Sally Oldfield - Femme

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:20
Size: 83,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. Silver Dagger
(3:54)  2. This Is My Song
(3:17)  3. Marlene [Album Version]
(4:22)  4. Strangers In The Dawn
(4:39)  5. I'm Leaving [Album Version]
(3:50)  6. Andromeda Rising
(4:01)  7. Sometimes I'm A Woman
(3:45)  8. Two Different Drummers
(4:42)  9. Giving All My Love

The sister of both Terry and Michael "Tubular Bells" Oldfield, Sally Oldfield got her musical career started by appearing on several of Michael's projects in the '70s. This led to Sally securing her own solo record deal, resulting in such releases as 1978's Water Bearer, and the 1980 U.K. hit single "Mirrors." Sally also appeared on the holiday album Star of Heaven album with her brother Terry showcasing her vocal talents on a 23-minute-long version of "Ave Maria" and a soul stirring reading of "Silent Night." She's issued solo albums throughout the '80s and '90s her first release of the new millennium was the double-disc anthology Mirrors in 2001. ~ Greg Pato https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sally-oldfield-mn0000293715/biography

Femme

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Paul Bollenback - Brightness of Being

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:16
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:42)  1. Together
(9:00)  2. Unchain My Heart
(6:57)  3. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
(6:01)  4. Breathe
(4:50)  5. You Don't Know Me
(5:48)  6. A.M. Special
(6:41)  7. El Desierto
(3:12)  8. Dark Eyes of Floria Tosca, Pt. 1
(5:32)  9. Dark Eyes of Floria Tosca, Pt. 2
(2:11) 10. Dark Eyes of Floria Tosca, Pt. 3
(3:38) 11. Philadelphia
(7:38) 12. Siberian Passages

Good music is where you find it, and breadth of stylistic interest needn't dilute a distinguishable voice. Like Bill Frisell's East/West (Nonesuch, 2005), guitarist Paul Bollenback's Brightness of Being brings these points home most effectively. While Bollenback and Vic Juris are two very different players (Bollenbeck is also younger), both remain sadly underappreciated, despite their ability to elevate every project into something special. Looking at Bollenback's substantial catalogue of recorded work, one can find the same pattern emerging which is really a distinct lack of pattern. While unequivocally mainstream, Brightness of Being is no retro relic. There's nary a standard to be found, although Bollenback places some contemporary songs into straight-ahead but fluidly open contexts. Saxophonist David "Fathead Newman appears on two tributes to the late Ray Charles: "Unchain My Heart, which has a '60s Blue Note soul-jazz vibe; and "You Don't Know Me, which Bollenback relocates from country juke joint to late night smoky bar. But Bollenback interprets even familiar material with an open-minded and unencumbered approach. He constructs his solos every bit as well as Pat Metheny does, but they somehow feel looser. He thinks fast on his feet, effortlessly shifting from clean lines to complex chordal passages, yet always relying on a clear conception and strong narrative development.

Bollenback reinvents Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing, which also features saxophonists Gary Thomas and Tim Garland. Opening almost unrecognizably, the three players enter a heated exchange, ultimately finding their way to the complex chord changes that bridge the chorus and verse. They respect Wonder's melodicism, but Bollenback proves adept at improvising in ways that might seem reckless if they didn't make so much sense. The song ultimately ends as it began Bollenback, Garland and Thomas in virtual free fall, with bassist James Genus and drummer Terri-Lyne Carrington offering intuitive and responsive support. Bollenback's ability to envision greater possibilities is especially vivid in his adaptation of Garcia de Leon's "El Desierto, which starts as a gentle tone poem but then picks up steam for his solo. Again, he skirts the edges of abandon but never loses focus a characteristic equally applicable to Garland's nimble soprano solo. Bollenback's imaginative three-part adaptation of Puccini's "Dark Eyes of Floria from Tosca moves from freedom to form, temporal elasticity to loose swing, change-based improvisation to more open-ended modality. Bollenback's writing demonstrates similar adaptability. "Together may sound straightforward, but its inherent complexity challenges everyone to find common melodic threads. The gently Latin-inflected "Breathe, where Bollenback plays classical guitar, features Chris McNulty's sultry tone in a Norma Winstone-like wordless vocal. The set closes with "Siberian Passages, another deceptive piece where McNulty again mirrors Bollenback, who manages to make the elaborate flow with ease while retaining a simmering intensity. No one album can tell the whole story on Paul Bollenback. But certainly more than any record he's led to date, Brightness of Being demonstrates an out-of-the-box thinker working freely in a compositionally refined yet wholly accessible mainstream context. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/brightness-of-being-paul-bollenback-elefant-dreams-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Paul Bollenback: guitar; David "Fathead" Newman: tenor saxophone; Tim Garland: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Gary Thomas: tenor saxophone; James Genus: bass; Terri-Lyne Carrington: drums; Ari Hoenig: drums; Chris McNulty: vocals.

Brightness of Being

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Joey Defrancesco - The Champ: Dedicated to Jimmy Smith

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:36
Size: 116,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. The Champ
(3:37)  2. Mack the Knife
(7:23)  3. When Johnnie Comes Marchin' Home
(7:59)  4. Lover Man
(2:56)  5. Organ Grinder's Swing
(6:27)  6. O.G.D. (Road Song)
(5:50)  7. The Preacher
(5:33)  8. Walk on the Wild Side
(4:56)  9. The Cat

In a way, Joey DeFrancesco's entire career has been devoted to Jimmy Smith. Ever since he arrived in the late '80s, DeFrancesco was known for his dexterous assimilation of Smith's tasteful soul-jazz, and he expanded on that basic sound as the '90s progressed. It was likely just a matter of time before he sat down and recorded a full-fledged tribute to the Master of the Jazz Organ which is exactly what he did with Champ: Dedicated to Jimmy Smith. Working with bassist Randy Johnston and drummer Billy Hart, DeFrancesco keeps the spirit of Smith's classic Blue Note sessions alive, and Champ is indeed an expert emulation of that clean yet funky sound so much so that certain listeners may wonder what the point is and why not just listen to Smith's own albums. That's a valid complaint, since DeFrancesco rarely finds a voice of his own on this record, but the album itself is a good listen for that very reason. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-champ-mw0000667045

Personnel: Joey DeFrancesco (Hammond B-3 organ); Randy Johnston (guitar); Billy Hart (drums).

The Champ: Dedicated to Jimmy Smith

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Phil Markowitz Trio - Catalysis

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:05
Size: 131,6 MB
Art: Front

( 4:32)  1. M.D.A.
( 7:18)  2. For the Sake of...
( 5:16)  3. Breach
( 6:20)  4. Whys and Wherefores
( 9:49)  5. Undercurrents
(11:42)  6. Waiting
( 6:25)  7. Catalysis
( 5:41)  8. Fine

Veteran pianist Phil Markowitz has built an impressive resume over the last thirty years, performing with the likes of Chet Baker, Toots Thielemans, Bob Mintzer and David Liebman. On Catalysis, Markowitz leads the way with an outstanding acoustic trio featuring eight of his original compositons. The trio is rounded out by bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum. The level of communication between the members of the trio is of the highest order. After the sneaky unison line on the opening "M.D.A.," supported by Nussbaum's brush-stroke bounce, Anderson performs his first of many clever bass solos, morphing into a swinging piano romp rather seamlessly. "For the Sake of..." begins with subdued, free-form ideas, before the lush, rather abstract harmonic sequence floats to the surface without a hint of hesitation. Following the rhythmic intensity of the up-tempo "Breach," Anderson executes a floating, lyrical solo introduction to set up the contrapuntal "Whys and Wherefores" a disc highlight. The five-note bass ostinato at the beginning of "Undercurrents" serves as the catalyst for a multi-layered piece full of unpredictable twists and turns. On the lengthy ballad "Waiting," Markowitz unravels simplistic themes over a stark, emotive landscape. Nussbaum's quiet presence gives the tune inconspicuous coloration. The hard-swinging title track showcases impressive chops and a tight rhythmic bond between drums and bass. The session ends with "Fine," a light, straight-eighth groove with clustered piano voicings. With no shortage of piano trio recordings being released, Catalysis is a stand-out; an inventive, collaborative effort.
 

Personnel: Phil Markowitz: piano; Jay Anderson: bass; Adam Nussbaum: drums.

Catalysis

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VA - The New New Orleans Music: Vocal Jazz

Size: 110,7 MB
Time: 47:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1988
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. Germaine Bazzle & Friends - Secret Love (6:55)
02. Germaine Bazzle & Friends - As Time Goes By (7:08)
03. Germaine Bazzle & Friends - A Foggy Day (3:03)
04. Germaine Bazzle & Friends - Prelude To A Kiss (4:05)
05. Germaine Bazzle & Friends - Every Day I Have The Blues (2:17)
06. Lady BJ & The Ellis Marsalis Quartet - Body And Soul (7:16)
07. Lady BJ & The Ellis Marsalis Quartet - Tight (4:17)
08. Lady BJ & The Ellis Marsalis Quartet - I Mean You (2:37)
09. Lady BJ & The Ellis Marsalis Quartet - Just One Of Those Things (3:27)
10. Lady BJ & The Ellis Marsalis Quartet - Skylark (6:17)

One of three releases put out by Rounder that focuses on the modern jazz scene in New Orleans, this set has five numbers apiece by singers Germaine Bazzle (who is backed by a quartet that includes the tenor of Red Tyler) and Lady BJ (who utilizes a quartet with pianist Ellis Marsalis and saxophonist Victor Goines). Neither singer breaks new ground (in fact all ten songs are standards with Betty Carter's "Tight" being the only one not very well-known) but both are adept at swinging and bringing personal interpretations to the familiar material. ~by Scott Yanow

The New New Orleans Music

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Teresa Brewer - The One, The Only

Size: 178,3+176,6 MB
Time: 75:24+74:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front & Back

CD 1:
01. Le Grand Tour De L'amour (2:52)
02. Skinnie Minnie (Fishtail) (2:45)
03. My Sweetie Went Away (2:30)
04. Time (2:38)
05. Let Me Go Lover (2:28)
06. The Moon Is On Fire (2:42)
07. How Important Can It Be (2:58)
08. Pledging My Love (2:45)
09. Tweedle Dee (2:45)
10. Rock Love (2:22)
11. Whip-Poor-Will (2:04)
12. Older And Wiser (2:37)
13. Milord (2:17)
14. I've Got My Fingers Crossed (2:40)
15. Little Miss Belong To No One (2:49)
16. Pretty Lookin' Boy (2:51)
17. Step Right Up And Say You Love Me (2:38)
18. Another (2:42)
19. I Want You To Worry (2:44)
20. One Less Heart To Break (2:36)
21. Cry Baby (2:26)
22. I Hear The Angels Singing (2:34)
23. Ridin' High (2:30)
24. Lover, Come Back To Me (3:17)
25. Lullaby Of Birdland (2:37)
26. (When We're Alone) Penthouse Serenade (3:12)
27. You Turned The Tables On Me (3:18)
28. Just In Time (2:35)

CD 2:
01. And The Angels Sing (2:57)
02. By Myself (2:48)
03. That's All (2:53)
04. Day By Day (2:25)
05. They Can't Take That Away From Me (3:27)
06. Bidin' My Time (3:30)
07. I've Got Rings On My Fingers (1:38)
08. By The Light Of The Silvery Moon (2:35)
09. Naughty, Naughty, Naughty (1:57)
10. When I Lost You (2:35)
11. Ma (He's Makin' Eyes At Me) (2:03)
12. Shine On Harvest Moon (2:02)
13. When You Wore A Tulip (And I Wore A Big Red Rose) (1:29)
14. Honeymoon (2:26)
15. Last Night On The Back Porch (I Loved Him Best Of All) (2:10)
16. Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee (2:21)
17. There's 'Yes! Yes!' In Your Eyes (1:44)
18. Naughty 90S (3:47)
19. My Little Grass Shack In Kealakekua, Hawaii (2:26)
20. Lovely Hula Hands (2:20)
21. Sea Shell (2:20)
22. Pineapple Princess (2:45)
23. The Magic Of Hawaii (2:28)
24. The Hawaiian Wedding Song (Ke Kali Nei Au) (2:45)
25. Princess Poo-Poo-Ly (Has Plenty Pa-Pa-Ya) (2:07)
26. Hawaii Moon (2:23)
27. In The Summertime (You Don't Want My Love) (2:17)
28. Isle Of Paradise (2:27)
29. The Cockeyed Mayor Of Kaunakakai (2:04)
30. Now Is The Hour (2:59)

This is Jasmine's fourth visit to the career and wonderful voice of Teresa Brewer and stands as an excellent follow up to the last issue, 'Miss Versatility' (JASCD158).

Presented this time around are three albums, 'Ridin' High', 'Naughty Naughty Naughty' and 'Aloha from Teresa', plus a selection of singles from her early years at Coral and her final singles up to 1962.

Hits include: "How Important Can It Be", "Let Me Go Lover", "Pledging My Love" and her last hit "Milord" along with many other superb tracks including "Little Miss Belong To No One" and "Another" to name just two.

This is a must have for fans of Teresa Brewer as well as the great female singers of the '50s and early '60s.

The One, The Only CD 1
The One, The Only CD 2

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Kristina Koller - Perception

Size: 110,2 MB
Time: 46:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. You Go To My Head (3:56)
02. Simplicity (3:39)
03. I'll Remember April (3:52)
04. You're Here Now (3:25)
05. Skinny Love (3:43)
06. Nice Work If You Can Get It (3:13)
07. Blame It On My Youth (3:34)
08. Utopia (3:11)
09. I'll Know (4:31)
10. Devil May Care (4:39)
11. I Miss You (3:40)
12. Our Lives (5:30)

The album features Fima Chupakhin (piano), Chris Talio (bass), Joe Spinelli (drums). Also with Michael King (piano), Eric Wheeler (bass), Darrian Douglas (drums), Nick Brust (tenor sax), Josh Evans (trumpet) & Gabe Valle (violin).

Growing up just outside of New York City Kristina was exposed to an array of live music & dance - attending live ballet, Broadway shows, opera, jazz festivals and rock concerts. As such, she began performing in youth-oriented musical theater at an early age. Out of that experience Kristina branched out artistically, embracing solo performance as a singer-songwriter and vocalist in alternative rock bands. Through study of classical music & opera, Kristina improved her singing and learned different voice techniques, strengthening her range and vocal depth. While inspired by Amy Winehouse's versatility and open-minded approach to music, Kristina's desire to express herself freely as a vocalist pulled her into the orbit of jazz where she discovered the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, Sarah Vaughan and Chet Baker. During her teen years, her embrace of jazz music expanded into the performance space, joining a jazz quartet that gigged regularly.

With a music scholarship, Kristina studied jazz at the Hartt School's Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and finished her formal music education at The City College of New York where she received her BFA in Jazz Studies. She has studied with prominent jazz musicians such as Steve Wilson, Charenee Wade, Marion Cowings, Cyrille Aimee & Amy London.

Kristina has performed at many venues & halls throughout New York City including The Apollo Theater, Symphony Space, Smoke, Mezzrow, Minton's & Rockwood Music Hall. She was selected and performed as a Jazz Discovery Artist for the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival. Kristina and her Quintet were semi-finalists in the 2017 DCJazzPrix competition.

Kristina's music connects with new audiences outside of the jazz music circle, melding jazz, funk, R&B, alt-rock sounds into her arrangements and compositions. Kristina Koller is a very original contemporary jazz vocalist, one that anyone interested in jazz, or for that matter progressive music, needs to hear.

Perception

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Gianni Vancini - Souls United

Size: 107,0 MB
Time: 45:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Grapes (4:27)
02. Cannonball (3:38)
03. Here, There & Everywhere (3:33)
04. Night Train (3:48)
05. Souls United (4:26)
06. Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean (6:23)
07. All Of My Life (3:47)
08. You've Made Me So Very Happy (4:59)
09. Scrivimi (5:29)
10. Mr. Jackson (5:12)

Italian master saxophonist Gianni Vancini takes the coolest parts of contemporary music and blends it together for a sophisticated, funky, stylish pop sound that reaches deep into the groove bag to deliver upbeat jazz and feel good melodies akin to David Sanborn and Grover Washington, Jr! SOULS UNITED is the affable musician’s debut recording and co-produced by Thomas Bank and recorded in Amsterdam. The international release features special guests Eric Marienthal, Umberto Tozzi and Andrea Mingardi. This rising star’s sax tone is rich and smooth… pleasing to the ear yet offering enough depth to capture the attention of aficionados and Smooth Jazz enthusiasts alike. The excitement Gianni captures here reminds me of how I felt when I first heard Sanborn’s UPFRONT… cool, suave, a little gritty and a lot sexy! Don’t miss this new discovery… Gianni Vancini’s SOULS UNITED is yet another one of Italy’s inspired contributions to the arts! Grazie! ~SANDY SHORE

Souls United

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Al Martino - That Much Of Your Love

Size: 181,7 MB
Time: 76:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Pop, Classical
Art: Front

01. Now (3:18)
02. Nessun Dorma (2:35)
03. Are You Lonesome Tonight (2:44)
04. Granada (3:35)
05. Because You're Mine (3:26)
06. You Can't Go On Forever Breaking My Heart (2:48)
07. Sweetheart Of Mine (2:30)
08. I've Got You Under My Skin (3:03)
09. Make Me Believe (2:45)
10. Dicitencello Vuie (3:43)
11. Have I Told You Lately (2:46)
12. Wanted (3:07)
13. Close To You (3:16)
14. Love Where Are You Now (2:29)
15. Take My Heart (3:07)
16. I Love You Because (2:49)
17. Makin' Whoopee (3:10)
18. The Man From Laramie (2:30)
19. Non Ti Scordar Di Me (3:05)
20. The Exodus Song (2:56)
21. Rachel (2:43)
22. No More (3:01)
23. The Loveliest Night Of The Year (2:19)
24. Here In My Heart (3:01)
25. The Story Of Tina (2:58)
26. Mattinata (2:42)

Al Martino, a crooner who had several pop hits spanning more than 20 years and played Johnny Fontane in the 1970s "Godfather" movies, died Tuesday at his childhood home in Springfield, Pa. He was 82.

He was born Alfred Cini on Oct. 7, 1927, in South Philadelphia. Encouraged by his boyhood friend Mario Lanza, Martino began his singing career in the late 1940s. His single "Here in My Heart" hit No. 1 in the U.K. in 1952 and stayed on top for a record nine weeks. He performed for Queen Elizabeth at the London Palladium that year, and Martino's publicist, Sandy Friedman, said the singer planned to return for an anniversary performance at the Palladium next year.

Martino had a run of chart singles through 1953, but his career stalled with the advent of rock 'n' roll. He caught fire again in 1963 with the Top 5 hit "I Love You Because"; it was the first of six consecutive top 40 singles in less than two years, including "I Love You More and More Every Day," peaked at No. 9 in 1964.

The string of hits propelled a pair of Martino's albums -- "I Love You Because" and "Painted, Tainted Rose" -- into the top 10 in 1963. He also scored a top-10 disc with "A Merry Christmas," which made Billboard's holiday chart for four consecutive years. His last top 10 album was "Spanish Eyes" in 1966, his only RIAA-certified gold record.

The Italian-American Martino continued to hit the pop charts through the mid-'70s, reaching the top 20 with "To the Door of the Sun (Alle Porte del Sole)" in 1974. But a new audience got to know him as the coddled -- and connected -- heartthrob singer and would-be actor Johnny Fontane -- godson of Don Vito Corleone -- in the best picture Oscar winners "The Godfather" (1972) and "The Godfather Part II" (1974). He sang "I Have but One Heart (O Marenariello)" during the first film's wedding scene and on its score album "The Love Theme From 'The Godfather.' "

That Much Of Your Love

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Donald Brown - The Classic Introvert

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:39
Size: 164.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[ 6:10] 1. Theme For Malcom
[ 6:13] 2. Enchanté!
[10:02] 3. Suite Africa
[ 5:06] 4. The Mc Ghaw's Place
[ 6:13] 5. A Dance For Marie-Do
[ 5:56] 6. The Classic Introvert
[ 7:36] 7. Dance Sucker
[ 5:51] 8. Phineas
[ 4:17] 9. Strangers In Paradise
[ 4:03] 10. A Poem For Martin
[ 5:58] 11. I Love It When You Say It In French
[ 4:09] 12. A Diamond In The Rough

Piano – Donald Brown. Recorded July 17 & 18, 1997.

One of many alumni of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, pianist Donald Brown is easily one of the most accomplished composers to graduate from the late drummer's finishing school for talented young musicians. On this solo piano session for Space Time, Brown explores a dozen thoughtful original compositions cast in a variety of moods. "Theme for Malcom," dedicated to the slain Muslim leader Malcom X, is Brown's third recorded version of this work, but it proves to have a character as complex as its namesake. "The McGhaw's Place" is a cheerful, upbeat ballad with a rich chord structure and a recurring bass vamp, a piece that needs lyrics to go along with it. Equally infectious is "A Dance for Marie-Do," a hip calypso, while "Dance Sucker" is an enticing salute to the late giant of New Orleans piano, James Booker, featuring Brown's striding left hand. Brown was friends with the late Phineas Newborn and his tribute, "Phineas," is every bit as multifaceted as the phenomenal musician it honors is. The session is beautifully recorded on a pristine Steinway piano. It is little wonder that so many of Donald Brown's peers have recorded his compositions, though no one can interpret them as well as the pianist himself. ~Ken Dryden

The Classic Introvert mc
The Classic Introvert zippy

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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

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Broadway, Blues, Ballads zippy

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