Luciana Souza - Duos II & Duos III

Album: Duos II
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:17
Size: 108.2 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Brazilian rhythms
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Sai Dessa
[4:05] 2. Nos Horizontes Do Mundo
[4:44] 3. A Flor E O Espinho Juizo Final
[2:50] 4. Muita Bobeira
[3:30] 5. Modinha
[4:28] 6. No Carnaval Vento
[3:49] 7. Sambadalu (Para Luciana Souza)
[5:48] 8. Aparecida
[5:44] 9. Trocando Em Miudos
[2:56] 10. Chorinho Pra Ele
[2:46] 11. Atr S Da Porta
[3:33] 12. Voce

Over the course of six albums filled with her beautiful voice and thoughtful interpretations, singer Luciana Souza has landed two Grammy nominations and grabbed the attention of knowledgeable jazz and Brazilian music fans. Here she follows up her breakthrough album Duos with a second installment, this time again in intimate duo settings with different guitarists. Souza dwells in her voice's mid-range, seldom going particularly high or low, yet her inflections are as rich as a well-aged cabernet wine. While these nuances take a little time to pick up, Souza's technical facility is easily recognizable and impressive – her lightning fast scat on the new choro "Sambadalu (Para Luciana Souza)" is dazzling; her timing on the ballad "Modinha" is impeccable. Generally regarded a jazz singer because of her chops, Souza is really "beyond category" (to use an old Duke Ellington quote) for bringing Brazilian folk idioms into the jazz genre, and she doesn't do it any better than on Duos II. –-Tad Hendrickson

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Album: Duos III
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:56
Size: 93.7 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Brazilian rhythms
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[1:29] 1. Tim Tim Por Tim Tim
[2:04] 2. Doralice
[2:39] 3. Chora Coracao
[2:53] 4. Pedra Da Lua
[3:54] 5. Dona Lu
[3:37] 6. Mágoas De Coboclo
[2:39] 7. Eu Vim Da Bahia
[3:59] 8. As Rosas Não Falam
[3:42] 9. Lamento Sertanejo & Maçã Do Rosto
[2:49] 10. Inutil Paisagem
[6:03] 11. Dindi
[5:02] 12. Beijo Partido

Duos III celebrates the ten-year anniversary of the release of Luciana Souza s Grammy- nominated and much celebrated CD, Brazilian Duos. Her Duos II record also went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Record. The last volume of this trilogy brings back her long time collaborators - guitar phenomenon Romero Lubambo, and master guitarist Marco Pereira - and introduces Toninho Horta, one of Brazil s most unique guitarists and composers. The repertoire is again as varied and beautiful as the Brazilian landscape including works by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cartola, Gilberto Gil and Toninho Horta.

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Sandy Nelson - The Very Best Of Sandy Nelson

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:40

Size: 129.8 MB

Styles: Instrumental rock, Rock N Roll

Year: 2003

Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Teen Beat' 65

[2:13] 2. Be Bop A Lula

[2:18] 3. I'm Walkin'

[2:18] 4. Don't Be Cruel

[2:49] 5. In The Mood

[2:06] 6. Peggy Sue

[2:59] 7. In Beat

[2:25] 8. Bony Moronie

[2:14] 9. Drum Party

[3:11] 10. Do You Wanna Dance

[2:02] 11. Back Off Boogaloo

[2:03] 12. Drum Stomp

[2:11] 13. Great Balls Of Fire

[2:39] 14. Rock Around The Clock

[1:37] 15. Shake Rattle And Roll

[1:53] 16. Blue Suede Shoes

[2:07] 17. Drums Are My Beat

[2:40] 18. Pinball Wizard

[2:15] 19. Summertime Blues

[2:17] 20. I Hear You Knockin'

[2:18] 21. Drumming Up A Storm

[3:08] 22. The Beat Goes On

[1:56] 23. Yakety Yak

[2:15] 24. Let There Be Drums

Sandy Nelson was the biggest -- and one of the few -- star drummers of the late '50s and early '60s era in which instrumental rock was at its peak. He landed two Top Ten hits, "Teen Beat" (1959) and "Let There Be Drums" (1961), which surrounded his Gene Krupa-inspired solos with cool, mean guitar licks that were forerunners of the surf sound. Nelson had only one other Top 40 hit, "Drums Are My Beat" (1962). He ground out a quick series of instrumental albums in the early '60s -- eight within 18 months, as a matter of fact -- with several other top Hollywood rock and pop session musicians. Nelson was not that great a drummer, although he was good. His principal importance is that he found a place for drum rock solos in hit instrumental singles, and the more reckless elements of his style no doubt influenced other musicians, such as surf drummers and, later, Keith Moon.

Nelson started to play rock & roll as a teenager in Los Angeles in the 1950s, forming a group that included Jan Berry, Dean Torrence, and Bruce Johnston, all of whom would be important to the surf and hot rod scenes a few years down the line. By the late '50s he was playing sessions, including drums on the Teddy Bears' chart-topper "To Know Him Is to Love Him." After his "Teen Beat" became a hit for Original Sound in 1959, he signed with Imperial as a solo artist, and continued to work as a session musician. For instance, he's heard on Gene Vincent records of the time, as well as the Hollywood Argyles' big hit "Alley Oop," on which he also did some screams. Nelson's numerous solo albums, despite the assistance of top fellow sessioneers like Steve Douglas (sax), Ernie Freeman (piano), and Rene Hall (guitar), had a lot of basic and unimaginative instrumental rock, whether original material or covers of well-known hits of the day. As with Duane Eddy's recordings, however, these simple albums might have helped inspire aspiring musicians as things to play along and learn with, if nothing else.

Near the end of 1963, Nelson was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that necessitated amputation of his right foot and part of his leg. Nonetheless, he managed to resume his drumming career and continued to churn out albums, as well as some singles, of which "Casbah" (1965) is the highlight, with its wild splashing drums and frenetic Middle Eastern/surf guitar. ~bio by Richie Unterberger

The Very Best Of Sandy Nelson 

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Wild Bill Davison, Papa Bue's Viking Jazzband - Wild Bill Davison With Papa Bue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:35
Size: 134.1 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz
Year: 1977/1999
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. I'm Confessin'
[5:02] 2. As Long As I Live
[3:52] 3. A Cottage For Sale
[3:38] 4. I Never Knew
[3:58] 5. Farfars Blues
[2:53] 6. Way Down Yonder In New Oreans
[3:00] 7. Blues My Naughtie Sweetie Gave To Me
[2:37] 8. Blue And Sentimental
[3:51] 9. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[5:35] 10. Tishomingo Blues
[5:51] 11. You're Lucky To Me
[3:36] 12. I Can''t Get Started
[3:27] 13. Someday You'll Be Sorry
[3:16] 14. Avalon
[4:20] 15. Lady Be Good

This release draws its material from five sessions that cornetist Wild Bill Davison recorded in Copenhagen with trombonist Papa Bue Jensen's Viking Jazz Band, not duplicating any music released elsewhere. Davison, who sings "A Cottage for Sale," clearly enjoyed playing with Jensen and his band (which also featured clarinetist Jorgen Svarre and occasionally tenor saxophonist Bent Jaedig) and he sounds quite inspired. Highpoints include "I'm Confessin," "I Never Knew," "Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me" and "You're Lucky to Me." ~Scott Yanow

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Nils Landgren - Chapter Two/2

Styles: Vocal, Trombone and Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 92,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:22)  1. Get Here
(4:47)  2. Song For Nils
(4:32)  3. Killing Me Softly
(3:32)  4. The Red Moped
(2:38)  5. Mood Shadow
(1:43)  6. Like Someone In Love
(3:49)  7. Everything Happens To Me
(2:08)  8. Waltz For Johanna
(5:10)  9. Everything Must Change
(2:29) 10. Morning Song
(5:07) 11. Birthday Dance

On the 9th of December 1980 Nils Landgren and Johan Norberg embarked a flight to Hamburg for a one week tv- session with Swedish singer Lill Lindfors. This was the first time they played together and during the 1980’s they would meet again on several occasions as being the most sought after studio musicians in Sweden. In 1988 they decided to form a duo ”Chapter Two” and their first tour was an immediate success followed by tv- shows and more than 300 concerts throughout Sweden. In 1994 the album Chapter Two/2 was released which has, up to date, sold more than 20.000 copies in Sweden. As being best friends they take care of this, their oldest ongoing project, and make a couple of concerts every year, filling the big venues in Sweden with huge crowds of their faithful ”Chapter Two-Fans”. http://www.nilslandgren.com/chapter-two-2/

Personnel:  Nils Landgren – lead vocals, trombone, trumpet;  Johan Norberg – guitar, backup vocals, accordion

Chapter Two/2

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Peter Bernstein - Earth Tones

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:49
Size: 154,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:58)  1. Metamorphosis
(7:56)  2. Sublime Indifference
(6:23)  3. Dragonfly
(6:09)  4. Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)
(9:58)  5. Acrobat
(7:37)  6. How Deep Is The Ocean?
(6:05)  7. Breakthrough
(5:53)  8. Pivot
(7:45)  9. Carrot Cake

?Peter Bernstein led four albums for the Swiss Criss Cross label during 1992-1997. His fourth effort has him heading a trio with organist Larry Goldings and drummer Bill Stewart. Some of the selections are very much in the soul/jazz tradition, since the Jimmy Smith influence can be heard now and then in Goldings' playing and Bernstein's main influence is Wes Montgomery. However, some of the originals are more advanced and the music still sounds pretty fresh. Among the highlights are Bernstein's ironically titled "Sublime Indifference," Goldings' tricky "The Acrobat," Hank Mobley's "The Breakthrough," and a relaxed version of "How Deep Is the Ocean."~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/earth-tones-mw0000600871

Personnel: Peter Bernstein (guitar); Larry Goldings (Hammond B-3 organ); Bill Stewart (drums).

Earth Tones

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Joey DeFrancesco - Snapshot: The Original Trio

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:58)  1. Eighty One
(9:55)  2. The End of a Love Affair
(2:44)  3. Introductions
(7:28)  4. Ode to Angela
(6:19)  5. Songline
(7:16)  6. You Don't Know Me
(8:32)  7. Fly Me to the Moon
(9:20)  8. Whichole

Joey DeFrancesco has come a long way from his recording debut made in 1989 as a fresh-faced 17-year-old. From the get-go, he established his credentials with virtuoso technique and an innate soulfulness that he developed under the tutelage of his father, Papa John DeFrancesco. Combining monstrous chops with a flair for showmanship, DeFrancesco is regarded by organ aficionados as the baddest B-3 burner in the business. Joey's latest manages to look both ahead and back back to the trio's roots which extend back 15 years and ahead to musical triumphs to come. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Snapshot-Joey-DeFrancesco/dp/B002N1AEJG

Personnel:  Joey DeFrancesco (Hammond B-3 organ); Paul Bollenback (Guitar); Byron Landham (Drums).

Snapshot: The Original Trio

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Hank Marvin - DJango's Castle

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:48
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:28)  1. Swing 42
(3:32)  2. Swingtime In Springtime
(3:53)  3. Noto Swing
(3:31)  4. After You've Gone
(4:15)  5. Si Tu Savais
(5:12)  6. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:59)  7. Coquette
(3:44)  8. Micro
(3:30)  9. Viper's Dream
(3:42) 10. DJango's Castle
(4:16) 11. Minor Swing
(4:39) 12. Swing Guitars
(4:47) 13. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(4:13) 14. Belleville

The name Hank Marvin may not be as internationally well known as those he's influenced (Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and Mark Knopfler, to name a few), but intimations of his characteristic vibrato have emanated from many a six-string since he first backed Cliff Richard with his band the Shadows in the late 1950s. Marvin has enjoyed continued success as a solo artist, most recently in the present trio with accordionist Nunzio Mondia and rhythm guitarist Gary Taylor. Mondia and Taylor became instant collaborators when they first came together on the tribute album Hank Plays Cliff (1995 Polygram TV). Now known as Hank Marvin Gypsy Jazz, Marvin and his associates have built up a songbook of arrangements out of mutual passion for Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, whose music dominates their first full outing, Django's Castle. With bassists Pete Jeavons, Robbie Pisano, and Matt Willis providing arch support, the band understands the meaning of swing and uses that understanding to enliven this collection of 14 tunes with panache. Three nominal swings, in fact, set the mood for a rollicking good time. Each highlights Marvin's exceptional feel for steel, and the band's keen making of music that is sure to get those feet tapping. Shuffling sweet solos into a deck of savory themes, the core trio deals itself a winning hand without fail. 

All are straight flushes, with the exception of two royals: the uplifting and distinctly realized "Micro" and emotionally naked "Si Tu Savais." The latter is an unusually somber detour, all the more so for its haunting bellows. Mondia lends further graces to classics such as "Coquette" and "Viper's Dream," both striking mid-tempo pieces that ooze nostalgia. Even evergreens like "Honeysuckle Rose" and "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" feel renewed, not least of all for their adroit sense of traction. Mondia plays with a smile, eliciting from his instrument a smooth, legato current that feels enmeshed in every shift of terrain. His relays with Marvin in "Minor Swing" and "Swing Guitars" are especially noteworthy in this regard. Marvin, for his part, adds sparkle to every nook and cranny that catches his ear. Whether bobbing on the current of the title track or ending the album as he does with the enlivening "Belleville," he shows that virtuosity is one thing, but that threading virtuosity with a melodic line one can always follow is quite another. What truly distinguishes Marvin in the hallowed halls of fingerstyle players is the immediacy of his tone. Here is an artist who paints directly and cleanly, without the need for blending but who, like van Gogh, applies his paint in relief and lets the colors sing. What's more, Marvin and his band are living proof that optimistic music can be just as serious and cerebral as the darkest, most brooding forms of jazz. For while there is an unmistakable joy about the album, one would require immense effort not to hear the depth of dedication required to pull it off with such fluidity. Fans of John Jorgensen, Lollo Meier, and Angelo Debarre won't want to miss this. A master at work. ~ Tyran Grillo https://www.allaboutjazz.com/djangos-castle-hank-marvin-mtm-music-pty-ltd-review-by-tyran-grillo.php

Personnel: Hank Marvin: lead guitar; Nunzio Mondia: accordion; Gary Taylor: rhythm guitar; Pete Jeavons; double bass; Robbie Pisano: bass; Matt Willis: bass.

DJango's Castle

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Tamuz Nissim - Echo Of A Heartbeat

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:43
Size: 97,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Time in a Bottle
(3:41)  2. Fried Bananas
(4:44)  3. My World
(5:16)  4. Just Squeeze Me
(5:19)  5. In the Melody's Shade
(4:14)  6. Groovin' High
(4:25)  7. Echo of a Heartbeat
(3:44)  8. What a Little Moonlight Can Do
(4:24)  9. Smile

Tamuz Nissim is not only a singer of boundless promise she is already a great, full-fledged artist. This disc Echo of a Heartbeat shows how versatile she is, not only with her impressions of Charlie Parker and bebop in her breathtaking rhythm on Dexter Gordon’s “Fried Bananas”, as well as Eddie Jefferson in her superb crafting and delivery of her very own vocalese lyric to the piece, but also with her achingly beautiful ballad, “My World”, an original creation, one may add. Both of which songs speak to the other dimension of her artistry: her ability to write a perfect song, then to turn it on its head and sing it. There are three of them on this disc but they are not only the perfect creations here. Her rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Just Squeeze Me” in which she re-fits the sexy inner pulse of the song with a playful one that is equally alluring. Here Miss Nissim also performs a breathtaking glissando at the end of the song which highlights not only her multi-octave voice, but her ability to use it with theatrical effect.  Again, in her interpretation of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Groovin’ High” Miss Nissim reveals herself here as an artist of the first order, broadening out from good old-fashioned swing which she seemingly can sing in her sleep to the vim and verve, and dizzying atmospherics of bebop and vocalese.

Miss Nissim’s instrument is gorgeous, lustrous, precise, high-sprung and light as a feather-light. Her musicianship is fierce as she digs into the expression of each word, brings ceaseless variety soft dynamics and gives every phrase a lustrous grace. Here she is accompanied and guided by the extraordinary bassist and producer, Harvie S, who brings deeply interiorised reading to the material (especially beautiful on “Groovin’ High”) The extraordinary blend of musicians also extends to inimitable pianist James Weideman, virtuoso guitarist George Nazos and the brilliant drummer Tony Jefferson. Everywhere there is a beautiful bombshell that explodes from the artists led by this amazing singer and the fizzing “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” is only one more song that spins delightfully. Her vocalese on “Smile” is just as breathtakingly beautiful. So…everywhere, throughout this disc, Tamuz Nissim and the other artists make this music say something entirely new, and with such power that it is not simply the echo of the heartbeat, but the real thing itself. And by any measure that’s great music-making.

Personnel – Tamuz Nissim: vocals; James Weidman: piano; George Nazos: guitar (7, 8); Harvie S: bass; Tony Jefferson: drums

Echo Of A Heartbeat

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Cece Teneal - Portrait Of A Queen: A Tribute To Aretha Franklin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:22
Size: 101.6 MB
Styles: Soul/Blues vocals
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. Until You Come Back To Me
[3:52] 2. Daydreaming
[2:51] 3. I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
[3:42] 4. Spanish Harlem
[2:47] 5. A Natural Woman
[2:35] 6. Since You've Been Gone
[3:01] 7. Don't Play That Song
[3:31] 8. I Say A Little Prayer
[3:21] 9. Rock Steady
[3:15] 10. Do Right Woman Do Right Man
[3:24] 11. Dr. Feelgood
[2:39] 12. Respect
[5:37] 13. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Critics and fans have called CeCe Teneal “a musical force to be reckoned with”, and her achievements in the industry over the past decade are certainly testament to that view. A country girl blessed with a powerful voice that is filled with soul and resonance, CeCe began as a cover artist and is now planning to captivate the globe by performing her own original music that aligns with a blues/soul/funk soundtrack.

Born in Osteen, just outside of Orlando, Florida, CeCe never envisioned herself as a performer. Having inherited her voice from her mother, she was handed a microphone in the family church at the age of six and stunned people with her chillingly beautiful vocals. At first keeping her talent within the walls of her home, CeCe quickly felt something bigger beginning to emerge. God had a different plan from what she had first imagined, and after singing at venues throughout her region, her career skyrocketed when she was selected as the lead singer for B.B. King’s Blues Club in Orlando in 2007. CeCe succeeded in transforming B.B. King’s into the most frequented live music venue in Orlando, and in 2011 she released her debut blues album, “Train from Osteen”, performing to sold out crowds and eventually being dubbed the “Voice of Neo-Blues”.

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Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson - Jazz Masters 26

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:50
Size: 148.4 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz, Swing
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[ 4:42] 1. Jam Blues
[ 7:58] 2. Always
[ 6:10] 3. Soft Winds
[ 9:54] 4. Star Dust
[ 6:29] 5. Je Ne Sais Pas
[10:10] 6. Tenderly
[ 6:20] 7. Hallelujah!
[ 7:08] 8. Sweethearts On Parade
[ 5:56] 9. Date With Oscar

Vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and pianist Oscar Peterson are the stars of this delightful collection of jazz recordings supervised by producer Norman Granz over an almost exactly 12-month period extending from 1953 to 1954. Granz's marvelous knack for bringing together excellent musicians resulted in the combined presence of trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, trombonist Bill Harris, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, tenor saxophonists Ben Webster and Flip Phillips, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Buddy Rich. The combination of musical minds is extraordinary, and Hamp's amazing wavelength is dependably positive and uplifting. ~arwulf arwulf

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Bruce Marini - Twist & Sabbath

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:19
Size: 76.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[5:10] 1. Misirlou
[4:58] 2. My Girl
[4:39] 3. Chicago Connection
[7:29] 4. Twist And Sabbath
[5:35] 5. Rock 'n Roll
[5:25] 6. Scuffle

Bruno Marini (Verona, Italy May 18th 1958) is an Italian Baritone saxophone and Hammond organ player. He has performed with: Jack McDuff, Shirley Scott, Steve Lacy, Gary Bartz, Benny Golson, Joe Henderson, Sal Nistico, Hal Singer, Paul Jeffrey, John Tchicai, Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Kenny Burrell, Mal Waldron, Donald Garrett, Bobby Durham, Jimmy Cobb, Joe Chambers, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Han Bennink, Steve Ellington, Jimmy Carl Black.

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Eddie Jefferson - Letter From Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 36:42

Size: 84.0 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 1962/1987

Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Letter From Home

[3:09] 2. Take The A Train

[2:45] 3. Billie's Bounce (Take 4)

[2:47] 4. Billie's Bounce (Take 3)

[3:06] 5. I Cover The Waterfront (Back In Town)

[2:49] 6. Soft And Furry

[3:30] 7. A Night In Tunisia

[3:08] 8. Things Are Getting Better

[2:57] 9. Keep Walkin' (Take 4)

[2:51] 10. Keep Walkin' (Take 1)

[3:09] 11. Body And Soul (I Feel So Good)

[3:27] 12. Parker's Mood (Bless My Soul)

This CD (which augments the original LP program with two alternate takes) is a fine showcase for vocalese master Eddie Jefferson. Backed by either a tentet or a quintet that gives solo space to altoist James Moody and the tenor of Johnny Griffin, Jefferson sings his lyrics to such numbers as "Take the 'A' Train," "Billie's Bounce," "I Cover the Waterfront," "Parker's Mood" (the latter differs from the famous lines immortalized by King Pleasure), "A Night in Tunisia," and "Body and Soul," among others. Jefferson is in prime form and these boppish renditions as a whole form a near classic. ~Scott Yanow

Letter From Home  

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Jacek Kochan, John Abercrombie, Pat LaBarbera, Jim Vivian - Standard Transmission

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:43
Size: 125.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[8:54] 1. Nardis
[6:03] 2. Gonz's Mood
[6:53] 3. Lullaby
[9:37] 4. I Love You
[7:51] 5. You Don't Know What Love Is
[7:48] 6. I Wished On The Moon
[7:33] 7. Blue Forest

Jacek Kochan, composer, arranger, producer and drummer begun his adventure with music in seventies. In early 80-ties he moved to New York. There he have played and recorded with jazz, funk and r&b bands and studied among the others.with Jaco Pastorius, Mike Clark, Robbie Gonzales.

By the mid 80's, Jacek moved to Montreal, where he further expanded his musical lexicon to include writing for choirs and orchestra (Tudor Singers, Repercussion) as well as playing and recording ethnic music (latin , african , balkan). There he worked with Michel Donato, Karen Young, Andrew Leroux, Yannick Rieu, Oliver Jones, Jean-Pierrre Zanella, Michel Cusson, Katleen Dyson, Helmut Lipsky, Lazaro Saucedo, Geoff Lapp, Johnny Scott and many others, perfoming at the clubs and jazz festivals.

In 1990, after moving to Toronto, he started to work as a leader and sideman in countless live and recording projects with artists like John Abercrombie, Jerry Bergonzi, Pat Labarbera, Kenny Wheeler, Don Thompson, Mike Murley, Neil Swainson, Reggie Schwager, Lorne Lofsky, Bernie Senensky, John MacLeod, Dave Restivo and Brian Dickinson.

In 1995 he returned to Europe where he continues to compose, play, tour and record music with artists like Dave Liebman, Gary Thomas, Joey Calderazzo, Palle Mikkelborg, Eddie Henderson, Dave Tronzo, Briggan Krauss, Cuong Vu, Eric Vloeimans, Lars Danielsson, Eddie Schuller, Skerik, Tomas Stanko, Zbigniew Namyslowski, Adam Pieronczyk, Piotr Wojtasik, Assif Tsahar, Tomasz Szukalski, Maciej Sikala and Piotr Baron

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Sophisticated Lady - Crazy He Calls Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:20
Size: 101.5 MB
Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[6:55] 1. Crazy He Calls Me
[3:07] 2. S Wonderful
[3:37] 3. Whatever Lola Wants
[5:35] 4. Sophisticated Lady
[3:40] 5. Kissing Bug
[5:50] 6. Tempus Fugit
[6:50] 7. Don't Explain
[5:05] 8. The Very Thought Of You
[3:39] 9. All Of Me

Birgit Ellmerer, vocals; Jérôme De Carli, piano; Reimund Gerstner, contrabass, Lukas Bitterlin, drums; Andreas Steiner, trumpet/flugelhorn; Rolf Häsler, saxophone.

Singer Birgit Ellmerer’s band takes its name from Duke Ellington’s famous jazz ballad, Sophisticated Lady. Established in the Swiss jazz scene for 20 years, its top-notch musicians bring verve and swing to the timeless songs of the Great American Songbook. Ellmerer has an extraordinarily well-modulated voice that breathes new life into the All Time Standards in an enjoyable way.

The rhythm section consists of the savvy and versatile pianist Stefan W. Müller, the tight, creative contrabassist Samuel Joss, and the master of beats, drummer Lukas Bitterlin. Together they create a solid groove floor buttressed by an outstanding wind section consisting of Rolf Häsler on the saxophone and Andreas Steiner on the trumpet, both of whom thrill with solo flights of musical fancy. Sophisticated Lady’s catchy big-band vibe has been known to spark the enthusiasm of the audience and envelop it in a wonderous feeling.

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Alex Sipiagin - Mirages

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:53
Size: 162,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:57)  1. One For Mike I
(10:43)  2. Mirages
(10:01)  3. Live Score
( 7:14)  4. Levitin's Kingdom
(10:26)  5. Just One Of Those Things
( 8:10)  6. Tetragon
( 6:04)  7. Iris
( 9:15)  8. One For Mike II

With little muss or fuss, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has been gradually building a first-call reputation. Since emigrating from Russia in the early '90s, he has played with everyone from the late Michael Brecker and James Moody to David Binney and the Mingus Big Band. But it's his association with Dave Holland that's garnered him the greatest name recognition. He's a charter member of the bassist's Big Band, he's gigged with Holland's as-yet-unrecorded Octet, and toured extensively with the Sextet responsible for Pass It On (Dare2, 2008). With a growing discography as a leader the majority released by the Dutch Criss Cross label it's remarkable that Sipiagin has managed to demonstrate palpable growth from album to album, given the label's somewhat restrictive approach usually allowing only one day to record. Seeming to peak both compositionally and performance-wise with the one-two punch of his more spontaneous Prints (Criss Cross, 2007), and ambitious Out of the Circle (ArtistShare, 2007), where Sipiagin was afforded the luxury of both more recording time and a larger ensemble, Mirages is a more straight-ahead affair, with emphasis on solos and in-the-moment interaction. An effervescent energy pervading the entire set provides Mirages with its own unique place amongst Sipiagin's remarkably consistent and appealing discography. Tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, drummer Johnathan Blake and bassist Boris Kozlov who emigrated from Russia at the same time as Sipiagin have all appeared on one or more of the trumpeter's nine albums as a leader. Only pianist Mulgrew Miller is a seeming newcomer, though he's no stranger to Sipiagin, having clocked significant road time with the trumpeter as a member of Dave Holland's Sextet. 

The pianist's instantly recognizable sound stemming from McCoy Tyner's modal innovation but with a lighter touch and broader harmonic sensibility cranks up the heat on Sipiagin's four originals, including two takes of the high-octane "One for Mike" that bookend the disc with sheer modal energy, pushing the entire group towards unrelenting power and thrilling interaction. Sipiagin's writing may be less complex and long-form this time around, but these are still tough charts that set up a variety of contexts over which the ample solo space provided by Sipiagin is exploited by the trumpeter and his bandmates. Of the three cover tunes, Wayne Shorter's balladic "Iris" is a memorable respite from the album's largely relentless energy. Still, there's a simmering heat, with Blake's solo in particular feeling barely contained; Miller's a capella intro is a remarkable feat of contrapuntal beauty and rich harmonic ideation, while Sipiagin's unerring melodicism scores some of the album's most striking moments. Mirages may seem to be something of a detour for Sipiagin, but in truth it fits seamlessly into the trumpeter's discography. The emphasis may be on playing rather than writing this time around but it's still earmarked with Sipiagin's characteristically appealing melodicism. And with a group this hot, it stands out as one of the trumpeter's most passionate records to date. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mirages-alex-sipiagin-criss-cross-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin: trumpet, flugelhorn; Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone; Mulgrew Miller: piano; Boriz Kozlov: bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

Mirages

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Bob Mintzer Big Band - Latin From Manhattan

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:15
Size: 141,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Oye Como Va
(6:04)  2. Al Caborojeno
(6:26)  3. Acha
(6:15)  4. Ellis Island
(6:02)  5. Carla
(7:35)  6. New Rochelle
(5:52)  7. Chant
(6:36)  8. San Juan Shuffle
(5:50)  9. New Mambo
(4:39) 10. Mambone

For this recording by Bob Mintzer's big band, the tenor saxophonist and his 17-piece ensemble perform ten numbers with an Afro-Cuban beat provided by percussionist Louis Bauzo. Although Mintzer's group does not really have its own distinctive musical personality, it is full of talented players. Best-known among the sidemen are tenor saxophonist Bob Malach, altoist Pete Yellin, trumpeter Mike Mossman, trombonist Dave Taylor and pianist Phil Markowitz. Mintzer and Markowitz have the best spots and although Mossman unfortunately does not get any solos, many of the lesser-known horn players are heard from. Other than "Oye Como Va" (which is given a fresh new arrangement) most of the pieces were newly-written. Overall this Afro-Cuban flavored effort serves as a strong change of pace for Mintzer's orchestra. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/latin-from-manhattan-mw0000035907

Bob Mintzer Big Band: Bob Mintzer, Bob Malach, Lawrence Feldman, Pete Yellin, Roger Rosenberg (saxophone); Bob Milikan, Larry Lunetta, Scott Wendholt, Mike Mossman (trumpet); Larry Farrell, Keith O'Quinn, Sam Burtis, Dave Taylor (trombone); Phil Markowitz (piano); Jay Anderson (bass); John Riley (drums); Louis Bauzo (percussion).

Latin From Manhattan

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Gary Peacock & Marilyn Crispell - Azure

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:11
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:16)  1. Patterns
(6:18)  2. Goodbye
(5:47)  3. Leapfrog
(3:08)  4. Bass Solo
(9:23)  5. Waltz After David M
(6:38)  6. Lullaby
(2:44)  7. The Lea
(5:42)  8. Blue
(2:27)  9. Piano Solo
(3:40) 10. Puppets
(6:03) 11. Azure

Who leads a project is often nothing more than a matter of optics. Bassist Gary Peacock's name may come first on the cover of Azure, but there's no doubt that this is a collaborative affair, with pianist Marilyn Crispell an equal participant; the two even co-produced the recording, with label head Manfred Eicher nowhere to be found. Peacock and Crispell have worked as a duo for years, in addition to delivering two sublime trio recordings for the label with the sadly departed Paul Motian: the pianist's ECM debut, 1997's Nothing Ever Was, Anyway, and the even more impressive Amaryllis (2002). Still, even those recordings were shared affairs, with compositional contributions from all three on Amaryllis (Nothing Ever Was paid tribute to the music of pianist/singer Annette Peacock). Azure, however, represents the first time the work of this longstanding duo has been documented. Some have suggested that Crispell's more aggressive pre-ECM stance is evidence of artistic constraint by the label, but Azure proves nothing could be further from the truth. Peacock's discography as a leader/co-leader for the label including his landmark Voices from the Past Paradigm (1982) and duo date with guitarist Ralph Towner, A Closer View (1998) demonstrates his love of space, decay and melody. It also suggests a penchant for unfettered freedom, which nevertheless eschews aggression, instead occupying a sparer place where silence is an equal partner. That is no surprise, really, given Peacock and Crispell's shared connection in Buddhism and meditation. 

Crispell's ECM output has, indeed, been similarly predisposed towards the quieter end of the spectrum, but on recordings like One Dark Night I Left My Silent House, her completely improvised 2010 duo recording with clarinetist David Rothenberg, the pianist made clear that oblique strategies remain an essential part of her vernacular. As they do for Peacock. He may spend some of his time mining the Great American Songbook with Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette recently on Somewhere (ECM, 2013) but at the end of the day it's all part of the same continuum; it's all just music. Here, the duo opens with Crispell's aptly named "Patterns," its series of knotty thematic constructs played with temporal flexibility by the pianist (in impressive unison, with both hands), acting as a foundation for some jerky interactions with Peacock, but four songs later her "Waltz After Dave M" explores melody in a most personal way; more clearly structured, it shows Crispell and Peacock at their most eminently lyrical and unashamedly beautiful. Peacock's tone is warmer than usual, and on his abstract "Puppets," he delivers a rare arco solo, reaching for the outer edges and pushing through them to a more rarefied space; still, as esoteric as his playing might seem, there's always an inner logic and unerring focus. Peacock returns to pizzicato on the closing title track, one of three completely free improvisations. Paradoxical in its combination of hovering stasis and forward motion, it feels both as structured and thoroughly open as all of Azure's eleven tracks. A long time coming, Azure demonstrates, with pristine clarity and utter transparency, a unique partnership now finally unveiled for a larger audience on the year's most superb and revealing duo recording. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/azure-gary-peacock-ecm-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Marilyn Crispell: piano; Gary Peacock: double bass.

Azure

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Monty Alexander - Fridaynight

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:57
Size: 116,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:01)  1. Catwalk
( 9:50)  2. Never Let Me Go
( 8:28)  3. Renewal
(12:04)  4. Since My Baby Left Me
( 6:41)  5. River
( 4:51)  6. Milestones

Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander is a sophisticated, prolific performer with an urbane, swinging style informed by the bop tradition, as well as the reggae and Caribbean folk he grew up with. Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1944, Alexander first started playing piano around age four and took classical lessons from age six. By his teens, however, he had discovered jazz and was already performing in nightclubs. Although his early career found him covering pop and rock hits of the day, it was his love of jazz-oriented artists like Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole that brought him the most inspiration. In 1961, he moved with his family to Miami, Florida to better pursue his musical ambitions. It was there that Alexander met restaurateur and Frank Sinatra associate Jilly Rizzo, who eventually hired him as the house pianist at his New York nightclub, Jilly's. For the next several years, Alexander lived in New York and worked at Jilly's, where had the opportunity to befriend and perform with a bevy of stars including Sinatra, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, and others. Buoyed by this success, in 1964 he traveled to Los Angeles, where he recorded several well-received albums for the Pacific Jazz label, including Alexander the Great and Spunky. A handful of additional efforts followed, including 1967's Zing! on RCA and 1969's This Is Monty Alexander on Verve. In 1969 he also appeared on vibraphonist Milt Jackson's That's the Way It Is. In the 1970s, Alexander built a long-lasting relationship with Germany's MPS (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label and released a steady stream of albums, including 1971's Here Comes the Sun, 1974's Perception!, and 1977's Cobilimbo with longtime friend and collaborator Ernest Ranglin. These albums found Alexander pushing his sound in new directions and often combining jazz with elements of the Caribbean musical traditions of his youth. During this period he formed working relationships with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton. 

As a trio, they debuted to much acclaim on 1976's Live! Montreux Alexander, and would continue to work together in various configurations over the next several decades. The pianist also continued to record with Milt Jackson, and made appearances on albums by Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Phyllis Hyman, and others. The '80s were also a fruitful period for Alexander, who continued to combine his love of straight-ahead jazz and Caribbean music with the release of such albums as 1983's The Duke Ellington Songbook, 1985's The River, and 1986's Li'l Darlin'. He also reunited with Clayton and Hamilton on 1983's Reunion in Europe and paired with bassist Ray Brown for several dates, including 1985's Full Steam Ahead and 1987's The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio. More albums followed, including 1994's Live at Maybeck and 1995's reggae-inflected Yard Movement. He rounded out the decade with 1997's Frank Sinatra-inspired Echoes of Jilly's and 1999's Stir It Up: The Music of Bob Marley. n 2000, Alexander's artistic achievements were recognized by the Jamaican government with his designation as a worldwide music ambassador and as Commander in the Order of Distinction for outstanding services to Jamaica. That same year, he collaborated with reggae giants Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare on Monty Meets Sly & Robbie, followed in 2001 by Caribbean Duet with pianist Michel Sardaby. He then paired again with Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis for 2002's Triple Scoop and 2003's Straight Ahead. Two tribute sessions followed with 2008's The Good Life: Monty Alexander Plays the Songs of Tony Bennett and 2009's Calypso Blues: The Songs of Nat King Cole. Alexander then highlighted his fusion of reggae, ska, R&B, and jazz on 2011's Harlem-Kingston Express and 2014's Harlem-Kingston Express, Vol. 2: River Rolls On, both recorded at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/monty-alexander-mn0000589256/biography

Personnel:  Piano – Monty Alexander;  Bass – Reggie Johnson;  Drums – Ed Thigpen

Fridaynight

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Solveig Slettahjell - Live At Victoria

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:03
Size: 108,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. 12th Of Never
(5:18)  2. How Long Has This Been Going On
(3:25)  3. Visit
(5:29)  4. Be Steady
(5:57)  5. Take It With Me
(3:01)  6. Outlet
(5:33)  7. Is My Living In Vain
(6:37)  8. Come Healing
(4:48)  9. I Don t Feel No Ways Tired
(3:28) 10. A Day

A singer, alone, at a piano is not an unusual sight. But when that singer is Solveig Slettahjell, the rarity of the moment becomes vivid, and the expectation of what this moment could deliver is amplified. And, on a September night in 2017, at Nasjonal Jazzscene in Victoria, Oslo, Solveig gave such a performance. "Magical moments guaranteed" ran the tagline, and for once it was not advertising hyperbole. Guests joined for some songs: Pål Hausken provided percussive accompaniment on some tracks, while the choir Safari appeared to provide a whole new ambience to proceedings. However, their sparing use adds colour and drama at just the right moments, never resorting to mere chorus build-up and repetition. Featuring a set made of standards, original material, and settings of poems by Emily Dickinson, Solveig's performance is a masterful blend of emotional honesty and technical brilliance. Her delivery of classics by the likes of Gershwin, or more recent creations by Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen is bold and forthright, and her interpretations retain the spirits of the originals while marking them clearly with her own stylistic thumbprint. Her Emily Dickinson interpretations are much more than mere exercises they are charged with the energy of the original poetry, and often viewed through unexpected lenses, such as on "Visit" (where Solveig leaves the piano and is accompanied by Pål Hausken) which becomes a blues-washed chaingang song; "Outlet" again takes a view of the lyrics through a blues filter; and "A Day" presents an arrangement that Tom Waits at his Asylum Years best would be proud of.  This Solveig's second release through Jazzland Recordings, the previous being "Tarpan Seasons" (2009), a studio album that introduced a number of the tracks in this live recordings, perhaps most notably her interpretations of Emily Dickinson "A Day" and "Visit".

Personnel:  Solveig Slettahjell: Vocals, Piano;  Pål Hausken: Drums, Vocals; Safari (Eirik Kaasa, Åshild Kristin Stensrud Kaasa, Martha Sofie Eide, Malin Byberg, Åshild Sandvik, Nora Nesbakken, Tone Ravndal, Christoffer Holten Gidske and Johan Helland): choir;  Daniel Mikael Wold: live sound and recording.

Live At Victoria

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Harold Land - A New Shade Of Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:30
Size: 120.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1971/2017
Art: Front

[ 9:48] 1. A New Shade Of Blue
[10:37] 2. Mtume
[ 6:05] 3. Ode To Angela
[ 8:34] 4. Deliberation
[ 8:35] 5. Short Subject
[ 8:48] 6. Dark Mood

Harold Land: tenor saxophone; Bobby Hutcherson: vibraphone; Bill Henderson: piano, electric piano; Buster Williams: bass; Billy Hart: drums: Mtume: congas.

What came first, craft beers or the revival of vinyl records? I ask because both revolutions have moved your collective attentions away from corporate culture to smaller more specialized boutiques. That means better beer and certainly a more diverse choice in music. Case in point, saxophonist Harold Land's A New Shade Of Blue originally issued on Los Angeles' Mainstream Records in 1971. When the big record companies were touting their answer to rock-and-roll with electric Miles and Herbie, producers like Bob Shad were advancing modern jazz without ignoring its past. Land cut his teeth on hard bop before adopting modal sounds and joined vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson's sessions for Blue Note Records (1968-1971).

The pair were living in Los Angeles in 1971 when these sides and Choma (Burn) were recorded for Mainstream. Back in the day, if this disc were released by Columbia or Blue Note it would have garnered praise it deserved with the stellar lineup of Hutcherson, Bill Henderson, Buster Williams, Billy Hart, and James Mtume. The music is a mix of modal jazz with undercurrents of hard bop. The title track is a casual blues piece suitable for players to stretch out a bit. Land solos first followed by Hutcherson, Henderson, and the sweetness that is Williams' bass. "Short Subject" is a knockout swinger and "Dark Mood" a modal piece with Land acknowledging the influence of John Coltrane on his sound. Although it was the only piece here not written by Land, "Mtume" is the centerpiece of the recording. It was also a composition recorded the same year on Hutcherson's release Head On (Blue Note) with an eleven-piece ensemble. The music, dedicated to the conga player, is a nod towards world music (a term not yet applied to the style) and it samples both African and Spanish flavors, with Henderson on electric piano. Even though it may have taken nearly fifty years to get the attention it deserves, A New Shade Of Blue is indeed a minor classic of jazz. The music is available in digital format, CD, and of course as an LP. ~Mark Corroto

A New Shade Of Blue 

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