Sunday, December 24, 2017

Gigi Gryce, Clifford Brown - Jazz Time Paris Vol 11

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:36
Size: 122.7 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1998/2016
Art: Front

[ 4:15] 1. Strictly Romantic
[ 5:44] 2. Baby (Master Take)
[11:44] 3. No Start, No End
[ 5:25] 4. Minority
[ 5:41] 5. Salute To The Band Box
[ 4:56] 6. It Might As Well Be Spring
[ 2:43] 7. You're A Lucky Guy
[ 2:49] 8. The Song Is You
[ 4:08] 9. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[ 2:57] 10. I Can Dream, Can't I
[ 3:09] 11. Blue And Brown

An incredible pairing of two of the most important modern jazz talents of the 50s  trumpeter Clifford Brown and altoist Gigi Gryce whose sense of structure on these tunes really gives Brownie a whole new space in which to shine! Gryce really seems to get at the mixture of sweetness and bite that Clifford can deliver when he's at his best which comes through brilliantly in his solos, which are then matched by these raspy, soulful lines from Gryce on his alto. The group's a French one and swing, but really let the American horn players take the lead with Henri Renaud on piano, Jimmy Gourley on guitar, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Jean Louis Viale on drums. Tracks include "Baby", "Minority", "Salute To The Band Box" and "Strictly Romantic". CD also features a full second 10" album a quartet date with Brown's trumpet in the lead in front of a Parisian trio that features Henri Renaud on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Benny Bennett on drums.

Jazz Time Paris Vol 11

Maxine Sullivan - Spring Isn't Everything

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:04
Size: 78.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[2:24] 1. Summer Night
[3:19] 2. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
[2:48] 3. The More I See You
[2:58] 4. Cheerful Little Earful
[3:34] 5. I Only Have Eyes For You
[2:35] 6. Lulu's Back In Town
[2:25] 7. This Heart Of Mine
[2:06] 8. Devil May Care
[1:51] 9. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
[2:37] 10. Spring Isn't Everything
[2:14] 11. September In The Rain
[2:44] 12. I'll String Along With You
[2:23] 13. There Will Never Be Another You

Bass – Terry Peoples; Drums – Bill Stowe; Leader, Piano, Arranged By – Loonis McGlohon; Vibraphone – Jim Stack; Vocals – Maxine Sullivan. Recorded July 26 & 27, 1986.

Maxine Sullivan's final Audiophile recording (which has been reissued on CD) finds the 75-year-old singer (less than a year before her death) still in good voice. With accompaniment by pianist Loonis McGlohon, vibraphonist Jim Stack, bassist Terry Peoples and drummer Bill Stowe, Sullivan sings straightforward renditions of 11 Harry Warren songs with lyrics by Al Dubin, Mack Gordon, Ira Gershwin, Arthur Freed, Johnny Burke, Johnny Mercer and Ralph Blane. The interpretations are rather concise (from 1:51 to 3:35) and contain no real surprises, but Sullivan does bring joy to the lyrics. Among the tunes are "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me," "Lulu's Back in Town," "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" and "I'll String Along With You." ~Scott Yanow

Spring Isn't Everything mc
Spring Isn't Everything zippy

Simon Spillett - Square One

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:13
Size: 78.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:57] 1. Shepherd's Serenade
[4:09] 2. Square One
[7:03] 3. Yesterday I Heard The Rain
[3:34] 4. A Night In Tunisia
[6:34] 5. Bass House
[5:54] 6. In The Still Of The Night

Curated, analogue mastered and cut at Gearbox Studio. Award-winning hard bop tenor saxophonist Spillett's blistering LP, leading a quartet of British jazz royalty featuring John Critchinson piano, Alec Dankworth double bass and Clark Tracey drums. Recorded direct to stereo tape, November 2012.

Square One 

Mark Winkler - The Company I Keep

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:56
Size: 128.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. Walk Between The Raindrops (With Jackie Ryan)
[5:12] 2. Strollin' (With Cheryl Bentyne)
[4:27] 3. Midnight In Paris
[3:30] 4. But It Still Ain't So (With Steve Tyrell)
[5:42] 5. That Afternoon In Harlem
[3:15] 6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[4:58] 7. Stolen Moments (With Claire Martin)
[4:27] 8. Love Comes Quietly
[5:18] 9. Rainproof (With Sara Gazarek)
[5:20] 10. The Sum
[4:00] 11. Lucky To Be Me
[5:28] 12. Here's To Life

Mark Winkler: vocals; Jackie Ryan: vocals (1); Jamieson Trotter: piano (1, 2, 4, 6, 7), Hammond B-3 (4); Lyman Medeiros: bass (1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 11); Mike Shapiro: drums (1, 2, 6, 10); Bob McChesney: trombone (1, 5, 7); Ron Blake: trumpet (1, 7); Brian Swartz: trumpet (1, 7); Bob Sheppard: saxophone (1, 4, 7, 9, 10), clarinet (11); Cheryl Bentyne: vocals (2); Larry Koonse: guitar (2, 3); Rich Eames: piano (3, 12); John Clayton: bass (3, 7-9); Jeff Hamilton: drums (3, 5, 7-9); Don Shelton: clarinet (3); Paul Cartwright: violin (3); Bob Mann: guitars (4); Kevin Winard: drums (4), percussion (10); Eric Reed: piano (5, 8); John Beasley: piano (10); David Benoit: piano (11).

The utility of music, at its very core, is entertainment. It is not all about dissonance and consonance, tonal conflict and resolution; heart and intellect, pathos and ethos. Somewhere in everything music has to offer, there must be a smile. It is in music's smile that vocalist Mark Winkler exists. An elegant West Coast mainstay, vocalist/lyricist/composer Winkler, drove across my radar first with his 2011 recording Sweet Spot (Café Pacific Records). I was struck by how well Winkler could skirt the orbit of con brio cabaret singing, with its fun, entertainment core, and remain completely fixed in his capacity of jazz singer and composer.

Winkler followed Sweet Spot with his bold 2013 release, The Laura Nyro Project (Café Pacific Records). An exceptional duet recording with The Manhattan Transfer's Cheryl Bentyne, West Coast Cool (Summit Records, 2013) came next, followed by the fun and good-natured Jazz and Other Four Letter Words (Café Pacific Records, 2015).

Winkler had a period of personal loss in 2016 that would have crushed lesser musical mortals. Rather than dwell in the loss, Winkler circled his wagons, and, by wagons I mean his friends, producing the present recording, The Company I Keep. The recording is tacitly a duets recording, where Winkler shares singing duties with the likes of Jackie Ryan "Walk Between the Raindrops" and Steve Tyrell "But It Still Ain't So." Sometimes the duets are with musicians: pianists David Benoit, Josh Nelson and Eric Reed join Winkler regular Jamison Trotter in providing the singer support. Add to this the contributions of reeds player Bob Sheppard and a picture is complete. With friends like that, how can one go wrong.

The recording, engineering, and sonics are exceptional, as well as the arrangements (mostly by Trotter). The project is composed of a a dozen pieces, half with lyrics composed by Winkler and half carefully selected by him and his cohorts. Beautifully, the "standards" (if you will) are not so standard. Donald Fagan's "Walk Between Raindrops," shared with Ryan and Prince's "Strollin'" shared with Cheryl Bentyne are pure genius in song selection. What is amply apparent is that Winkler is enjoying himself and his friends and vice versa. "Stolen Moments" with Claire Martin (using the late Mark Murphy's lyrics) and "Rainproof," sung with Sara Gazarek (this latter with Winkler lyrics) demonstrates Winkler's artistic resilience and determination.

Winkler's complete dedication to his friends is also expressed in the cover art, which includes West Coast dignitaries well known to our electronic pages (in no particular order): Lauren White, Jeffrey Gimble, Barbara Brighton, Andrew Abaria, Richard Winkler, Judy Wexler, and Dolores Scozzesi. Mark Winkler, I am so glad you (we) have them all. ~C. Michael Bailey

The Company I Keep mc
The Company I Keep zippy

Ben Webster - The Soul Of Ben Webster (2-Disc Set)

Bass – Jimmy Woode (tracks: CD2: 4-14), Milt Hinton (tracks: CD1: 1-7), Ray Brown (tracks: CD1: 8-12; CD2: 1-3); Drums – Alvin Stoller (tracks: CD1: 8-12; CD2: 1-3), Dave Bailey (tracks: CD1: 1-7), Sam Woodyard (tracks: CD2: 4-14); Guitar – Barney Kessel (tracks: CD1: 8, 9, 12; CD2: 1, 3), Herb Ellis (tracks: CD1: 10, 11; CD2: 2), Mundell Lowe (tracks: CD1: 1-7); Piano – Billy Strayhorn (tracks: CD2: 4-14), Jimmy Jones (3) (tracks: CD1: 1-7), Oscar Peterson (tracks: CD1: 8-12; CD2: 1-3); Saxophone [Alto] – Johnny Hodges (tracks: CD2: 4-14); Saxophone [Tenor] – Ben Webster (tracks: CD1: 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; CD2: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13), Harold Ashby (tracks: CD1: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7); Trombone – Vic Dickenson (tracks: CD2: 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13); Trumpet – Art Farmer (tracks: CD1: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7), Harry Edison (tracks: CD1: 8-12; CD2: 1-3), Roy Eldridge (tracks: CD2: 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13).

How can you go wrong with this 2 CD set that combines three late 1950's Verve recordings by Ben Webster, Harry "Sweets" Edison and Johnny Hodges into one set. Roy Eldridge comes along for the ride as well as a few other notables from the Norman Granz stable. This collection of music includes a lot of swing renditions of classic standards and some blues, and a few ballads. Each leader shines on his respective set, especially Edison who's selection of 8 tunes is heavily swing/blues oriented in a very Basie-esque style. Highly recommended if you're a small ensemble swing fan. ~William Faust

Album: The Soul Of Ben Webster (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:28
Size:  172,3MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Jazz instrument, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995

( 3:48)  1. Fajista
( 3:40)  2. Chelsea Bridge
(15:31)  3. Charlotte's Piccolo
( 4:10)  4. Coal Train
( 4:53)  5. When I Fall In Love
( 4:23)  6. Ev's Mad
( 8:24)  7. Ash
( 4:51)  8. Blues For The Blues
( 7:40)  9. Blues For Piney Brown
( 3:58) 10. Moonlight In Vermont
( 7:11) 11. Taste On The Place
( 5:52) 12. Blues For The Blues

The Soul Of Ben Webster (Disc 1)

Album: The Soul Of Ben Webster (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:16
Size:  181,4MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Jazz instrument, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You?
(9:33)  2. Blues For Bill Basie
(6:53)  3. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
(3:34)  4. I Didn't Know About You
(9:39)  5. Reelin' And Rockin'
(3:20)  6. Gone With The Wind
(4:04)  7. Honey Hill
(3:24)  8. Blues-A-Plenty
(3:43)  9. Don't Take Your Love From Me
(6:01) 10. Saturday Afternoon Blues
(5:04) 11. Satin Doll
(3:46) 12. Cool Your Motor
(9:44) 13. Reelin' And Rockin'
(5:45) 14. Don't Take Your Love From Me

The Soul Of Ben Webster (Disc 2)

Bob Mintzer Big Band - Incredible Journey

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:01
Size: 156,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:45)  1. Incredible Journey
( 5:38)  2. The Ring
( 9:24)  3. Flying
( 9:24)  4. Computer
(10:34)  5. Tribute
( 8:33)  6. Latin Dance
(11:43)  7. Lazy Day
( 4:57)  8. Slo Funk

A versatile soloist influenced by Michael Brecker on tenor, Bob Mintzer gained experience playing with Deodato, Tito Puente (1974), Buddy Rich, Hubert Laws, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1977). In addition to leading his own bands starting in 1978, Mintzer worked with Jaco Pastorius, Mike Mainieri, Louie Bellson, Bob Moses, and the American Saxophone Quartet. He has guested with several philharmonic orchestras and led a fine big band in New York since the mid-'80s. Mintzer, a member of the Yellowjackets since 1991 (where his bass clarinet in particular adds a great deal of color to the group), recorded regularly for DMP for a decade before moving to TVT for 1998's Quality Time. Homage to Count Basie followed in fall 2000. Live at MCG, which featured vocalist Kurt Elling, and Old School New Lessons, both of which were benefit albums for the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, appeared in 2004 and 2006, respectively. 

In 2007, Mintzer released the small group session In the Moment. He returned to a big-band setting for 2008's Swing Out and 2012's For the Moment. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-mintzer-mn0000765221/biographyBob Millikan

Personnel:  Bass – Lincoln Goines;  Drums – Peter Erskine; Piano – Don Grolnick; Saxophone – Bob Malach, Bob Mintzer, Lawrence Feldman, Michael Brecker, Peter Yellin, Roger Rosenberg; Trombone – Bob Smith, David Bargeron, Dave Taylor , Keith O'Quinn; Trumpet – Laurie Frink, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker, Bob Millikan           

Incredible Journey

Helen Abbey - Simply Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:38
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. Morning Dance
(3:52)  2. Another Day
(5:20)  3. Wave
(3:56)  4. Simply Me
(3:25)  5. Devil May Care
(5:20)  6. Fever
(4:31)  7. One Note Samba
(5:35)  8. Fly Me to the Moon
(5:42)  9. Moondance
(0:50) 10. Song for Thielemans
(3:23) 11. Lullaby of Birdland
(5:01) 12. Cry Me a River
(0:29) 13. Twisted

Helen Abbey graduated from the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, London, with a Diploma in Performing Arts. Her singing career started with a regular spot at The Ritz Hotel, London with an acapella group called The Swing Sisters. After taking time out to raise her family, her return to the music world was set when she successfully showcased her talents at 'Pizza on the Park' in Knightsbridge, London. She recently won a place in the finals of the Sony Jazz International competition, 'Search for a New Jazz Star'.  After winning a highly acclaimed award from the Arts Council England, Helen went about bringing her passion for jazz to life. She is well known on the UK East Coast and plays at many venues in this area. On an international level, a collaboration with Italy's top jazz harmonica player, Luigi Ferrara, has brought about her long awaited debut album 'Simply Me'. It delivers the best in a wide range of jazz styles - mainstream standards, swing, ballads, and a sprinkling of original songs. The album is a true reflection of Helen's inimitable smooth style.

REVIEWS

"... an excellent collection of sheer elegance …...her sensitive phrasing nails the end of the lines with crystal clear clarity…..Helen’s spontaneous vocal is warm, sensuous and makes these beautiful melodies even more intriguing……Helen excels with an ever shifting variety of detail…... totally recognisable songs with beautiful vocals and free flowing instrumentation by a tight rhythm section, a very creditable debut by someone we are going to be hearing a lot more from." Wes Gillespie. EuroClubdeJazz.com

“I'm happy to have to inform that your CD has been very well received by the listeners. ….I love the tone of your voice. You are a consummate stylist. Your interpretation uplifts lyrics and melodies and discovers their inner beauty. You capture the mood of any tune. In short: you are a complete vocalist with a very personal style.” João da Penha
Journalist, author and Brazilian music critic.

“What a great voice. This woman’s got it”. Good band too! Enjoy.” Bill Oddie

“She’s well qualified to put her musical talents on record. It’s a CD brimming with melody…backed by a fine trio…..features some superb harmonica playing by Luigi Ferrara. It’s a fine debut CD and Helen Abbey’s enthusiasm for the music is evident throughout.” Alan Crumpton’s Jazz Round Up

The mix of material on the album works fine …’Morning Dance’ an instrumental (with Helen’s lyrics) makes an ideal opening number. Helen gives an effortless rendition and delivers the lyric with gusto…. Musical treats include tasty guitar solos from Tony Sandeman and a homage to Toots Thielemans by harmonica player Luigi Ferrara…..Helen is very strong on sustained notes, she can handle songs like ‘Cry Me A River’ and ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ with no problem……she definitely charms the birds off the trees!” Jill Goldman. Jazz Singers Network

“Helen Abbey is going to be a star!” Ruth French. Elite Magazine

Simply Me

Bobby Jaspar - Phénil Isopropil Amine

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:20
Size: 107,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Cliff, Cliff
(3:27)  2. Phénil Isopropil Amine
(3:31)  3. Misterioso
(3:36)  4. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(3:24)  5. There Will Never Be Another You
(3:56)  6. Waiting For Irene
(4:14)  7. Le JAMF
(5:14)  8. Chasing The Bird
(4:22)  9. Speak Low
(2:35) 10. Doxology (Memory Of Dick)
(3:15) 11. Jeux De Quartes (take 1)
(3:24) 12. Jeux De Quartes (take 2)

This CD reissues Bobby Jaspar's 1958 final studio album (although he lived until 1963). Surprisingly, Jaspar, an excellent tenorman, sticks exclusively to flute, performing in a pair of pianoless groups with either Michel Hausser or Sadi Lallemand on vibes, Paul Roverie or Jymie Merritt on bass, drummer Kenny Clarke, and sometimes percussionist Humberto Canto. Comprised of six originals (five by Jaspar) and five jazz standards, this light but not lightweight chamber jazz set should have great appeal to fans of 1950s straight-ahead jazz. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/phenil-isopropil-amine-mw0000204842

Personnel: Bobby Jaspar (saxophone); Kenny Clarke (drums).      

Phénil Isopropil Amine

Jeff Steinberg Jazz Ensemble - Jazz & Cocktails: An Intoxicating Mix Of Jazz For Happy Hour

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:04
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Just The Way You Look Tonight
(3:38)  2. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:17)  3. Manhattan
(3:44)  4. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(4:40)  5. Love For Sale
(4:01)  6. 'S Wonderful
(3:46)  7. East Of The Sun
(3:35)  8. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(3:44)  9. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(4:06) 10. Too Close For Comfort
(4:24) 11. It Could Happen To You
(3:33) 12. Too Marvelous For Words
(3:52) 13. As Time Goes By

An intoxicating mix of instrumental jazz for happy hour.  After more than thirty-five years as a composer, arranger/orchestrator, pianist, producer and music educator, Jeff Steinberg's work continues to span the professional spectrum, which includes spectacular Jazz, Big Band, and Orchestral recordings as well as original scores for advertising, television, and film.  Upon graduating from the Berklee School in 1969, he joined The Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Buddy DeFranco and toured the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Japan. Since then, he has worked with such luminaries as Maynard Ferguson, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Perry Como, and Michel Legrand, and produced and arranged music for the advertising campaigns of General Motors, McDonald's, ALCOA, The Monsanto Company, TimeLife and others. He has arranged, conducted, and performed with and for The London Symphony, Scottish National Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, the orchestras of Nashville, Detroit and Tampa, as well as Randy Newman, Anne Murray, Art Garfunkel, Roberta Flack, Michael Feinstein, Olivia Newton-John, and Paul Anka.  Steinberg has served as a frequent POPS Conductor for The Nashville Symphony and other symphony orchestras across the country. As producer/arranger of exciting up and coming artists, Jeff also fronts The Jeff Steinberg Jazz Ensemble on piano. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Cocktails-Jeff-Steinberg/dp/B00GOYHPF4

Personnel: Jeff Steinberg (piano, vibraphone); Jack Jezzro (guitar); Denis Solee (flute, alto saxophone); George Tidwell (trumpet, flugelhorn);  Jim White (drums).

Jazz & Cocktails:  An Intoxicating Mix Of Jazz For Happy Hour

Simon Nabatov - Spinning Songs of Herbie Nichols

Styles: Solo Piano
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:20
Size: 147,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:02)  1. 2300 Skiddoo
(13:12)  2. The Spinning Song
( 6:04)  3. Blue Chopsticks
( 9:45)  4. Lady Sings the Blues
( 8:42)  5. Sunday Stroll
( 8:03)  6. The Third World
( 7:14)  7. Terpsichore
( 2:15)  8. Twelve Bars

This is the second Nabatov solo piano CD on Leo Records. Stuart Broomer writes in his extensive liner notes: ''There is something very special in the way that music and musicians, Nichols and Nabatov, seem to be reaching out to one another here, to be sharing divergent legacies and oddly complementing one another. Nabatov offers profoundly personal solo playing here, alive to the past and future and the mutating nuance, deeply reflective work that seems to reach through timelessness and time to revision Nichols' work and to embody something of Nichols' own original vision''.
~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Solo-Spinning-Songs-Herbie-Nichols/dp/B007O3BH1C

Personnel:  Simon Nabotov - Solo Piano.

Spinning Songs of Herbie Nichols

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Booker Ervin - The In Between

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:10
Size: 92.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[7:38] 1. The In Between
[7:13] 2. The Muse
[5:56] 3. Mour
[5:32] 4. Sweet Pea
[6:23] 5. Largo
[7:27] 6. Tyra

Bass – Cevera Jeffries Jr.; Drums – Lenny McBrowne; Piano – Bobby Few Jr.; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Booker Ervin; Trumpet – Richard Williams (tracks: 1 to 4, 6). Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on January 12, 1968.

There's a kind of music I like to think of as harder bop. It's a lot like conventional 1950s hard bop, but tougher, more muscular, more cerebral. Booker Ervin's The In Between is that kind of record.

Ervin has an edgy style. It starts with a John Coltrane feel, then pushes a little further. Not into the crazy, atonal, unapproachable territory that Trane created in his later years, but into music that's more from the head than the heart. At least, that's how The In Between starts. The title cut is fast-paced and challenging. There's not much melody here—and that's something that often turns me off. Here, though, it's simply exhilarating. Ervin and trumpeter Richard Williams go for a wild ride, with drummer Lenny McBrowne bashing the skins like some jazz version of Keith Moon. The second cut, "The Muse," is more of the same. It starts with an intriguing two-minute intro that's gentle and Middle Eastern, with Ervin on flute and Bobby Few on piano playing a soothing melody that sounds like it was lifted from a Beirut marketplace. And just when you think you've got the vibe, it changes abruptly into a breakneck, harder bop cooker, then ends with the earlier Mideast feel. It's exciting. The rest of the album is just as eclectic. "Mour" and "Sweet Pea" are typical mid-tempo hard bop tunes that could have been done by the 1950s Jazz Messengers. "Largo" is a sweet, lyrical ballad. And the final cut, "Tyra," is the kind of swirling blues noir that always makes me think of old black-and-white private eye flicks starring Humphrey Bogart. Far from cerebral jazz, this is blues with feeling.

The In Between features six original tunes, all by Ervin. All are captivating. The group may be obscure and the album lesser-known, but it's a gem. ~Marc Davis

The In Between mc
The In Between zippy

Lee Wiley, Billy Butterfield & His Orchestra - A Touch Of The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:37
Size: 88.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1958/1986/2012
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. The Memphis Blues
[2:40] 2. From The Land Of The Sky-Blue Water
[2:57] 3. The Ace In The Hole
[4:04] 4. Someday You'll Be Sorry
[3:08] 5. My Melancholy Baby
[3:05] 6. A Hundred Years From Today
[2:56] 7. Blues In My Heart
[3:12] 8. Maybe You'll Be There
[2:57] 9. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[2:43] 10. I Don't Want To Walk Without You
[3:13] 11. Make Believe
[4:12] 12. A Touch Of The Blues

Lee Wiley (vcl), Billy Butterfield (tp, lead), Nick Travis, Joe Ferrante, Tony Faso (tp), Cutty Cutshall, Rex Peer (tb), Hank D'Amico, Toots Mondello, Al Cohn, Nick Caiazza, Gene Allen (saxes), Moe Wechsler (p), Mundell Lowe, Barry Galbraith (g), Milt Hinton (b), Don Lamond (d), Al Cohn, Bill Finegan (arr).

"The stellar A Touch of the Blues pairs Lee Wiley with an exceptional band led by trumpeter Billy Butterfield, whose warm, beautiful tone proves a sympathetic counterpoint to Al Cohn and Bill Finegan's otherwise dark, melancholy arrangements. While a title like A Touch of the Blues guarantees the listener few surprises, the album consistently avoids the familiar bluesy clichés -- Wiley's sensuality and sophistication suggest emotional depths to make such gestures redundant anyway. And like her more celebrated songbook sessions, the material here is expertly selected, complementing Wiley's inherent strengths while affording her the latitude to stretch out in new directions." ~Jason Ankeny

A Touch Of The Blues mc
A Touch Of The Blues zippy

Fredrik Kronkvist - Brooklyn Playground

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:10
Size: 121.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[0:50] 1. Come Out And Play
[8:06] 2. Playground
[4:58] 3. Epic Build-Up
[4:59] 4. Crescent Mantra
[5:24] 5. Open Air
[7:31] 6. Caravan
[4:20] 7. Flower Of Hope
[6:20] 8. The Basic Lowdown
[4:25] 9. One Finger Snap
[5:13] 10. The Fun Side
[0:58] 11. Until Next Time

Fredrik Kronkvist – alto saxophone, Martin Sjöstedt – piano, Petter Eldh – bass, Snorre Kirk – drums.

Fredrik and his quartet entered the studio in Brooklyn after a successful concert at the Scandinavian House on Manhattan and laid down some of the groups most inspired takes.

Brooklyn Playground mc
Brooklyn Playground zippy

Emilie-Claire Barlow - Haven't We Met?

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:49
Size: 111.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. All I Do Is Dream Of You
[3:49] 2. C'est Merveilleux
[3:04] 3. You're Driving Me Crazy!
[4:23] 4. Comin' Home Baby
[3:03] 5. Haven't We Met
[5:01] 6. I'm Glad There Is You
[2:54] 7. Chez Moi
[5:02] 8. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
[4:01] 9. Jardin D'hiver
[2:49] 10. La Vem A Baiana
[3:06] 11. Will You Still Be Mine
[4:08] 12. You Make Me Feel So Young
[3:25] 13. You Must Believe In Spring

This is a set of beautifully arranged songs, exquisitely performed by Barlow. She's hardly a household name in the US, but in an ocean of mediocre sound-alike female jazz vocalists, she is a stand-out interpreter of lyrics, and an impeccable musician. This album includes some beautiful old pieces from "the Great American Songbook" that are rarely heard today, and also introduces American ears to some lovely French and French Canadian songs. ~J.T.Moran

Haven't We Met mc
Haven't We Met zippy

Spike Robinson - Spike & Strings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:51
Size: 121.0 MB
Styles: West Coast jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[4:25] 1. My Foolish Heart
[4:04] 2. I'll Close My Eyes
[5:13] 3. What's New
[4:25] 4. In The Middle Of A Kiss
[4:33] 5. When I Fall In Love
[4:20] 6. I'm Glad There's You
[5:16] 7. Wherever There's Love
[4:52] 8. People Will Try Again
[6:18] 9. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
[5:25] 10. There Goes My Heart
[3:55] 11. The Right To Love

Saxophone - Spike Robinson; Bass – Stefan Lievestro; Drums – Hans Van Oosterhout; Piano – Jack van Poll.

Spike Robinson was a jazz saxophonist with an exceptional lyrical and melodic style. Robinson’s playing was characterised by a mellow tone, unaggressive approach and a deep affinity with the classic American song.

Spike & Strings mc
Spike & Strings zippy

Bob Rockwell - Shades of Blue

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:08
Size: 149,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:54)  1. Shades of Blue
(7:06)  2. Someday You'll Be Sorry
(7:41)  3. Wonder Why
(8:30)  4. Mr. Syms
(5:42)  5. Blue Tones
(7:34)  6. Pannonica
(6:54)  7. Let's Call This
(8:09)  8. Maids of Cadiz
(7:34)  9. On a Misty Night

Intense yet warm-toned tenor and soprano saxophonist Bob Rockwell ( born May 2, 1945 in Oklahoma) put together a dream quartet here on his 7th leader album having invited drummer Copeland to his highly successful trio (“ Born To Be Blue). “ These nine tracks constitute formidable evidence of Bob Rockwell’s exceptional ability and unswerving commitment to the music in which he believes …”

Personnel:  Bob Rockwell - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Andy LaVerne - piano;  Jesper Lundgaard - bass;  Keith Copeland - drums 

Shades of Blue

Ithamara Koorax - Rio vermelho

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:37
Size: 155,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Sonho de um sonho
(5:38)  2. Retrato em branco e preto
(6:41)  3. Correnteza
(4:54)  4. Preciso aprender a ser so
(5:26)  5. Tudo acabado
(3:48)  6. Ternura antiga
(4:27)  7. Nao sei
(3:37)  8. E preciso dizer adeus
(6:06)  9. Cry me a river
(7:05) 10. India
(3:44) 11. Rio vermelho
(8:14) 12. Se queres saber
(4:02) 13. Empty glass

Any American who is seriously into Brazilian music knows that he/she cannot rely on U.S. labels alone; it is important to look for CDs that come out on Brazilian labels but make it to the U.S. as imports. Ithamara Koorax is a perfect example of a Brazilian pop-jazz vocalist who was well-known in Brazil before she had any North American releases. Although she didn't have anything out in the U.S. until Fantasy licensed Serenade in Blue from Brazil's Jazz Station label in 2000, she had provided several excellent albums for Brazilian and Japanese labels in the '90s. One of them was 1995's Rio Vermelho, which came out on Imagem in Brazil and Paddle Wheel in Japan. Emphasizing ballads, this pop-jazz effort is a fine example of Brazilian torch singing Rio Vermelho is mood music with a very Rio de Janeiro-ish sound. Rio de Janeiro, in fact, is where percussionist/arranger Arnaldo DeSouteiro produced this CD. Saying that Rio Vermelho is mood music isn't saying that Koorax's performances should fade into the background quietly she brings so much soul, depth, and emotion to the lyrics (most of them in Portuguese) that listeners would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn't turn up the volume and pay very close attention. And all of the songs that Koorax picks are perfect for a torch album, including Antonio Carlos Jobim's "É Preciso Dizer Adeus," the title track (a Milton Nascimento gem), and Arthur Hamilton's "Cry Me a River." The latter is one of only two English-language performances on this CD; the other is Luiz Bonfá's "Empty Glass," which also appears on Koorax's superb Bonfá tribute, Almost in Love: Ithamara Koorax Sings Luiz Bonfá. But whether she is singing in Portuguese or English, Rio Vermelho is a first-rate torch album. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/rio-vermelho-mw0000538470

Personnel:  Bass – Jamil Joanes, Ron Carter;  Clarinet – Paulo Sergio Santos;  Drums – Pascoal Meirelles;  Flute – Carlos Malta;  Guitar – Luiz Bonfá, Maurício Carrilho;  Lead Vocals – Ithamara Koorax;  Piano – Antonio Carlos Jobim;  Piano, Synthesizer – Paulo Malaguti;  saxophone – Carlos Malta, Daniel Garcia (9), Sadao Watanabe

Rio vermelho

Dave Valentin - Pure Imagination

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:20
Size: 113,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. Smile
(5:59)  2. Slip And Slide
(5:08)  3. Joy
(5:29)  4. Pure Imagination
(5:07)  5. Hummingbird
(6:49)  6. See-Saw
(5:42)  7. When Sunny Gets Blue
(5:03)  8. Cat Man
(4:41)  9. Last Minute


Colorful and percussive, this Latin-jazz quintet session, featuring the seasoned pairing of flutist Dave Valentin and pianist Bill O’Connell, goes Hollywood now and then. The first stop is Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile,” with a multifaceted arrangement that sports a newly composed bridge by O’Connell. Not surprisingly, its charms also derive from Valentin’s bright lyricism and the festive teaming of bassist Ruben Rodriguez, drummer Robby Ameen and percussionist Richie Flores. The next cinematic sojourn is the album’s title track, inspired by Gene Wilder’s performance in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Both tracks are so engaging, alive and alluring, by turns, that you may find yourself wishing that Valentin and company would linger a little longer out West. But as the album unfolds, O’Connell’s composing skills are fully brought to bear and there’s little reason to look back.

The pianist wrote the remaining tunes here, save for a dreamy, multitracked “flute choir” treatment of “When Sunny Gets Blue.” It’s dedicated to flutist Hubert Laws, Valentin’s “mentor, teacher and friend.” Elegantly layered, the performance slowly and soulfully insinuates itself before turning an earthy shade of blue. As for O’Connell’s contributions, besides illustrating his flair for writing attractive melodies, they add elements of funk and fusion to the clave-accented mix, encouraging the kind of spirited interplay evident on the aptly titled “Slip and Slide,” “See-Saw” and “Cat Man.” As always, Valentin delights in the rhythmic undertow, his flute soaring and looping like a kite. Small wonder this nine-track collection seems to fly by. ~ Mike Joyce https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/dave-valentin-pure-imagination/

Personnel: Dave Valentin: flute, alto flute, bass flute; Bill O'Connell: piano; Ruben Rodriguez: bass; Robby Amen: drums; Richie Flores: percussion.

Pure Imagination

Archie Shepp - Things Have Got to Change!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:44
Size: 86,4 MB
Art: Front

(18:21)  1. Monet Blues
( 2:29)  2. Dr. King, The Peaceful Warrior
(16:53)  3. Things Have Got to Change

Things Have Got to Change is an album by avant-garde jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp released in 1971 on the Impulse! label. The album features a performance by Shepp with a large ensemble and vocal choir. The album "solidified the saxophonists reputation as a soulful, yet radical free jazz artist motivated by social commentary and cultural change". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Things_Have_Got_to_Change

Personnel:  Archie Shepp: tenor and soprano saxophone;  James Spaulding: alto saxophone, piccolo;  Roy Burrows, Ted Daniel: trumpet;  Charles Greenlee, Grachan Moncur III: trombone;  Howard Johnson: baritone saxophone;  Dave Burrell: electric piano;  Billy Butler, David Spinozza: guitar;  Roland Wilson: electric bass;  Beaver Harris: drums;  Ollie Anderson, Hetty "Bunchy" Fox, Calo Scott, Juma Sultan: percussion;  Joe Lee Wilson: lead vocal;  Anita Branham, Claudette Brown, Barbara Parsons, Ernestina Parsons, Jody Shayne, Anita Shepp, Johnny Shepp, Sharon Shepp: vocals

Things Have Got to Change!

Hilary Jones - Soaring

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:26
Size: 115,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Alive Again
(6:13)  2. Soaring
(6:05)  3. When You Are In The World
(5:25)  4. Come To Mama
(2:55)  5. Hot Dog! That Mad Him Mad
(4:28)  6. Ruth
(8:16)  7. Cosmo Sex Quiz
(2:42)  8. Talk Of The Town
(3:18)  9. Midget Match
(5:27) 10. Soaring(reprise)

Hilary specializes in Diversity! Her pro career began with 3 years in the US Navy playing everything from John Phillip Sousa to John Bonham. Then recruited by producer / drummer Narada Michael Walden to play drums with Girlfriend. On to working with such artists as Maria Muldaur, the Mamas & Papas, Angela Bofill, Clarence Clemons, Pete Escovedo, & Ray Obiedo. She's recently recorded and toured with Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin, Eric Marienthal, Scott Henderson & Tribal Tech, and Doc Severinson. Currently she's touring with blues / rock guitarist Robben Ford and pursuing her own solo projects.   http://www.drumsontheweb.com/DOTWmusicsite/DOTWmusicpages/HJones-info.html

Personnel:  Hilary Jones : drums, vocals;  Robben Ford : guitar;  Jeff Babko : keybards;  John Thomas : keybards;  Jimmy Earl : bass;  Jimmy Haslip : bass

Soaring