Red Garland - Satin Doll

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:50
Size: 91,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:47)  1. Satin Doll
(10:44)  2. The Man I Love
( 5:38)  3. A Little Bit of Basie
( 7:10)  4. It's a Blue World
( 6:30)  5. M-Squad Theme

This out-of-print LP released for the first time five unknown selections featuring pianist Red Garland in a trio with drummer Specs Wright and either Doug Watkins or Jimmy Rowser on bass. 

"Satin Doll" has since been added as a bonus cut on another CD, but the other four numbers ("The Man I Love," "A Little Bit of Basie," "It's a Blue World" and "M-Squad Theme") have not yet resurfaced, making this an album of interest to Red Garland completists. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/satin-doll-mw0000911709 

Personnel:  Red Garland - piano;  Jimmy Rowser - (tracks 4 & 5), Doug Watkins (tracks 1-3) - bass;  Charles "Specs" Wright - drums

Satin Doll

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Sonny Stitt - Sonny Stitt & The Top Brass

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:07
Size: 80.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1962/2012
Art: Front

[4:28] 1. Souls Valley
[3:16] 2. Coquette
[4:02] 3. On A Misty Night
[5:52] 4. Stittsie
[3:03] 5. Poinciana
[2:36] 6. Boom-Boom
[4:51] 7. Sea Sea Rider
[3:58] 8. The Four Ninety
[2:57] 9. Hey Pam

This LP features altoist Sonny Stitt accompanied by a nonet playing arrangements by either Tadd Dameron or Jimmy Mundy. The charts give this Stitt album more variety than usual, and the superior material (which includes "On a Misty Night," "Poinciana" and Stitt's "Hey Pam") challenges the saxophonist to play at his best; trumpeter Blue Mitchell also has a couple of spots. ~Scott Yanow

Sonny Stitt & The Top Brass mc
Sonny Stitt & The Top Brass zippy

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Various - Roberto Menescal: 55 Years Of Music

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:40
Size: 138.9 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Samba, Brazilian Traditions
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[5:38] 1. Leila Pinheiro - Ah Se Eu Pudesse O Barquinho Voce Nos E O Mar
[2:19] 2. Emilio Santiago - Amanheendo
[4:20] 3. Daira Saboia - Floripa
[3:55] 4. Os Cariocas - Copacabana De Sempre
[2:43] 5. Leny Andrade - Nas Quebradas Da Vida
[2:28] 6. Arimatea - A Morte De Um Deus De Sal
[2:36] 7. Astrid - Vai De Vez (Original Version)
[4:26] 8. Bebossa - Rio Exaltacao
[4:05] 9. Roberto Menescal & Cris Delano - Eu E A Música
[4:05] 10. Oswaldo Montenegro - Eu Canto Meu Blues
[3:59] 11. Wanda Sá - A Volta
[2:50] 12. Roberto Menescal - Voce Me Ganhou
[4:03] 13. Joyce - Nara
[2:23] 14. Andrea Amorim - Rio
[3:03] 15. Maria Luiza - Assim Como Um Amor
[3:53] 16. Roberto Menescal & Trio - Swingueira
[3:46] 17. Tamy - Me Diz

The composer of bossa nova classics like "O Barquinho," "Ah, Se Eu Pudesse," "Errinho à Tôa," "Nós e o Mar," "Rio," "Você," and "Vagamente," Roberto Menescal started his professional career in 1957 as Sylvia Telles' sideman (on guitar) in a tour around Brazil. In 1958, he opened a guitar school in Copacabana (Rio) with Carlos Lyra, having as his pupils Nara Leão and his sister Danuza Leão. In the same year, he formed, with Luís Carlos Vinhas, João Mário, Henrique, and Bebeto, the Conjunto Roberto Menescal, one of the first instrumental groups of bossa nova. The group accompanied Dorival Caymmi, Vinícius de Moraes, Billy Blanco, Maysa, and Telles. Also in 1958, he participated, with Telles, Carlos Lyra, and other artists, in a show at the Clube Hebraica (Rio), when the words "bossa nova" were used (inadvertently, by the club's secretary) for the first time to advertise the event. Having taken part with his group in the recording of Garotos da Bossa Nova in 1959, he participated in the I Festival de Samba Session at the Teatro de Arena theater of the School of Architecture at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Such informal venues were important vehicles for bossa nova among the middle-class university people who were more inclined to absorb and disseminate it, and Menescal was instrumental for the promotion of such concerts in 1959, 1960, and 1961. Also in 1959, he had his first recorded composition, "Jura de Pombo" (with Ronaldo Bôscoli), by Alaíde Costa. His "O Barquinho" (with Ronaldo Bôscoli), a bossa nova classic, was simultaneously recorded by Maysa, Perry Ribeiro, and Paulinho Nogueira in 1960. In 1962, he accompanied Maysa in her Argentinean tour and, with Eumir Deodato's group, he performed in Marlene's program on TV Rio, having been hired for two years with his own group to back up artists on that TV station. In November 1962, he participated in the historic Bossa Nova Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York, NY, with Tom Jobim, Carlos Lyra, and others, interpreting "O Barquinho" in one of his few performances as a singer. From 1964 to 1968, he worked as an arranger and, invited by André Midani, he started to work as an independent producer and arranger at Polygram. In 1968, he accompanied Elis Regina in her performance at the MIDEM (International Phonographic Market and Music Publishers) in Cannes, France, and in her subsequent European tour, having been Regina's sideman until 1970, when he became Polygram's A&R. Already established as a major producer (having worked with Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Jorge Ben Jor, Gal Costa, Maria Bethânia, and many others), instrumentalist (as a session man he worked with Lúcio Alves, Maysa, Claudette Soares, Nara Leão, Jair Rodrigues, and Elis Regina), he had several compositions of his included in soundtracks of broadly popular TV soap operas and also wrote music for the cinema (Bye Bye Brasil, Joana Francesa, both by Cacá Diegues, and Vai Trabalhar Vagabundo, by Hugo Carvana). In 1985, having accompanied Nara Leão in performances in Brazil and abroad, he launched with her the LP Um Cantinho, Um Violão/Nara Leão e Roberto Menescal. In the next year, he abandoned his career in A&R and dedicated himself to his solo career. He has also been participating in jazz projects, among others with Joe Henderson. In 2001, he participated with Wanda Sá, Danilo Caymmi, and Marcos Valle in the Fare Festival (Pavia, Italy). Menescal also owns the label Albatroz, which released albums by Danilo Caymmi, Emílio Santiago, and others. ~bio by Alvaro Neder

Roberto Menescal: 55 Years Of Music mc
Roberto Menescal: 55 Years Of Music zippy

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Alice Free - Humanity

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:10
Size: 130.9 MB
Styles: R&B/Soul/Blues/Jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:46] 1. Small Things
[4:45] 2. Black Dog
[4:29] 3. Half Of Nothin'
[3:48] 4. Joyless Soul
[4:41] 5. Bleak Heart
[5:01] 6. No Goin' Back
[3:35] 7. Doesn't Matter
[4:32] 8. Not Like Me
[5:13] 9. Falling
[4:19] 10. For Me
[2:53] 11. The Box
[5:05] 12. Decision
[3:55] 13. Little Shell

I’m the singer/songwriter with the band. I’ve been writing stuff for as long as I can remember and my home is littered with ‘words’! I’ve had some poetry published and I wrote a few songs with a friend a while ago. After a pretty traumatic time a couple of years ago I expierienced a very prolific writing period and most of the songs were born from that time of sorrow and adversity. I sang my first song ‘The box’ to Larry, luckily he was very receptive and the songs just kept coming after that! Thats how we write, I sing the words and vocal melody, Larry produces the music and arrangements around them then all the guys breathe life into the songs with their amazing playing! I am so glad the songs have come to life and feel all of us together have something special. Many thanks to Larry, Robert, Chris and TMS!

Humanity mc
Humanity zippy

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Stefano Bollani - Volare

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:21
Size: 110.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[7:21] 1. In Cerca Di Te
[4:55] 2. Volare
[2:20] 3. Tema Da La Dolce Vita
[6:26] 4. Averti Tra Le Braccia
[4:16] 5. Angela
[5:14] 6. Anema E Core
[5:42] 7. Azzurro
[3:12] 8. E Lucean Le Stelle
[2:44] 9. Te Vojo Bene Assaje
[6:08] 10. Arrivederci

This is the edition for the Italian market of Volare, the album recorded in July 2002 by Stefano Bollani in a trio with Walter Paoli and Ares Tavolazzi, so far available on the Japanese record label Venus Records.

It is with this work that the pianist began to make himself known also in Japan, after his talent had attracted attention both in Italy and in Europe. An album that is conceptually very simple: it is a jazz reinterpretation of ten pieces representative of the Italian popular tradition, from "Azzurro" to "Anema e Core," famous in the world for the beauty and the immediate recognizability of their melodies. Supporting themes that the trio tries to keep intact, revolving around the emotional core with a series of improvisations and solutions that find Bollani a unique interpreter, inspired and in love with his way of understanding the instrument, which leads him to draw moments of tension in "Angela," create more lively and carefree situations in the initial "In search of you," but also to achieve ellipses of formal beauty in "Tema da la dolce vita". Among the moments of greatest intensity we should mention "Azzurro," since it is the passage where the trio's cohesion is felt most, unlike the other pieces where it is almost exclusively the figure of Bollani to be in the foreground.

Years later, the work retains its value and lets you listen with renewed pleasure, just because played with extreme ease and because of a repertoire - perhaps not excessively sought - able to pinch the right emotional rope with ease. ~AAJ Italy Staff (Translated from Italian.)

Volare 

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Fred Hersch Trio - Everybody's Song But My Own

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:30
Size: 145.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[6:00] 1. East Of The Sun
[5:44] 2. Shall We Dance
[7:04] 3. I Concentrate On You
[7:10] 4. From This Moment On
[6:25] 5. Two For The Road
[5:44] 6. Invitation
[9:29] 7. The Wind Moon And Sand
[6:18] 8. Everybody's Song But My Own
[5:00] 9. In The Wee Small Hours
[4:32] 10. Three Little Words

The recent CD of the Fred Hersch Trio is characterized by a nearly incredible density of harmonic and rhythmic ideas. This is the result not only of a perfect match between the musicians. It's Fred Hersch, who is extraordinary brillant - one might say: more than ever before. In contrast to other productions, this CD contains none of the Fred Hersch-compositions. The performance is "only" based on Standards out of the Great American Songbook - the reason may be, that this production is exclusively made for the Japanese Market (even the booklet is written in Japanese characters). But nevertheless, this does not harm at all. The technical quality and mastering is very, very good. In Europe (and obviously also in Japan), many people enjoy listening to authentic American Music. This CD is surely a big contribution to this. We are looking forward to the next chapter of this great story ... ~Rainer Noch

Everybody's Song But My Own mc
Everybody's Song But My Own zippy

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Red Garland - Lil' Darlin'

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:41
Size: 70,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:09)  1. Lil' Darlin
( 5:48)  2. We Kiss in a Shadow
( 4:30)  3. Blues in the Closet
(10:13)  4. Like Someone in Love

On October 2, 1959, Red Garland performed at a New York club called the Prelude, which was located at 129th Street and Broadway in the western part of the city's Harlem section (near Columbia University). The Prelude had a reputation for being a piano room in other words, a place where people went to hear acoustic pianists. Garland performed more than one set that night, and thankfully, all of them were recorded by jazz's most famous engineer: Rudy Van Gelder. Although Van Gelder did most of his work in his New Jersey studio, Prestige hired him to do some live taping for a change. So Prestige had a lot of material to work with. Garland's Prelude gig resulted in various live LPs, one of which was Lil' Darlin'. Forming an acoustic piano trio with bassist Jimmy Rowser and drummer Specs Wright, Garland excels on four selections: Neal Hefti's "Lil' Darlin'," Oscar Pettiford's "Blues in the Closet," Rodgers & Hammerstein's "We Kiss in a Shadow," and the Burke/Van Heusen standard "Like Someone in Love." Throughout the LP, Garland's pianism is immediately recognizable. The improviser had his influences who ranged from Nat King Cole and Erroll Garner to Bud Powell but he was quite distinctive himself. And when the hard-swinging yet lyrical Garland plays block chords, one can hear how he influenced McCoy Tyner (who was paying close attention to Garland in 1959). Like the other LPs that resulted from Garland's Prelude appearance, Lil' Darlin' demonstrates that the pianist was in excellent form on that night in October 1959. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/lil-darlin-mw0000909300 

Personnel:  Red Garland - piano;  Jimmy Rowser - bass;  Charles "Specs" Wright - drums

Lil' Darlin'

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Pamala Stanley - Seasons Of My Heart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:17
Size: 104,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:31)  1. New Orleans
(3:39)  2. Boyfriend Blues
(4:08)  3. Just Like Love
(3:43)  4. Seasons
(4:20)  5. Survive
(3:05)  6. Goin' Back To New Orleans
(4:21)  7. So Many Years
(3:28)  8. So Good At Bein' So Bad
(3:33)  9. It Would Be So Easy
(4:29) 10. He Moves Me
(3:50) 11. Free Ride
(4:05) 12. In My Dreams

There are no words to truly describe the phenomenal Pamala Stanley. Her unparalleled voice encompasses everything from the most intimate whisper to the soaring "bel canto" that is surely her trademark. And her vivacity, natural warmth and effervescent personality allow her to connect with each and every person in her audience. Pamala has accomplished, and continues to accomplish, remarkable success in the music and entertainment industries. Best known for her hits "I Don't Want To Talk About It" and "Coming Out Of Hiding" [both written by her brother, James Lee Stanley], Pamala has toured the world several times over, blowing away audiences with her sensational voice and irrepressible style. Traveling extensively, Pamala's popularity has grown beyond her wildest dreams. Her fan base spans the globe, and she is constantly invited to perform in venues all over the world, including Greece, England, the United States and South America. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/pamalastanley5

Seasons Of My Heart

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Wayne Shorter - Odyssey Of Iska

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:14
Size: 93,0 MB
Art: Front

( 8:02)  1. Wind
( 8:16)  2. Storm
( 3:24)  3. Calm
(11:32) 4. De Pois Do Amor, O Vazio (After Love, Emptiness)
( 8:57)  5. Joy

Exotic percussion-based proto-World Music worked for Wayne Shorter on Super Nova, so he tried it again the next year (1970) on Odyssey of Iska. The sound is very similar but the lineup completely different: here Wayne plays tenor and soprano; unlike Super Nova, where he stuck exclusively to soprano. Dave Friedman plays vibes and marimba; Gene Bertoncini, guitar; Ron Carter and Cecil McBee on bass; and there are three drummers: Billy Hart, Alphonse Mouzon, and Frank Cuomo. The pieces are, with one exception, given one-word titles: "Wind," "Storm," "Calm," "Joy," and "De Pois do Amor, o Vazio (After Love, Emptiness)." So like Super Nova, there is one Brazilian tune among a lot of mood music (quieter mood here, for the most part). "Wind" is quieter than "Storm," which comes in with a guitar intro that flirts with rock and roll before resolving into something more rich and strange. Here Shorter doesn’t play nearly as stormily as he does elsewhere. It is always tempting with music titled in this way to speculate on the relation of particular parts to the theme: does Shorter come in playing the role of the storm’s eye? He leaves it to Friedman and the others to stir up most of the fuss, such as it is. For a man who went up ‘gainst the wall with Coltrane, I would have expected more of a storm.

"Calm" is, well, you know. With the possible exception of "Storm," this album should carry a commendation from the FDA for truth in packaging: what you see on the label is what you get. Or is there a subtext for deconstructionists? On "Calm" Shorter does sound as if he has a certain sense of foreboding. Still, he stays within the wider parameters of the mood. "De Pois do Amor, o Vazio" sounds like "Calm the Sequel" until about a minute in, when suddenly we’re in a funky Rio dance hall. Bertoncini is competent, the backing dutiful. To my barbaric ears, however, Shorter sounds more emptied by love on "Calm" than on this track. He raises some sparks here (not too many), but "emptiness"? I dunno. And "Joy"? Is it joyful? Sure. I make no claim to find Mr. Shorter’s storm, calm, emptiness, or joy wanting. I only wonder if his titles do not impose on the listener and compel him to judge the music by its success or failure in raising the specified feelings. Of course, programmatic titles like this in jazz are older than "Struttin’ with Some Barbecue" (now there would have been a great one to cover on this album), but still always risky. This album, like Super Nova, now sounds more dated than much of Shorter’s work with Art Blakey and Miles Davis, as well as his earlier Blue Notes. It may be historically important as a forerunner of Weather Report, or nostalgic for old jazz flower pushers. Shorter always plays well. But if you only have money for one Shorter album, Etc. is the one to find. ~ Robert Spencer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/odyssey-of-iska-wayne-shorter-blue-note-records-review-by-robert-spencer.php

Personnel:  Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Gene Bertoncini – guitar;  Ron Carter, Cecil McBee – bass;  Billy Hart, Alphonse Mouzon – drums;  Frank Cuomo – drums, percussion;  David Friedman – vibraphone, marimba

Odyssey Of Iska

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Richard Galliano - Spleen

Styles: Piano And Accordion Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:20
Size: 88,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Sexy Dream
(3:18)  2. Honey Finger
(6:32)  3. Ballade pour Marion
(4:52)  4. Every Time You're Near
(3:20)  5. Tea For Toots
(3:48)  6. M.F.
(7:18)  7. For Lolo
(5:07)  8. Spleen

Accordionist Richard Galliano did for European folk  specifically, the early 20th century French ballroom dance form known as musette what his mentor Astor Piazzolla did for the Argentinian tango. Galliano reimagined and revitalized a musical tradition, expanding its emotional range to reflect modern sensibilities, opening it up to improvisation learned through American jazz. In fact, Galliano was more of a jazz musician than a folk one, although he blurred the lines so much that distinctions were often difficult to make. Born in France of Italian stock, Galliano began playing accordion (as his father had) at a young age. He later picked up the trombone, and studied composition at the Academy in Nice; he also fell in love with jazz as a teenager, particularly cool-era Miles Davis and Clifford Brown, and had made it his primary focus by the late '60s. Making a living as a jazz accordionist naturally proved difficult; fortunately, after moving to Paris in 1973, he landed a position as conductor, arranger, and composer for Claude Nougaro's orchestra. He remained there until 1976, and went on to work with numerous American and European jazz luminaries, including Chet Baker, Joe Zawinul, Toots Thielemans, Ron Carter, Michel Petrucciani, and Jan Garbarek. After meeting Astor Piazzolla, Galliano refocused on his European heritage and set about reviving and updating musette, widely considered antiquated at the time. He signed with Dreyfus in 1993, and the label gave him enough exposure to cause a stir first in his home country, then among international jazz and world music fans. Regular recordings followed; some with clarinetist/soprano saxophonist Michel Portal, some with guitarist Jean Marie Ecay, and some with his favorite rhythm section of bassist Jean-François Jenny-Clark and drummer Daniel Humair (after Jenny-Clark's untimely death, Rémi Vignolo took his place). In 2001, Dreyfus released Gallianissimo, a compilation drawing from his seven albums for the label and a new recording, Face to Face, a duet recording with French pianist and vocalist Eddy Louiss. 

In 2004 after several global tours and reissues of some of his earlier albums, Blues Sur Seine, a duet offering with cellist Jean-Charles Capon, was released on La Lichere; he also appeared as a soloist with Josefine Cronholm on Blue Hat by Søren Siegumfeldt's String Swing and Concerts with Portal. This was followed by 2005's Ruby, My Dear by the New York Trio: Galliano, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Clarence Penn. n 2007, Galliano delivered Solo on Dreyfus as well as Mare Nostrum, co-headlined with Paolo Fresu and Jan Lundgren, and Luz Negra, a tango album by his own sextet. By all accounts, Galliano, in his touring, composing, and recording appearances, had become prolific on both sides of the Atlantic. The accordionist recorded with Charlie Haden, Mino Cinelu, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba on 2008's Love Day: Los Angeles Sessions, and back in Europe with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra on Ten Years Ago; both were issued on Milan. The tango and bal-musette accordionist returned to jazz in 2014. Sentimentale was recorded for Resonance and produced by its founder, George Klabin. The studio band consisted of pianist-arranger Tamir Hendelman, guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Carlos Del Puerto, and drummer Mauricio Zottarelli. It was released in September. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-galliano-mn0000150471/biography

Personnel:  Accordion, Synthesizer, Piano – Richard Galliano;  Bass – Jean-Marc Jafet;  Bugle – Eric Giausserand (tracks: 3);  Drums, Percussion – Luiz Augusto;  Piano, Vocals – Frank Sitbon;  Synthesizer – Frank Sitbon (tracks: 4);  Trombone – Denis Leloup (tracks: 6), Richard Galliano (tracks: 1, 3)           

Spleen

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George Benson - Tenderly

Styles: Vocal  And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:49
Size: 89,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. You Don't Know What Love Is
(5:16)  2. Stella By Startlight
(6:04)  3. Stardust
(4:55)  4. At The Mambo Inn
(5:07)  5. Here, There And Everywhere
(5:36)  6. This Is All I Ask
(3:07)  7. Tenderly
(4:01)  8. I Could Write A Book

Apparently Benson got the message. Giving up the fruitless search for decent contemporary material, he switched gears and recorded an album of old standards with top-grade jazz musicians (including pianist McCoy Tyner and bassist Ron Carter) and Marty Paich's classy string and brass charts. With good songs to sing, Benson gives some moving performances, particularly on "This Is All I Ask," and there is a lovely reminder of his affinity for the Beatles, "Here There and Everywhere." Moreover, his jazz instincts were fully at his command; you'll hear some remarkable Latin-slanted guitar work on "At the Mambo Inn," some brilliant bebop on "Stella By Starlight" and "I Could Write a Book," and a stunning solo performance of "Tenderly" itself. One could read a bit of calculation into all of this; a Benson riposte to all those critics who thought he'd never play bebop again, an attempt by his record company to pander to an aging fan base. But don't. Enjoy the music, some of the best Benson has made in the 1900s. ~ Richard S.Ginell  https://www.allmusic.com/album/tenderly-mw00006535

Personnel: Vocals – George Benson (tracks: 1, 3 to 6, 8);  Double Bass – Ron Carter (tracks: 1 to 6, 8);  Drums – Al Foster (tracks: 8), Herlin Riley (tracks: 2 to 5), Louis Hays (tracks: 1, 6);  Guitar – George Benson (tracks: 1 to 5, 7, 8);  Percussion – Lenny Castro (tracks: 4, 5);  Piano [Acoustic] – McCoy Tyner (tracks: 1 to 6, 8)

Tenderly

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Stan Kenton - Standards In Silhouette

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:23
Size: 103.9 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 1960/1998
Art: Front

[5:52] 1. Willow Weep For Me
[4:52] 2. The Thrill Is Gone
[5:24] 3. The Meaning Of The Blues
[4:44] 4. When Sunny Gets Blue
[5:24] 5. Ill Wind
[5:00] 6. Django
[5:06] 7. I Get Along Without You Very Well
[5:30] 8. Lonely Woman
[3:26] 9. Lazy Afternoon

Stan Kenton, piano; Jimmy Campbell, drums; Jim Amlotte, bass trombone; John Bonnie, tenor sax; Bud Brisbois, trumpet; Bill Chase, trumpet; Pete Chivily, bass; Rolf Ericson, trumpet; Marvin Holladay, baritone sax; Bobby Knight, bass trombone; Kent Larson, trombone; Archie LeCoque, trombone; Charlie Mariano, alto sax; Roger Middleton, trumpet; Jack Nimitz, baritone sax; Mike Pacheco, bongos; Clyde Reasinger, trumpet; Don Sebesky, trombone; Dalton Smith, trumpet; Bill Trujillo, tenor sax; Bill Mathieu, arranger

There was always much more to the Stan Kenton band than stratospheric trumpets and walls of sound. Nobody could play a ballad quite like Kenton. Lugubious tempos so slow they added an extra dimension of emotion to the overall effect. Dynamic control so profound that it seemed at times almost superhuman. And arrangements of such startling harmonic complexity that they breathed life into even the most hackneyed tunes from Tin Pan Alley.

Standards in Silhouette is one of Kenton's finest albums of ballads, and is unusual in that it features exclusively the arrangements of the then 22-year old Bill Mathieu. The selection of tunes is outstanding. From well known standards like "Willow Weep for Me" (also recorded previously by Kenton with a vocal by June Christy), Harold Arlen's "Slow Wind" and Hoagy Carmichael's "I Get Along Without You Very Well" to numbers you wouldn't expect to hear a Kenton band performing like John Lewis' "Django," this album is an aural delight for Kenton cognoscenti and newcomers alike. The soloists on this album are among the finest from the many great sidemen who performed with Kenton over the years. Archie LeCoque on trombone adds his name to the illustrious ranks of Milt Berhnard, Kai Winding and Dick Shearer with inspired solos on "I Get Along Without You Very Well," "Willow Weep for Me" and "Lonely Woman." Bill Trujillo and Rolf Ericson are particularly effective throughout the album on tenor sax and trumpet respectively. The legendary alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano produces outstanding solos on "I Get Along Without You Very Well," "The Thrill Is Gone" and swings like a maniac on "Django." As always, the section work is second to none. One song that deserves special attention is Bobby Troup's brilliant but sadly neglected "The Meaning of the Blues." Although there are a few vocal recordings of this work (The Four Freshmen and Janis Siegel immediately come to mind), Mathieu's arrangement is one of the few instrumental versions of this number ever recorded. Rolf Ericson and Bill Trujillo handle their solos brilliantly while the trademark Kenton high trumpets are employed to great effect in the out chorus.

A lot of critics didn't like (and still don't like) Kenton's band, calling it stilted or unswinging or too musically complex to be authentic jazz. Fortunately, real jazz fans ignored the critics because they knew the critics were wrong. Standards in Silhouette shows just how wrong the critics were. ~William Grim

Standards In Silhouette mc
Standards In Silhouette zippy

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Carmen Lundy - This Is Carmen Lundy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:53
Size: 125.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[ 6:19] 1. All Day, All Night
[ 3:58] 2. This Is The End Of A Love Affair
[ 5:28] 3. Now That He's Gone
[ 4:38] 4. Better Luck Next Time
[ 4:47] 5. Send Me Somebody To Love
[10:48] 6. I Dream In Living Color
[ 8:41] 7. Is It Love
[ 6:44] 8. One More River Cross
[ 3:25] 9. Seventh Heaven

Carmen Lundy's first outing on the Justin Time label is also her first to feature all-original material. The classy vocalist is joined by an impressive cast: Curtis Lundy (Carmen's brother/producer) on bass, Onaje Allan Gumbs or Anthony Wonsey on piano, Ralph Peterson or Victor Lewis on drums, Bobby Watson on alto, Mark Shim on tenor, Kevin Louis on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Mayra Casales on percussion. Lundy wrote the music, the lyrics, and the arrangements, and much of it is impressive, particularly the difficult melody line she sings in unison with the horns on "Better Luck Next Time." In the production booth, however, Curtis Lundy relies a bit too heavily on fadeouts. The three/four ballad "Now That He's Gone," the mellow bossa "Send Me Somebody to Love," and the ambitious jam vehicle "(I Dream) In Living Color" would have benefited from real endings; the fades on these tracks sound like the creative equivalent of pulling the plug. Instrumental detail livens up some otherwise pedestrian material (e.g., the horn lick on the outro of "This Is the End of a Love Affair" and Mark Shim's tenor filigree and solo [and Ralph Peterson's brushes] on "Is It Love"). Lundy ups the ante, lyrically speaking, on the last two tracks: "One More River to Cross," co-written with Deborah Ash, deals with spiritual striving and contains a recitation of a Langston Hughes poem, while "Seventh Heaven," dedicated to the late pianist Kenny Kirkland, is a dramatic plea for peace. ~David R. Adler

This Is Carmen Lundy mc
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Bennie Wallace - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:42
Size: 123.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[6:57] 1. Beyond The Bluebird
[5:12] 2. Serenade To Sweden
[6:32] 3. Little Surprise
[5:34] 4. Moon Song
[4:51] 5. Over The Rainbow
[6:04] 6. So In Love
[6:13] 7. Prelude To A Kiss
[7:19] 8. UMMG
[4:57] 9. Chelsea Bridge

Tommy Flanagan - Piano; Eddie Gomez - Bass; Alvin Queen - Drums; Bennie Wallace - Sax (Tenor). Recorded on April 29, 1998 - April 30, 1998, Clinton Recording Studios, New York, NY.

For this mostly relaxed date, tenor saxophonist Bennie Wallace (who plays pretty melodically throughout much of the session) is teamed with veteran pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Alvin Queen. Wallace does his best to temper some of his wilder interval jumps but it is such an integral part of his style that he does let loose in spots. The rhythm section is tight and tasteful and the quartet explores seven standards, plus an original apiece by Wallace ("Little Surprises") and Flanagan ("Beyond the Bluebird"). Other highlights include Duke Ellington's rarely played "Serenade to Sweden," "Moon Song" and "So in Love." ~Scott Yanow

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Les Paul, Mary Ford - The Hit Makers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:46
Size: 63.6 MB
Styles: Jazz/Pop vocals & guitar
Year: 1953/2015
Art: Front

[2:05] 1. How High The Moon
[2:00] 2. Josephine
[2:16] 3. Mockin' Bird Hill (Tra La La Twittle Dee Dee Dee)
[1:59] 4. Whispering
[2:51] 5. Vaya Con Dios
[2:53] 6. I'm A Fool To Care
[2:13] 7. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
[1:49] 8. Meet Mister Callaghan
[2:05] 9. Tiger Rag
[3:07] 10. Tennessee Waltz
[2:15] 11. I'm Sitting On Top Of The World
[2:07] 12. Whither Thou Goest

A superb 1953 10" LP became an even better 12" LP in 1955 with the addition of four tracks covering a slightly later span of time: "Vaya con Dios," "Whispering," "I'm Sitting on Top of the World," and "I'm a Fool to Care." Three of the newer cuts are shoehorned into side one, while the fourth enlarges side two. All in ultra-clean and sharp native mono, no added reverb or faux stereo effects, and still the sort of sounds that still would have (and did) wowed hi-fi fanatics at the end of the 1950s. And it holds up 50 years later just about as well. ~Bruce Eder

The Hit Makers mc
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Bob Dorough - Devil May Care

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:06
Size: 110,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:19)  1. Old Devil Moon
(2:55)  2. It Could Happen To You
(2:40)  3. I Had The Craziest Dream
(4:20)  4. You're The Dangerous Type
(4:07)  5. Owl
(3:25)  6. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(4:56)  7. Yardbird Suite
(3:00)  8. Baltimore Oriole
(2:55)  9. I Don't Mind
(2:52) 10. Devil May Care
(4:02) 11. Midnight Sun
(3:16) 12. Johnny One Note
(5:14) 13. Yardbird Suite (alt. take)

Vocalist-pianist-lyricist Bob Dorough's first record as a leader is a pretty definitive set . Assisted by his longtime bassist Bill Takas, drummer Jerry Segal and sometimes trumpeter Warren Fitzgerald and vibraphonist Jack Hitchcock, Dorough performs near-classic renditions of such songs as "Old Devil Moon," "Yardbird Suite," "Baltimore Oriole," "Devil May Care" and "Johnny One Note." Recommended. [Originally released in 1956, Devil May Care was reissued on CD on 2005 and contains bonus tracks.] ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/devil-may-care-mw0000192982

Personnel: Bob Dorough (vocals, piano); Warren Fitzgerald (trumpet); Jack Hitchcock (vibraphone); Bill Takus (bass); Jerry Segal (drums).

Devil May Care

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Maria Williams - Hybrid

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:51
Size: 120,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. La Negra Tiene Tumbao
(3:38)  2. No Me Queda Mas
(3:29)  3. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars
(3:27)  4. Mais Que Nada
(4:29)  5. Somos Novios
(3:12)  6. Berimbau
(3:18)  7. Color Of Rain
(4:33)  8. I'll Close My Eyes
(2:49)  9. Everything's Kind Of Good
(5:39) 10. I Learned That From You
(4:57) 11. Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys
(3:48) 12. Set Her Free
(3:31) 13. Corcovado

Maria Williams has been on the scene as a band leader and lead vocalist over 20 years and it shows. Her performance is stellar, she could literally do any style, her voice is present, emotive and heartfelt. She can conjure the spell of music and so can her band. "Hybrid" is what the title suggests - a walk through Maria and her band's varied repertoire. There are several styles covered on the CD jazz, latin, pop, some country. I personally find Maria and her band to be at their best in the latin (bossa nova, Samba, etc.) and jazz genres. The performance of these songs is really moving - the grooves are perfect and the vocals are soaring. Songs that really stand out are "No Me Queda Mas" (#2), "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" (#3), "Mais Que Nada" (#4), "Color of Rain" (#7), and the bonus track "Corvocado" which is a duet with Alan Lett. Overall the CD is impressive but I felt that I would've preferred to hear a more streamlined effort in the latin of jazz genre where I feel Maria and her band shine the most. Overall this is a very tastefully done album, great musicianship all around with some especially outstanding percussion, lead guitar and brass work. The production is also world class. ~ A. Dorian http://www.houstonmusicreviews.com/Reviews/mariawilliams_hybrid.htm

Hybrid

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Ivo Perelman - The Other Edge

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:20
Size: 149,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:57)  1. Desert Flower
( 9:29)  2. Panem Et Circenses Part 1
( 4:15)  3. Crystal Clear
(10:51)  4. Panem Et Circenses Part 2
( 5:48)  5. Latin Vibes
( 6:37)  6. Petals or Thorns
( 6:55)  7. Big Band Swing
(10:22)  8. The Other Edge

As we’re reminded with the just-issued Root of Things, Matthew Shipp, Michael Bisio and Whit Dickey make up one of the most formidable acoustic trios in jazz of this day and age. The uncommon telepathy, the feel and the unpretentious emotion are the kinds of things that put them at or near the top of the list.  It’s those same qualities that also make them formidable companions to tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman, a dazzling revelation that came out of their first encounter, 2013’s The Edge. That record is, in my opinion, the best of a solid half-dozen batch of top-shelf encounters Perelman released last year. Now comes the sequel christened, appropriately enough, The Other Edge. Conceived, performed and recorded all at once a mere two months ago, the ad hoc way the record was made already tells you much about the music.  As it was before and as it is with anything involving these musicians, The Other Edge (March 25, 2014, Leo Records) is a series of conversations among very skilled performers who elevate above their skills simply by listening very closely to each other. This ain’t the Matthew Shipp Trio Plus One, it’s an almost completely different quartet, because everyone is accounting for Perelman and Perelman accounts for everyone.

Relying so much on feel and intuition, often the opening sequence of a performance sets in motion a sequence of events that become the song. Shipp introduces motifs on “Crystal Clear” and “Panem Et Circenses Part 2,” Perelman will react to it, adding complexity to the pianist’s open-ended shapes and then the two begin to connect and improvise in sync. “Latin Vibes,” on the other hand, is launched by Perelman’s chirps and squeals and Dickey’s soft rapping on the tom-toms. When Shipp and Bisio make their entry, the urgency level ratchets up.  Even more interesting is the strategy used for “The Other Edge.” Here, Perelman’s sax “chats” with Bisio’s pizzicato bass at the upper register, as Shipp and Dickey meekly nudge their way in then begin to assert themselves. The other two give no ground, though, and a distant storm evolves into the eye of a squall. Shipp and Dickey recede, and the song ends with just Perelman and Bisio again, but this time in a lower register.

“Desert Flower” is an instance where Perelman is seemingly cast against Shipp’s trio. Beginning with Perelman’s unmistakable vernacular alone, the other three soon join in, playing a tonal melody but Perelman doesn’t move off his atonal perch, although his flow follows the flow of the trio. Bisio and Dickey murmur at a perfect volume, not too loud or too soft. The biggest treat comes from “Big Bang Swing”; after a tentative beginning, an actual swing breaks out. However, Perelman doesn’t have to change character to fit his sax into this mainstream setting. The tempo gets on the verge of dissembling at times only to recompose itself, like as if an invisible hand is guiding the band.  Four sentences into his liner notes for the album, Bisio mused that he had “said too much already” about the album. I get that. You can’t sufficiently put it into words though I tried because The Other Edge isn’t at all about scales, tempos, or harmony. It’s about the collective impulsive expression of spirit, and their instruments are just the delivery systems by which they do that. ~ S. Victor Aaron http://somethingelsereviews.com/2014/03/21/ivo-perelman-with-matthew-shipp-michael-bisio-whit-dickey-the-other-edge-2014/

Personnel:  Ivo Perelman - Tenor Sax; Matthew Shipp - Piano;  Michael Bisio - Bass;  Whit Dickey - Drums.

The Other Edge

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Steve Turre - The Spirits Up Above

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:23
Size: 115,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Three for the Festival
(5:03)  2. One for Kirk
(9:22)  3. Medley: Serenade to a Cuckoo/Bright Moments
(4:43)  4. Stepping Into Beauty
(4:37)  5. The Spirits up Above
(4:48)  6. Hand Full of Five
(4:14)  7. E.D.
(5:58)  8. Dorthaan's Walk
(8:33)  9. Volunteered Slavery

You have to have a lot of nerve to pay homage to Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Soul-drenched, steeped in the blues yet progressive in ways that were not to be fully appreciated until after his untimely death in '77, Kirk's music managed to be a bundle of contradictions while, at the same time, a cohesive statement about the true jazz experience. And while more space was often devoted to his eccentricities playing multiple horns at once, dressing flamboyantly, as much a visual performer as a player the reality is that Kirk, whose capabilities ranged from Dixieland to free jazz and everything in between, was arguably one of the most creative musicians of his time. Trombonist Steve Turre not only met Kirk as a teenager, but ended up on the stage with him any time Kirk was in the Bay Area where Turre was growing up, and later again when Turre had relocated to New York. And so it is that Turre is in a unique position to re-evaluate the music and performances of Kirk, and deliver up The Spirits Up Above , as honest and heartfelt an homage as is possible.

With an all-star cast including saxophonists Vincent Herring and James Carter, found here in a setting that eschews his tendency to shtick in his own work, along with pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Winard Harper bolstering the rhythm section, Turre has formed a band that is completely capable of running the gamut of Kirk's material, from the up-tempo swinging blues of "Three for the Festival" to the tender balladry of "Stepping into Beauty," and from the soulful title track, complete with vocal chorus to the modal 5/4 romp "Hand Full of Five." With most pieces running in the four-to-five minute range, the arrangements are tight and the solos, while effusive, are kept short and to the point. In a setting where every player gets to shine, special mention needs to be made of Carter, whose brash tenor solo on "Hand Full of Five" comes closest to capturing the free spirit that was Kirk. But whereas his own work sometimes feels overly considered and contrived, it is clear that here he, like the rest of his bandmates, are just having a whole lot of fun. As entertaining as this record is, the group must be positively incendiary live. Kirk, as a performing musician, proved that there didn't have to be a gap between the audience and the players, that the experience was truly meant to be a shared one, rather than an elite meeting of musicians to which the audience was fortunate enough to be privy. 

Turre and his group manage to capture that same spirit of collaboration. The best music is meant to be a true symbiosis, and The Spirits Up Above goes a long way to breaking down any invisible barriers between those who play and those who listen.  Chorus on "The Spirits Up Above" and "Volunteered Slavery": Andromeda Turre, Akua Dixon, Michael Hill, Whitney Marchell Jackson, Joe Dixon, Steve Turre ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-spirits-up-above-steve-turre-highnote-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Steve Turre (trombone), James Carter (tenor saxophone, flute on "Stepping into Beauty"), Vincent Herring (alto and soprano saxophones), Dave Valentin (flute on "Medley: Serenade to a Cuckoo/Brighter Moments"), Mulgrew Miller (piano), Buster Williams (bass), Winard Harper (drums)

The Spirits Up Above

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Ron Carter - Piccolo

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:59
Size: 174,8 MB
Art: Front

(18:22)  1. Saguaro
(15:15)  2. Sunshower
( 8:46)  3. Three Little Words
(12:25)  4. Laverne Walk
( 8:12)  5. Little Waltz
(12:56)  6. Tambien Conocido Como

This double album is mostly recommended to lovers of bass solos. With Ron Carter functioning as the main soloist on piccolo bass, only the solos of pianist Kenny Barron offer a bit of contrast. Bassist Buster Williams and drummer Ben Riley, who complete the quartet, are mostly featured in support. These performances, which are well-played, are almost all quite long, so listeners who prefer more variety in their music are advised to look elsewhere. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/piccolo-mw0000244335

Personnel: Ron Carter  (piccolo bass, cello) Kenny Barron (piano); Buster Williams (bass); Ben Riley (drums)

Piccolo

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