Aga Zaryan - Remembering Nina & Abbey

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:45)  1. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
(4:25)  2. Wild Is The Wind
(4:40)  3. My Baby Just Cares For
(4:23)  4. When Love Was You And Me
(4:31)  5. Long As You're Living
(3:40)  6. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bo
(5:20)  7. Lilac Wine
(5:05)  8. I Got Thunder (And It Rings)
(3:17)  9. Bird Alone
(4:43) 10. Avec Les Temps
(8:25) 11. Strange Fruit
(5:34) 12. Who Knows Where The Time Goes
(1:52) 13. Beautiful Land

The latest album by Agnieszka Czulak (known as Aga Zaryan ) entitled Remembering Nina & Abbey is a direct reference to the work of Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln , black female singers who have been distinguished in history as women struggling to abolish racial discrimination. Until now, Zaryan only performed single songs from the repertoire of these personalities (eg Suzanne Niny Simone or Throw it Away Abbey Lincoln). This time, however, the album is completely covered by the covers of the two mentioned jazz music.  http://allaboutmusic.pl/aga-zaryan-remembering-nina-abbey-2013-recenzja-szymona-jaremy/

Remembering Nina & Abbey

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Dave Stryker - Big Room

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:10
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:00)  1. Big Room
( 7:41)  2. Nascimento
( 8:15)  3. Hymn
( 8:35)  4. Jabali
(10:30)  5. Mood
( 9:15)  6. Arrival
( 2:51)  7. Hymn(Reprise)

On his latest album Dave Stryker put together a superlative group featuring the New York scene’s most original tenor saxophonist Rick Perry. With his “ enormous technique, rock-hard swing, and a penchant for finely-sculpted solos ” (Chicago Weekly) and “ with a soulful, Grant Green tone and one of the most natural sense of melodic invention …”(The Seattle Times) Dave Stryker welcomes you to the Big Room

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Rich Perry;  Bass – Ed Howard;  Drums – Billy Hart;  Guitar, Composed By – Dave Stryke

Big Room

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Cecil Brooks III - For Those Who Love to Groove

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:10
Size: 154,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Get Lonely
(5:43)  2. Mother And Child
(4:53)  3. Stay One Step Ahead
(4:03)  4. Browne James
(3:31)  5. Sweet Summer Breeze
(5:06)  6. Can We Talk
(7:11)  7. Lakumbe's Theme
(6:06)  8. Adreena
(4:32)  9. Swamp Run
(4:19) 10. Yvette
(6:35) 11. Hill District
(2:32) 12. Body And Soul
(2:20) 13. I Gan't Get Started
(2:53) 14. Tenderly
(3:14) 15. Sanj's Smoke Shop

On drummer Cecil Brooks III's Savant debut he is joined by tenor saxophonist Don Braden, alto saxophonist Bruce Williams, trumpeter Riley Mullins, and organist Radam Schwartz to perform ten originals by the group members, two pop songs, and a ballad medley. While Brooks is a modern hard bop drummmer in the tradition of Art Blakey, he chooses to stay in the background for most of this recording, while Schwartz plays strong basslines that are essential to creating the groove that is this recording's focus. Favorites include the soulful finger poppin' grooves of "I Get Lonely," a pop hit for Janet Jackson; "Can We Talk," a pop hit for Tevin Campbell; the exotic grooves of "Browne James" and "Lakumbe's Theme"; and the up-tempo burning grooves of "Swamp Run" and "Hill District." This is different from the bop, blues, and ballads that most organ-based groups play, which makes it an enjoyable listening experience. ~ Greg Turner https://www.allmusic.com/album/for-those-who-love-to-groove-mw0000251490

Personnel: Cecil Brooks III (drums); Bruce Williams (alto saxophone); Don Braden (tenor saxophone); Riley Mullins (trumpet); Radam Schwartz (organ)

For Those Who Love to Groove

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Billy Hart - Oshumare

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:59
Size: 125,9 MB
Art: Front

( 6:17)  1. Duchess
( 7:44)  2. Waiting Inside
( 5:56)  3. Chance
( 7:27)  4. Lorca
( 4:45)  5. Cosmosis
(10:20)  6. Idgaf Suite
( 6:09)  7. May Dance
( 6:17)  8. Mad Monkey

Billy Hart is a perfect example of a drummer who has an impressively long list of sideman credits but has only recorded sporadically as a leader. One of the few sessions that he led in the 1980s was 1985's Oshumare, a Gramavision date that has one foot in fusion and the other in straight-ahead post-bop. Hart oversees an interesting blend of acoustic and electric instruments; Dave Holland is on upright bass, while the electric contributions come from Kenny Kirkland or Mark Gray on keyboards and Bill Frisell or Kevin Eubanks on electric guitar. Rounding out the cast which could almost be described an all-star cast are Branford Marsalis on tenor sax, Steve Coleman on alto sax, Didier Lockwood on violin, and Manolo Badrena on percussion. However, the use of the term all-star would be a slight exaggeration because not all of the musicians became major names in jazz although most of them did. But it is no exaggeration to say that Hart leads an impressive cast of players on this CD or that the material is generally solid; that is true of Hart's Latin-flavored "Lorca" as well as Frisell's mysterious "Waiting Outside" and Eubank's abstract "IDGAF Suite." Parts of Oshumare are essentially straight-ahead, especially Holland's fast-paced "Cosmosis." But this album cannot honestly be described as the work of a jazz purist. One minute Hart is straight-ahead, and the next he encourages Eubanks or Kirkland to take things in more of a fusion direction. And that speaks well of the drummer (who was 44 or 45 when this album was recorded), because it demonstrates that he is willing to listen to what younger musicians have to say. Oshumare makes listeners wish that Hart had recorded more albums as a leader in the 1980s. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/oshumare-mw0000188147

Personnel includes: Billy Hart (drums); Branford Marsalis, Steve Coleman (saxophone); Didier Lockwood (violin); Bill Frisell (guitar); Dave Holland (bass); Kevin Eubanks, Kenny Kirkland (piano).

Oshumare

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Ahmad Jamal - Happy Moods

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:51
Size: 84.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1960/2008
Art: Front

[5:13] 1. Little Old Lady
[2:45] 2. For All We Know
[5:45] 3. Pavanne
[3:01] 4. Excerpts From The Blues
[3:18] 5. Easy To Love
[1:34] 6. Time On My Hands
[4:41] 7. Raincheck
[3:00] 8. I'll Never Stop Loving You
[4:53] 9. Speak Low
[2:37] 10. Rhumba No. 2

The immortal 1958 Pershing and Spotlite performances marked the turning point in Ahmad Jamal's career. By 1960, when Happy Moods was recorded, the trio of Jamal (born Fritz Russell Jones on July 2, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he is 83 at this writing), Israel Crosby and Vernel Fournier (July 30, 1928-November 4, 2000) was a true sensation and had taped various successful albums. Recorded almost two years after his most popular trio album, At the Pershing, Happy Moods is a program of mostly standards, a flirtation with a classical piano piece and two Jamal originals. According to All Music Guide critic Dave Nathan, ''Playing with his patented sneaky left-hand voicings and his jingling right hand, interspersed with block chords all within a lean framework, the performances offered by this album are representative of Jamal's work of the period. He takes a piece of fluff like Little Old Lady and transforms it into a fugue replete with the counterpoint that personifies this classical form. An up-tempo 'Easy to Love', highlighting Fournier's brushes, is tastefully garnished with runs and chords borrowed from fellow Pittsburgher Erroll Garner. Billy Strayhorn's 'Raincheck' features heady arpeggios as well as quotes from 'I'm Beginning to See the Light'.'' The formation would see a change after making live recordings at the Alhambra club in mid-June 1961, for Israel Crosby left the trio to join the George Shearing quartet. A posterior reunion of the classic trio would be tragically impeded by Crosby's untimely death of a heart attack at the age of 43 on August 11, 1962 (he was born in Chicago on January 19, 1919). The new trio, formed in 1963, would include Jamil Nasser on bass and Chuck Lampkin on drums.

Happy Moods mc
Happy Moods zippy

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Nancy Wright - Moanin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:26
Size: 138.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[6:19] 1. Jo-Jo
[5:11] 2. Rutabagas
[5:28] 3. Moanin'
[7:13] 4. Lady L
[5:51] 5. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:16] 6. Happy Sergio
[7:56] 7. When Sunny Gets Blue
[3:01] 8. Minority
[8:15] 9. Bugalu
[5:53] 10. Bernie's Blues

Nancy Wright is an Ohio-bred, San Francisco-based musician whose hearty tenor saxophone has graced many discs of Bay Area artists. She has also performed and recorded with blues giants Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, and Albert Collins. For her debut disc, MOANIN,’ Ms. Wright tips her hat to the blues- and R&B-charged jazz organ combo sound, backed by guitar, organ (Tony Monaco), and drums. She naturally accents the blues side of her musical personality and adds spice to the mix with some nifty New Orleans overtones. ~Mark Keresman

Moanin' mc
Moanin' zippy

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Sam Cooke - Mr. Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:51
Size: 82.1 MB
Styles: Soul, Jazz
Year: 1963/2012
Art: Front

[2:24] 1. I Wish You Love
[2:26] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[2:51] 3. Chains Of Love
[3:25] 4. Smoke Rings
[3:29] 5. All The Way
[2:38] 6. Send Me Some Lovin'
[2:47] 7. Cry Me A River
[3:17] 8. Driftin' Blues
[3:15] 9. For Sentimental Reasons
[2:37] 10. Nothing Can Change This Love
[2:35] 11. Little Girl
[4:02] 12. These Foolish Things

Sam Cooke released two albums in 1963, and the second, Night Beat, is often cited as the best of all his long-players. But the first, Mr. Soul, shouldn't be ignored, despite some flaws in its conception and execution. At the time, the powers-that-were at RCA Victor didn't know which audience to aim for with Cooke's albums. LPs were seldom huge sellers among teenage listeners, so the notion of trying to connect to an adult audience -- à la Nat King Cole -- probably seemed logical, and Mr. Soul suffered somewhat from this uncertainty of purpose and audience; it is a soul album, to be sure, but by the standards of the time a somewhat tentative one in many spots. Unlike Night Beat, which was an exercise in production restraint, Mr. Soul is over-produced and relies too much on strings where they aren't needed and choruses that are overdone, even when they work. But Cooke rises above all of it, and turns even some of the more questionably arranged songs, such as "Send Me Some Lovin'," into mini-masterpieces. A couple of tracks off of this album, "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" and "Nothing Can Change This Love," were part of Cooke's live repertoire at the time and have, indeed, found a separate life on various compilations, but the rest was unavailable for over 45 years, until Sony/BMG re-released most of Cooke's RCA library. The best of that rest -- which is most of it -- shows him still rising to the peak of his powers, his voice wrapping itself around lyrics and melodies that might seem too familiar ("Cry Me a River," etc.) and bland, and making them much more significant and powerful than they seemingly have a right to be. The strings are overworked at times, but where they are held back, as on "Little Girl," their presence only adds to the impact of the track -- and elsewhere, Cooke quietly overpowers them. Modern listeners should bear in mind that, as a soul album, this is a fairly laid-back record -- those expecting anything like the exuberance of Otis Redding, or Clyde McPhatter or Ben E. King, may be disappointed at first; Cooke does work up a sweat on various parts and phrases, but a lot of what is here, by virtue of the label's wishes for a crossover record, is what might be terms "cool" soul -- smooth and sometimes bluesy, in a low-key way, quietly emotive on numbers such as "These Foolish Things," with the hot moments in special abundance on numbers like "Chains of Love" and "Send Me Some Lovin'." But even in these cool, restrained settings, Cooke's was still one of the finest voices of his century, and worth taking in for every breath and nuance. ~Bruce Eder

Mr. Soul mc
Mr. Soul zippy

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Thomas Quasthoff - Tell It Like It Is

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:44
Size: 129.9 MB
Styles: Soul-Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:38] 1. I Can't Stand The Rain
[4:16] 2. Lost Mind
[4:25] 3. Have A Little Faith In Me
[3:13] 4. Have A Talk With God
[3:01] 5. The Seventh Son
[3:49] 6. Short People
[4:15] 7. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[4:46] 8. Kissing My Love
[4:43] 9. Ain't No Sunshine
[3:55] 10. Rainy Night In Georgia
[3:25] 11. The Whistleman
[4:16] 12. Rider In The Rain
[3:34] 13. Tell It Like It Is
[4:23] 14. Georgia On My Mind

Deutsche Grammophon's best-selling release of bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff's 'The Voice' astonished music lovers with tuneful proof of Quasthoff's ability to sing jazz as superbly as they knew him to sing classical music. With Tell It Like It Is, Thomas Quasthoff floors the music world again with this recording of American Soul with a jazz feeling. This world-class interpreter of Lieder brings the words to life with an immediacy that connects to the listener. Thomas Quasthoff digs into his music with a super quartet: Frank Chastenier, keyboards, Wolfgang Haffner, drums, Dieter Ilg, bass, and Bruno M ller, guitar. Tracks on this album, produced by the legendary Jay Newland, range from Bill Withers's 'Kissing My Love' to ballads such as 'Please Send Me Someone to Love' and 'Tell It Like It Is'.

Tell It Like It Is mc
Tell It Like It Is zippy

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Warne Marsh - Back Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:23
Size: 149.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1986/2000
Art: Front

[5:11] 1. Leave Me
[5:37] 2. See Me Now, If You Could
[5:04] 3. Two Not One
[4:53] 4. Big Leaps For Lester
[7:59] 5. Back Home
[5:27] 6. Heads Up
[8:07] 7. Good Bait
[4:27] 8. Rhythmically Speaking
[7:22] 9. Joy Spring
[4:42] 10. Big Leaps For Lester (Alt. Take)
[6:30] 11. Good Bait (Alt. Take)

Warne Marsh, Jimmy Halperin – tenor saxophone; Barry Harris – piano; David Williams – bass; Albert Heath – drums.

Recorded and originally released on vinyl in 1986 (a year and a half prior to Marsh's death), Back Home was reissued on CD by Criss Cross in 2001, with three alternate takes and a previously unheard version of Clifford Brown's "Joy Spring." Together with pianist Barry Harris, bassist David Williams, and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath, the tenor master and Tristano disciple works through a set of tunes that, in true Tristano fashion, are built entirely upon the harmonic foundations of popular standards. The sole exceptions are "Joy Spring" and Tadd Dameron's "Good Bait." Mark Gardner's liner notes wrongly identify "I Got Rhythm" as the source for "Rhythmically Speaking"; the latter is actually derived, oddly enough, from "Little Willie Leaps." On four tracks Marsh is joined by fellow tenorist and Tristano student Jimmy Halperin, age 27 at the time of the recording -- over 30 years Marsh's junior. The two-tenor pairing recalls Marsh's '50s collaborations with Ted Brown. Marsh's peculiar linear logic and behind-the-beat phrasing are the aural equivalent of well-aged scotch, and his rapport with Barry Harris represents a felicitous union of straight bebop and one of its most enigmatic tributaries, the Tristano school. ~David R. Adler

Back Home mc
Back Home zippy

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Les McCann - Pump It Up

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:21
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. Pump it Up
(5:16)  2. Buckshot & Lefonque
(4:45)  3. Let it Ride (the Train)
(6:39)  4. I Can't Stand It
(5:51)  5. So What
(4:57)  6. You Just Can't Smile It Away
(6:20)  7. Tryin' to Make It Real
(6:10)  8. The Truth
(5:23)  9. Daylight
(5:07) 10. Funk It (Let the Music Play)
(0:56) 11. I Can't Stand It - Reprise

The venerable jazz pianist and vocalist Les McCann finds himself a master of funk on Pump It Up. With a “tight as a fist” rhythm section of bass, drums, guitar and Hammond B-3 organ, McCann’s band has a groove funkier than the law allows. Crisp drumming with hammering backbeats, plus chunky bass and organ figures underscore McCann’s vocals that at times more closely resemble a rap recitation than singing. Honking saxophone solos and harmonious background vocals that comment on McCann’s vocal lines in the great Rhythm and Blues tradition complete the package. The performances on the recording include guest appearances by jazz diva Dianne Reeves on the Bill Withers ballad “You Just Can’t Smile it Away,” and veteran keyboard player and vocalist Billy Preston on “Tryin’ to Make it Real” as well as the strongly gospel inspired “The Truth.” Blues singer Bonnie Raitt also makes an appearance on “The Truth,” adding her personal style of delivering “the word.” All in all, Les McCann’s Pump It Up is a delightfully grooving piece of work. It offers high-level musicianship and some incredibly tight playing that could serve as a clinic in how to play in a great funky R&B band. This CD is recommended for Les McCann fans and those whose musical interests expand to include the world of funky Rhythm and Blues. ~ Craig H.Hurst https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pump-it-up-les-mccann-review-by-craig-w-hurst.php
 

Personnel: Les McCann, vocals; Ricky Peterson, Hammon B-3 organ; John Robinson, drums; Paul Jackson Jr., rhythm guitar; Abraham Laboriel, bass; Marcus Miller, bass; Maceo Parker, saxophone; Billy Preston, keyboards; Bill Evans, saxophone; Bonnie Raitt, vocals; Dianne Reeves, vocals; Paulinho da Costa, Latin percussion; Keith Anderson, saxophone; Tom Saviano, saxophone; Bill Churchville, trumpet; Tony Maiden, guitar; Maxaynh Lewis, Margaret Fowler Alan Abrahams, and Jim Gilstrap, background vocals.

Pump It Up

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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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