John Pizzarelli - My Blue Heaven

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:19
Size: 135.8 MB
Styles: Guitar & vocal jazz
Year: 1990/2008
Art: Front

[4:00] 1. My Blue Heaven
[3:46] 2. I'm An Errand Boy For Rhythm
[3:22] 3. It Could Happen To You
[8:02] 4. Oh, Lady Be Good
[2:32] 5. The Touch Of Your Lips
[4:05] 6. Can't Take You Nowhere
[2:51] 7. Take My Smile
[3:02] 8. That's What
[2:42] 9. Stray Horn
[2:45] 10. Best Man
[3:24] 11. Oh Me, Oh My, Oh Gosh
[3:10] 12. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[3:16] 13. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[4:12] 14. Passion Flower
[4:25] 15. Zoot Walked In Morning Fun
[3:37] 16. Candy

Just prior to signing with RCA/Novus, John Pizzarelli recorded two sets for Chesky that featured him playing in the swing style that he would soon make quite popular. Although joined by all-stars (pianist Dave McKenna, bassist Milt Hinton, drummer Connie Kay, his father, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, and flugelhornist Clark Terry) rather than his regular trio, Pizzarelli's likable vocals and relaxed guitar solos are not overshadowed. In fact, this is a delightful date, with memorable renditions of such songs as "I'm An Errand Boy for Rhythm," "Lady Be Good," "The Best Man," "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You" and "Candy." Easily recommended to John Pizzarelli fans. ~Scott Yanow

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Paolo Fresu - Mamut

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:21
Size: 115.3 MB
Styles: Modern Creative jazz
Year: 1986/2009
Art: Front

[7:19] 1. Dedalo
[3:08] 2. Yatra (First Take)
[3:59] 3. In
[1:03] 4. Yatra (Second Take)
[5:27] 5. Pin Pon
[4:01] 6. Dibuixos Sobre La Sorra Carillon
[6:53] 7. Mamut
[1:58] 8. March (First Take)
[0:55] 9. Birds
[3:04] 10. March (Second Take)
[3:34] 11. 'round About Midnight
[1:31] 12. Mar-Home-Mar
[7:21] 13. Pà

Bass, Electric Bass – Attilio Zanchi; Congas, Percussion – Mimmo Cafiero; Drums, Percussion – Ettore Fioravanti; Piano, Keyboards (Yamaha DX7) – Roberto Cipelli; Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Tino Tracanna; Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Cornet, Pocket Trumpet, Arranged By – Paolo Fresu.

Mämût is trumpet player and composer Paolo Fresu's first major statement as a bandleader. Though he has been awarded many honors, including Musician of the Year by the Italian Critics' poll in 1990, it wasn't until 1985 when the first of these works was recorded that Fresu's ensemble and his compositional style had reached its chromatic sophistication and intervallic elegance. The odd thing is, the music found on Mämût was recorded in 1985 and 1986 with music composed for two theater productions. The most remarkable thing about this album is how all of it flows as if from a single source, including the glorious cover of Monk's "'Round About Midnight," which occurs at the end of the disc. The 12 originals are a mix of pastoral swinging lyricism, post-bop modal inventions, and bluesed-out lyricism. The two takes each of "Yatra" and "March" are evidence of just how deep Fresu's ability to transfer emotion is without syrup or sentimentality. Part of this is due to the fact that he writes specifically for his wondrous sextet, which includes the great saxophonist Trino Tracanna, pianist Roberto Cipelli, bassist Attilio Zanchi, and drummer Ettore Fioravanti with percussionist Mimmo Cafiero. These men are all wise in the manner of understatement and are all intimately familiar with the curiously spare dynamics of Fresu's compositional methods. It can be argued on the basis of this lush, haunting record alone that without this band, Fresu's music would have an entirely different timbre. No matter, it's this sextet who performs the 13 tunes here and this band who expresses what to everyone, with the exception of Fresu, would be inexpressible. This is Italian jazz at its very best. ~Thom Jurek

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Rigmor Gustafsson - I Will Wait For You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:24
Size: 124.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:56] 1. Empty Hearts
[4:10] 2. Is It A Crime
[4:49] 3. If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas)
[3:58] 4. Makin' Whoopee
[4:00] 5. Fire And Rain
[5:45] 6. It Never Entered My Mind
[3:45] 7. Fever
[4:33] 8. The Moon's A Harsh Mistress
[4:19] 9. I Will Wait For You
[4:41] 10. It's Been So Long
[5:20] 11. Black Coffee
[5:03] 12. The More I See

Bass – Lars Danielsson; Drums – Wolfgang Haffner; Piano – Roberto Di Gioia; Strings [Guest] – The Fleshquartet; Trombone, Vocals, Producer, Liner Notes – Nils Landgren; Trumpet [Guest] – Staffan Svensson; Vocals – Rigmor Gustafsson. Recorded and Mixed by Jan Ugand at Polar Studios, Stockholm, Sweden in January and April 2003.

"Rigmor is the greatest jazz singer that we have had in Sweden for a very long time" wrote the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. For years Rigmor Gustafsson has been a star of the young, vital Swedish jazz scene and has already released three albums in her own name. In Germany her highly-praised performance at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 2001 led to an invitation to the JazzBaltica Festival in 2002 as a result of which she could be introduced to the wider German audience as a "new star in the vocal heaven" (Jazzthetik). In the same year she guested on Nils Landgren’s successful Sentimental Journey album (ACT 9409-2). Now with the first ACT release I Will Wait For You she finally proves that she inherits seamlessly the tradition of great Swedish female vocalists such as Monica Zetterlund, Lill Lindfors and others.

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Janos Varga, The Mediterranean Combo - Latin Fantasy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:49
Size: 118.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. Mediterranean Nights
[5:18] 2. Copacabana
[5:12] 3. Shall We Dance
[6:03] 4. Samba
[4:37] 5. Flamenco Flounces
[6:34] 6. Bacardi
[3:23] 7. When I'm Going To You
[6:52] 8. Castillan Hills
[4:32] 9. Fading Clouds
[4:36] 10. Sweet Dream

If you love the Latin/Mediterranean sounds of artists such as Oscar Lopez, Armik, the trio (Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia, John Mc Laughlin) and other fiery acoustic players, you’ll really enjoy the legendary ex-East guitarist Janos Varga’s project recorded with his son Varga Jr. on second guitar and Zsolt Nagy on piano and Tsoukalas Hristos on darbuka. Entitled Latin Fantasy, the tunes exude passion and excitement while offering a melodic treat for the ears. Varga and Nagy also add some wicked hand percussion to the proceedings - in short, some amazing Latin and Mediterranean style music from a place you might not expect - Hungary.

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Don Bagley - Jazz On The Rocks

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:02
Size: 75.6 MB
Styles: Progressive jazz
Year: 1957/1999/2012
Art: Front

[5:29] 1. Batter Up'
[4:56] 2. Come Out Swingin'
[4:40] 3. Odd Man Out
[4:17] 4. Bull Pen
[8:47] 5. Hold In There
[4:50] 6. Miss De Minor

Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods; Bass – Don Bagley; Drums – Charlie Persip; Guitar – Sal Salvador; Piano, Vibraphone – Eddie Costa.

Don Bagley was better known as a sideman than a leader during the 1950s, touring with Stan Kenton and recording with the likes of Nat King Cole and Dexter Gordon. This is the second of just three records the bassist made as a leader, with a lineup of rising young stars including Phil Woods, Eddie Costa, Sal Salvador, and Charlie Persip. All six tracks are originals by Bagley, starting with the perky "Batter Up." The leader and the drummer set up the exotic groove to "Come Out Swingin'," which features a superb solo by Woods. "Odd Man Out" spotlights Bagley, with some delicate background accompaniment by Costa on piano. Costa switches to vibes for the driving bop vehicle "Bull Pen" and the playful "Hold in There." Originally recorded for Regent and reissued by Savoy on LP, this album finally reappeared in 1999 as a CD on the Spanish Blue Moon label. ~Ken Dryden

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Holly Cole - Dark Dear Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:54
Size: 118.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1987
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. I've Just Seen A Face
[3:58] 2. Make It Go Away
[4:03] 3. Onion Girl
[3:58] 4. Dark, Dear Heart
[4:30] 5. You Want More
[3:48] 6. Timbuktu
[5:16] 7. World Seems To Come And Go
[4:43] 8. River
[4:31] 9. Hold On
[4:51] 10. Brighter Lonely Day (Run, Run, Run)
[4:19] 11. I Told Him That My Dog Wouldn't Run
[4:24] 12. All The Pretty Little Horses

Instead of opting for the full-on pop diva route, Cole travels a far more interesting path towards the mainstream that picks up on the vapor trails of "I Can See Clearly Now" and her album of Waits covers. "I've Just Seen a Face" retains echoes of its signature melody, but is otherwise a smart reinvention, and Sheryl Crow's "You Want More" or the slinky Aaron Davis cowrite "Timbuktu" make fine follow-ups. Larry Klein's spartan production shines in particular on the title track. ~Jeff Bateman

Showcasing Cole in her most innovative and evocative setting yet, Dark Dear Heart promises to take her way beyond her rabid following. Leaving behind most of the jazz trappings that graced her earlier efforts, Holly moves squarely into a unique pop region which she will undoubtedly claim as her own. Produced by Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin), music here ranges from breezy to unforgettable. 1st AAA single/video: A reworking of the Fab Four's "I've Just Seen a Face."

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Dave Valentin - Red Sun

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:28
Size: 104,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. With A Little Help From My Friends
(5:12)  2. Red Sun
(3:47)  3. Two Steps Ahead
(5:17)  4. We'll Be Together Again
(4:34)  5. Beyond The Ridge
(4:29)  6. Lia's Song
(5:05)  7. Loco Motion
(6:23)  8. Little Sunflower
(4:15)  9. Pensativa

This was flutist Dave Valetin's 15th release for GRP and, as with his previous ones, it features impeccable musicianship, subtle funk grooves, some heated Latin rhythms and rather lightweight melodies. Despite some passionate moments, the music always sounds a bit controlled, never exceeding prescribed time limits or emotional boundaries. There are some strong moments of interest on this relatively pleasing CD, particularly a restrained melodic statement by trumpeter Arturo Sandoval on "We'll Be Together Again" and a groovin' version of "With a Little Help from My Friends."~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/red-sun-mw0000097869

Personnel: Dave Valentin (flute); Jon Lucien (vocals); Bernd Schoenhart (guitar); Arturo Sandoval (flugelhorn); Steve Turre (trombone); Bill O'Connell (piano, synthesizer); Dave Samuels (vibraphone); Lincoln Goines (acoustic bass); Robby Ameen (drums, cymbals, percussion); Richie Morales (drums, cymbals); Milton Cardona (congas, cowbells, percussion); Sammy Figueroa (percussion); Steve Shapiro (programming).

Red Sun

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Renee Olstead - Skylark

Styles: Vocal  Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:41
Size: 123,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Midnight Man
(5:02)  2. Lover Man
(3:15)  3. Stars Fell On Alabama
(3:03)  4. My Baby Just Cares For Me
(4:43)  5. When I Fall In Love
(3:01)  6. Thanks For The Boogie Ride
(4:02)  7. Hold Me Now
(4:12)  8. Skylark
(3:26)  9. Midnight In Austin Texas
(3:23) 10. Hit The Road Jack
(3:28) 11. You've Changed
(2:46) 12. Ain't We Got Fun
(4:11) 13. Nothing But The Blame

Much like her self-titled debut from 2004, the second album by television actress and jazz-pop singer Renee Olstead finds the flame-haired teenager working with producer and arranger David Foster on a track list consisting mostly of standards from the Great American Songbook. A more than adequate singer with a surprising depth for such a young age (just 17 when this album was recorded), Olstead shines on classics like "Stars Fell On Alabama" and "Lover Man."~ Charity Sttaford https://www.allmusic.com/album/skylark-mw0000794568

Skylark

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Don Rendell et Bobby Jaspar - Recontre À Paris

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:55
Size: 62,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:45)  1. Pot Luck
(5:13)  2. Olympia
(3:56)  3. Dave's Blues
(3:25)  4. Kingfish
(3:48)  5. Thou Swell
(4:46)  6. A Long Way From Home

Born 4 March 1926, Plymouth, Devon, England. Rendell began playing alto saxophone as a child but later switched to tenor. He played in a number of dance bands during the late 40s, and in 1950 became a member of John Dankworth’s septet. After leaving Dankworth in 1953 he formed his own small group but also worked with bands led by Tony Crombie, Ted Heath and others. In 1956 he joined Stan Kenton for a European tour, appearing on Live At The Albert Hall. In the late 50s he played with Woody Herman. During the 60s Rendell was again leading his own bands, featuring musicians such as Graham Bond, Michael Garrick and Ian Carr, with whom he was co-leader of a successful band. The four albums he recorded with Carr are highly recommended. Rendell has also recorded with Stan Tracey (The Latin American Caper), and Neil Ardley (Greek Variations). A fluent improviser, with hints of post-bop styling overlaying a deep admiration for the earlier work of Lester Young, Rendell has long been one of the most admired of British jazz artists. For many years he has been tireless in the promotion of jazz through his activities as a sought-after teacher.  https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-rendell-mn0000193495/biography              

Personnel:  Don Rendell (Tenor Sax);  Bobby Jaspar (Tenor Sax);  Dave Amram  (Cor);  Sacha Distel (Guitar);  Maurice Vaer (Piano);  Guy Pedersen (Bass);  Mac Kak (Drums).

Recontre À Paris

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Wayne Shorter - Etcetera

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:15
Size: 100,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:21)  1. Etcetera
( 6:46)  2. Penelope
( 7:24)  3. Toy Tune
(11:08)  4. Barracudas (General Assembly)
(11:35)  5. Indian Song

In Harold and the Purple Crayon,” a children’s book from 1955, the intrepid hero, a sturdy toddler, decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. There is no moon, and so, with his purple crayon, Harold draws one, and then decides to draw a straight path to walk upon. When this leads him nowhere, he follows his crayon under the moon’s watchful eye through a series of adventures, conjuring a field, a forest, an apple tree, a nasty dragon, an ocean, a sailboat, a beach, a picnic lunch of pie, a moose and a porcupine to eat it, a mountain to climb, a balloon to ferry him down it, a house, a front yard, a city full of windows, and a policeman to point the way home. Then, finally, he draws his bedroom window around the moon, draws his bed, draws himself under the covers, drops the pen and goes to sleep. This synesthetic process is not unlike what Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Cecil McBee, and Joe Chambers did at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio on June 14, 1965, when they made Etcetera, Shorter’s fifth recording for Blue Note. Like each of Shorter’s other Blue Note sessions from that era, it was a one-shot affair.  “There was nothing developmental as a band,” he told his biographer Michelle Mercer. “A recording was just one movie, and then the next was another movie, in a kind of dream away from Miles.”

The notion of an imaginary screenplay in notes and tones suits the ambiance of this exceptional date. Each piece evokes a fantasy world, tells a story with a beginning, a middle and an end upon which the protagonists improvise, creating lines that assume a life of their own and following them wherever they choose. As Hancock put it thirty-seven years later, “The world is Wayne’s stage; he can grab a metaphor from almost anything in life.” Perhaps that cinematic, episodic quality is one reason why Etcetera, which would not be released until fifteen years after it was recorded, resonates so deeply with numerous Boomer jazzfolk. Another is the humanity of Shorter’s instrumental voice, efflorescent in the quartet setting, emotional, hardcore, expressing the same passion, vulnerability and free spirit that suffuses his pieces.

Consider the kaleidoscopic emotional range conveyed on the noirish title track, on which the leader and Hancock, already close friends after nine months together with Miles, offer soliloquies conveying ecstasy, torment, and angst, navigating the tricky harmonic terrain with melodies that meander through, around, and in synch with Joe Chambers’ roiling, orchestrative, funky beats. On the meditative “Penelope,” dedicated perhaps to the wife of Odysseus or to a real, live woman (Shorter doesn’t say), the composer channels his inner Strayhorn, while on “Toy Tune,” a mid-tempo swinger that doesn’t settle on a key center, Shorter offers a master class on building tension over multiple choruses. On Gil Evans’ “Barracudas,” he uncorks a Coltrane-inflected declamation (Hancock’s response is equally intense) whose thematic coherence is undoubtedly informed by his year-earlier solo flight on Evans’ swirling arrangement of that piece on The Individualism of Gil Evans.  Of “Indian Song,” an anthemic line propelled by Cecil McBee’s insistent bass vamp and Joe Chambers’ impeccable, surging, polyrhythmic 5/4 beat, Shorter further refracts Coltrane’s syntax and spirit into his own argot on a lengthy first section, before Hancock, himself a force of nature, completely changes the feel. Perhaps another reason why Etcetera has become such a notable signpost is that, as much as any other Shorter album, it emblemizes an aspiration that Shorter stated in 2003, while traveling in Europe with his present quartet in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. “Music is a part of the struggle,” he said. “They talk about the unknown factor they don't know what's going to happen. Why don't we do that every night on stage?  There's no school, no university for the unknown. Music is mysterious. Everything is. The unexpected is what's happening.”

Personnel:  Wayne Shorter (Tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (Piano); Cecil McBee (Bass); Joe Chambers (Drums).

Etcetera

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Vincent Herring - Don't Let It Go

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:24
Size: 124,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. Don't Let It Go
(7:37)  2. Into the Midnight
(6:57)  3. Sabrosa
(7:02)  4. In the Shadow of John Galt
(5:38)  5. Big Bertha
(6:24)  6. The Unknown Ideal
(7:24)  7. Liberation
(6:52)  8. Blueprint for a New Tomorrow

On alto saxophonist Vincent Herring's third Musicmasters release, he is joined by trumpeter Scott Wendholt, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Jesse Yusef Murphy, and drummer Carl Allen to perform seven originals (five by the group's members) and one jazz classic, Duke Pearson's hard-swinging "Big Bertha." Outside of "Big Bertha," this recording has a more relaxed, introspective feel, a departure from Herring's previous hard bop-oriented releases.

Herring's big, Adderley-influenced sound is intact, but his attack is more restrained, expressing the emotions that help to shape the music, and his unison lines with Wendholt on the melodies give this recording much of its flavor. Other favorites include the Shorter-ish title track, Chestnut's Latin-influenced "Into the Midgreg Turner night" (a feature for Herring's soprano), Tex Allen's "Sabrosa," which has a slower, Latin-influenced melody, and Wendholt's fast waltz, "The Unknown Ideal" (another Herring soprano feature). This is a welcome addition to the Herring discography. ~ Greg Turner https://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-let-it-go-mw0000125935

Personnel:  Vincent Herring (Alto saxophone, soprano saxophone); Scott Wendholdt (Trumpet); Cyrus Chestnut (Piano); Jesse Yusef Murphy (Bass); Carl Allen (Drums).

Don't Let It Go

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Benny Carter Quartet - Sax A La Carter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:22
Size: 106.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. And The Angels Sing
[3:34] 2. Everything I Have Is Yours
[3:04] 3. I Understand
[3:15] 4. All Or Nothing At All
[2:21] 5. I'll Never Smile Again
[3:43] 6. If I Loved You
[3:22] 7. Far Away Places
[3:57] 8. I Should Care
[2:59] 9. For All We Know
[2:47] 10. (I Don't Stand A) Ghost Of A Chance With You
[3:04] 11. The One I Love (Belongs To Someone Else)
[2:42] 12. Moon Of Manakoora
[2:19] 13. Ennui
[3:01] 14. Friendly Islands
[3:10] 15. Friendly Islands

Benny Carter - sax, Jimmy Rowles - piano, Leroy Vinnegar - bass, Mel Lewis - drums. Recorded at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles on February 5, 1960.

This is the great American alto saxist and composer Benny Carter, who died last year (2004) at 95, breezing along with a fine quartet in LA in 1960 - with that genius of piano accompaniment, Jimmy Rowles. Carter's sound seems to embody the pragmatically sensual, life-embracing ease that characterises the jazz of the pre-bop era - though as an immensely sophisticated musician, Carter's improvising was full of modern audacities.

This is a conventional and easy-swinging set - but the pleading romantic tremor in the ballad playing, the suggestively swivelling slurs and the almost Bird-like brittleness on For All We Know all testify to a master in his prime. ~John Fordham

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Akiko - Simply Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:10
Size: 105.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[4:19] 2. Speak Low
[5:49] 3. Same Ol' Gloomy Song
[3:45] 4. Old Devil Moon
[4:32] 5. Blues No. 8
[4:49] 6. Whisper Not
[4:54] 7. Do You Know
[4:25] 8. Night And Day
[4:30] 9. Not Lovers, Always Friends
[5:24] 10. Wish You Were Here

Drums – Tommy Campbell; Piano – Tadataka Unno; Bass – Yoshio “Chin” Suzuki; Vocals – Akiko.

Born in Tokyo, Akiko began playing piano at age 4. She began listening to rock and punk music when she was a junior high school and then began to take their interest in different types of music including 70's Disco Music 60's Oldies, 50's Rock and Country & Western In particular, they like music, she was particularly inspired by old black music Jump & Jive and Doo Wop. At age 18, she happened to listen to Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald and met with Jazz Afterwards she began to sing like a pro at Jazz Club Tokyo when she was a student.

Akiko in 2001 signed with Universal Jazz. In June 2005, Akiko released his first live album "Simply Blue "which was recorded at the Jazz Club Motion Blue Yokohama.

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The Black Market Trust - Just One Of Those Things

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:13
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: Vocal harmony group, Swing
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[2:00] 1. Almost Like Being In Love
[2:58] 2. All Of Me
[3:19] 3. It's Only A Paper Moon
[1:48] 4. Just One Of Those Things
[2:37] 5. TAin't That A Kick In The Head
[4:02] 6. That's All
[2:21] 7. Dream Of You
[2:08] 8. Pretty Trix
[4:08] 9. Please Stay
[3:33] 10. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:36] 11. God Only Knows
[2:41] 12. Young At Heart
[2:57] 13. Tonight You Belong To Me

The Black Market Trust's musical roots run deep, and their new album "Just One of Those Things" reflects that. Artists as diverse as Django Reinhardt, Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, are among the talents that influenced the creation of the album. As true artists, the members of the group channelled their inspiration into a sound all their own.

The five members of The Black Market Trust, Jeffrey Scott Radaich, Chris Irwin, Brian Netzley, Brandon Laws and Nick Coventry imbue the album with an obvious love of music and contagious, upbeat, toe tapping joy. The title track, the much performed Cole Porter classic "Just One of Those Things", feels fresh and optimistic as performed by the group. "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys is especially poignant sung in Radaich's tender baritone. "Please Stay", a Black Market Trust original in the style of Jamaican Rocksteady, showcases the group's lyric writing ability and wide range. The rapport The Black Market Trust has built from their many live performances together is evident when listening to "Just One of Those Things". The cohesion and communication that developed through their many performances together shines through, and makes for a compelling listening experience. The live performances are a hallmark of the group and they continue to perform live as much as possible to get a chance to interact with their fans.

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Marty Grosz - Left To His Own Devices

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 64:27

Size: 147.6 MB

Styles: New Orleans jazz

Year: 2000

Art: Front

[4:18] 1. The New Yorker

[4:33] 2. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie

[4:26] 3. Dream Sweetheart

[3:52] 4. Mood Hollywood

[2:59] 5. The Night Was Made For Swing

[4:37] 6. Then I'll Be Tired Of You

[3:13] 7. You're Gonna Lose Your Gal

[3:53] 8. Street Of Dreams

[4:12] 9. Blue Echoes

[4:24] 10. Dream Man

[5:39] 11. I've Had My Moments

[2:46] 12. Never Had A Reason To Believe In You

[4:31] 13. Concentratin' (On You)

[3:18] 14. Take Me To That Land Of Jazz

[3:38] 15. Jubilee

[4:02] 16. Lonesome Me

All of guitarist-singer Marty Grosz's recordings are easily recommended to fans of small group swing and hot jazz. On this set Grosz is often heard in a smaller unit than usual. While five songs utilize a quintet with cornetist Randy Reinhart, the reeds of Scott Robinson, guitarist Mike Peters, and bassist Greg Cohen, and five other numbers have the same group except without Reinhart and with Dan Block adding his reeds, there are also three duets by Grosz and Reinhart, and three duets for the guitarists. No matter what the setting, Grosz is in a typically droll and witty mood, reviving obscurities (including two Fats Waller songs), contributing two originals, taking cheerful vocals, and contributing chordal guitar solos. Fun music. ~Scott Yanow

Left To His Own Devices  

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Ellen Andersson Quartet - I'll Be Seeing You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:59
Size: 116.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. 's Wonderful
[6:42] 2. You've Changed
[6:44] 3. A Day In The Life Of A Fool
[5:14] 4. Au Privave
[6:05] 5. I'll Be Seeing You
[6:43] 6. Gloomy Sunday
[5:36] 7. Everything I Love
[7:52] 8. Smile
[3:12] 9. I Cried For You

Ellen Andersson: vocals; Peter Asplund: trumpet; Oilly Wallace: saxophone; Anton Forsberg: guitar; Hannes Jonsson: bass; Sebastian Brydniak: drums.

Swedish vocalist Ellen Andersson sings in a strangely forced way, trying to imitate Billie Holiday but sounding more like someone in dire need of a laxative. This is most apparent on "You've Changed," which Holiday recorded on her 1958 Columbia album Lady In Satin when past her prime.

In 2013 another Swedish singer, Isabella Lundgren refashioned history, singing the song as Lady Day might have done when young, on another Prophone album, Ela, by guitarist Anders Färdal and harmonica player Luciano Mosetti. Lundgren's version knocks Andersson's stiff, self-conscious interpretation into a cocked hat, despite heroic efforts by guest trumpeter Peter Asplund and bassist Hannes Jonsson to rescue the number. "Gloomy Sunday," another number associated with Lady Day, while equally painful on occasion shows an adventurous spirit and features an interesting solo by another guest, Danish alto saxophonist Oilly Wallace. He is featured too on "I Cried For You," otherwise notable for Andersson's bizarre phrasing.

But it's her first album so let's not be too harsh on the poor girl. She has a good voice and shows considerable ability on her wordless forays, where she no longer attempts to sound like Lady Day and is relieved too of the responsibility of reinterpreting lyrics from the Great American Songbook, which have all been sung countless times before. Her work with Asplund on Charlie Parker's "Au Privave" sees her at her most relaxed and confident and she also goes in for some admirably adventurous scatting on the title track, "I'll Be Seeing You." Of the members of her quartet, guitarist Anton Forsberg displays considerable ability, notably on Charlie Chaplin's "Smile." ~Chris Mosey

I'll Be Seeing You

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Oscar Brown Jr - Live Every Minute

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:19
Size: 108.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Vocal jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[4:47] 1. Long As You're Living
[3:19] 2. Dat Dere
[3:17] 3. The Snake
[5:40] 4. It's October
[2:47] 5. Mr. Kicks
[3:53] 6. World Full Of Grey
[7:41] 7. Haven't I Loved You Somewhere
[3:56] 8. A Column Of Birds
[3:50] 9. Hazel's Hips
[3:13] 10. Billie's Bounce
[4:50] 11. Old Lovers Song

Oscar Brown, Jr. was 71 when, in June 1998, the veteran jazz vocalist traveled to Hamburg, Germany and recorded Live Every Minute for Minor Music, a German label. By that age, some singers will lose a lot of their vocal power -- Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Ella Fitzgerald are three examples of once-great singers whose voices had deteriorated considerably by the time they reached their late sixties or early seventies. On the other hand, Carmen McRae and Jimmy Scott still sounded great at 70; so it varies from singer to singer. Thankfully, Brown's voice is holding up nicely on Live Every Minute, which finds him revisiting the lyrics that he wrote for Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere," Stanley Turrentine's "Long As You're Living, " and Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce" in his younger days. These 1998 versions aren't definitive, but they're enjoyably swinging -- and they demonstrate that Brown still had a lot of soul at 71. Although the Chicago native is famous for writing lyrics to familiar bop tunes that started out as instrumentals, most of the melodies that he embraces on this CD are his own -- melodies that range from playfully funky ("Mr. Kicks") to reflective ("It's October") to melancholy ("World Full of Gray"). The latter is about growing older and coming to the realization that the world usually isn't black and white but rather, a shade of gray. So why is the song melancholy? Because seeing two sides of the story (political, romantic, or whatever) when you're 35 or 40 is tougher, harder, and more challenging than seeing things in black and white when you're 19 and mindlessly idealistic; ignorance is bliss, after all. Live Every Minute isn't among Brown's essential releases, but it's a solid, pleasing effort that the singer's diehard fans will appreciate. ~Alex Henderson

Live Every Minute mc
Live Every Minute zippy

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Marianne Faithfull - Come My Way

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:44
Size: 110,2 MB
Art: Vocal

(2:05)  1. Come My Way
(2:34)  2. Jaberwoc
(3:00)  3. Portland Town
(2:28)  4. House Of The Rising Sun
(2:43)  5. Spanish Is A Loving Tongue
(2:52)  6. Fare Thee Well
(2:03)  7. Lonesome Travellers
(2:05)  8. Down In The Salley Garden
(1:45)  9. Mary Ann
(1:26) 10. Full Fathom Five
(2:59) 11. Four Strong Winds
(2:29) 12. Black Girl
(2:08) 13. Once I Had A Sweetheart
(2:03) 14. Bells Of Freedom
(3:08) 15. Blowin' In The Wind
(3:28) 16. Et Maintenant
(2:49) 17. That's Right Baby
(5:31) 18. Sister Morphine

When Marianne Faithfull released her first two albums for the U.K. market in the spring of 1965, she took the unusual step of issuing them simultaneously. One, simply titled Marianne Faithfull, was the pop-oriented collection that listeners of her hit singles would have expected. The other, Come My Way, by contrast was comprised solely of folk tunes, most of them traditional, the acoustic settings arranged by guitarist Jon Mark. Faithfull at this very early stage in her career still had the tremulous soprano common to many woman folk singers of the era. While her singing here is pleasant and competent, it's rather average when stacked against the emotional commitment and personality the best interpreters of such tunes brought to the material at the time. Indeed, Faithfull herself would do the same kind of repertoire, with considerably greater vocal imagination and more forceful musical backing, on her underrated third U.K. album, 1966's North Country Maid. Still, it's an OK record, Faithfull putting her pipes to reverent use on folk revival staples like "Portland Town," "House of the Rising Sun," "Once I Had a Sweetheart," and "Black Girl," taking on a contemporary writer with Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds." 

Her reading of "Lonesome Traveller" stands out for the propulsive backing, with hasty 12-string guitar strums and what sound like bongos. The CD reissue, available briefly in Britain in the early '90s and then in Japan in the early 2000s, adds four bonus tracks: the 1964 B-side "Blowin' in the Wind"; "Et Maintenant," from a 1965 EP; the poppy and bluesy 1966 B-side "That's Right Baby"; and her classic 1969 single "Sister Morphine," which predated the Rolling Stones' version by a couple of years. ~ Richie Unterberg https://www.allmusic.com/album/come-my-way-mw0000369699        

Come My Way

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Herbie Mann - Live At The Whiskey A Go Go (1969) / Mississippi Gambler (1972)

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:34
Size: 158,3 MB
Art: Front

(15:07)  1. Ooh Baby
(14:06)  2. Philly Dog
( 5:28)  3. Swing Low Sweet Chariot
( 6:51)  4. Mississippi Gambler
( 8:52)  5. Dippermouth
( 5:26)  6. Respect Yourself
( 5:49)  7. I've Been Loving You Too Long
( 6:50)  8. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Flutist Herbie Mann had a particularly strong group in the late '60s, a sextet also including vibraphonist Roy Ayers, Steve Marcus on tenor, guitarist Sonny Sharrock, bassist Miroslav Vitous and drummer Bruno Carr. Although this LP is long out-of-print and its total length is under a half-hour, the group's sidelong jams on "Ooh Baby" and "Philly Dog" are danceable, funky and spontaneous, making this one of Herbie Mann's better sets of the era. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-whisky-a-go-go-mw0000882547               

In 2001, Collectables released Live at the Whisky A Go Go/Mississippi Gambler, which combined a pair of original Atlantic LPs  Live at the Whisky A Go Go (1968) and Mississippi Gambler (1972) by Herbie Mann on one compact disc. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-whisky-a-go-go-mississippi-gambler-mw0000591148

Live At The Whiskey A Go Go (1969) / Mississippi Gambler (1972)

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Vincent Herring - Folklore: Live At The Village Vanguard

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:35
Size: 131,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:37)  1. Folklore
(6:20)  2. Theme For Delores
(8:07)  3. The Girl Next Door
(8:13)  4. Romantic Journey
(8:14)  5. Fountainhead
(8:43)  6. Window Of Opportunity
(8:52)  7. This I Dig Of You
(2:26)  8. Mo's Theme

Known mainly for his session playing, Vincent Herring has released Folklore under his own name, recorded live at the legendary Village Vanguard in New York City. Herring has played with Art Blakey, Horace Silver and Dizzy Gillespie among many historical giants. On Folklore, he puts together an impressive band, including some of the new, major talents in jazz: Cyrus Chestnut (piano), Ira Coleman (bass), Carl Allen (drums) and promising Scott Wendholt (trumpet). 

The band is tight, and plays with soulfulness and swing. The music is enjoyable and makes for a pleasant listen, yet doesn't break any new ground. Highlights from the set include the thoughtful "Theme for Delores," the fine Wendholt composition, "Window of Opportunity" and the fast-paced cover of Hank Mobley's "This I Dig of You." Of the players, Chestnut continues to impress as one of today's best pianists and provides the most interesting material on this set. Folklore is a solid effort. It will please many fans of live, bop-oriented jazz and not offend any. ~ Brian Bartolini https://www.allmusic.com/album/folklore-live-at-the-village-vanguard-mw0000112270

Personnel: Vincent Herring (alto & soprano saxophones); Scott Wendholt (trumpet); Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Ira Coleman (bass); Carl Allen (drums).

Folklore: Live At The Village Vanguard

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