Chris Connor - Lullabys Of Birdland (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 21:52

Size: 50.1 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 1986/2014

Art: Front

[2:13] 1. I Hear Music

[2:54] 2. What Is There To Say

[2:43] 3. Come Back To Sorrento

[2:43] 4. Just One Of Those Things (From Jubilee ) Why Shouldn't I

[2:22] 5. Lullaby Of Birdland

[3:02] 6. Try A Little Tenderness

[2:57] 7. All About Ronnie

[2:54] 8. Spring Is Here

Chris Connor is a consummate actress with a song, and her musicianship and vocal range give new meanings to some familiar tunes, which include selections by George Shearing, Rodgers and Hart, the Gershwins, and Gordon Jenkins. Though she sang with big bands early in her career, she eventually chose to leave them in order to sing in the more intimate confines of the jazz clubs. Her musical flexibility and her unique, personal interpretations found their home there, with much less backup. As a result, this collection is a refreshing change from the tried and true, showcasing interpretations with unusual chromatic jumps, quick changes of key, movements from high to very low register, and even a song in which she and her accompanists simultaneously work the song in different tempos. She never misses a note or a beat.

Swing is Connor's forte, but she avoids pyrotechnics and gives her songs new meaning by slowing down the pace and simplifying such standards as "Lullaby of Birdland," "What is There to Say," and the sweetly whispery "Try a Little Tenderness," all with Ellis Larkins's sensitive and simple piano accompaniments. "Spring is Here," sung with bluesy confidence, is one of the best songs on the album, and she hits every one of the difficult, chromatic low notes, spot-on.

In "Why Shouldn't I," her acting, her sense of timing, and her ability to give her own interpretation without having a strong melodic line from the accompanying Ellis Larkin Trio are notable. "Ask Me," "Blue Silhouette," and the up-tempo "Chiquita from Chi-Wah-Wah" are sung with Sy Oliver's big band. The final six songs, with the Vinnie Burke Quartet, include the wonderful "Stella by Starlight" and a very dramatic and ineffably sad version of Gordon Jenkins's "Goodbye."

Connor is a musician, rather than "just" a singer, and the musicians who accompany her never "step on" her notes or intrude. She returns the compliment, allowing each of her accompanists to share the spotlight and the mood of the songs. One of the first singers to leave a successful Big Band career to create her own sound in the jazz clubs, Connor has created her own legend as a musician, her talents beautifully highlighted on this 1986 CD. ~Mary Whipple

Lullabys Of Birdland (Remastered)  

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Bennie Wallace - The Old Songs

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:25
Size: 122.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1993/2006
Art: Front

[5:59] 1. I Hear A Rhapsody
[5:42] 2. My One And Only Love
[6:07] 3. When You Wish Upon A Star
[5:31] 4. I Love You
[7:24] 5. At Lulu Whites (Blues Yamashita)
[6:43] 6. What's New
[6:12] 7. Love Letters
[4:54] 8. Skylark
[4:50] 9. Dancing In The Dark

Bass – Bill Huntington; Drums – Alvin Queen; Piano – Lou Levy; Tenor Saxophone – Bennie Wallace. Recorded at Capitol Records, Hollywood, CA January 18, 19 and 20, 1993.

Bennie Wallace has long had his own unique style, combining together the raspy tone of Ben Webster with the frequent wide interval jumps of Eric Dolphy. He has an explorative style that sound-wise looks back toward the swing era. Wallace started on clarinet when he was 12 and a few years later switched to tenor. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1968, and in 1971 moved to New York, where he debuted with Monty Alexander. Wallace gigged with Sheila Jordan, played with many avant-garde musicians, was in George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band in 1979, and led his own trio/quartet on and off throughout the 1970s and '80s. He recorded frequently prior to 1985 for Enja, but his mid- to late-'80s Blue Note recordings are more memorable, for they find him infusing his appealing sound with touches of New Orleans R&B and a healthy dose of humor. In the '90s, Wallace began writing music for films, including White Men Can't Jump. He also stayed active on the jazz scene, releasing Old Songs in 1993 on JVC, Talk of the Town also in 1993 on Enja, and Someone to Watch Over Me in 1999 on Enja. In 2002 Wallace scored critical success with Moodsville and followed it up with the release of In Berlin, a recording of a 1999 appearance at the Berlin Jazz Festival. Since that time, Wallace has released studio albums including The Nearness of You in 2004 and the Coleman Hawkins-themed Disorder at the Border in 2007. ~ Scott Yanow

The Old Songs mc
The Old Songs zippy

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Stefano Bollani Trio - I'm In The Mood For Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:39
Size: 141.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[5:02] 1. Makin' Whoopee
[7:46] 2. Cheek To Cheek
[3:36] 3. I'm In The Mood For Love
[3:43] 4. Puttin' On The Ritz
[7:00] 5. How Long Has This Been Going On
[7:07] 6. Margie
[5:52] 7. Moonlight Serenade
[5:37] 8. It's Only A Paper Moon
[7:06] 9. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
[5:20] 10. Honeysuckle Rose
[3:24] 11. But Not For Me

Bass – Ares Tavolazzi; Drums – Walter Paoli; Piano – Stefano Bollani. Recorded at House Recording Studio in Rome, August 3-4, 2006.

This full-length album from Italian jazz group Stefano Bollani Trio features jazz piano renditions of your favorite American standards. Jazz pianist Stefano Bollani was born in Milan, Italy, on December 5, 1972. He began playing piano as a child in order to accompany his singing, but soon concentrated solely on the instrument, enrolling in a conservatory in Florence when he was 11. There, he studied both jazz and pop music, and after graduating in 1993, added his keyboard skills to albums for many of Italy's top pop stars, including Laura Pausini, Irene Grandi, and Jovanotti. When working with the latter in 1996 he met avant-garde jazz trumpeter Enrico Rava, who invited the young pianist to play with him in Paris, an opportunity Bollani quickly accepted.

He then began to release more jazz albums, first with his trio (completed by bassist Ares Tavolazzi and drummer Walter Paoli) but also as a solo artist (like on 2003's Småt Småt and 2006's Piano Solo) as well as with other trios (2002's Fleurs Bleues drew from the talents of bassist Scott Colley and drummer Clarence Penn, while 2005's Gleda: Songs from Scandinavia used his trio with bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Morten Lund) and even a quintet (2006's I Visionari). Bollani has also appeared on stages at the Umbria and Montreal Jazz Festivals, among others, and has performed with musicians like Gato Barbieri, Lee Konitz, Pat Metheny, Paolo Fresu, and Phil Woods.

I'm In The Mood For Love mc
I'm In The Mood For Love zippy

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Grover Washington Jr - Soul Box

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:17
Size: 156.3 MB
Styles: Fusion, Funk, Soul Jazz
Year: 1973/2008
Art: Front

[ 3:42] 1. Aubrey
[13:17] 2. Masterpiece
[15:57] 3. Trouble Man
[ 6:04] 4. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
[11:12] 5. Don't Explain
[ 9:54] 6. Easy Living Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
[ 8:08] 7. Taurian Matador

Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Grover Washington, Jr.; Arco Bass – Richard Davis, Ron Carter; Bass – Ron Carter; Bass Trombone – Alan Raph, Paul Faulise, Tony Studd; Bassoon – Donald McCourt; Cello – Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Seymour Barab; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Flute, Clarinet, Clarinet [Contra Bass], Bass Saxophone – Wally Kane; Flute, Piccolo Flute – Hubert Laws; Flute, Piccolo Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Oboe, English Horn – Romeo Penque; Flute, Piccolo Flute, Oboe – George Marge; Flute, Piccolo Flute, Recorder – Harvey Estrin; French Horn – Brooks Tillotson, Jim Buffington, Peter Gordon; Guitar – Eric Gale; Organ – Richard Tee; Percussion – Airto, Dave Friedman, Phil Kraus, Ralph MacDonald; Piano, Electric Piano – Bob James; Trombone – Santo Russo, Wayne Andre; Trumpet – Bernie Glow, John Frosk, Jon Faddis, Randall Brecker; Viola – Alfred Brown, Emanuel Vardi, Theodore Israel; Violin – Charles Libove, David Nadien, Elliot Rosoff, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman; Vocals – Barbara Massey, Bernard Thacker, Eileen Gilbert, Maeretha Stewart, Randolph Peyton, Bill Eaton.

The early work of alto saxophonist and composer Grover Washington, Jr. is a rare and beautiful thing to behold. His entire Kudu period, marked by the albums Inner City Blues, All the King's Horses, Soul Box, Mister Magic, and Feels So Good, is brilliant, solid urban groove jazz played with grace, mean chops, and slippery funkiness. Soul Box, a double LP recorded in 1973, has Creed Taylor's production enhanced by a symphony orchestra and full-blown jazz band arranged and conducted by Bob James. Some of the session men include Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Eric Gale, Idris Muhammad, Airto, and Richard Tee. Soul Box only contains seven cuts. Among them are truly innovative reads of Billy Cobham's "Taurian Matador," Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," a side-long jam on Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man" (the album's centerpiece and masterpiece), and the deep funk of Norman Whitfield's "Masterpiece." "Trouble Man," however, is the cut on which all the contradictions of the session come to bear and are resolved due in large part to Washington's deeply lyrical improvising and James' ability to layer an orchestra into a groove. There are cadenzas written in after choruses that bring the orchestra in to accent the sketchy funk in the tune and bring out its deep blue hues. When Washington gets to the front of it all, he lets go like he's crying from the heart. On other tracks, the orchestra adds the right drama or sweetness -- as it does on Wonder's cut -- but Washington makes them grittier, with soloing that sidles up to the melody before reinventing it. For its length, Soul Box is a modern classic for its instrumental and arrangement invention and for its deeply emotional bounty. ~Thom Jurek

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Buddy Greco - My Buddy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:19
Size: 71.7 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1959/2011
Art: Front

[2:29] 1. Like Young
[2:20] 2. Only Love Me
[2:55] 3. Misty
[2:42] 4. That's What I Thought You Said
[2:12] 5. Just In Time
[2:31] 6. I Laughed At Love
[3:41] 7. The Lady Is A Tramp
[3:26] 8. How About You
[3:01] 9. The More I See You
[2:53] 10. Something's Gotta Give
[3:03] 11. Cheek To Cheek

Known by his colleagues as a "singer's singer" and a "musician's musician," Buddy Greco sold more than a million records. He was well-known for releasing songs from every genre, from jazz to country to pop music. He performed on-stage, on film, and on television. Born Armando Greco in Philadelphia, he began singing and playing piano at the age of four, first using his talents performing on the radio. By the age of 16 Greco had more than a decade of musical experience behind him. He was playing in Philadelphia's Club 13 nightclub when he was spotted by Benny Goodman. Bandleader Goodman was impressed by Greco's talents and hired him as a pianist, singer, and arranger. At the age of 16 Greco was traveling the world with one of the most popular big bands of the '30s, Benny Goodman & His Orchestra. He stayed with the group for four years.

At the ripe age of 20 Greco decided to pursue a solo professional music career. He began singing and performing in nightclubs and concerts. Some of his hit recordings included the popular favorites "Oh Look at Her, Ain't She Pretty," "The Lady Is a Tramp," and "Around the World." During his musical career he made more than 65 albums, including an album with the London Symphony Orchestra, in which he conducted and played. In the '60s, Greco's music career was very successful; he even appeared with the Beatles in a performance for Queen Elizabeth II. During the '60s Greco also seriously began a career in film and television, and in 1967 he was a regular performer on the TV series Away We Go. This nationwide television program gave Greco enormous exposure as a singer and pianist. He followed the series with a part in the 1969 film The Girl Who Knew Too Much. His talents took him to great heights, with more than 100 hit singles. During the '70s and '80s, Greco concentrated on recording and performing, with hits across multiple genres including jazz, country, and pop music. Audiences marveled at his many styles. His career also included composing and recording scores for film and television.

After decades of performing, Greco remained one of the most widely known singers of his time. In the early '90s he toured with "The Salute to the Benny Goodman Band." The ensemble performed 72 shows, regularly garnering standing ovations. He performed for two years at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, and in 1996 ended two world tours at the Café Royale in London. Given all his musical credits, Greco became an inductee into the Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame and garnered entries in both The Encyclopedia of Great Musicians and The Encyclopedia of Great Jazz Singers and Musicians. Buddy Greco died in January 2017 in Las Vegas at the age of 90. His musical abilities live on in his sizable discography of albums and hit singles. ~ Kim Summers

My Buddy mc
My Buddy zippy

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Stephen Riley - Easy to Remember

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:25
Size: 145,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:28)  1. It's Easy to Remember
(10:15)  2. Big Foot
( 7:33)  3. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?
( 7:39)  4. What's New?
( 9:06)  5. Over the Rainbow
( 4:17)  6. The Sheik of Araby
( 9:10)  7. Yesterdays
( 7:53)  8. Ladybird

Saxophonist Stephen Riley has one foot planted firmly in jazz history (his style recalls Ben Webster and Paul Gonsalves), but his crisp, Easy To Remember (2007) finds Riley teaming with drummer Jason Marsalis and bassist Neil Caine for a set of relaxed yet adventurous readings of familiar tunes such as "The Sheik of Araby," "Over the Rainbow," and Charlie Parker's "Big Foot." The taut, swinging energy is superceded only by the kinetic interplay between these fine musicians. https://www.allmusic.com/album/easy-to-remember-mw0000475708

Easy to Remember

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Red Garland - Equinox

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:43
Size: 93,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:37)  1. It's All Right With Me
(5:24)  2. Hobo Joe
(7:07)  3. Equinox
(3:59)  4. Cute
(3:10)  5. Nature Boy
(6:28)  6. On A Clear Day (You Can See Fo
(6:56)  7. You Are Too Beautiful

William “Red” Garland (pianist) was born on May 13, 1923 in Dallas, Texas and passed away on April 23, 1984 in Dallas, Texas at the age of 60. Garland’s family was not particularly musical, and his father worked as an elevator technician. Garland’s first instruments were the clarinet and the alto saxophone. He studied with saxophonist Buster “Prof” Smith, who had been an early mentor of alto saxophonist Charlie Parker in Kansas City. He joined the United States Army in 1941 and began to learn the piano while stationed in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. At this time, he was also an amateur boxer. He fought the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson, but he lost the bout.

After being discharged from the military in 1944, Garland played locally around Texas until 1946 when he was chosen to join trumpeter Oran “Hot Lips” Page’s band. Garland toured with Page that same year, ending the tour with the band in New York. Garland decided to stay in New York and soon found work there and also in Philadelphia. While in New York, Garland was recommended to singer Billy Eckstine, who hired him for several weeks. In 1947, Garland began a long stint as the house pianist at the Down Beat club in Philadelphia, where he backed Charlie Parker and Fats Navarro among others, and played with drummer Charlie Rice in the house band. Garland also recorded that year with Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, appearing on the song Ravin’ At The Heaven. By the early 1950s Garland’s stature as a pianist grew to the point that he found regular work with saxophonists Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, and led his own trio. Garland was still playing with Young when Miles Davis approached him to record for his Prestige album, The Musings of Miles, on June 7, 1955 at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio. More...http://redgarland.jazzgiants.net/biography/

Personnel:  Red Garland  piano;  Richard Davis  bass;  Roy Haynes drums

Equinox

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Bob Stewart - Connections: Mind the Gap

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop, Tuba
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:42
Size: 148,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:56)  1. Red
(5:02)  2. Simone
(1:40)  3. Aqua
(7:18)  4. Bush Baby
(5:16)  5. Fishin' Blues
(2:52)  6. The Poet
(7:49)  7. Odessa
(3:56)  8. Libertango
(2:03)  9. Purple
(3:03) 10. Monk's Mood
(5:39) 11. Nothing to Say
(2:55) 12. Makina
(7:06) 13. Hand by Hand
(7:01) 14. Jump Monk
(1:00) 15. Red 2

Master tuba player and educator Bob Stewart recognizes how fortunate he has been to be affiliated with musical legends and peers who have displayed generosity in allowing him to present his unique conception of tuba playing to receptive audiences. His new recording Connections Mind The Gap is at once a tribute to those artists representing various styles with whom Stewart was able to ply and develop his trade and it is also a forum to suggest and increase the repertoire for aspiring tuba players. Connections Mind The Gap is a varied collection of pieces that range from a five movement piece entitled In Color that Stewart commissioned from young composer Jessie Montgomery to pieces written by or performed by talented musicians the tuba player has played with over his forty year career. Though the compositions span classical, blues and jazz, the common denominator and uniting element is the tuba. Stewart hardly needs an introduction. His career has been one of seeking challenges and passing on knowledge. His tuba has been featured on recordings from the jazz mastery of musicians like Gil Evans, Charles Mingus and Lester Bowie to the rock and blues inflections of Taj Mahal and Elvis Costello. Stewart has also been an active educator for just as long and has recently become a faculty member at the Juilliard School in New York City.

Stewart has been leading his own ensemble First Line Band since 1989. The current iteration of the group includes longtime member/guitarist Jerome Harris and the highly regarded drummer Matt Wilson, both of whose intuitive styles are perfect foils for Stewart s playing. Stewart also includes his son, the fantastic violinist Curtis Stewart, in the ensemble. Keeping with the original brass led formation of the First Line Band, Stewart adds trumpeter Randall Haywood and trombonist Nick Finzer for a number of tracks. In addition to the First Line Band, Stewart introduces the PUBLIQuartet, a string quartet (of which his son is a founding member), which accompanies Stewart on a five-part composition entitled In Color composed by former member, violinist Jessie Montgomery. The piece was commissioned by Stewart and was written with his abilities as the focus: Montgomery and Stewart held multiple listening sessions where she studied Stewart s extended harmonics and other techniques that she would incorporate into her compositions. This makes these tone poems about Stewart as much as they are about Montgomery. On the recording, the classical and jazz materials enable each other. There are aural elements that tie the performances together, most importantly the tuba. There are intentional elemental and spatial gaps, however. Obviously, there are stylistic leaps from jazz to classical to blues but there are also spaces between tracks that signal stylistic departures, thus the title. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Connections-Mind-Gap-Bob-Stewart/dp/B00KVF59CI

Personnel:  Tuba – Bob Stewart;  Cello – Amanda Goekin (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 9, 12);  Drums – Matt Wilson;  Guitar – Jerome Harris;  Trombone – Nick Finzer (tracks: 13, 14);  Trumpet – Randall Haywood (tracks: 13, 14); Viola – Nick Revel (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 9, 12);  Violin – Curtis Stewart, Jannina Norpoth (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 9, 12)

Connections: Mind the Gap

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Steve Forbert - Flying at Night

Styles: Guitar, Folk
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:30
Size: 78,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:16)  1. Flying at Night
(3:15)  2. Belle of Baltimore
(3:03)  3. Dream Song
(1:51)  4. An Hour or So
(2:27)  5. Dear Angel
(3:39)  6. Never Trust a Man Who Doesn't Drink
(2:34)  7. Listen to the Mockingbird
(3:25)  8. Out in the World
(3:40)  9. What If Her Love Should Fail?
(4:01) 10. Quiet Day
(3:16) 11. Surf's Out (Instrumental)

On October 14 singer/songwriter Steve Forbert is releasing a joyride of a new album. Flying at Night, recorded as a collaboration with his longtime friend, multi-instrumentalist Anthony Crawford, is a pleasure from beginning to end.“My booking agent in England asked me if I could possibly come up with a release to precede this year’s Fall UK tour,” says Forbert. “I completed nine unfinished songs that span several decades a couple from way back before I left Mississippi, one about my post-rehab life in a culture of alcohol advertisements, one about a rare hour of downtime I had while on tour in 1988 with Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians.” Flying at Night will be a UK-only release distributed by Shellshock. “Anthony Crawford and I have worked together off and on since he guested on my album The American in Me (Geffen Records, 1992),” says Forbert. “As producer of Flying at Night, he ran free with the tunes, adding whatever he wanted from his home studio toy box lead guitar, bass, drums, fiddle, and mandolin.” Crawford, a recording artist in his own right, has toured with Neil Young, Steve Winwood,and Dwight Yoakam.

Steve Forbert traveled to New York City from Mississippi in 1976 and played guitar for spare change in Grand Central Station. He vaulted to international prominence with the folk-pop hit, “Romeo’s Tune,” during a time when the singer-songwriter era had all but ended and Talking Heads, Blondie, and other New Wave and punk acts were moving into the public consciousness. Still, critics raved about Forbert’s poetic lyrics and engaging melodies, and the crowds at CBGB’s in New York accepted him alongside hose acts. “I’ve never been interested in changing what I do to fit emerging trends,” Forbert observes. “Looking back on it, I was helping to keep a particular tradition alive at a time when it wasn’t in the spotlight”a tradition that has since seen a thriving resurgence as the Americana genre. Forbert has amassed a catalog of well-crafted, unforgettable songs on such albums as Streets of This Town, The American in Me, Mission of the Crossroad Palms, and Just Like There’s Nothin’ to It. 

His tribute to Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004. He was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame in 2010. “Flying at Night makes for a great companion piece to the autobiography I’ve been working on for two years.” The book, called Big City Cat, covers Forbert’s entire career with a colorful look at his midseventies experiences playing both folk and New Wave clubs in Greenwich Village. Big City Cat will be published this fall by pfp Publishing in Boston. http://www.steveforbert.com/news/flying_at_night.html

Flying at Night

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Nina Simone - Broadway, Blues, Ballads

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:42
Size: 84.0 MB
Styles: Standards, Vocal jazz
Year: 1964/2006
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
[3:03] 2. Night Song
[2:15] 3. The Laziest Gal In Town
[2:41] 4. Something Wonderful
[2:50] 5. Don't Take All Night
[4:16] 6. Nobody
[2:55] 7. I Am Blessed
[2:32] 8. Of This I'm Sure
[2:34] 9. See-Line Woman
[2:58] 10. Our Love (Will See Us Through)
[2:01] 11. How Can I
[3:04] 12. The Last Rose Of Summer
[2:43] 13. A Monster

There's a lot more Broadway and a lot more ballads than blues on this, which ranks as one of Simone's weaker mid-'60s albums. Almost half the record features Broadway tunes on the order of Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hammerstein; most of the rest was composed by Bennie Benjamin, author of her first-rate "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," which the Animals covered for a hit shortly afterwards (and which leads off this record). The other Benjamin tunes are modified uptown soul with string arrangements and backup vocals in the vein of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," but aren't in the same league, although "How Can I?" is an engaging cha-cha. Besides "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," the album is most notable for the great "SeeLine Woman," a percolating call-and-response number that ranks as one of her best tracks. ~Richie Unterberger

Broadway, Blues, Ballads mc
Broadway, Blues, Ballads zippy

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Larry Carlton, SWR Big Band - Lights On

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:17
Size: 156.3 MB
Styles: Big band, Guitar jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[5:07] 1. Mellow Out
[5:24] 2. Milestones
[8:03] 3. Kid Charlemagne
[8:04] 4. Fnnn
[6:53] 5. Too Young To Go Steady
[7:31] 6. My Favorite Things
[7:01] 7. Room 335
[6:38] 8. Friday Nights Shuffle
[8:41] 9. The Wells Gone Dry
[4:49] 10. Black Friday

Legendary guitarist Larry Carlton & the SWR Big Band team up for a new production! Combining his roots in blues and jazz with a crossover pop rock sensibility, Carlton's unmistakable sound is marked by his signature warm tone, bright melodies and soulful guitar solos. Four time Grammy winner, Titan of Tone award recipient and legendary guitar great, Larry Carlton is one of the most influential, prolific and original guitarists in the industry. Carlton established himself from his first recording, A Little Help From My Friends. His studio credits include musicians and groups like Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr., Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and literally dozens of others. He went on to perform with the Crusaders and then with the multi platinum jazz super group Fourplay. With 30 albums to his credit and having performed on over 100 albums that have gone Gold or Platinum, Larry Carlton has set a standard for artistry that spans three decades.

For the past 60 years the 17 members of the SWR Big Band have thrilled audiences throughout Europe with a hugely varied repertoire and consistently excellent quality of music. It is indisputable that they are one of the best big bands in the world. Since 2002, they have received four Grammy nominations, which is credited to the outstanding soloists of the band, the extraordinary interplay of the musicians and great arrangements of new and classic songs alike. Their success that is also supported by the collaborations with international jazz and world music greats like Pat Metheny, Roy Hargrove, Roberta Gambarini, Sammy Nestico, and Paula Morelenbaum.

Lights On mc
Lights On zippy

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Brassens Le Cubain - Brassens Le Cubain Vol. 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:17
Size: 167.8 MB
Styles: Cuban rhythms
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. Brave Margot
[4:30] 2. Le Petit Cheval Blanc
[4:36] 3. Saturne
[4:01] 4. Dans L'eau De La Claire Fontaine
[4:45] 5. Les Amoureux Des Bancs Publics
[4:46] 6. La Chasse Aux ¨papillons
[4:45] 7. Sauf Le Respect Que Je Vous Dois
[4:58] 8. Les Copains D'abort
[4:39] 9. La Princesse Et Le Croque-Note
[6:51] 10. Les Passantes
[4:30] 11. Auprès De Mon Arbre
[3:55] 12. Le Fossoyeur
[2:36] 13. Pauvre Martin
[5:07] 14. Chanson Pour L'auvergnat
[3:13] 15. Le Temps Ne Fait Rien à L'affaire
[5:43] 16. Grand Père

BRASSENS LE CUBAIN, A Collective Of Musicians From The "TEMPO FORTE" Group, Has One Day Asked This Simple Question: "... And If Georges Brassens Was Born In Cuba ...? Imagine An Instant Instead Of Contemplating The Mediterranean From His Dear City Of Sete, Georges Brassens Has Written His Songs Facing The Ocean, Sitting On The Wall Of "Malecon" In Havana ... Under The Caribbean Sun ... If he had rocked his texts to the sounds of the countless rhythms of Cuban music, what would have become "the buddies first," "the princess and the croque-notes", "the passer-bys" ... certainly some boleros, Cha-Cha-Cha, Mambos ... Through Original Arrangements, Always In Respect Of The Text And Wealth Of Cuban Music, BRASSENS THE CUBAN Proposes An Answer To This Enigmatic Question And Invites You To Discover This Alchemy. (Translated from French.)

Brassens Le Cubain Vol. 1 mc
Brassens Le Cubain Vol. 1 zippy

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Oliver Nelson - Taking Care Of Business

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:37
Size: 97.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1960/2013
Art: Front

[9:54] 1. Trane Whistle
[6:57] 2. Doxy
[5:30] 3. In Time
[6:16] 4. Lou's Good Dues
[7:32] 5. All The Way
[6:26] 6. Groove

Bass – George Tucker; Drums – Roy Haynes; Organ – Johnny "Hammond" Smith; Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Oliver Nelson; Vibraphone – Lem Winchester.

Oliver Nelson would gain his greatest fame later in his short life as an arranger/ composer, but this superior session puts the emphasis on his distinctive tenor and alto playing. In a slightly unusual group (with vibraphonist Lem Winchester, organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Roy Haynes), Nelson improvises a variety of well-constructed but spontaneous solos; his unaccompanied spots on "All the Way" and his hard-charging playing on the medium-tempo blues "Groove" are two of the many highpoints. Nelson remains a vastly underrated saxophonist and all six performances (four of them his originals) are excellent. ~Scott Yanow

Taking Care Of Business mc
Taking Care Of Business zippy

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Josefine Cronholm & Ibis - Hotel Paradise

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:47
Size: 102.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2003/2012
Art: Front

[4:10] 1. I Hold My Breath
[5:51] 2. Do You Remember
[5:34] 3. Shadow
[4:36] 4. Aeroplane
[4:16] 5. True Colors
[5:58] 6. Wings
[4:28] 7. Silent Moon
[3:55] 8. Memory Of A Lover
[5:55] 9. Another Day In Paradise

Some singers become famous overnight with a hit song. Others have to fight a long and hard battle for recognition - that may never come. And then there are singers who, without being pushy, work on music that interests them or which they are invited to join, and they are instantly noticed, they are talked about on the grapevine, one musician tells another, and audiences spread the word about the indisputable talent. Long before their record debuts, such singers as Cæcilie Norby and Randi Laubek were known among musicians, and the same goes for singer Josefine Cronholm.

Josefine was born on 13 May 1971 in Domsten, Sweden, and in 1995 she was admitted to the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen. And soon this versatile super talent was in great demand. She has since been heard with Fredrik Lundin, Frans Bak, Django Bates, the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra, Marilyn Mazur, New Jungle Orchestra, and numerous others. Josefine Cronholm’s voice has a large range, she has brilliant technique and a wonderful audacity in terms of music. She has a rare gift for capturing an audience the very moment she enters the scene, and with her intense, unaffected stage presence she is the quintessence of a “natural” woman.

But for long Josefine Cronholm was a secret - to her fellow-countrymen in Sweden. Actually she was not hiding, she had just chosen to live in Denmark, where she is probably the most sought-after singer at the moment. Through her remarkable recordings with Frans Bak (“Natsange”), with String Swing (“Red Shoes” - the one with the marvellous cover by Arnoldi), and her first recording with her own band, Ibis (“Wild Garden”), her cd sales have been steadily increasing, and she has had lots of outstanding reviews in Denmark and in such countries as Germany and France, where e.g. the leading French jazz magazine Jazzman gave both “Red Shoes” and “Wild Garden” its highest praise, the term “Choc”.

In Denmark String Swing won a Danish Grammy Award, and Josefine herself has been awarded the prestigious Palæ Bar Prize, and now they have also spotted her in Sweden. And to such a degree that she has been given one of the highest distinctions available to a Swedish jazz artist: She was chosen as “Jazz in Sweden Artist” 2003, which inter alia led to a long tour in Sweden and to this cd recording.

Josefine Cronholm and Ibis say thank you with this beautiful and evocative cd, “Hotel Paradise”. Not a jazz recording as such - rather a record with a lot of jazz feeling in Josefine’s poetic and astonishing musical universe. When asked about her music, Josefine says that she “creates simple music; songs that are not built on a lot of complicated chords, but which grow from a core of equal parts of air and tones”. That’s how Josefine Cronholm and Ibis conjure up seductive moods and lovely melodies on “Hotel Paradise” and create room for reflection and a broad spectrum of feelings, contemplation, warmth and humour. A beautiful record.

Hotel Paradise mc
Hotel Paradise zippy

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Red Norvo - Jivin' The Jeep

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:06
Size: 144.5 MB
Styles: Swing, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1994/2009
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. It All Begins And Ends With You
[3:14] 2. A Porter's Love Song To A Chambermaid
[2:52] 3. I Know That You Know
[3:16] 4. Picture Me Without You
[3:06] 5. It Can Happen To You
[2:53] 6. Now That Summer Has Gone
[2:58] 7. It's Love I'm After
[3:05] 8. Peter Piper
[3:18] 9. When Is A Kiss Not A Kiss
[2:59] 10. A Thousand Dreams Of You
[3:05] 11. Smoke Dreams
[2:44] 12. Slumming On Park Avenue
[2:55] 13. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[3:15] 14. Remember
[2:44] 15. Liza
[2:56] 16. I Would Do Anything For You
[3:05] 17. Jivin' The Jeep
[2:56] 18. Everyone's Wrong But Me
[2:26] 19. Posin'
[3:15] 20. The Morning After
[2:51] 21. Do You Ever Thing Of Me

All of the music on this Hep LP (except for the final two of the 16 performances) has since been reissued in the Hep CD Dance of the Octopus which also includes the xylophonist's earlier recordings. However, this LP is perfectly done, tracing Norvo's career in complete fashion during a seven-month period in 1936. He leads an octet that also includes trumpeter Stew Pletcher, Herbie Haymer on tenor and the mellophone of Eddie Sauter (who provided all of the arrangements). The final two numbers were Norvo's first recordings at the head of a big band. Not every selection is essential (particularly not the two vocals by the voice of Betty Boop, Mae Questal) but in general, these chamber swing performances are quite unique and memorable. ~Scott Yanow

Jivin' The Jeep mc
Jivin' The Jeep zippy

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Conrad Herwig - Unseen Universe

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:17
Size: 159,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:34)  1. The Tesseract
(8:30)  2. From Another Dimension
(8:38)  3. Unseen Universe
(9:17)  4. Triangle
(8:12)  5. All Is One
(5:19)  6. Rebirth
(6:18)  7. Circumstantially Evident
(7:39)  8. The Magic Door
(7:46)  9. Three Degrees Of Freedom

Conrad Herwig's dazzling trombone chops and intelligent compositions make Unseen Universe, his third Criss Cross release, a stirring success. His sextet can maneuver around tight corners and yet attack with the force of a band twice its size. With Alex Sipiagin on trumpet, Seamus Blake on tenor and soprano sax, David Kikoski on piano, James Genus on bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums, Herwig can be sure of the group's ability to bring lushly orchestrated charts to life and improvise with sterling clarity and brilliance. Conceptually, with the title track and also with pieces called "The Tesseract," "From Another Dimension," "Triangle," and "The Magic Door," Herwig seems preoccupied with geometry and some of its metaphysical implications. Even as he draws heavily on the '60s Blue Note sound as established by figures like Joe Henderson and Herbie Hancock, Herwig stretches the limits of modern mainstream jazz with this all-original set. ~ David R.Adler https://www.allmusic.com/album/unseen-universe-mw0000105512

Conrad Herwig Sextet: Conrad Herwig (trombone); Seamus Blake (tenor saxophone); Alexander Sipiagin (trumpet); David Kikoski (piano); James Genus (bass); Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums).

Unseen Universe

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Chris McNulty - Dance Delicioso

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:25
Size: 158,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:57)  1. Primitive
(5:53)  2. Next Day
(4:51)  3. He Moved Through The Fair
(6:06)  4. All Of You
(8:44)  5. Meaning Of the Blues
(5:47)  6. Dance Delicioso
(3:27)  7. Last Farewell
(5:58)  8. Roamin'
(6:47)  9. Star Eyes
(7:35) 10. Only The Silence
(3:15) 11. Last Farewell - Reprise

On her fifth CD release, Dance Delicioso, Australian-born vocalist Chris McNulty sings a couple of classics, Cole Porter's "All of You" and the tried and true "Star Eyes", givng each tune a distinctive turn. The familiar melodies are surrounded here by McNulty's well-crafted original tunes, Annie Lennox's "Primitive," Bobby Troup's "Meaning of the Blues," and the haunting traditional Irish song "He Moved Through the Fair." You often hear the words "sultry" and "sensuous" used to describe the voices of lady singers, but McNulty doesn't strike me that way. Hers is a richly feminine sound, with a dash of sauce on "All of You," a jaunty, melody-stretching romp that has an innovative feel to it. McNulty sounds sad in a recovery mode from love lost, perhaps on Bobby Troup's "Meaning of the Blues," a take on the tune that contains a bunch of exquisite moments, like Sonny Barbato's sweet accordion work, with a gorgeous little solo in front of the whisper of Paul Bollenback's accoustic guitar. On "Star Eyes," McNulty goes with a more horn-like delivery, reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald as she pushes melody around inside a bouncy arrangement. The set, produced by McNulty and guitarist Paul Bollenback, has a high polish. Those exquisite moments I mentioned in "Meaning of the Blues" applies to every song here, with some surprises. The traditonal Irish tune "He Moved Through the Fair" is done with a dark yet airy style that features Erik Friedlander's deep-toned cello sound. The McNulty-penned title tune tells a handful of life-affirming stories, with some lush background harmonies, and listen to her voice as it rises from womanly to girlish as she when she tells a young girl's tale. A beautiful, original, polished effort. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dance-delicioso-chris-mcnulty-elefant-dreams-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Chris McNulty: voice; Paul Bolenback: guitars; Gary Bartz: alto saxophone; Mulgrew Miller, John DiMartino: piano; Sonny Barbato: accordion; Erik Friedlander: cello; Ugommo Okegwo: bass; Billy hart-drums; Cafe da Silva: percussion; Joel Frahm: saxophones; Dave DiPietro: soprano saxophone; Gary Thomas: tenor saxophone.

Dance Delicioso

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Houston Person - Rain or Shine

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:43
Size: 130,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:25)  1. Come Rain or Come Shine
(7:07)  2. 132nd and Madison
(7:02)  3. Everything Must Change
(6:20)  4. Learnin' the Blues
(5:31)  5. I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone
(7:16)  6. Soupbone
(5:12)  7. Never Let Me Go
(5:45)  8. Our Day Will Come
(6:01)  9. Danny Boy

Tenor saxophonist Houston Person, now in his eightieth decade, has made no concessions to Father Time, choosing instead to use his many years in the jazz trenches to forge a style all his own, bathed in blues and soul but never turning a deaf ear to the allure of a seductive and tasteful melody. Each of these components is clear as the midday sun on Rain or Shine, a well designed studio session on which Person shares the front line with the like-minded cornetist Warren Vache. There can be no doubting a leader's self-confidence when he not only opens his own gig with an even-tempered ballad ("Come Rain or Come Shine") but entrusts the tune's lone solo to his fellow horn man. That is exactly what Person does, unlimbering his keen improvisational chops on the next track, "132nd and Madison," and pretty much taking the reins from there on. That's not meant to imply that Vache doesn't have his moments he fashions engaging solos whenever called upon, as do guitarist Rodney Jones and pianist Lafayette Harris who with bassist Matthew Parrish and drummer Vincent Ector comprise the ensemble's deft and responsive rhythm section.

Besides the songs already mentioned, the bill of fare embodies a mixture of soul, funk, R&B and ballads, with the blues never more than a glance away, before closing with an eloquent reading of the Irish folk classic, "Danny Boy" (by Person and Harris). Jones wrote the funky "Soupbone," which precedes the ballad "Never Let Me Go" and "Our Day Will Come" (set to a bossa beat) and follows "Everything Must Change," "I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone" and the Frank Sinatra favorite, "Learnin' the Blues" (which swings as hard and as freely as Ol' Blue Eyes' original to amplify snappy solos by Person, Vache, Jones, Harris and Parrish). Rain or Shine was recorded in June 2017, one month before the passing of producer Joe Fields who founded the Muse and Xanadu labels, among others, before co-founding HighNote and Savant Records with his son Barney in 1996. If this was the last recording that Fields produced, he did indeed end his lengthy career on a decisive HighNote. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rain-or-shine-houston-person-highnote-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Houston Person: tenor saxophone; Warren Vache: cornet (1, 2, 4, 6, 8); Lafayette Harris: piano; Rodney Jones: guitar (1-6, 8, 9); Matthew Parrish: bass; Vincent Ector: drums.

Rain or Shine

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Dave Liebman & Phil Markowitz - Manhattan Dialogues

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:15
Size: 170,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:02)  1. Teacher of Our Child
( 1:53)  2. 7 Intro
( 6:02)  3. 7
( 7:36)  4. Philippe Under the Green Bridge
( 6:58)  5. Sno' Peas
( 8:50)  6. Jung
( 4:34)  7. Off By One
(10:25)  8. Mahoning
( 8:56)  9. The Night Has 1000 Eyes
( 6:55) 10. 'Round Midnight

Most musicians are fortunate enough to find one musical partner where such shared simpatico exists that they can evolve in perfect tandem exploring a variety of contexts with the kind of comfort level that ensures complete trust and an unfettered imagination that makes no pursuit beyond reach. To find more than one is rare indeed. Saxophonist Dave Liebman and pianist Richie Beirach's 20-year-plus relationship, well-documented on last year's Mosaic Select 12 box of archival live recordings, saw them approach everything from the early fusion-meets-world music of Lookout Farm to the open-ended freedom of Quest and more intimate duets. But when the two parted companies in the early '90s, it became Liebman's good fortune to cement a host of vital new partnerships, including guitarist Vic Juris, percussionist Jamey Haddad, bassist Tony Marino and pianist/keyboardist Phil Markowitz. Liebman's post-Beirach quintet became the core of projects ranging from detailed exploration of the music of John Coltrane inarguably Liebman's biggest influence to its own diverse range of original composition.

Markowitz may have left the quintet in the late '90s, but he continues to be pianist of choice for Liebman, heard most recently on last year's Saxophone Summit featuring Joe Lovano and Michael Brecker, and now on Manhattan Dialogues, a series of duets recorded at the Manhattan School of Music, where both teach on a regular basis. With a personal and deeply-shared musical language, this set of eight originals and two radically-reharmonized standards is arguably the most vivid document of Liebman and Markowitz's remarkable chemistry to date.For the most part pensive and darkly-hued, the common ground that Liebman and Markowitz share may be on the cerebral side, but Liebman's ever-present expressionist tendencies give even the most heady chromaticism of his own "Teacher of Our Child," "Philippe Under the Green Bridge" and "Jung" a visceral edge. And while neither Liebman's or Markowitz's material swings in any kind of traditional way, leaning more towards a kind of abstract rhythmic pulse, there is an inherently insistent groove on Markowitz's more up-tempo "Off By One" and "Sno' Peas" the latter a tune that was first recorded by Bill Evans and harmonica legend Toots Thielemans, although in a far more conventional context than this significantly outré reading.

Throughout, Liebman and Markowitz are so in each others' pockets as to consistently blur the line between form and freedom. In fact, by the time the duo reaches the standards "The Night Has 1000 Eyes" and "'Round Midnight" at the end of the program, the overall complexion has been so well-established as to largely obfuscate the more recognizable characteristics of these well-known tunes. And yet, while many of the set's compositions are born from intellectual premises with challenging foundations, the 70-minute program remains completely compelling. More provocative than evocative, Manhattan Dialogues demonstrates the power and subtlety of improvisation in the hands of two artists who combine common musical goals with an uncommon ability to find the most direct if not necessarily the easiest paths to get to them. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/manhattan-dialogues-dave-liebman-zoho-music-review-by-john-kelman.php?width=1536

Personnel: Dave Liebman, soprano and tenor saxophone; Phil Markowitz, piano

Manhattan Dialogues

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Joscho Stephan Trio Meets Matthias Strucken - Gypsy Vibes

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:22
Size: 108,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. It Don't Mean A Thing
(4:11)  2. Things Are Getting Better
(3:44)  3. Linea Blanca
(5:30)  4. Seul Ce Soir
(4:01)  5. Four Brothers
(3:31)  6. Swingende Liebeserklärung
(5:25)  7. Night And Day
(3:10)  8. Brazen Waltz
(3:39)  9. Bags Groove
(4:26) 10. September Song
(3:21) 11. Three Little Words
(2:18) 12. Django

The Collaboration between Joscho Stephan (guitar) and Matthias Strucken (vibes) is influenced by the Master of "Gypsy Swing", Django Reinhardt, and the legendary Member of the Modern Jazz Quartett, the Vibraphone Icon Milt Jackson. Is it possible to combine their styles? The answer is John Lewis Composition “Django”, a Hommage to Django by the Modern Jazz Quartet in the late 50s. “Gypsy Vibes” contains Reinhardt´s and Jackson´s favourites, but also original material by Joscho and Matthias. http://www.joschoshop.com/Joscho-Stephan-Matthias-Strucken-Gypsy-Vibes-2016/en

Personnel:  Joscho Stephan - solo guitar;  Matthias Strucken - vibes;  Günter Stephan - rhythm guitar;  Volker Kamp - double bass

Gypsy Vibes

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