.

In many ways, King Pleasure wrote the book on bop vocalese, composing and performing lyrics to famous jazz solos. If not the first to do it, he was certainly the first to have hit records doing it, including "Moody's Mood for Love," based on James Moody's version of "I'm in the Mood for Love"; Gene Ammons's "Red Top"; and "Parker's Mood." In the process, he led the way for other jazz singer-lyricists such as Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross. On this 1960 session, the original scat vocalist is heard recapping some of his greatest successes, including the famous James Moody and Charlie Parker solos. He's joined by two of the most underrated modern jazz tenor saxophonists, Harold Land and Teddy Edwards. After being impressed by the verbal wit and gymnastic diction that Pleasure's art demands, listeners may be struck by how much his mellow sound resembles that of Land or Moody. ~Stuart Broomer

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Ithamara Koorax - Brazilian Butterfly

Styles: Vocal, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:38
Size: 185,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:24)  1. O Vento
( 6:38)  2. Escravos De Jo
(10:23)  3. Amor Em Jacuma
( 6:06)  4. Lamento Negro
( 6:45)  5. Butterfly
( 6:29)  6. Fica Mal Com Deus
( 8:49)  7. Noite De Temporal
( 4:11)  8. A Lenda Do Abaete
( 5:52)  9. Coco Penerue
( 7:05) 10. Carinhoso
( 8:52) 11. Frenetico

Except for two ballads the cosmopolitan "Carinhoso with her Brazilian jazz fusion compatriots Azymuth, and Herbie Hancock's title track Ithamara Koorax's ninth album is her most adventurous release. It seems constructed to honor legendary Brazilian vocalist Flora Purim and her husband/bandleader/percussionist Airto. This Brazilian Butterfly soars and flutters while multiple percussionists (often as many as four on the same song, most often led by the late and legendary Dom Um Romão, with Koorax frequently flailing away among them) knit together, pull apart, then reweave hot thick blankets of Brazilian rhythm. Romão's "Amor Em Jacuma occasions an international jazz jam as Ron Carter's thoroughly upright acoustic bass and Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba's roiling piano set table for a solo helping of meaty trombone from Raul de Souza of Brazil. Pianist Francesco Gazzara lovingly renders Hancock's title tune, especially in his solo, which builds up chords then reconsiders their construction in equal parts musical architecture and alchemy. Koorax breathes her most romantic vocal, and it's hard to imagine that many mortals can resist her languid invitation to "Stay awhile... which just seems to float throughout the air forever, like... a Brazilian butterfly.  

The remaining material seems specifically composed and arranged to stress test Koorax's four-octave range. She swings joyously from the framework of Milton Nascimento's "Escravos de Jo, a melodic abstraction airy and inscrutable not packed full but no less complex as Joni Mitchell's Shadows & Light collaborations with Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorius. Her voice soars above the Afro-macumba chant "Lamento Negro and streams bright as dawn to open "Fica Mal Com Deus, then completely changes tone and color by digging into the low notes with the growling fury of a blasting trumpet. The opening "O Vento and closing "Frenetico drive Koorax's Brazilian journey further into outer space: Her voice intricately navigates the thorny, shimmering thicket of electric piano and four percussionists in "O Vento and hangs in "Frenetico, where the background frame of congas, bass drum and cymbal (not her voice) emerges as the lead instruments. Each is an excellent vehicle for discovering, then remembering, that Brazilian Butterfly is Koorax's most fertile adventure in exploring the boundaries of contemporary Brazilian vocal music. ~ Chris M.Slawecki https://www.allaboutjazz.com/brazilian-butterfly-ithamara-koorax-irma-molto-jazz-review-by-chris-m-slawecki.php

Personnel: Ithamara Koorax (vocals, percussion); Eloir de Moraes (vocals, rap vocals, bass drum, cymbals, percussion); Thiago de Mello (vocals, acoustic guitar, berimbau, piano, percussion); Dom Um Romao (vocals, drums, percussion); Nelson Angelo (guitar, acoustic guitar); Francesco Gazzara (guitar, nylon-string guitar, piano, electric piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); José Ramos (flute, baritone saxophone); Carlos Malta (bass flute); Raul de Souza (trombone); Carlos Fuchs, Gonzalo Rubalcaba (piano); José Roberto Bertrami (electric piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Paula Faour (electric piano, keyboards); Manuel Gusmao, Massimo Sanna (acoustic bass); Jorge Pescara (electric bass, fretless bass); Alex Malheiros (electric bass); Ivan Conti (drums); Marcelo Salazar (congas, bongos, percussion); Sidinho Moreira (bongos, percussion); Mauro Mirti, Eduardo Piloto Barretto, Jadir de Castro, Gaudencio Thiago De Mello, Laudir DeOliveira, Arnaldo DeSouteiro (percussion).

Brazilian Butterfly

Jaco Pastorius & Brian Melvin - Jazz Street

Styles: Jazz-Rock, Jazz-Funk 
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:06
Size: 89,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:43)  1. No Slack
(3:52)  2. Jazz Street
(5:05)  3. Miles Mode
(6:30)  4. May Day
(6:19)  5. Wedding Waltz
(6:24)  6. Out Of The Night
(8:09)  7. Drums of Yadzarah

Jaco Pastorius' recording sessions with drummer Brian Melvin resulted in five releases: four studio (including Jazz Street) and one live. This body of work is unique in that it not only takes the electric bassist out of his New York element but also represents a focused, reinvigorated Pastorius. The instrumental Jazz Street, one of Pastorius' last studio dates, places him in a west coast pop-jazz climate and he comes through with flying colors. His playing is clear and vibrant, best exemplified on Joe Henderson's "Out of the Night" which features extended, fluid soloing by Pastorius. He's also quite prominent on "No Slack" and the title track, two upbeat cuts on which Pastorius slickly executes some very familiar licks and riffs. Honorable mentions go to Jon Davis' bluesy piano piece "Wedding Waltz" and Melvin's atmospheric "Drums of Yadzarah," an offbeat drums/percussion/synth creation. Though Jazz Street was most likely the last Pastorius/Melvin collaboration, it most closely resembles their first, the superior Night Food, recorded almost two years earlier -- not to be confused with Melvin's later, nearly identically titled release, Nightfood, featuring Bob Weir.  ~ David Ross Smith https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-street-mw0000872851

Personnel: Bass – Jaco Pastorius, Keith Jones ;  Drums;  [Percussion, Drums] – Brian Melvin; Piano, Synthesizer – Jan Davis ;  Saxophone, Drum Programming – Rick Smith;  Guitar – Paul Mousavi

Jazz Street

Screaming Headless Torsos - Screaming Headless Torsos

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:36
Size: 133,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Vinnie
(4:27)  2. Free Man
(4:08)  3. Cult Of The Internal Sun
(4:23)  4. Word To Herb
(5:14)  5. Blue In Green
(0:29)  6. Chernobyl Firebirds
(7:14)  7. Graffiti Cemetery
(3:52)  8. Smile In A Wave (Theme From Jack Johnson)
(6:24)  9. Wedding In Sarajevo
(4:22) 10. Hope
(8:02) 11. Kermes Macabre
(4:30) 12. Another Sucka

Debut and self-titled album by the band also known as the Torsos or SHT a genre-defying rock band formed in 1989. The album mixes and mashes guitar driven rock, jazz, hip-hop, funk, soul, reggae and drum and bass with grooves and concepts. Along with future shock percussion improvisation and acrobatic vocals with mircro-tonal guitar influences. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Screaming-Headless-Torsos/dp/B000003MW0

Personnel:  Dean Bowman – vocals;  David Fiuczynski – guitar;  Fima Ephron – bass;  Jojo Mayer – drums;  Daniel Sadownick – percussion               

Screaming Headless Torsos

Monty Alexander - Triple Treat III

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:34
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. I Told You I Love You, Now Get
(5:15)  2. Secret Love
(4:23)  3. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(7:54)  4. High Heel Sneakers
(8:45)  5. Renewal
(5:16)  6. I Love You
(6:15)  7. My One And Only Love
(7:35)  8. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
(5:00)  9. There Will Never Be Another You

Recorded at the sessions that resulted in Triple Treat II, this Concord release follows the same format with the trio of pianist Monty Alexander, guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown being joined by violinst John Frigo for around half of the selections. The music consists of boppish interpretations of standards ranging from "I Told You I Love You, Now Get Out," and "High Heel Sneakers" to "Corcovado." Fans of these veteran players will be very satisfied with the results. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/triple-treat-vol-3-mw0000202516   

Personnel: Monty Alexander (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Herb Ellis (guitar), John Frigo (violin).         

Triple Treat III

Friday, December 15, 2017

Kenny Clarke - Americans Swinging In Paris

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:18
Size: 108.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. Fantasy For Bass
[3:35] 2. Love Me Or Leave Me
[2:33] 3. Fun For Love
[3:26] 4. Jackie My Little Cat
[2:54] 5. Black Knight
[2:37] 6. Stompin At The Savoy
[2:53] 7. Now's The Time
[2:46] 8. Four
[2:18] 9. The Squirrel
[2:49] 10. Jean-Paul
[2:48] 11. Gold Fish
[3:34] 12. Dream Time
[2:37] 13. This Fol-Ish Thing
[2:45] 14. These Foolish Strings
[3:09] 15. These Foolish Things
[2:54] 16. Out Of Nowhere

A versatile studio musician, Clarke became an integral member of Dizzy Gillespie's big band, took part in Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool sessions, and emerged as a founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet. "Kenny Clarke was drummer for all seasons," commented Mike Hennessey in Klook: The Story of Kenny Clarke. "He played everything from military music to musette, from dixieland to avant-garde jazz, passing through gospel, blues, swing, mainstream, pre-bop, bebop, cool." Apart from drums, Clarke played piano, trombone, and vibraphone, and cowrote Gillespie's "Salt Peanuts" and Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy."

Americans Swinging In Paris

Carmen Cuesta - Peace Of Mind

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:34
Size: 122.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:56] 1. Paralelo
[3:59] 2. La Bossa De Kris
[4:26] 3. Endless Is Love
[4:20] 4. Peace Of Mind
[5:20] 5. Bells
[5:57] 6. Shape Of My Heart
[5:44] 7. Walk
[3:40] 8. Too Fast
[4:21] 9. Te Perdi
[4:02] 10. Here Comes The Sun
[4:44] 11. Tears Of Joy

Carmen Cuesta - Loeb set the pace for her album "Peace Of Mind" by working together with such top studio musicians as Chuck Loeb, Will Lee, Wolfgang Haffner and Bob James. Icing on the cake for her brand of "sophisticated pop" are the solos delivered by such jazz stars as Toots Thielemans, Bill Evans and Till Brönner.

Alongside a number of her own compositions in a relaxed, atmospheric vein, jewels like the heart-rendering title song "Peace Of Mind", the catchy "Paralelo" or the romantic ballad "Bells", there are two cover versions in particular that stand out on the list of tracks. With an arrangement strongly influenced by Sting, the master of intelligent pop music, Carmen Cuesta puts an exciting twist into her interpretation of his tune "Shape Of My Heart". The Beatles are also accorded due reverence in her version of "Here Comes The Sun".

Peace Of Mind

The Big Band Trio - Our Love Is Here To Stay

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:36
Size: 95.3 MB
Styles: Standards, Jazz combo
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:26] 1. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[3:03] 2. She's So Hip
[2:08] 3. Up A Lazy River
[3:47] 4. Moonglow
[3:08] 5. 627 Stop
[3:25] 6. Mood Indigo
[3:18] 7. Nevertheless
[2:58] 8. Let's Do It
[3:20] 9. Basin Street Blues
[2:55] 10. I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire
[2:45] 11. Dreaming
[3:19] 12. No Anaesthetic For Love
[2:44] 13. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[2:11] 14. Sermonette

Our Love Is Here To Stay

Jesse Cook - Beyond Borders

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:00
Size: 96.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Beyond Borders
[3:24] 2. Hembra
[3:52] 3. Unchosen
[3:34] 4. To The Horizon
[2:23] 5. Lost
[3:46] 6. Double Dutch
[3:11] 7. Skip The Moon
[3:17] 8. The Toll
[3:34] 9. Call To Rhythm
[4:00] 10. Above The Rain
[3:26] 11. A Mi Nina
[4:16] 12. Wisdom Of A Thousand Years

“There are many borders in our lives. Some are built by others, some we create for ourselves. Whenever I have ventured beyond the borders in my life, I have been the better for it. Beauty, humanity, artistry, joy, wisdom, and of course love…these things don’t stop at some line on a page. If music is the universal language, maybe there is something it can teach us?”…Jesse Cook.

This is the most sonically diverse and distinctive disc in Jesse Cook’s vast and varied catalogue.

Beyond Borders

Joan Stiles, Joel Frahm, Matt Wilson - Three Musicians

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:30
Size: 117.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Everything's Coming Up Roses
[5:06] 2. In The Sunshine Of My Funny Valentine's Love
[5:08] 3. West End Boogie
[6:03] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[3:54] 5. Lucky To Be Me
[2:33] 6. All The Things You Are
[4:24] 7. Blood Count
[2:38] 8. O.W.
[3:17] 9. Introspection
[5:37] 10. Nutty
[5:08] 11. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime Can't Buy Me Love
[3:32] 12. Bebopicity

Joan Stiles: piano; Joel Frahm: tenor saxophone(1-3, 5-12), soprano saxophone (4); Matt Wilson: drums (1-5, 9-12).

On the surface, Three Musicians is a smart collection of performances from a witty threesome, but closer observation reveals deep Cubist intent. In referencing one of Pablo Picasso's masterpieces, pianist Joan Stiles touches on a style of art that rarely finds an overt entrance into jazz, creating a layered, collage ideology within the very fabric of her work.

The term "mash-up" has become the phrase of choice in pop music circles to describe arrangements that weave two separate songs into a single work of art, but that concept is merely an outgrowth of Synthetic Cubism. While few musicians have tapped into the potential of this primarily visual art form, Stiles finds two different ways to touch on this topic. The obvious creation of combinatorial art comes with the merging of musical materials that takes place when she blends "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?" with The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love," or Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love" with "My Funny Valentine" ("In The Sunshine Of My Funny Valentine's Love"), but her connection to Cubism also comes to light on a different plane. The very interaction between all three musicians on this date can be viewed as an aural, collage-based representation of what Cubism—and jazz—is all about.

Stiles, drummer Matt Wilson and saxophonist Joel Frahm overlap, contrast, collide and collude with one another in complementary fashion as they create music full of wit, wisdom and wonder that would have made Picasso and Georges Braque gush with pride. They deconstruct and reform Thelonious Monk's work to their liking ("Nutty" and "Introspection"), create music that charms and sparkles with beauty ("Lucky To Be Me"), and bring Stiles' own compositions to life ("West End Boogie" and "Bebopicity"). Much of this ground may have been frequently covered, the trio's ability to bring humor into the mix without resorting to caricature helps set it apart.

The majority of the music touches on a chemistry that exists between all parties, but three mid-album tracks delve deeply into the duo relationship between Frahm and Stiles. "All The Things You Are" is a short journey all about weaving melodic, harmonic and rhythmic elements between two parties, while "O.W." is steeped in bluesy interplay; but the beauty of the bunch is the serious-as-can-be take on Billy Strayhorn's "Blood Count," which proves to be the album's emotional centerpiece.

Those prone to analyzing art can make plenty of connections between Stiles' work and Cubism as a whole, or argue the opposite to their heart's content, but that doesn't really matter. Music matters most, and Stiles clearly gets that. ~Dan Bilawsky

Three Musicians

Dave Grusin - The Gershwin Connection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:58
Size: 137.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Crossover jazz
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[1:12] 1. That Certain Feeling
[4:03] 2. Soon
[5:00] 3. Fascinating Rhythm
[5:38] 4. Prelude II
[5:12] 5. How Long Has This Been Going On
[5:40] 6. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
[6:50] 7. My Man's Gone Now
[3:51] 8. Maybe
[3:14] 9. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[3:48] 10. 's Wonderful
[6:07] 11. I've Got Plenty O' Nuthin'
[3:29] 12. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[5:47] 13. Medley Bess You Is My Woman I Loves You Porgy

Because many of Dave Grusin's albums have been rather commercial and overproduced, it is often forgotten how excellent a pianist he could be. This CD, which includes a 40-page booklet, features an enjoyable program of George and Ira Gershwin tunes played by a continually changing all-star lineup that includes the leader's piano, clarinetist Eddie Daniels, vibraphonist Gary Burton, altoist Eric Marienthal, trumpeter Sal Marquez, guitarist Lee Ritenour, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Dave Weckl and guest spots for pianist Chick Corea (who duets with Grusin on "'S Wonderful") and Don Grusin. A few of the numbers are given light funk rhythms and made to sound slightly "contemporary" (particularly "I've Got Plenty O' Nuthin'," which has an electric Ramsey Lewis-type groove), but overall, this is a very tasteful and respectful set -- a classy package. ~Scott Yanow

The Gershwin Connection

Jack Walrath - Out Of The Tradition

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 135,2 MB
Art: Front

(9:22)  1. Clear Out Of This World
(7:11)  2. So Long Eric
(6:46)  3. Stardust
(7:12)  4. Wake Up And Wash It Off!
(7:11)  5. Come Sunday
(7:43)  6. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?
(7:24)  7. Cabin In The Sky
(5:57)  8. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

Jack Walrath’s talents have been utilized by Charles Mingus, Ray Charles, Muhal Richard Abrams, Ricky Ford, Sam Rivers, Joe Morello, Mike Clark, Charli Persip, Miles Davis, Quincey Jones, Ray Anderson, Craig Harris, Pete LaRoca, Mike Longo, Elvis Costello, Motown, Larry Willis, George Gruntz, Paul Jeffrey, Gunther Schuller, Hal Galper, the Monk Tentet, Bobby Watson, et al. He has appeared in films, TV and Radio both as a sideman and leader since 1965. He has released 22 record albums as a leader. In addition he has appeared on countless albums with others (Mingus-14, Abrams-3,and others such as Persip, Davis, Lou Rawls, Richie Cole, Ricky Ford, the Jazz Tribe, Joe Lovano, the WDR Big Band, Jamaaladeen Tacuma and Gruntz to name a few). He has written liner notes and articles for DOWNBEAT and the MUSIC REVIEW and for 1 and 1/2 years was a columnist for the INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN AND RECORDING WORLD. He has been the subject of feature articles in virtually every major jazz trade magazine including. JAZZIZ, DOWNBEAT, MUSIC REVIEW, JAZZTIMES, CADENCE, MUSIC PAPER, HOTHOUSE, JAZZ EMPORIUM, JAZZ FORUM, et al. He has had reviews and appeared in many of the major newspapers around the world. In addition he has biographies and reviews in many books and record guides.

He has written compositions and arrangements for Mingus, Red Rodney, Ira Sullivan, Cecil Brooks III, the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, WDR, NDR, UMO Orchestra, Catania City Jazz Orchestra, Charli Persip Superband, Upper Austrian Jazz Orchestra, et al. He has also appeared as a featured artist with most of the above. He was the featured artist with the radio broadcast of the 50th anniversary of the NDR. He has written soundtrack music for “Homicide: Life On The Street” and the Bill Cosby NBC Mystery Movie.In addition to leading his own jazz groups, THE JACK WALRATH GROUP, WHOLLY TRINITY, HARD CORPS, THE MASTERS OF SUSPENSE, and a quintet (which, along with master drummer Mike Clark and master bassist Paul Jackson experimented with rhythms that were to be explored further when Jackson and Clark joined Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters), he was also leader of the MINGUS DYNASTY and THE CHARLES MINGUS BIG BAND. In addition, he has conducted the aforementioned European orchestras and conducted the Mingus work “Epitaph” with the TUCSON JAZZ SOCIETY. In later years he has been touring with the Masters of Suspense, Ray Anderson, Larry Willis, George Gruntz and Sam Rivers. In addition he has been doing special projects around Europe and the US.

He has received composition grants from the National Endowment For The Arts, the Aaron Copland Composition Grant and from the Mary Flagler Cary Trust. He has received performance grants from the NEA and Quad City Arts. He has had compositions/arrangements commissioned for virtually every instrumental combination from symphony orchestra to solo piano. He has written an instruction book that has been published by Advance Music. He has conducted seminars in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Israel, Finland, the LaGuardia High School and the US. In addition, he has conducted Master Classes and Clinics in many US states and countries at Conservatories all over the world. In New York City he conducted Master classes and/or adult education classes at the Manhattan School of Music, NYU and the New School for Social Research. He has conducted classes from ages 3 to adult and Post-Graduate education through the Quad City Arts, LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts, and the Myrna Loy Arts Center.

In recent years he has toured/recorded with the Jazz Tribe, George Gruntz, the Mingus Big Band, Mingus Epitaph and the Masters of Suspense. He has repeated many of the aforementioned teaching experiences in addition to conducting seminars in Portugal, Spain and Italy. He has most recently worked through the Litchfield Jazz Camp and the New School (NY). He has continued his recording career as both sideman and leader. His recent records have been some collaborations and co-leaderships with the UAJO, Ze’ Eduardo (Portugal), Bill Moring, Lindsay Horner, the Mingus Big Band; to mention a few. He has another recent album “Invasion of the Booty Shakers” which was released on Savant Records. In January 2008, he led/toured Italy with a quintet stressing “The Spirit of Mingus” which was very, very positively received. He has another upcoming release on Steeplechase Records, called, “Heavy Mirth” "Ballroom" was recently released on SteepleChase. He has been on the faculty twice for the Litchfield Jazz Camp and done seminars in Italy for the New School. In 2009, he was a featured performer/instructor at Siena Jazz in Tuscany. He is currently writing a book of his experiences with Mingus and others and about influential recordings and the “music business.” His Blue Note album, "Master of Suspense" was nominated for a Grammy. Jack Walrath started playing the trumpet at the age of 9 in 1955 while living in Edgar, Montana, a bustling metropolis with the population of 100 (It has since become virtually a ghost town!). He developed a healthy perception of music from lack of negative peer pressure which so often happens in cities. In, 1964 after graduating from Joliet, MT. Highschool, he attended the Berklee College of Music graduating in 1968 with a composition diploma. The diploma program was chosen over that of the degree in order to have classes only of music, therefore actually learning more about music than if he went for a degree! Also he considers his 40 years of major professional experience as the best education of all! http://www.jackwalrath.net/bio/

Personnel:  Jack Walrath – trumpet;  Larry Coryell – guitar;  Benny Green – piano;  Anthony Cox – bass;  Ronnie Burrage – drums

Out Of The Tradition

Jerry Gonzalez - Ya Yo Me Cure

Styles: Latin Jazz, Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:44
Size: 109,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Agueybana Zemi
(8:23)  2. Nefertiti
(5:24)  3. Ya Yo Me Cure
(2:59)  4. The Lucy Theme
(8:59)  5. Evidence
(6:54)  6. Baba Fieden Orisha
(8:19)  7. Caravan

The debut recording as a leader by Jerry Gonzalez, Ya Yo Me Cure features an early version of the trumpeter/Latin percussionist's Fort Apache Band (although it had not been named at this point). The advanced Latin jazz set (which has been reissued on CD) features such notable sidemen as trombonist Steve Turre, Mario Rivera on tenor, pianist Hilton Ruiz, singer Frankie Rodriguez and several percussionists. In addition to three originals by Rodriguez, the hot ensemble Latinizes such unlikely tunes as "Caravan," Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti," Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" and "The Lucy Theme." Frequently exciting music. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/ya-yo-me-cure-mw0000197255

Personnel: Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Coro – Jerry Gonzalez;  Backing Vocals – Milton Cardona;  Bass, Coro – Andy Gonzalez;  Bata – Gene Golden;  Coro – Carlos Mestre;  Drums – Don Alias;  Electric Guitar – Edgardo Miranda;  Guiro, Percussion – Vincente George;  Lead Vocals, Bata – Frankie Rodriguez;  Piano – Hilton Ruiz;  Saxophone, Coro – Mario Rivera;  Timbales – Nicky Marrero;  Trombone – Steve Turre;  Trombone, Coro – Papo Vázquez

Ya Yo Me Cure

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella At Zardi's (Live At Zardi's, 1956)

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:31
Size: 160,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. It All Depends On You
(3:14)  2. Tenderly
(3:27)  3. Why Don't You Do Right
(4:06)  4. Cry Me A River
(2:50)  5. In A Mellow Tone
(2:44)  6. Joe Williams's Blues
(2:25)  7. A Fine Romance
(3:34)  8. How High The Moon
(4:37)  9. Gone With The Wind
(3:57) 10. Bernie's Tune
(1:48) 11. 'S Wonderful
(2:53) 12. Glad To Be Unhappy
(2:31) 13. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:04) 14. The Tender Trap
(3:33) 15. The Angels Sing
(4:19) 16. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(1:47) 17. Little Boy
(2:27) 18. A-Tisket, A-Tasket
(3:10) 19. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
(5:14) 20. Airmail Special
(3:16) 21. I've Got A Crush On You

The enchanting archival live album, Ella at Zardi's, finds legendary jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald in concert at the famed Los Angeles club Zardi's in February of 1956. No random session, the Zardi's show was captured in the wake of producer Norman Granz founding his then-newly minted label Verve Records for the sole purpose of recording Fitzgerald. While the singer had long been under Granz's management, in his estimation she had languished at Decca, suffering under the label's choice of average songs and poor promotion. In moving Fitzgerald to Verve, Granz sought to showcase her virtuosic talent on record much in the same way that he had with the vibrant Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts since the mid-'40s. The move worked, and historically, the Verve years marked Fitzgerald's most fertile period, when she transformed from a popular vocalist into a creatively influential and commercially successful jazz icon. While all of her talent is on display here, the charm of the album is just how intimate, low-key, and seemingly off-the-cuff everything sounds. Backing Fitzgerald with urbane sensitivity is pianist Don Abney, bassist Vernon Alley, and drummer Frank Capp. Interestingly, barring the singer's own swaggering vocal improvs, there isn't any soloing from her band. Clearly, Granz wanted the spotlight to remain firmly centered on his star performer. The result is a breezy cabaret vibe with Fitzgerald fielding requests from the audibly enthusiastic audience. Included are many of her most well-known songbook standards at that point, including such standouts as "Tenderly," "How High the Moon," and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." She even offers up an exuberantly swinging reading of her signature 1938 original hit "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," dedicating the song to her co-writer Van Alexander, who was in attendance that night. No doubt there may have been other celebrities at the club that night (Marilyn Monroe was a famous Fitzgerald-champion during the '50s). Ultimately, it's just those kinds of personal touches, matched with Fitzgerald's dazzling vocal skills, that make Ella at Zardi's such a magical experience. 
~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/ella-at-zardis-mw0003110019   

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Don Abney (piano); Frank Capp (drum).            

Ella At Zardi's (Live At Zardi's, 1956)

Pat Martino - Formidable

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:03
Size: 163,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:07)  1. El Nino
(6:58)  2. Hipsippy Blues
(9:12)  3. Homage
(7:54)  4. Duke Ellington's Sound of Love
(7:02)  5. El Hombre
(8:16)  6. In Your Own Sweet Way
(8:31)  7. Nightwings
(9:34)  8. In a Sentimental Mood
(6:25)  9. On the Stairs

The title "Formidable" and the striking cover photo of Pat Martino in profile in front of a statue of a lion suggests that the great guitarist is going to unleash awesome powers. However, the proper meaning of formidable in this context is more to be taken as the presence of the master. Here and now, in late career, the lion is content. He displays his supremacy in a group setting. He leads the players in a moveable feast that recapitulates his work of the past while adding a contemporary touch. The album includes gems from Martino's legendary career best described in his autobiography, Here and Now (Backbeat Books, 2011), co-authored with Bill Milkowski. The career includes his early days in Harlem and with Willis "Gator" Jackson's quintet, where he proved himself to be a guitar phenomenon; his early maturity during the psychedelic era; his miraculous return to full form after a devastating brain arterio-venous malformation and surgery, from which he rebounded and nailed turn of the century mainstream and post-Coltrane playing with diverse individuals and groups; and during the last few years, grooming his organ trio with Pat Bianchi on organ and Carmen Intorre, Jr. on drums, touring extensively, and adding Alex Norris, Jr. on trumpet and Adam Niewood on tenor saxophone to form the finely honed ensemble of the current album. This recording is thus a look back, utilizing some iconic Martino originals, hip tunes by Joey Calderazzi, Hank Mobley, and Gerry Niewood, and standards by Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, and Duke Ellington.

Martino's playing is, as always, impeccable and at times stunning, but here he places himself squarely in the context of his quintet, with "equal opportunity" performances by the horns and organ. The result is exceptional work by the whole ensemble, spurred on by the guitarist's panache, beautifully structured arrangements, and Intorre's articulate and adaptable drumming. Martino's guitar volume is attenuated and softened slightly, emphasizing humility and lyricism over shock value. The album thus provides a special glimpse of what Martino can do to shape an ensemble. He has developed genuine rapport with these musicians. Martino shines not so much as the dominant force but by virtue of Mahatma Ghandi's maxim, "I must follow them, for I am their leader." The first tune is Calderazzi's "El Nino," a favorite of saxophonist Michael Brecker. Saxophone, trumpet, and guitar state the nifty melody in unison, and then, thanks to Bianchi's impeccable organ comping, the distinct feeling emerges of Willis Jackson's soul music quintet that featured Martino and organist Carl Wilson in the 1960s. That group, which birthed Martino, will be recollected in most of the subsequent tracks. Mobley's "Hipsippy Blues" provides a perfect soul blues vehicle to continue and elaborate the Willis Jackson tribute. Niewood's saxophone is pure soul blues, but Norris' trumpet solo that precedes it has a modern modal feeling. That interaction between blues and post-bop playing continues throughout the album. Bianchi's organ echoes Wilson on the Willis Jackson with Pat Martino disc (Prestige, 1964).

"Homage," by Niewood's musician-father, Gerry Niewood, consists of a minor third to tonic two note tune, allowing for rich improvising. So Martino gets loose and creative on his solo, Norris and Bianchi take virtuosic solos, and at the end we hear Bianchi having fun doodling expressively in the high register. In addition to his other achievements, Martino is truly one of the great interpreters of ballads. Here, he does Mingus' "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" thoughtfully, and the volume becomes almost hush-hush. Martino's improvisational lines on this track are memorable. Martino's classic "El Hombre," is from his debut recording as a leader, the 1967 Prestige album by the same name. In this rendition, it is as fresh as ever, and Martino delivers one of his iconic attention-grabbing solos. By contrast, Brubeck's standard, "In Your Own Sweet Way" is done strictly mainstream without the soul blues emphasis. 

It swings lightly as Brubeck intended it. "Nightwings" (Martino) from the 1996 Muse album by the same name, is timelessly symbolic of Martino's return after his recovery from the aneurysm. Niewood's solo is an especially inventive fishing expedition. On Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" Martino kills you softly with the Duke's song. Enough said. The concluding track,"On the Stairs" is another Martino classic, this time from his album, Consciousness (Muse, 1975). Martino's solo from that recording has been transcribed repeatedly for study, and no wonder. Martino was doing groundbreaking work at the time. This is pure "signature" Martino. The tune and his playing seem to span his entire career in technique, style, and texture, and the influence of his hero Wes Montgomery. To summarize, this album is leonine, not so much as a frontal attack as a work of consummate artistry on the part of Martino and his group. It recapitulates what has gone before but with a sense of a new dawn. "The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it arose." ~ Victor L.Shermer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/formidable-pat-martino-highnote-records-review-by-victor-l-schermer.php

Personnel: Pat Martino: guitar and leader; Pat Bianchi: organ; Carmen Intorre, Jr.: drums; Adam Niewood: tenor saxophone (tracks 1,2,3,5,7,9); Alex Norris: trumpet (tracks 1,3,5,7,9; flugelhorn, track 2).

Formidable