Friday, February 2, 2018

Bill Meyers & David Benoit - The Invitation From L.A.

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:26
Size: 100,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. Killing Me Softly With His Song
(4:55)  2. Bridge Over Troubled Water
(3:32)  3. Flash Dance
(3:31)  4. Just The Way You Are
(3:55)  5. That's What Friends Are For
(3:58)  6. Sailing
(3:42)  7. Saving All My Love For You
(4:15)  8. The Way We Were
(5:06)  9. You've Got A Friend
(5:06) 10. We Are The World

A jazz/classical pianist and synthesist, Meyer bridges the gap between jazz, rock, and new-age. His is very high-quality music from a compositional perspective.~ Paul Koher https//www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-meyers-mn0000767072/biography

One of the more popular performers in the idiom somewhat inaccurately called "contemporary jazz," David Benoit has mostly performed light melodic background music, what critic Alex Henderson has dubbed "new age with a beat." Benoit has done a few fine jazz projects (including a tribute to Bill Evans and a collaboration with Emily Remler) but most of his output for GRP has clearly been aimed at the charts. He studied composition and piano at El Camino College and, in 1975, played on the soundtrack of the Robert Altman-film Nashville. After recording with Alphonse Mouzon and accompanying singer Gloria Lynne, he was signed to the AVI label when he was 24, recording sets like 1977's Heavier Than Yesterday that paved the way for his later output. In 1986, Benoit signed as a solo artist with GRP, a relationship that would last until 2003. Albums like 1989's Waiting for Spring and 1999's Professional Dreamer showcase his smooth, lyrical style, while projects like his 2000 tribute to Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts scores, Here's to You, Charlie Brown!: 50 Great Years!, demonstrate where his own tastes lie. A decade after their first joint venture, Benoit and Russ Freeman collaborated on Benoit/Freeman Project 2, released by the Concord-associated label Peak in 2004. For 2005's Orchestral Works he was joined by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra and members of the Asia America Symphony Orchestra. He released two studio albums including Full Circle in 2006 and Standards, which appeared later that same year. In 2008, Benoit paid tribute to some of his musical idols with the album Heroes. The album saw him covering songs by Elton John, the Beatles, Dave Brubeck, and others. Two years later, Benoit delivered the Clark Germain-produced electronica-inflected album Earthglow, and in 2012, he returned with Conversation, which featured the classical trio-meets-jazz-trio title track taken from his "Music for Two Trios" suite. n 2014, Benoit contributed to former Ambrosia guitarist David Pack's Napa Crossroads set with Alan Parsons, Ray Manzarek, Larry Carlton, Mindi Abair, and others. Benoit shifted focus on his next outing. Deciding to record an all-originals vocal album, he collaborated with lyricists Lorraine Feather, Mark Winkler, and Spencer Day. Released in the June of 2015, 2 in Love featured Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Jane Monheit. She was also featured heavily on Believe, a Christmas recording that appeared just four months later. In 2017, Benoit paired with guitarist Marc Antoine for So Nice! on Shanachie Records. Also that year, he delivered the solo piano date The Steinway Sessions. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-benoit-mn0000635760/biography

Personnel:  Keyboards – Barnaby Finch, Bill Meyers (tracks: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9), David Benoit (tracks: 2 to 4, 7, 10);  Backing Vocals – Darlene Koldenhoven (tracks: 7, 10), John Lekman (tracks: 7, 10), Joyce Wilson (tracks: 7, 10);  Bass – Niel Stubenhaus;  Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta; Guitar – Mike Landau;  Percussion – Luis Conte, Oliver C. Brown (tracks: 3, 4, 7, 10);  Saxophone – Brandon Fields (tracks: 1, 4 to 6, 8, 9), Gary Herbig (tracks: 2, 3, 7);  Vocals – Clydene Jackson Edwards* (tracks: 7, 10), Harold Payne (tracks: 4, 10)       

The Invitation From L.A.

Manhattan Jazz Quintet - Live At Pit Inn

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:51
Size: 163,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:10)  1. So This
(11:02)  2. Angel Eyes
(12:04)  3. Round Midnight
( 9:13)  4. Misticized
(10:37)  5. S.u. Blues
(15:29)  6. Autum Leaves
( 4:14)  7. Rosario

The Manhattan Jazz Quintet are an unusual group in that they very rarely perform as a unit in the United States (much less Manhattan) but have been a major hit in Japan, both for their recordings and occasional tours. Originally comprised of leader/pianist David Matthews, trumpeter Lew Soloff, tenor saxophonist George Young, bassist Eddie Gomez, and drummer Steve Gadd, the band (which emphasizes straight-ahead hard bop swinging) first came together in 1983 at the suggestion of the King label and the top Japanese jazz magazine Swing Journal. To everyone's surprise, its first recording (simply called Manhattan Jazz Quintet) became such a big seller that it was awarded Swing Journal's annual 1984 Gold Disk Award as the number one album in Japan. Several years later the group broke up when Gomez and Gadd needed more time to pursue their individual projects and all of the quintet members later became quite successful in their own careers but this edition of the MJQ recorded reunions in 1990 (which found John Scofield guesting on a few selections) and in 1993. Victor Lewis replaced Gadd that year, and subsequently Young was replaced by Andy Snitzer and Gomez by Charnett Moffett. The Manhattan Jazz Quintet recorded primarily for King in Japan (those dates were mostly made available in the U.S. by Projazz) during the 1980s, although they cut some later recordings among the comparative very few that actually took place in Manhattan! for the Sweet Basil label. During the new millennium the Manhattan Jazz Quintet have recorded regularly for Video Arts.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/manhattan-jazz-quintet-mn0000674690/biography  

Personnel: Lew Soloff trumpet; George Young tenor saxophone;  David Matthews piano; Eddie Gómez bass;  Steve Gadd drums.

Live At Pit Inn

Greg Osby - Black Book

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:30
Size: 130,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Pillars
(5:10)  2. Mr. Freeman
(4:54)  3. Rocking Chair
(3:38)  4. Buried Alive
(4:52)  5. Poetry in Motion
(4:57)  6. Black Book
(3:31)  7. Smokescreen
(4:36)  8. Brewing Poetry
(4:45)  9. Intuition
(4:48) 10. Fade to Black Medley: A) A Brother and a Token
(3:53) 11. Fade to Black Medley: B) In a City Blues
(6:39) 12. Fade to Black Medley: C) Urbanite Kodes

Post-bop saxophonist Greg Osby was born April 3, 1960 in St. Louis, playing in a series of R&B, funk, and blues units throughout his teen years before attending Howard University. Upon graduating from the Berklee School of Music, he settled in New York City and went on to play behind Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Herbie Hancock, and Muhal Richard Abrams; during the mid-'80s, Osby also served alongside Steve Coleman, Geri Allen, Gary Thomas, and Cassandra Wilson as a member of the renowned M-Base Collective. Making his solo debut with 1987's Sound Theatre, Osby went on to record several sets for the JMT label, also earning notice for his impressive contributions to Hill's 1989 date, Eternal Spirit, and its follow-up But Not Farewell; with 1990's Man-Talk for Moderns, Vol. X, he cut his first headling session for Blue Note, with subsequent efforts for the company (including 1993's 3-D Lifestyles and 1995's Black Book), pioneering a distinctive fusion of jazz and hip-hop. While 1996's Art Forum captured the saxophonist in an acoustic setting, Osby continues exploring new avenues with each successive release, capturing the improvisational intensity of his live dates with 1999's Banned in New York and reuniting with Hill and fellow elder statesman Jim Hill for the following year's The Invisible Hand. 

2001's Symbols of Light (A Solution) was a varied effort that witnessed him teaming with a string quartet, while the next year's Inner Circle was an older recording of sessions that featured a knockout version of Bjork's "All Neon Like." Osby teamed with pianist Marc Copland for 2003's Round and Round, while St. Louis Shoes was released that same year on Blue Note. Also released on Blue Note was 2005's Channel Three, which saw Osby working with drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts and bassist Matt Brewer. In 2008, Osby released 9 Levels, his first recording on his own Inner Circle Music label. ~ Jason Ankeny https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/greg-osby/1018518 https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/greg-osby/1018518

Personnel:  Greg Osby, alto & soprano saxophones, keyboards - Mulgrew Miller, acoustic piano - DJ Ghetto, turntable - Calvin Jones, bass - Bill McClellan, drums - Sha-Key, microphone (rhythm poetry) - Mustafo, microphone (rhymes) - The Betmix, (beat poetry) Featuring; Markita Morris, Taj McCoy, Riva Parker & Bernard Collins

Black Book

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Heath Brothers - Endurance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:47
Size: 120.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[7:39] 1. Changes
[5:09] 2. Wall To Wall
[4:36] 3. You Or Me
[6:09] 4. Ballad From Leadership Suite
[6:14] 5. Dusk In The City
[4:21] 6. Two Tees
[7:42] 7. Autumn In New York
[3:22] 8. From A Lonely Bass
[7:31] 9. The Rio Dawn

Jimmy Heath: tenor, soprano sax; Jeb Patton: piano; David Wong: bass; Albert "Tootie" Heath: drums; Claudio Roditi: shaker (9).

The Heath family is illustrious in jazz. Percy and Jimmy got their starts in the late forties, a part of the emerging jazz scene in New York. The oldest, Percy on bass, became part of the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1952 and stayed with the legendary group for over forty years. Jimmy on reeds, meanwhile, has led and performed with the greats over the years. He has a substantial reputation as composer, arranger and educator. Albert "Tootie," several years the youngest, has established a reputation as a peerless drummer and educator.

The three have worked together as a group for over twenty years, making seven recordings together, with pianist Jeb Patton the fourth cog in recent years. When Percy died in 2005, the brothers decided to carry on, bringing in bassist David Wong. Endurance is the first without Percy, and endurance is certainly the keyword in describing the Heath Brothers.

Seven of the nine numbers here are originals by Jimmy. Each player gets many opportunities to shine. Beginning with "Changes," Jimmy's straight-ahead assertive tenor takes charge. Next, on "Wall to Wall," Tootie's drums and Patton's piano combine for some funky rhythmic fun at the onset, followed by Jimmy's rocking tenor solo. Wong's bass stars on "You and Me," sharing the stage with Tootie's spiffy brush work. Jimmy gets serious with the spiritual "Ballad for Leadership Suite," an impressive segment from his commission for the inauguration of the president of Howard University. He dedicates "Two Tees" to Tootie, who gets plenty of room to stretch in his drum solo, with Patton coming in for a romping turn on piano. Jimmy composed "From a Lonely Bass" as a memoriam to the Late Percy. Wong's bowed bass provides emotional warmth, assisted by Jimmy's elegiac soprano sax. Perhaps most effective is the group's lush rendering of Vernon Duke's 1934 standard, "Autumn in New York." Here, Jimmy shows his debt to Coleman Hawkins with his breathy tenor probing all aspects of the tune. ~Larry Taylor

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Shannon Barnett Quartet - Hype

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 123.0 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[6:41] 1. Hype
[7:14] 2. Lembing
[4:44] 3. People Don't Listen To Music Anymore
[6:55] 4. Red-Bellied Stickleback
[5:42] 5. Speaking In Tongues
[5:26] 6. Pg3
[5:55] 7. Ok Compupid
[4:42] 8. Chasing The Second
[6:20] 9. The Spirit Is Willing, But The Flesh Is Weak

Since moving to Germany, Shannon Barnett has become very active in the local scene. Her quartet, featuring Stefan Karl Schmid (tenor saxophone), David Helm (bass) and Fabian Arends (drums) was nominated as a seim-finalist in the 2017 Neuer Deutscher Jazzpreis. They have performed widely in Germany, including at the Acht Brücken and Winterjazz Festivals, the Peng Festival and IG Jazz in Mannheim. In 2016, they toured Australia, performing at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Sydney Women's Jazz Festival. This is the quartet's debut album!

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Duško Gojković - Ten To Two Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:51
Size: 95.8 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1971/2009
Art: Front

[7:00] 1. Ten To Two Blues
[5:14] 2. I Remember O.P
[8:33] 3. Old Fishernan's Daughter
[9:05] 4. I Love You
[3:37] 5. The Child Is Born
[8:19] 6. Blues To Line

Pianist Tete Montoliu recorded two fine albums under trumpeter Duško Gojković’s leadership in November 1971 in Barcelona, Spain. In quintet formation, with the Spanish pianist regular rhythm backing of German bassist Robert Langereis and drummer Joe Nay, they did It’s About Blues Time (Ensayo, reissued on CD by Fresh Sounds) and a day later in quartet they did Ten To Two Blues (Ensayo, reissued as After Hours on Enja). The rhythm section on both is the same and both albums are recommended. Gojković is in excellent form on the hard bop-oriented Ten To Two Blues (a.k.a. After Hours) which conjures up images of smoky nightclubs, reflections in rain puddles under dark skies, or perhaps just the quieter music... This album is a little too busy and blustery to live up to those preconceptions, but it is nevertheless an excellent example of that all-too-rare commodity, the trumpet quartet. With no saxophone to trade solos with, the trumpet must bear the burden of carrying the tune and sustaining interest while sharing the spotlight with the supporting trio. With influences extending from Serbia to Dixieland, from bebop to blues, Gojković contributes three songs and adds three standards to this mostly uptempo collection. With the pianist playing up to his usual level and fine support contributed by Langereis and Nay, Gojković takes stimulating solos with his poignant, soft tone on two standards (Thad Jones’ “A Child Is Born” and Cole Porter’s “I Love You”), Slide Hampton’s “Last Minute Blues,” and three basic originals. There is muted artistry of Gojković on “Old Fisherman’s Daughter” and a nostalgic opening solo on the title tune. Montoliu probably deserves a double-billing here: he is outstanding throughout, particularly on the ballad “Remember Those Days” and a boppish take of “I Love You.” Gojković never dominates the proceedings, and steps aside for long stretches on “Last Minute Blues.” One drawback here is the musty, prehistoric engineering: Langereis and Nay give great performances but are not heard to their best advantage, with Langereis especially sounding like he is in the next room. If the wide range of influences and the less-than-ideal (but typical for the time) recording are not a hindrance, listeners should enjoy this album. One mystery surrounding Ten To Two Blues regards its original release date. The recording date is given as November 1971, so one can assume it was first released not too long after. It has appeared on many labels in many different countries throughout the years, sometimes with different track listings. The LP/CD release on Enja After Hours has also two tracks re-titled: “I Remember O.P.” is re-titled to “Remember Those Days,” while “Blues To Line” is re-titled to “Last Minute Blues.” No matter the title, this album is recommended to straight-ahead jazz fans, while the Enja CD reissue seems to be the easiest to find. ~Slobodan Mihajlović

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Mel Carter - The Heart & Soul Of Mel Carter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:04
Size: 103.2 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. Heart And Soul
[3:44] 2. It May Sound Silly
[3:12] 3. Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone, Who’s Sorry Now
[3:24] 4. Cry
[4:39] 5. Tomorrow Night
[2:58] 6. I Worry About You
[2:44] 7. Where Or When
[6:24] 8. The Glory Of Love, You’ll Never Know
[3:11] 9. Too Soon To Know
[2:55] 10. If It’s The Last Thing I Do
[3:43] 11. I Don’t Care Who Knows (Baby I’m Yours)
[3:47] 12. Heart And Soul (Reprise)

Piano/arr. - Randy Randolph; Bass - James Leary; Drums - Dean Koba; Guitar - Grant Geissman; Trumpet - Charlie Peterson; Trombone - Duane Benjamin; Alto Sax - Tim Messina.

Let me take you on a personal musical journey and feel the joy I had of remembering special moments in my life connected with the songs I’ve chosen for this CD. I was a big fan of Hoagy Carmichael in my teens, seeing and hearing him do his songs in films. One of these was “Heart And Soul” which was the second most played song at parties, next to the number one being “Chopsticks.” The Cleftones had a doo wop hit with this song in the fifties.

In 1957 I recorded an Ivory Joe Hunter song called “I Need You So” for Mercury Records. Among the other songs submitted to me was “It May Sound Silly.” This minor hit for Ivory Joe Hunter later became a mega-hit for the McGuire Sisters — and now this was my chance to keep the hit going. I’m lucky that as a teen I got to go to stage shows. They would have the regular movies playing at the theatres during the week, and on the weekends there would be live performances by popular artists of the day. I was at every one of those shows and saw lots of performers. Buddy Johnson and his sister Ella Johnson was one of the acts I saw. Ella was the first blues singer that sang so you understood all the words. “Baby, I’m Yours” was one of her songs that stayed with me through the years.

I hope you enjoy this musical journey as much as I have enjoyed recording these special songs for you. I give you, “The Heart and Soul of Mel Carter.” Thanks for listening... MC

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Vince Guaraldi - Essential Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:13
Size: 124.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:31] 1. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[5:16] 2. The Girl From Ipanema
[5:21] 3. Moon River
[3:09] 4. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
[5:17] 5. Willow Weep For Me
[2:48] 6. Fascinating Rhythm
[4:20] 7. Since I Fell For You
[5:25] 8. Days Of Wine And Roses
[5:53] 9. On Green Dolphin Street
[4:23] 10. Autumn Leaves
[3:20] 11. Corcovado
[5:25] 12. Greensleeves

As part of the Essential Standards series from OJC, pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi is spotlighted on 12 tracks recorded for Fantasy in the '50s and '60s. While this compilation contains great performances (several are from Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus and Cast Your Fate to the Wind), it may not be the best place for the casual fan to start. None of Guaraldi's songs associated with the Charlie Brown television cartoon are included, with the exception of the original master take of "Greensleeves." This set would, however, make a fine companion to Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits. ~Al Campbell

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Jessica Williams - Higher Standards

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:23
Size: 150,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:47)  1. Get Out of Town
(5:54)  2. When Your Lover Has Gone
(5:05)  3. Mack the Knife
(7:47)  4. A Night in Tunisia
(9:18)  5. Don't Take Your Love from Me
(9:04)  6. East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)
(6:18)  7. Solitude
(8:43)  8. Midnight Sun
(6:26)  9. My Heart Belongs to Daddy

For this typically superb effort, the brilliant pianist Jessica Williams (with the assistance of bassist Dave Captein and drummer Mel Brown) digs into nine standards and come up with fresh variations and consistently inventive ideas. Although a few of the songs (most notably "Mack the Knife," "A Night In Tunisia" and "East of the Sun") have been recorded many times, Williams comes up with original musical thoughts, full of wit and chance-taking, that make each of the selections sound new. Well worth acquiring. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/higher-standards-mw0000038938

Personnel: Jessica Williams (piano); Dave Captein (bass); Mel Brown (drums).

Higher Standards

Dan Tepfer & Ben Wendel - Small Constructions

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:27
Size: 118,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Still Play
(4:02)  2. Pannonica
(5:39)  3. Jean and Renata
(4:21)  4. Line Up
(2:00)  5. Line
(6:23)  6. Nines
(6:04)  7. Gratitude
(5:54)  8. Ask Me Now
(2:02)  9. Rygabag
(3:04) 10. Darn That Dream
(3:59) 11. Variation 1 in D minor
(2:28) 12. Oblique Strategy

The occasion. Some days spent at the Yamaha artist-space in Manhattan with some precious tools close at hand. The raw material. Two Monk classics, one of the best known standards, Lennie Tristano, Handel, a pinch of Messiaen and some original ones. The protagonists. Dan Tepfer, a young, award-winning pianist with an open mind and excellent collaborations (Konitz on all) and Ben Wendel, co-founder of Kneebody, one of the most interesting bands of the new electro-acoustic wave coming from the big apple. The result. Small Constructions. Brick after brick Tepfer and Wendel build colorful musical houses, small houses with different profiles, moods and perfumes, each with its own story to tell, each with a world to explore and share. The use in different passages of overdubs, the instruments that multiply and are also combined boldly - the mixture of piano and Fender Rhodes adds to the Tristanian "Line Up" a vaguely naive and psychedelic - contributes to greatly expand the palette timbre available to musicians, good at preserving size, good taste, respect for shapes and, why not, elegance. The risk of slipping into mannerism or of transforming the widespread intimacy of dialogue into a cloying exercise of style is averted by the familiarity of both with the canons of classical music, their innate propensity for research, and the gifts of exquisite improvisers. Finally, curiosity. In the last song, Tepfer and Wendel exchange instruments, the first takes the alto sax, the second sits at the piano. A simple melody, an execution with few notes, almost childlike, just over two minutes of poignant beauty, directly from the heart to warm up the soul. ~ AAJ Italy Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/small-constructions-dan-tepfer-sunnyside-records-review-by-aaji-staff.php

Personnel: Dan Tepfer (piano, fender rhodes, alto sax in # 12); Ben Wendel (saxophones, bassoon, melodica, piano in # 12).

Small Constructions

Miles Tribut Big Band - Sketches of Catalonia

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:36
Size: 163,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:39)  1. Quasimodo
( 8:46)  2. Four
( 6:51)  3. Half Nelson
( 5:16)  4. Someday My Prince Will Come
( 6:09)  5. Seven Steps to Heaven
( 5:23)  6. My Funny Valentine
( 5:16)  7. All of You
(11:07)  8. Tutu
( 8:07)  9. So What

4 years ago, Joan Chamorro was commissioned to assemble and lead an orchestra as a tribute to Miles Davis, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of his death. Pere Pons, artistic director of the Jamboree Club and San Miguel Mas i Mas Festival was the one who made the assignment to Chamorro: he wanted it to accompany the publication of a special issue dedicated to the Missouri trumpeter’s imprint left in Catalonia. Thus, besides the memories, anecdotes and words, all would revive in its most natural form, music. The effort would result in a unique concert, on August 31, 2011 at the Apolo in Barcelona, that would be recorded and published together with the monograph. Taking advantage of the enormous work that he had been doing with the Sant Andreu Jazz Band and Andrea Motis, Joan Chamorro decided to incorporate some of the young ones to form the Miles Tribut Big Band. They would also count with great soloists as bassist Carles Benavent (the only one who had come to work with Miles Davis), guitarist Jordi Bonell, saxophonist Llibert Fortuny and trumpeter Matthew Simon. Selected themes reviewed the different stages of Miles Davis, and arrangements were ordered from Alfons Carrascosa and Sergi Verges, two masters of detail. The production received its name recalling the 1960's Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis and Gil Evans. The concert was a resounding success: musicians, critics and audience. Today, four years later, the tribute has been celebrated again, this time at the Palau de la Musica Catalana and as the opening concert of 13 San Miguel Mas i Mas Festival. And Joan Chamorro has decided to reissue this particular album and finally make it available to everyone.

Personnel:  Joan Chamorro (Conductor, baritone, tenor and alto sax, bass clarinet); Matthew Simon, Jaume Peña, Alba Armengou (Trumpet); Andrea Motis (Trumpet and vocals); Josep Tutusaus, Sergi Verges, Dani Tellez (Trombone); Eva Fernandez (Baritone, alto and soprano sax and clarinet); Joan Marti, Alba Esteban (Alto sax); Isce Datzira (Tenor sax and clarinet); Carles Vazquez (Tenor sax and flute); Joan Monne (Piano and keyboards); Curro Galvez (Double bass, electric bass); Carles Benavent (Bass); Esteve Pi (Drums).

Sketches of Catalonia

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Sammy Rimington - Visits New Orleans

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 138.8 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:40] 1. Smile, Darn You, Smile
[4:41] 2. In The Upper Garden
[3:51] 3. You Always Hurt The One You Love
[5:55] 4. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
[5:16] 5. Mazie
[4:13] 6. Burgundy Street Blues
[6:26] 7. Bugle Boy March
[4:29] 8. Far Away Blues
[4:30] 9. Red Wing
[4:28] 10. Over The Waves
[3:20] 11. Mobile Stomp
[7:43] 12. Sweet Georgia Brown

Title aside, British clarinetist Sammy Rimington has done much more than just visit New Orleans over the years: He has based his entire career on playing traditional New Orleans jazz, both with fellow Britons like Chris Barber and Ken Colyer, and with actual New Orleans musicians, including his major influences. The person who was visiting New Orleans in connection with this recording was Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz, who went there in April 2005 with filmmakers Maureen Gosling and Chris Simon for a documentary they were making about Arhoolie. Gosling and Simon wanted to see Strachwitz do what he had spent his career doing, recording his favorite musicians.

Movies can take a long time to edit and find distributors, however, and Strachwitz has opted not to wait for the eventual soundtrack album, instead releasing the results of his trip here and on A New Orleans Visit-Before Katrina. Rimington is heard in three contexts, with a group Strachwitz has dubbed his Hot Six at the Palm Court, a restaurant; with Michael and David Doucet, Lionel Batiste and Lars Edegran, in a private home; and with the Tremè Brass Band during a street parade. The sound has the quality of a field recording, but that only makes the performances more impressive. The Hot Six is especially lively on such selections as the opener, “Smile, Darn You, Smile,” but the Tremè Brass Band also devotes nearly eight raucous minutes to “Sweet Georgia Brown.” The album is a testament to the importance of New Orleans, before and after Katrina. ~William Ruhlmann

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Bob Reynolds - Guitar Band

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:56
Size: 162.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[ 6:39] 1. Unlucky
[10:24] 2. Blues For Charlie
[15:52] 3. Crush
[12:13] 4. Mulholland
[12:39] 5. Down South
[13:06] 6. Can't Wait For Perfect

Bob Reynolds — tenor saxophone; Nir Felder — electric guitar; Mark Lettieri — electric guitar; Kaveh Rastegar — electric bass guitar; Robert “Sput” Searight — drums. Recorded live at The Blue Whale, Los Angeles, CA, on January 21, 2016.

This record happened by accident.

I had a night booked at The Blue Whale—a killer jazz club in Los Angeles—but hadn’t yet selected a band. While touring with Snarky Puppy, I got talking with Mark and Sput about NAMM (a music convention held each January, south of Los Angeles). They were both going to be in town for it so I asked them to join me at the Whale. Then I asked Kaveh (bassist in Kneebody, among other bands). We'd performed together recently and I was looking for an excuse to play again. Then I found out Nir (who I'd been playing with for awhile) was going to be in town from New York. Perfect! This was my chance to experiment with a two-guitar band.

Ever since playing in John Mayer’s band, I’d wanted to lead a guitar-based group. John had three guitarists (including himself) in his touring band. This meant a lush cushion of guitar-y goodness enveloped every solo I played. Imagine the best mattress and pillow combination you’ve ever experienced. It feels like that. But of course, it’s not just the guitar. It’s the player.

Excited by the idea of this group, I decided to borrow a page from the Snarky Puppy playbook and film it. There was one catch: we had no time to rehearse, and barely a sound check. I’d played with each of these guys in different scenarios, but never as a unit. So we set up in a circle, surrounded by an audience and five cameras, and played these tunes together for the first time. No pressure! I thought we might get two or three good videos out of it. We got more. Alex Chaloff and his team captured not only gorgeous video but stunning audio. When I heard the result I realized this needed to be its own album. So here it is. Live. Raw. Filled with an energy that comes only from tight-rope walking in front of an audience. My younger self would hear only the “mistakes.” My current-age-self hears the magic. I hope you hear it, too. ~Bob Reynolds

Guitar Band mc
Guitar Band zippy

Justin Hayward - Classic Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:29
Size: 131.6 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[3:18] 1. The Tracks Of My Tears
[7:11] 2. Macarthur Park
[2:26] 3. Blackbird
[4:48] 4. Vincent
[3:28] 5. God Only Knows
[3:49] 6. Bright Eyes
[4:23] 7. A Whiter Shade Of Pale
[4:14] 8. Scarborough Fair
[3:18] 9. Railway Hotel
[3:24] 10. Man Of The World
[5:10] 11. Forever Autumn
[4:16] 12. As Long As The Moon Can Shine
[7:39] 13. Stairway To Heaven

Here is where Justin's vocal talents are on showcase. No strong guitar or exceptional tune crafting present. He nails Simon & Garfunkel, Beatles, and Led Zep tunes adroitly and with ease. These renditions with MacArthur Park and other lesser known tunes shine through the talent and ability Justin has. A great, great piece of work for anyone looking to see someone who easily stands toe-to-toe with Sinatra, Bennett and others! ~Bill Chaffin

Classic Blue mc
Classic Blue zippy

Cool Jazz Trio - Take 8

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:58
Size: 91.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:09] 1. Beautiful Love
[3:24] 2. Emily
[4:59] 3. I Should Care
[5:20] 4. For Heaven's Sake
[6:06] 5. I'm Old Fashioned
[3:14] 6. Here's That Rainy Day
[4:45] 7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:58] 8. Prelude To A Kiss

Claudio Chiara (sax alto); Moreno D'Onofrio (chitarra); Luciano Milanese (contrabbasso).

COOL JAZZ TRIO A band named after one the most important and fertile period of jazz, with an appropriate repertorie, marks a specific aesthetic direction. It means above all belief, since the beginning, in a world maybe forgotten but rich in truth and beauty, emotions and poetry. “Cool” here means intimate, fresh and colloquial, rather than an aseptic recall to typical atmospheres such as Lennie Tristano’s o Gil Evan’s and Miles Davis’ ones. Unfortunately, these are qualities musicians shows less and less, not only in Italy.

Well, these three musicians gcing each other their han turn all this features into their own artistic belief all along. certainly not for revival cultural acquiescence but to obey to an intrinsic philosophy, an urgency which can be expressed just this way.

Take 8 mc
Take 8 zippy

Bill Meyers - The Color Of Truth

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:32
Size: 94,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. Style
(4:26)  2. Color of the Truth
(5:23)  3. I'm Still Standing
(2:33)  4. Sounds of Rhythm
(4:28)  5. Perfect Crime
(3:23)  6. Fanfare
(4:29)  7. Just Say the Word
(4:12)  8. Say What You Mean
(4:34)  9. Halfway There
(2:50) 10. From a Distance

For a label purporting to be a contemporary jazz outfit, it's curious that Agenda's first two releases were pop/vocal albums (the first was David Lasley's fine Soldiers on the Moon). Perhaps keyboardist/arranger Meyers, who can sing but not exceptionally well (à la David Foster), should've focused on instrumentals since the perky "Fanfare" and the pretty, new age closing piece "From a Distance" are the most likable tunes here. As a pop tunesmith, Meyers is on the average side, much more provocative lyrically than memorable musically, and his voice is no match for his keyboard expertise. Still, the album does have its moments. "Just Say the Word" is a potential soft rock hit and "The Sounds of Rhythm" shows some imagination. Meyers also has some good backing players on hand, most notably Brandon Fields, Mike Landau, Jeff Porcaro, Vinnie Colaiuta, and onetime Styx guitarist Glen Burtnik. Meyers, who has played with and arranged for Earth, Wind & Fire and Madonna, seems to fancy himself a pop artist, but this platter makes it clear that he should be satisfied being a great musician. ~ Jonatham Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/color-of-the-truth-mw0000316081

Personnel: Bill Meyers (piano, keyboards, synthesizer).

The Color Of Truth

Ben Wendel - What We Bring

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:29
Size: 120,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Amian
(4:31)  2. Fall
(5:17)  3. Spring
(4:55)  4. Doubt
(6:23)  5. Song Song
(6:43)  6. Soli
(5:50)  7. Austin
(6:39)  8. Solar

Ben Wendel can be considered the kind face of the Kneebody -band high-voltage adrenaline which is a founding member-feature that highlights mainly in his work as a leader. This is also the case of thisWhat We Bringalbum in which he makes use of the talent of Gerald Clayton , pianist who embodies the large group of musicians anchored to the straight ahead tradition and committed to refreshing it with the ferments of contemporaneity. What We Bring says Wendel in the cover notes is a work dedicated to teachers of the past and current musicians who have influenced not only musically. But we do not find in it any trace of nostalgia or commemorative rhetoric only a good dose of affection and a strong personality. As it happens in the initial "Amian." The references to the coltraniana "Naima" suggest nothing of the incipit, then the song stands out for other shores, on the wings of one of the leader full of pathos and essential, sweet without fuss, the original mood recreated to perfection but pulsating own life. And so, song after song, Wendel offers his personal perspective of jazz that has been and of jazz that will be, without clamor or revolutions, with the brilliance and good taste that distinguish it, as highlighted by the "Solar," perfect davisiana conclusion for a class album.~ Vicenzo Roggero https://www.allaboutjazz.com/what-we-bring-ben-wendel-motema-music-review-by-vincenzo-roggero.php

Personnel: Ben Wendel: sax (tenor), bassoon; Gerald Clayton: piano; Joe Sanders: double bass; Henry Cole: battery; Nate Wood: percussion.

What We Bring

Dion - Kickin Child: The Lost Album 1965

Styles: Vocal, R&B
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:00
Size: 103,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Kickin' Child
(2:42)  2. Now
(2:10)  3. My Love
(2:54)  4. I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound
(3:15)  5. Wake Up Baby
(2:46)  6. Time in My Heart for You
(2:48)  7. Tomorrow Won't Bring the Rain
(2:40)  8. Baby, I'm in the Mood for You
(2:54)  9. Two Ton Feather
(2:57) 10. Knowing I Won't Go Back There
(3:29) 11. Farewell
(3:33) 12. All I Want to Do Is Live Life
(2:25) 13. You Move Me Babe
(3:34) 14. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
(2:43) 15. So Much Younger

As much of a pleasure it is to hear Dion DiMucci's voice throughout Kickin' Child and it is a great pleasure indeed even if you never traversed the path from "Runaround Sue" to "Abraham Martin & John" there's no denying the all too obvious sources of the music. Even the cover photo hearkens to Bob Dylan's Freewheelin' (Columbia, 1963) career phase, wherein he first experimented with the accompaniment of an electric band. And the transparently imitative nature of the recordings should hardly come as a surprise, since this record, subtitled The Lost Album 1965 , is part of a continuum including previous archive releases Bronx in Blue (SPV, 2006) and Bronx Blues: The Columbia Recordings 1962-1965 (Legacy, 1991). The overseer of all but three cuts here, Tom Wilson is the same producer who, without the knowledge of the artist, overdubbed electric guitars and a rhythm section on the otherwise acoustic arrangement of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sounds of Silence," thus turning it into a hit comparable to other folk-rock pinnacles of the times, including The Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man," followups to which "Now" resembles more than a little too readily. There are even more obvious precedents outside DiMucci's early oeuvre. For instance, his self-conscious vocal phrasing on "Kickin' Child," is an overt emulation of Bob Dylan in his transition from the socially-conscious folk troubadour to the freewheeling visionary that wrote "Mr Tambourine Man." "My Love" sounds like DiMucci was trying a re-write of "Love Minus Zero No Limit" and if he wasn't trying to telegraph his sources on the final track, "So Much Younger," he wouldn't have preceded that tune with Dylan's own "It's All Over Now Baby Blue," and thus drawn so direct a line to the latter's "My Back Pages." Dion cannot conjure the same gleeful abandon as the author on "Baby I'm In the Mood For You" and he strains for the off-kilter, humorous of "Subterranean Homesick Blues:" with "Two Ton Feather:" abstraction is not DiMucci's strong point. Nor is he inspiring the musicians accompanying him here. This ever-so-careful reading of Tom Paxton's "I Can't Help but Wonder Where I'm Bound" suits the by-the-numbers compositional style: it's played in as rote a fashion as it's written. Meanwhile, the DiMucci original "Knowing I Won't Go Back There" is somewhat spirited in the accompaniment from the Wanderers-guitarist Johnny Fabio, bassist Pete Fasciglia and drummer Carlo Mastrangelo-but studio savant Al Kooper appears with this complement of players to further replicate the sound of The Byrds of the time with "Now" (and the absence of twelve-string guitar doesn't camouflage the intent or the end result).

It should be noted too that Wilson is the man who shepherded Bob Dylan through many of his studio sessions during this era, so it should come as even less surprise-Dion reportedly having been introduced to the blues by The Bard's other mentor, Columbia Records' John Hammond-that so much of the work here is purely derivative of Dylan, even apart from the direct covers of "Farewell," among others. The imitative transparency that permeates Kickin' Child is that of a musician, usually a fledgling artist in the process of cutting his/her teeth on roots as a means to discover a distinctive personal voice. Dion DiMucci's had already established such a singular voice by this time, based on his tremendous commercial success in the late fifties and early Sixties and it is to his credit that, apparently introduced to the blues by Columbia Records executive John Hammond, he was earnestly moved to pursue a different artistic direction. In his thorough liner notes Scott Kempner suggests, perhaps unintentionally, that the intent of this collaboration wasn't purely artistic, but an equally mercenary means to revive a career. And yet, apart from those cuts, if it were not for preconceptions based on DiMucci's previously established image, this work might well have been better received at the time, even if it sounds ever so calculated now: therein, no doubt, lies the reason that it was never released under the Columbia Records aegis and now comes out on the niche/specialty label Norton. All that said, any musiclover who dotes on this particular style from the mid-Sixties is bound to relish Kickin' Child -The Lost Album 1965 , simultaneously savoring Dion's fulsome, effortless singing as a major component of that pleasurable sensation. ~ Doug Collette https://www.allaboutjazz.com/kickin-child-the-lost-album-1965-dion-dimucci-norton-records-review-by-doug-collette.php

Personnel: Dion DiMucci: guitar, vocals; Johnny Falbo: guitar; Pete Fasciglia: bass; Al Kooper: keyboards; Carlo Mastrangelo: drums.

Kickin Child: Lost Columbia Album 1965

The Nashville All-Stars - After The Riot At Newport

Styles:Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:35
Size: 99,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:10)  1. Relaxin'
( 3:18)  2. Nashville To Newport
( 6:14)  3. Opus De Funk
( 4:36)  4. 's Wonderful
( 4:39)  5. 'round Midnight
( 3:37)  6. Frankie And Johnny
( 8:57)  7. Riot-Chorus

The Nashville All-Stars is a group of Nashville sessionmen, including pianist Floyd Cramer, saxophonist Boots Randolph, Gary Burton, Hank Garland, and Chet Atkins. Their debut, After the Riot in Newport, is a surprisingly jazzy effort, highllighted by some excellent leads by Atkins, yet it is a bit too down-home for jazzbos, and a bit too polished for country fans. Nevertheless, fans of pure musicianship will find plenty to treasure on the album. ~ Thom Owens https://www.allmusic.com/album/after-the-riot-at-newport-mw0000654918

Personnel: Chet Atkins, Hank Garland (guitar); Brenton Banks (violin, piano); Boots Randolph (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Floyd Cramer (piano); Gary Burton (vibraphone); Buddy Harman (drums).

After The Riot At Newport

Laila Biali - Laila Biali

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:08
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. Got to Love
(5:17)  2. We Go
(5:06)  3. Satellite
(4:42)  4. Yellow
(5:25)  5. Refugee
(4:35)  6. Dolores Angel
(4:54)  7. Queen of Hearts
(4:22)  8. Serenbe
(4:45)  9. Code Breaking
(3:37) 10. I Think It's Going to Rain Today
(5:21) 11. Wind
(4:45) 12. Let's Dance

The raven-haired musician has won awards (SOCAN Composer of the Year and Keyboardist of the Year at Canada’s National Jazz Awards) and played the world’s most prestigious venues (North Sea Jazz Festival, Tokyo’s Cotton Club, Carnegie Hall). She’s toured with GRAMMY award winners (Chris Botti, Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega) and recorded with an international icon (Sting). In short: She’s established herself as one of Canadian jazz’s brightest young stars. And now, almost two decades into a successful career, she’s ready for a change. “It’s been a long time coming,” Laila says of her upcoming self-titled album. “I’ve been playing music professionally for years but this album feels, in a way, like a new beginning.” Led by the funky single, “Got to Love,” LAILA BIALI is the culmination of everything the acclaimed singer-songwriter has achieved thus far. “Writing this album, I felt like a kid in a candy store, wanting to try everything,” Laila explains. “It took some time for me to find my voice as a songwriter, and I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself into any one particular genre.”

The end result is an eclectic-but-focused album that Laila describes as “fully representative.” “There are elements of improvisation, so the jazz is there,” she says. “There’s also an edgier songwriting persona that I think has always been there but took some time to hone in on.” Catchy, sophisticated, and unlike anything currently on the radio, it’s pop music, but not the kind that can be neatly tagged by an algorithm. Melodies take thrilling left turns and pre-choruses give way to instrumental interludes. One minute Biali is soaring over a bluesy storm of handclaps and hard-charging keyboard riffs (“Got to Love”), the next she is pouring out her soul on an impassioned, slow-burning plea for empathy (“Refugee.”) It’s pop music, but the experimental, distinctly human variety popularized by Regina Spektor, Rachael Yamagata, and Sara Bareilles. Balancing the competing impulses was a challenge, but the final outcome was worth it. “I’m more excited about this record than any other project of mine to date,” Laila declares. Fans should be too. http://lailabiali.com/bio/

Laila Biali