Tuesday, February 13, 2018

John McLaughlin and Shakti - A Handful Of Beauty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:57
Size: 109.8 MB
Styles: Fusion
Year: 1977/2001
Art: Front

[ 4:50] 1. La Danse Du Bonheur
[ 7:29] 2. Lady L
[12:38] 3. India
[ 3:00] 4. Kriti
[15:13] 5. Isis
[ 4:44] 6. Two Sisters

John McLaughlin- guitar; L. Shankar- violin; Zakir Hussain- table; T.H. Vinayakram- Ghatam.

John McLaughlin should have given this album a different name. Jazz-rock fans of the day (early 1977) did not want to be seen purchasing an album with such a title. It didn't help any to have a picture of John McLaughlin on the cover dressed and smiling as if he were a guru himself. Let’s face facts, even at this time: McLaughlin’s fans came from a rock background. In hindsight the Indo-jazz-fusion Shakti recordings are considered highlights in McLaughlin’s career, but they did cost him most of his early fan base.

In stark contrast to its album cover indicating joy and peace and all the related elements that were stretched beyond endurance in the 1970's, Handful of Beauty was in reality a dark and somber creation. Despite the opening cut, a free-spirited and wildly fun "La Danse Du Bonheur", this album features mostly dense compositions that provoke deep re-appraisals of one's own life. The musical highlight is "India". The tune seems to investigate the underside of the Eastern World and finds McLaughlin ominously bending and twisting notes while Shankar's violin dwells in the lower registers.

Of the three original Shakti albums, Handful of Beauty features the best playing from McLaughlin. Somber does not mean boring. The two master Indian percussionists Zakir Hussain and T. S. Vinayakaram provide the rhythm and much of the dynamic. The incomparable L. Shankar helps provide the mood. (It is too bad he and McLaughlin no longer seem to be friends in real life.) As was later to be the case on the group's Natural Elements, one of the highlights of the two Shakti studio recorded efforts is the high quality of sound engineering. This album should be played relatively loud, late at night, lights-off, while you sip from a cup of tea. Best to be in a reflective mood.

Listening to the tour that supported this recording was a different matter entirely. The same tunes that had led to introspection suddenly led to emotional release. The band was hot and an absolute joy to see, both visually and sonically. ~Walter Kolosky

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Monday, February 12, 2018

Benny Carter, Phil Woods - Another Time, Another Place

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 137:15
Size: 314.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[ 8:56] 1. Sometimes I'm Happy
[ 6:32] 2. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
[ 8:33] 3. Rock Me To Sleep
[ 8:33] 4. Another Time, Another Place
[ 7:37] 5. Willow Weep For Me
[10:01] 6. Shiny Stockings
[10:41] 7. The Courtship
[11:12] 8. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[ 9:15] 9. On Green Dolphin Street
[ 8:51] 10. A Walkin' Thing
[ 5:45] 11. Janel
[ 8:54] 12. Speak Low
[ 7:29] 13. Petite Chanson
[ 9:05] 14. Just Squeeze Me
[ 9:33] 15. Mood Indigo
[ 6:12] 16. How High The Moon

Alto Saxophone – Benny Carter, Phil Woods; Bass – John Lockwood; Drums – Sherman Ferguson; Piano – Chris Neville. Recorded live at the Regattabar, Cambridge, MA March 15, 16, 17, 1996.

Alto saxophonists Benny Carter and Phil Woods were great friends and enjoyed playing together on a number of record dates, though this double-CD live recording from a 1996 extended gig at the Regattabar proved to be the former's final release before he retired from active performing a few years afterward. A few months shy of 89 years old at the time, Carter still gives his all on his instrument and sounds like someone decades younger, while Woods' naturally more outgoing style proves complementary to the senior musician. Backed by a strong rhythm section, including Carter's long-time pianist Chris Neville, bassist John Lockwood, and drummer Sherman Ferguson, the two saxophonists have a ball as they play favorite standards, several Carter compositions, and gems penned by other jazz musicians. While fans of Carter and Woods will be delighted with this entire release, there are a few surprises. Carter's bluesy feature of "Willow Weep for Me" marks the only time he ever recorded it. The duo's robust, swinging setting of "On the Sunny Side of the Street" is a gem, as is Carter's swaggering "A Walkin' Thing." Beautifully recorded, this final meeting between Benny Carter and Phil Woods is one for the ages. ~Ken Dryden

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Jean Louisa Kelly - For My Folks

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:58
Size: 86.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[2:17] 1. I Got The Sun In The Morning
[2:24] 2. Where Or When
[4:25] 3. Soon It's Gonna Rain
[2:43] 4. It Had To Be You
[3:28] 5. Someone To Watch Over Me
[2:49] 6. Singin' In The Rain
[2:27] 7. Cheek To Cheek
[2:39] 8. If I Loved You
[3:40] 9. The Man That Got Away
[2:36] 10. For Me And My Gal
[3:10] 11. Danny Boy
[2:24] 12. As Time Goes By
[2:51] 13. Some Other Time

You might be aware of Jean Louisa Kelly as Rowena Martin and her moving vocal of "Someone To Watch Over Me" in "Mr. Holland's Opus," or perhaps from "Uncle Buck," or her 6 year stint on the TV sitcom, "Yes Dear." But perhaps you don't know, her deep passion for the American Standard Songbook, which is on clear display on For My Folks, which just hit digital platforms, stores and radio stations across the globe! This 13-song project showcases a stunning new rendition of her signature song "Someone to Watch Over Me," complete with an a cappella introduction and is dedicated to her parents and fans.

The album features moving renditions of timeless gems such as "Singin' in the Rain," "The Man that Got Away," "Danny Boy," and an especially heart-tugging version of "As Time Goes By." Gorgeous and inventive musical arrangements by producer Todd Schroeder and special guest John Lloyd Young (star of "Jersey Boys" on Broadway and on film), who lends a sparkling presence to "For Me and My Gal," round out the delicious album. ~Lois Gilbert

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The Roger Kellaway Trio - Remembering Bobby Darin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:23
Size: 145.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:50] 1. Remember
[5:58] 2. Up A Lazy River
[7:05] 3. I've Found A New Baby
[5:48] 4. Meditation
[4:24] 5. More
[5:26] 6. Splish Splash
[5:27] 7. Oh! Look At Me Now
[8:32] 8. Once Upon A Time
[5:49] 9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[5:56] 10. Beyond The Sea
[4:05] 11. Mack The Knife

If anyone bridged the gap between traditional jazz-influenced pop and early rock & roll, it was Bobby Darin. Some of his work appealed to the Frank Sinatra/Tony Bennett/Sammy Davis, Jr./Dean Martin crowd, while some of it appealed to the Elvis Presley/Chuck Berry/Jerry Lee Lewis crowd -- and that is in addition to the singer's folk-rock output. Stylistically, Darin was not easy artist to pin down, which means that anyone providing a Darin tribute has a wide variety of things to choose from. Roger Kellaway, much to his credit, acknowledges different sides of Darin's artistry on Remembering Bobby Darin. Recorded in 2004, Remembering Bobby Darin is a companion to the veteran pianist's other Darin tribute, I Was There: Roger Kellaway Plays from the Bobby Darin Songbook. But while I Was There is an album of unaccompanied solo piano performances, Remembering Bobby Darin finds Kellaway forming a cohesive, intimate trio with guitarist Bruce Forman and bassist Dan Lutz. If you're seriously into Nat King Cole, that drumless combination of instrumentals should sound familiar; Cole favored a piano/guitar/bass format when he led the legendary Nat King Cole Trio in the '30s and '40s. And that format serves Kellaway pleasingly well on this far-reaching CD, which ranges from the Darin smash "Beyond the Sea" to older standards like Duke Ellington's "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and "I've Found a New Baby." Kellaway celebrates Darin's swing side with an intriguing version of "Mack the Knife" (also known as "Moritat" or "Three Penny Opera") but savors Darin's rock & roll side on "Splish Splash," which the lyrical pianist performs in a Gene Harris-like fashion. I Was There and Remembering Bobby Darin are both excellent and well worth owning, but this release has a slight edge in the diversity department and reminds you just how impressively versatile Darin was. ~Alex Henderson

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Eddie Condon - Royal Garden Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 114:22
Size: 261.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 4:54] 1. At The Jazz Band Ball
[ 2:28] 2. Chicago
[ 3:55] 3. Love Is Just Around The Corner
[ 3:15] 4. South Rampart Street Parade
[ 3:31] 5. Ol' Man River
[ 5:35] 6. Copenhagen
[ 3:21] 7. Someday Sweetheart
[ 5:06] 8. Royal Garden Blues
[ 3:16] 9. Oh Baby
[ 3:05] 10. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
[ 2:57] 11. Oh Sister,Ain't That Hot
[ 7:15] 12. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[ 4:37] 13. Little White Lies
[ 3:43] 14. The Sheik Of Araby
[ 3:46] 15. Jazz Me Blues
[ 5:27] 16. Sugar
[ 7:42] 17. Tin Roof Blues
[ 4:19] 18. Singin' The Blues
[ 5:41] 19. Blues (My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me)
[ 3:08] 20. I've Found A New Baby
[ 2:58] 21. Ballin' The Jack
[ 5:11] 22. Fidgety Feet
[ 3:00] 23. Save Your Sorrow
[ 3:04] 24. I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None Of My Jelly Roll
[12:56] 25. How Come You Do Me Like You Do

A major propagandist for freewheeling Chicago jazz, an underrated rhythm guitarist, and a talented wisecracker, Eddie Condon's main importance to jazz was not so much through his own playing as in his ability to gather together large groups of all-stars and produce exciting, spontaneous, and very coherent music.

Condon started out playing banjo with Hollis Peavey's Jazz Bandits when he was 17, he worked with members of the famed Austin High School Gang in the 1920s, and in 1927 he co-led (with Red McKenzie) the McKenzie-Condon Chicagoans on a record date that helped define Chicago jazz (and featured Jimmy McPartland, Jimmy Teschemacher, Joe Sullivan, and Gene Krupa). After organizing some other record sessions, Condon switched to guitar, moved to New York in 1929, worked with Red Nichols' Five Pennies and Red McKenzie's Blue Blowers, and recorded in several settings, including with Louis Armstrong (1929) and the Rhythm Makers (1932). During 1936-1937, he co-led a band with Joe Marsala.

Although Condon had to an extent laid low since the beginning of the Depression, in 1938, with the opportunity to lead some sessions for the new Commodore label, he became a major name. Playing nightly at Nick's (1937-1944), Condon utilized top musicians in racially mixed groups. He started a long series of exciting recordings (which really continued on several labels up until his death), and his Town Hall concerts of 1944-1945 (which were broadcast weekly on the radio) were consistently brilliant and gave him an opportunity to show his verbal acid wit; the Jazzology label reissued them complete and in chronological order. Condon opened his own club in 1945, recorded for Columbia in the 1950s (all of those records have been made available by Mosaic on a limited-edition box set), and wrote three colorful books, including his 1948 memoirs We Called It Music. A partial list of the classic musicians who performed and recorded often with Condon include trumpeters/cornetists Wild Bill Davison, Max Kaminsky, Billy Butterfield, Bobby Hackett, Rex Stewart, and Hot Lips Page; trombonists Jack Teagarden, Lou McGarity, Cutty Cutshall, George Brunies, and Vic Dickenson; clarinetists Pee Wee Russell, Edmond Hall, Joe Marsala, Peanuts Hucko, and Bob Wilbur; Bud Freeman on tenor; baritonist Ernie Caceres; pianists Gene Schroeder, Joe Sullivan, Jess Stacy, and Ralph Sutton; drummers George Wettling, Dave Tough, and Gene Krupa; a string of bassists; and singer Lee Wiley. Many Eddie Condon records are currently available, and no jazz collection is complete without at least a healthy sampling. ~ Scott Yanow

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Ernestine Anderson - Hot Cargo!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:16
Size: 89.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year:.1958/2008
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Mad About The Boy
[3:29] 2. Did I Remember
[3:32] 3. Day Dream
[3:42] 4. Experiment
[2:37] 5. That Old Feeling
[3:02] 6. The Song Is Ended
[2:23] 7. Love For Sale
[3:43] 8. Autumn In New York
[2:51] 9. My Man
[3:24] 10. Ill Wind
[3:33] 11. Little Girl Blue
[3:14] 12. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams

Rolf Ericson (tp), Cecil Payne (bs), Duke Jordan (p), John Simmons (b), Art Taylor (d), and the Harry Arnold Orchestra, featuring Benny Bailey (tp), Ake Persson (tb), Arne Domnerus, Bjarne Nerem (saxes), Thore Swanerud (p), Georg Riedel (b).

2008 collection from this Jazz/Soul vocalist containing studio tracks she recorded while in Sweden in 1956. Ernestine Anderson's fascinating voice is quite evident on this album that presents 'Love for Sale', 'lll Wind', 'My Man' and other evergreens in a torchy repertoire never before treated so knowingly. Full and expressive, her voice is an instrument that creates truly inspirational music.

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André Previn - A Touch Of Elegance: The Music Of Duke Ellington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:14
Size: 85.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1961/2011
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. I Got It Bad
[2:57] 2. Satin Doll
[3:24] 3. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[2:34] 4. Perdido
[2:54] 5. Solitude
[3:00] 6. Le Sucrier Velours
[3:33] 7. A Portrait Of Bert Williams
[3:16] 8. A Touch Of Elegance
[3:21] 9. It Don't Mean A Thing
[3:08] 10. Prelude To A Kiss
[2:45] 11. What Am I Here For
[2:53] 12. Sophisticated Lady

As if being a classical conductor, jazz pianist, and film composer weren't enough, Previn was also one of the biggest mood music mavens of the 1960s. This elegant collection showcases his lush, elegant "swing with strings" side, and even includes a few straight-ahead bop numbers with J.J. Johnson, Herb Ellis, and his old pals Red Mitchell and Shelly Manne.

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Martin Abbuehl's Swing Express - First Class

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:03
Size: 98.6 MB
Styles: Swing, Violin jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:25] 1. Dream Of You
[2:55] 2. Micro
[3:30] 3. First Class
[4:15] 4. Django
[3:31] 5. Valse A Mia
[2:28] 6. Un Peu De Reve
[2:41] 7. Vamp
[2:54] 8. Train Bleu
[2:45] 9. Jaguar
[3:42] 10. Ballade
[3:14] 11. Swing For Rachel
[3:02] 12. Red And Hot Express Line
[3:35] 13. Le Bolero Des Controleurs

Martin Abbuehl (violin); Florent Kirchmeyer (guitar); Marco Neri (guitar); Thomas Dürst (double bass).

A train journey into the time of the legendary Hot Club de France and the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. When the four thoroughbred musicians start their Swing Express, nostalgia is the order of the day as the "train crew" is fully committed to Django Reinhardt's music. With violin, two guitars and double bass they bring the time of the 1930s back to life.

Thanks to the enthusiasm of the four dedicated string artists, the spark of enthusiasm jumps over in no time on the listener. Velvety soft melodies, sometimes dripping with melancholy, alternate with breathtaking, iridescent sound cascades and dizzying, breakneck solo caprioles. A ride on the Swing Express lets time pass by in no time and many a passenger would have liked to sit in the end ... (Translated from German.)

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Krisanthi Pappas - A Centennial Tribute To George & Ira Gershwin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:01
Size: 123.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. I Got Rhythm
[4:18] 2. Embraceable You
[3:40] 3. A Foggy Day
[3:27] 4. If I Had Only Known
[4:11] 5. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[3:22] 6. They All Laughed
[4:18] 7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[4:01] 8. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[2:53] 9. Oh What A Day!
[4:34] 10. I've Got A Crush On You
[3:02] 11. Fascinating Rhythm
[4:06] 12. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:34] 13. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
[5:17] 14. Summertime

Krisanthi Pappas' second album honoring the works of George and Ira Gershwin has established her as a credible interpreter of two giants of the great American songbook. Possessing a clear soprano voice with excellent diction and paying close attention to the meaning of the words she is singing, Pappas delivers Gershwin in a jazzier manner than other albums honoring Gershwin in his centennial year. Susannah McCorkle's Gershwin effort Someone to Watch over Me is done in her inimitable purring and sensuous style while Pappas just bounces along. Even the ballads have a lilt to them. Pappas also provides a bonus by singing the verses to many of the songs either as an introduction to the chorus or in between the first and second choruses. A nice touch. There are two non-Gershwin melodies on this album, both by Pappas. The first, "If I Had Only Known," is a lament to her late discovery of the joys of Gershwin's music. The second, "Oh! What a Day," is a lively celebration of that discovery. Pappas cleverly segues back and forth between her happy words and Gershwin's "Strike Up the Band" and "S'Wonderful" to display her considerable scatting skills. Much of the success for this CD has to be shared with the supporting cast of players. Bill Duffy's piano is prominent on several of the cuts -- listen to his minimalist, well-spaced approach on "They Can't Take that Away from Me." On the same song, John Payne's Lester Young-like tenor is heard to great effect -- as is his flute on "Oh! What a Day" and his clarinet on "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off." The respected educator and performer Herb Pomeroy's muted trumpet graces "Embraceable You." Preusser's drums and Smith's bass lay a solid but unobtrusive foundation throughout. The Pappas interpretation of "Summertime" may raise the eyebrows of Gershwin purists with her vocal gyrations delivered over Smith's backbeat and Payne's raucous sax. Arguably, this bluesy, down-and-dirty reading is in harmony with the sometimes violent and always passionate storyline of Porgy and Bess. ~Dave Nathan

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Marcus Miller - Marcus

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:32
Size: 161.5 MB
Styles: Funk-jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. Blast
[5:10] 2. Funk Joint
[5:00] 3. Free
[5:10] 4. Higher Ground
[5:36] 5. Milky Way
[3:17] 6. Pluck
[4:40] 7. Lost Without U
[3:11] 8. 'cause I Want You
[3:57] 9. Ooh
[5:23] 10. When I Fall In Love
[5:39] 11. Strum
[6:13] 12. Jean Pierre
[5:57] 13. What Is Hip
[5:31] 14. Lost Without U (Spoken Word)

Concord Jazz presents Marcus, the album from critically-acclaimed and Grammy-winning artist Marcus Miller. The album, which is Marcus' seventh solo release, features guest appearances by Corinne Bailey Rae, Lalah Hathaway, Keb' Mo' and more, including Taraji P. Henson, the actress who leant her vocals to the Oscar winning song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" from the film Hustle and Flow. The 13-track album finds Marcus serving up his own signature Funk-Jazz music and sees him cover some classics including Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", Miles Davis' "Jean Pierre" and Tower of Power's "What is Hip?". Marcus also features two covers of the Robin Thicke 2007 hit "Lost Without You". The first sees Lalah Hathaway shining on vocals with Marcus' bass upfront and the second version, which is the album's bonus track.

Marcus is the Concord debut for this Grammy winning artist. Features guest vocalists Corinne Bailey Rae, Keb' Mo', Shihan the Poet, Taraji Henson [bonus track], & Lalah Hathaway. Marcus has scored over 20 movies including Boomerang and This Christmas. He was also responsible for writing the party song "Da Butt" for Spike Lee's film School Daze and has scored music for Chris Rock's hit TV show Everybody Hates Chris

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The New Morty Show - Straight Ahead

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:27
Size: 94.9 MB
Styles: Retro Swing
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Tico Tico
[5:10] 2. Stella By Starlight
[4:32] 3. Maiden Voyage
[5:47] 4. Long Long Summer
[2:05] 5. Destination Moon
[4:58] 6. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
[3:07] 7. No Moon At All
[3:48] 8. Pork Pie
[4:33] 9. Samba Du Morpheus
[3:32] 10. All The Things You Are

Straight Ahead is a delightful mix of warm, vibrant jazz music and silky, seductive cocktail lounge. After hearing Rigormorty, you might be quick to write the band off as a rock 'n' roll act trying to cash in on the swing craze (a year late, even). After all, it has more rock influences than swing influences. But, after hearing tracks like "Destination Moon" and "No More At All," you'll instantly see the band for what it is, a modern swing act that loves the past but isn't afraid to re-create it for the present and beyond. ~Alex Steininger

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Sunday, February 11, 2018

Wild Bill Davis - Free, Frantic & Funky

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, B3 Organ jazz
Year: 1965/2016
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. C Jam Blues
[3:45] 2. C.C. Rider
[2:28] 3. Hit The Road Jack
[4:36] 4. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[2:49] 5. I Can't Stop Loving You
[2:32] 6. Sent For You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today)
[2:45] 7. Well, Git It
[3:32] 8. Azure-Te (Paris Blues)
[3:44] 9. Free, Frantic And Funky
[2:11] 10. Don't Cry Baby
[3:16] 11. Tippin' In
[3:55] 12. Make Love To Me

Bass – George Duvivier; Drums – Jimmy Hopps, Osie Johnson; Guitar – Dicky Thompson, Mundell Lowe; Organ – Wild Bill Davis; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Brown, Jerome Richardson, Seldon Powell. Recorded in 1965 in RCA Victor's Studio B, New York City.

With the dynamic, swirling sounds of his Hammond B-3 organ, Wild Bill Davis provided a bridge from the big band swing of the 1930s and '40s to the organ-driven R&B of the 1950s and early '60s. Together with guitarist Floyd Smith and drummer Chris Columbus, Davis set the framework for the jazz organ combo sound. Initially a guitarist, Davis made his debut with Milt Larkin's band in 1939. The group is remembered for the double-saxophone attack of Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Arnett Cobb. Davis, who was inspired by the guitar playing of Freddie Green, remained with the band until 1942. Moving to the piano, Davis joined Louis Jordan & His Tympany 5 in 1945. By then, he had already attracted attention as a skilled writer and arranger. He later furnished original material and arrangements for both Duke Ellington and Count Basie. He was scheduled to record his arrangement of "April in Paris" with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1955, but was unable to make it to the recording sessions. Recorded without his participation, the tune went on to be a Top 30 pop hit. Intrigued by the organ playing of Fats Waller and Count Basie, Davis began to experiment with the Hammond B-3. He soon developed his unique approach. "I thought of (the organ) as a replacement in clubs for a big band," he said during a late-'80s interview. Although he left Jordan's band after five years to form his own trio, Davis periodically returned to play special engagements. Although eclipsed by succeeding jazz organists, including Jimmy Smith and Bill Doggett in the late '50s, and Booker T. Jones in the '60s, Davis remained active until his death from a heart attack in August 1995. His summer appearances in Atlantic City, New Jersey were an annual treat for almost three decades.

A native of Moorestown, New Jersey, Davis studied music at Tuskegee University and Wiley College in Texas. ~ Craig Harris

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Peter Wildbolz Unit - Chill The Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:35
Size: 108.9 MB
Styles: Smooth jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:05] 1. The Joker
[7:08] 2. Buenos Aires Blue
[5:10] 3. Perpetual Love
[3:41] 4. Loose As A Goose
[5:21] 5. Many Moons Ago
[5:28] 6. Havana Strut
[6:14] 7. Lonely Nights
[6:41] 8. Easy Digging
[1:42] 9. Farewell

Peter Wildbolz, the Bernese saxophone player, can look back on a long, diverse musical career which started in the early 60s when he opened his jazz club, the “Blue Note”, in Bern. He later founded the FreeJazzTrio, then the New Jazz Quartet; he was also a member of the jazz-rock band Off & Out. In the 80s, he led the bebop trio “Frontline”. The success of “Blue Notes”, the album released in 1998, convinced sax-player and composer Wildbolz to focus on smooth jazz.

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Atlanta Rhythm Section - Champagne Jam

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:58
Size: 75.5 MB
Styles: Southern rock
Year: 1978/2005
Art: Front

[2:57] 1. Large Time
[4:06] 2. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight
[3:22] 3. Normal Love
[4:31] 4. Champagne Jam
[5:08] 5. Imaginary Lover
[4:34] 6. The Ballad Of Lois Malone
[4:46] 7. The Great Escape
[3:31] 8. Evileen

Released in 1978, this was the breakthrough album that marked the zenith of music-making, critical support and popular acclaim for ARS. Eight great songs-all originals-are showcased with the top notch, smooth pop production the group had been refining for years. The songwriting and musicianship maintain the superior standards the band had established through its previous albums. The songs continue the pattern of blending beautiful melodies with shifting tempos, with each of the songs clocking in at a moderate three to five minutes.

The album opens with a classic Southern rock song, Large Time, that pays tribute to recently fallen comrades. Three of the next four songs may be unmatched in their concise demonstration of the extraordinary talent and multifaceted skills of the band. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me, Champagne Jam and Imaginary Lover are all classics-hits at the time that still sound fresh and resonate as nicely today as when they were released. The first two share a buoyant, positive sound that turns more subdued with the third. The album winds down with three more songs that lyrically present a darker image of wild times and loves-each with beautiful musical backing that both contrasts with and perfectly represents the stories being told.

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Roxane de LaFontaine - Paris & America

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:56
Size: 96.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:56] 1. It Don't Mean A Thing
[3:58] 2. Fly Me To The Moon
[5:10] 3. Why Don't You Do Right
[4:20] 4. I Love Paris
[4:15] 5. C'est Si Bon
[4:36] 6. Azure Te
[4:55] 7. La Vie En Rose
[4:33] 8. Les Yeux Ouverts
[2:52] 9. Un Dimanche à Paris
[3:18] 10. C'est Beau Un Homme

Roxane de Lafontaine : Voix, Violon; Sylvain Daigneault : Piano; François Rioux : Guitare; David Gagné : Contrebasse; Pierre-Emmanuel Beaudoin : Batterie, Percussions; René Béchard : Saxophones, Clarinette; Élise Béchard : Chœur; Guillaume Gilbert : Guitare; Mathieu Tarlo : Contrebasse, Trombone; Jean-François Montour : Batterie; Jean Gervais : Trompette; Annie Richard : Violoncelle; Élise Béchard : Percussions.

Born in Quebec City, it was at the age of five that Roxane moved to Sherbrooke, his father's hometown. It is there, very young, that she is attracted by the scene. Every day, with passion, she plays the violin and does dance. Soon she was invited to television shows like "The Green Mouse" and "Good Friends" where she made several appearances. From her beginnings on the violin she is supervised by great masters; Claude Letourneau, Luis Greenhouse. At the age of 12, she was appointed solo violin assistant at the Sherbrooke Youth Orchestra and already played in the first violin section at the Orchester symphonique. During her elementary and high school studies, she combined concerts, recitals and dance performances as a member of the École Pierre Lapointe ballet troupe. She also accompanies several artists during major events and shows.

In December 2010, she produced and directed her first solo album, Strad, my rebellious soul, which will bring her to play on big Quebec scenes; Raoul-Jobin Hall (Montcalm Palace), Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand (Plains of Abraham), Granada Theater (Sherbrooke) and at important musical events; Quebec City Summer Festival, Concerts of the City (Sherbrooke), Festivoix of Trois-Rivières, etc.

Encouraged by Lorraine Desmarais, an internationally renowned jazz pianist, Roxane Del joins her voice as a singer-songwriter and finds her style in jazz-pop music. She launches her own record label, Private Club and signs with Distribution Select. (Translated from French.)

Paris & America mc
Paris & America zippy

Big Band Jazz Maresme - Meeting Our Neighbours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:18
Size: 140.3 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[7:37] 1. Soupbone
[6:06] 2. Ya Gotta Try… Harder
[2:15] 3. Almost Like Being In Love
[4:49] 4. Ask Me Now
[7:25] 5. Squatty Roo
[5:50] 6. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[4:40] 7. Angel Eyes
[6:24] 8. Stolen Moments
[3:02] 9. Hallelujah I Just Love Him So
[5:00] 10. Without A Song
[8:05] 11. There Is No Greater Love

For this project, we had the privilege to collaborate with two internationally renowned artists. The virtuoso Italian trumpet player Fabrizio Bosso and the elegant and sensual French singer Tricia Evy.

Fabrizio Bosso is an energetic musician with a dizzying agility and speed. His spectacular and powerful sound contrasts with his sweet and warm tunes. All these combined makes him a unique and exceptional musician. A regular trumpet player of well known record labels such as BLUE NOTE, VERVE (Universal) or EMI.

Tricia Evy is, at the moment, one of the most requested voices worldwide, due to her unique and personal style. Her elegant, warm and sensual voice brings us back to the 30’s. An era framed by great singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday …

Meeting Our Neighbours mc
Meeting Our Neighbours zippy

Jackie & Roy - Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:34
Size: 166.1 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Look Around
[4:05] 2. Stopping The Clock
[4:22] 3. (So You've Had A) Change Of Heart
[3:37] 4. Honey Did
[3:37] 5. Whisper Not
[2:38] 6. Say Cheese
[4:58] 7. Aura
[4:04] 8. Darn That Dream
[2:15] 9. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
[3:16] 10. Walking
[2:58] 11. Free And Easy
[2:45] 12. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:55] 13. Angel Eyes
[2:44] 14. It's A Lovely Day Today
[3:25] 15. Dixie
[3:17] 16. Who Wants To Fall In Love
[3:55] 17. So It's Spring
[2:58] 18. Ooh! That Kiss
[3:29] 19. I'm Glad There Is You
[2:21] 20. Aren't You Glad You're You
[4:16] 21. Pent-Up House

Jackie and Roy Kral rose to fame in the late Forties with their delightful vocal contribution to Charlie Venturas popular bop combo. Exciting and swinging, their work, imbued with their love and understanding of music, made these two bright young stars real and immediate favorites of jazz fans. On these recordings made in New York and Los Angeles in 1957, the duo is backed by two top studio bands conducted by Roy himself and by the great Bill Holman. Impeccably selected and tastefully presented, the material is illuminated by inventive singing delivered with consistent freshness and splendid technical command. Jackie is the featured singer, but Roy joins in often enough to heighten the pacing that much more. The arrangements are full-voiced, with swinging, functionally effective backdrops for the vocals, garnished with occasional instrumental solos from the stellar personnel. Holman wrote most of the arrangements, but Ernie Wilkins, Ralph Burns and Quincy Jones also collaborated in the New York sessions. "The way this set is packaged, if you arent up and your Jackie & Roy, you might not realize that this is a value packed twofer of prime Jackie & Roy thatll blow you away. Two sets from their prime 50s years finds them in the company of Bill Holman and Quincy Jones along with players including Richie Kamuca, Clark Terry, Jerome Richardson, Herbie Mann, Shelley Manne and a host of other mind blowers when they were young and clawing for a piece of the action. Bopping, scatting, singing, swinging and flying through some vocalese, 1957 was a killer year for this duo. Before their CTI, Vegas, Sondheim, etc ventures in the later years, they were the cool definition of cool. If you want some wonderful jazz vocals to take your mind off high gas prices and the rest of the worlds troubles, plunk down a few bucks for this oasis and lose yourself in this hipsters paradise."

Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy mc
Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy zippy

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Southside Johnny - Detour Ahead: The Music Of Billie Holiday

Size: 148,8 MB
Time: 63:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Don't Explain (4:56)
02. Ain't Nobody's Business (7:27)
03. Lover Man (6:48)
04. Detour Ahead (5:51)
05. Billie's Blues (8:22)
06. Crazy He Calls Me (4:25)
07. These Foolish Things (6:07)
08. Do Nothin Till Ya Hear From Me (4:52)
09. In My Solitude (5:04)
10. You Don't Know What Love Is (6:24)
11. I Thought About You (3:31)

Southside Johnny's tribute to the incomparable Billie Holiday. Recorded over two days in early January of 2017, "Detour Ahead: The Music of Billie Holiday" is just that; John's tribute to the great Lady Day. Arranged, produced and mixed by Asbury Jukes saxophonist John Isley, the album is a 10 song offering of all original arrangements and interpretations of some of Billie's most classic songs as well as a few hidden gems.

Detour Ahead

Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra - Kopfkino (Feat. Julia Oschwesky)

Size: 134,0 MB
Time: 58:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Summer Of My Discontent (The Summer Of My Disco Tent) ( 9:55)
02. Out Of This World (11:50)
03. Fee Fi Fo Fum ( 8:55)
04. It's The Peace That Deafens ( 7:16)
05. One Two Three Ten ( 9:46)
06. Ataraxia (10:25)

The Ed Partykas Jazz Orchestra (EPJO) was launched in Berlin in 2007. Its trademark is an unmistakable, and in all likelihood globally unique, mix of musical personalities. "Old stars" from the European big band establishment play side by side with newcomers from the young and hip jazz scenes of Berlin, Amsterdam, Vienna and Prague. Musicians from the USA, Germany, Austria, Holland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic get together – each of them brings their own musical language, and adds their unique national sound into the mix.

As on their previous CD Hits! Vol.1 (MONS Records), the singer and composer Julia Oschewsky plays a prominent role on the current album Kopfkino.
"Her voice adds a clarity and intensity that had been lacking in the sound of the orchestra so far" enthused Ed Partyka, "and it definitely colours my arrangements in a very special way."

"Kopfkino" – it means fantasies, and the sequences of events and occurrences that play out in your own imagination.
Ed Partyka purposely chose this title for the new album by the Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra, and he uses the concept as a synonym for his composition (The Summer Of My Discontent (Summer In My Disco Tent)) and arrangements.
Composers such as Wayne Shorter (Fee Fi Fo Fum), Harold Arlen (Out Of This World), Ola Onabule (It’s The Peace That Deafens), Julia Oschewsky (One Two Three Ten) and Joris Roelofs (Ataraxia) all have their say; Ed Partyka puts his stamp on their work with his unmistakeable arrangements and inimitable musical ingenuity.

"This music invites you to (day) dream. The dense texture of the orchestration, the melodically improvised solos, and the bright-sounding voice of Julia Oschewsky fire up the imagination. A feeling of sad beauty infuses the music and the whole power of the orchestra is revealed in my dramatic arrangements" said the artist.

Kopfkino

Raquel Tavares - Roberto Carlos Por Raquel Tavares

Size: 128,1 MB
Time: 54:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Fado Pop, Fado Canção
Art: Front & Back

01. Voce (2:56)
02. Como E Grande O Meu Amor Por Voce (3:48)
03. Sua Estupidez (4:13)
04. De Tanto Amor (Feat. Ana Carolina) (3:13)
05. A Distancia (3:55)
06. Debaixo Dos Caracois Dos Seus Cabelos (Feat. Caetano Veloso) (4:21)
07. Palavras (3:09)
08. Fera Ferida (5:12)
09. Detalhes (5:01)
10. Cavalgada (3:48)
11. Nao Se Esqueça De Mim (3:44)
12. Olha (3:22)
13. Do Fundo Do Meu Coraçao (4:02)
14. Emoçoes (3:46)

"Roberto Carlos By Raquel Tavares" is based on the repertoire of one of the greatest artists in the world, Roberto Carlos, and features contributions by Caetano Veloso in "Debaixo Dos Caracois Dos Seus Cabelos" and Ana Carolina in "De Tanto Amor". The project received the gold certificate in Portugal, where it stayed for several weeks in the first place among the best-selling albums.

Raquel Tavares is a Portuguese fado singer. Its name gained notoriety in Portugal for the first time in 1997, year in which, at age 12, it won in the Great Night of the Fado. In 2006 she released her first album "Raquel Tavares" and in the same year she received the Amália Rodrigues Award for 'Revelação Feminina', from the Amália Rodrigues Foundation. In 2007, Casa da Imprensa awarded him the 'Revelation Prize' of the year. With the success and subsequent releases, Raquel has performed in several countries like Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Marocco, Germany, Belgium, Holand, Scotland, England, Ireland, Uruguai, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China and recently, Australia.

Roberto Carlos Por Raquel Tavares