The Vamps - Premier Soul-Jazz

Size: 198,9 MB
Time: 86:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Soul
Art: Front

01. It's All Good ( 6:25)
02. Samba 64 (10:48)
03. Brown Bag (10:38)
04. Theme For A Dream ( 7:11)
05. Out Of My Head (10:42)
06. Barry's Blues ( 5:48)
07. 4-30 Warm-Up ( 5:59)
08. Mid-Riff ( 8:45)
09. Five-O ( 2:46)
10. Waggin' The Dragon ( 6:08)
11. Talkin' To Myself (10:56)

Personnel:
Adib Sabir: Percussion & Vocals
Barry Leach: Guitar & Vocals
Bob Pieczyk: Bass, Keys & Vocals
Booker Walker: Tenor Saxophone
Denny Burkes: Drums
Kevin Lewis: Alto Saxophone
Terry Miller: Trumpet & Vocals

Imagine if Cannonball Adderley set out from his home in Florida on a cross-country trip and swung through Mississippi and Memphis on his way up to New York City where he encountered John Scofield at a Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting. The result would yield something resembling The Vamps.

Earthy, yet sophisticated, The Vamps offer something simultaneously for both your brain and your rump. With instrumentation that can scale fluidly from a trio to an octet, and a lineup that consists of B.B. King and Stax alumni among others, the group are stalwarts of the Jackson, Mississippi club scene. They are purveyors of an encyclopedia of styles ranging from Latin, Deep Funk, New Orleans, Bebop, Reggae, Memphis Soul, Jazz Standards, and Blues.

Premier Soul-Jazz

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Maria De La Vega & The Wayward Five - Here's To Life

Size: 102,4 MB
Time: 44:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Sweet Georgia Brown (3:28)
02. Me, Myself And I (3:31)
03. After You've Gone (3:37)
04. Lover Come Back To Me (4:02)
05. Miss Celie's Blues (5:34)
06. Fat Daddy (3:46)
07. Mood Indigo (5:03)
08. Caravan (4:39)
09. Here's To Life (5:38)
10. Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do (4:49)

Personnel:
Maria De La Vega: Vocals
Jamieson Trotter: Piano
Gabe Davis: Upright bass
Mark San Filippo: Drums
Kyle O'Donnell: Saxophone
Scott Steen: Trumpet

Maria De la Vega is a jazz and blues singer who, in addition to several other music projects, has headed her own band Wayward Five for the last 10 years.

The ensemble is a jazz and blues quintet fronted by a dynamic female vocalist, specializing in blending unique flavors with the classic music of the 30's,40's and 50's. The Wayward Five plays an eclectic variety of styles ranging from Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Chet Baker and Alberta Hunter. Their music appeals to a wide variety of palettes from the jazz and blues enthusiast to the casual listener. The ensemble has been the resident Wednesday night house band in The Lounge at the Hotel Bel Air for years. "Here's to Life" is their debut album.

Here's To Life

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Jim Snidero - Tippin'

Size: 121,3 MB
Time: 52:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front & Back

01. Tippin' (5:15)
02. Let's Be Frank (Dedicated To Frank Wess) (5:41)
03. Young Like (6:39)
04. The More I See You (5:46)
05. Lover Man Oh Where Can You Be? (5:28)
06. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (4:28)
07. K2 (6:32)
08. Alone Together (7:01)
09. Fried Oysters (5:08)

Altoist Jim Snidero started his professional career in 1981 by playing for a year with organist Jack McDuff. After nearly a quarter-century of other musical experiences, he sat in with his friend, organist Mike LeDonne, in 2006 and enjoyed returning to the basic blues, ballads and standards. Their 2007 recording features Snidero playing more boppish and a bit more basic than one might expect, perfectly fitting into the idiom. He caresses the melodies of ballads and brings out the bluish side of the faster tunes. Snidero also contributes three swinging originals, including a tribute to Frank Wess, "Let's Be Frank." Mike LeDonne shows once again that he is one of the top organists around today while guitarist Paul Bollenback and drummer Tony Reedus are as consistent, swinging, and stimulating as ever. ~by Scott Yanow

Tippin'

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The Sassy Swingers - Music From New Orleans

Size: 122,5 MB
Time: 52:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: New Orleans Jazz, Swing, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Heaping Helping Of My Love (3:38)
02. Devil's Gonna Get You (4:48)
03. All The Whores (3:36)
04. Ferry Man (3:03)
05. Joseph Joseph (3:22)
06. I'm Blue And Lonesome (4:21)
07. Creole Song (3:39)
08. Blade In My Soul (2:58)
09. Days Are Gone (3:56)
10. My Dear (4:36)
11. Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down (4:37)
12. Va Et Vient (9:30)

Deliberement acoustique mais resolument « swing » sur scene comme dans la rue, « The Sassy Swingers » est fidele aux origines du jazz de la Nouvelle-Orleans et remet au gout du jour la belle epoque elegante, swing et « So positive » !
Voix, banjo, washboard, sousaphone, trombone et clarinette de´poussierent le jazz enjoue et metisse de la Nouvelle Orleans des annees 30 a nos jours.
Veritable spectacle, les « Sassy Swingers » s'approprient la tradition de Louis Armstrong a Bessie Smith... et partagent avec ferveur leurs compositions aux sonorites jazz, blues, creole, anglais et français.
Ça swingue, ça chaloupe, on y voit une pin-up « Sassy » a la voix sexy et des instruments insolites, le tout dans un style delicieusement retro... Irresistible et contagieux!

Music From New Orleans

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Eartha Kitt - I Want To Be Evil: ...The Wicked Eartha Kitt

Size: 182,6 MB
Time: 77:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Pop, Soul, R&B
Art: Front

01. Uska Dara (A Turkish Tale) (3:05)
02. C'est Si Bon (2:56)
03. I Want To Be Evil (3:28)
04. Santa Baby (2:45)
05. Under The Bridges Of Paris (2:40)
06. Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell (2:45)
07. Lovin' Spree (2:53)
08. Mink Shmink (3:01)
09. Apres Moi (2:44)
10. The Heel (2:47)
11. My Heart's Delight (2:16)
12. Looking For A Boy (2:59)
13. Nobody Taught Me (2:20)
14. The Day That The Circus Left Town (3:14)
15. I've Got That Lovin' Bug Itch (2:22)
16. Nothin' For Christmas (2:33)
17. Honolulu Rock-A Roll-A (1:46)
18. Put More Wood On The Fire (2:00)
19. A Woman Wouldn't Be A Woman (1:59)
20. Toujours Gai (2:08)
21. Yomme, Yomme (2:43)
22. If I Can't Take It With Me (When I Go) (2:31)
23. Just An Old Fashioned Girl (2:51)
24. I'd Rather Be Burned As A Witch (2:14)
25. Johnny With The Gentle Hands (2:45)
26. Do It Again (2:31)
27. Good Little Girls (2:43)
28. It's So Nice To Have A Man Around The House (2:41)
29. All I Want Is All There Is And Then Some (3:18)

The precociously-talented Eartha Kitt spoke four languages fluently, could sing in seven or eight and was one of the biggest international stars of her era. She enjoyed hit records, films, musicals and/or cabaret seasons in every decade of her 60+ years career. However, the body of work she recorded for RCA Victor between 1953-1957 is widely accepted as career-defining, and provides around 80% of the tracks in this compilation. Includes her 'breakthrough' hits "Uska Dara", "C'est Si Bon", "I Want To Be Evil", "Santa Baby", "Under The Bridges Of Paris", "Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell" and "Lovin' Spree". Also includes signature songs like "Mink Schmink", "The Heel", "Just An Old-Fashioned Girl", "I'd Rather Be Burned As A Witch" and "All I Want Is All There Is And Then Some". This is a genuinely indispensable compilation, many of Eartha's RCA 45s have never previously been re-issued, and sides like "Honolulu Rock-A-Roll-A", "Toujour Gai" and "Yomme, Yomme" are impossible to find elsewhere on CD.

I Want To Be Evil

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Kenny Burrell - Both Feet on the Ground

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:42
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:17)  1. Nana
(6:27)  2. All Mine (Minha)
(6:06)  3. Tomorrow
(4:50)  4. Spin
(4:59)  5. Good Morning Heartache
(4:29)  6. Listen to the Dawn
(6:31)  7. Both Feet on the Ground

One of the leading exponents of straight-ahead jazz guitar, Kenny Burrell is a highly influential artist whose understated and melodic style, grounded in bebop and blues, made him in an in-demand sideman from the mid-'50s onward and a standard by which many jazz guitarists gauge themselves to this day. Born in Detroit in 1931, Burrell grew up in a musical family in which his mother played piano and sang in the Second Baptist Church choir, while his father favored the banjo and ukulele. Burrell began playing guitar at age 12 and quickly fell under the influence of such artists as Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Oscar Moore, T-Bone Walker, and Muddy Waters. Surrounded by the vibrant jazz and blues scene of Detroit, Burrell began to play gigs around town and counted among his friends and bandmates pianist Tommy Flanagan, saxophonists Pepper Adams and Yusef Lateef, drummer Elvin Jones, and others.  In 1951, Burrell made his recording debut on a combo session that featured trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie as well as saxophonist John Coltrane, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, and bassist Percy Heath. Although his talent ranked among the best of the professional jazz players at the time, Burrell continued to study privately with renowned classical guitarist Joe Fava, and enrolled in the music program at Wayne State University. Upon graduating in 1955 with a B.A. in music composition and theory, Burrell was hired for a six-month stint touring with pianist Oscar Peterson's trio. Then, in 1956, Burrell and Flanagan moved to New York City and immediately became two of the most sought-after sidemen in town, performing in gigs with such luminaries as singers Tony Bennett and Lena Horne, playing in Broadway pit orchestras, and recording with an array of legendary musicians including Coltrane, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, organist Jimmy Smith, vocalist Billie Holiday, and many others. Burrell made his recorded debut as a leader on the 1956 Blue Note session Introducing Kenny Burrell technically his second session for the label, but the first to see release. From the late '50s onward, Burrell continued to record by himself and with others, and has appeared on countless albums over the years including such notable albums as 1957's The Cats featuring Coltrane, 1963's Midnight Blue featuring saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, 1965's Guitar Forms with arrangements by Gil Evans, and 1968's Blues - The Common Ground. Beginning in 1971, Burrell started leading various college seminars including the first regular course to be held in the United States on the music of composer, pianist, and bandleader Duke Ellington. He continued performing, recording, and teaching throughout the '80s and '90s, releasing several albums including 1989's Guiding Spirit, 1991's Sunup to Sundown, 1994's Collaboration with pianist LaMont Johnson, 1995's Primal Blue, and 1998's church music-inspired Love Is the Answer.  In 2001, Burrell released the relaxed quartet date A Lucky So and So on Concord and followed it up in 2003 with Blue Muse. He celebrated turning 75 years old in 2006 by recording a live date, released a year later as 75th Birthday Bash Live! In 2010, Burrell released the live album Be Yourself: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, recorded at Lincoln Center's smaller club-like venue, followed two years later by Special Requests (And Other Favorites): Live at Catalina's. In 2015, Burrell released The Road to Love, recorded live at Catalina's Jazz Club in Hollywood. Another Catalina's live date, Unlimited 1, appeared in 2016 and featured Burrell backed by the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra. Besides continuing to perform, Burrell is the founder and director of the Jazz Studies Program at UCLA, as well as president emeritus of the Jazz Heritage Foundation. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kenny-burrell-mn0000068780/biography   

Personnel:  Kenny Burrell - guitar, producer, arrangements;  Mike Woffor - piano, electric piano, arrangements;  Reggie Johnson - bass;  Lenny McBrown - drums;  Moacir Santos - conga, percussion

Both Feet on the Ground

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Tessa Souter - Obsession

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:57
Size: 114,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. Eleanor Rigby
(4:59)  2. Riverman
(4:21)  3. Obsession
(5:22)  4. White Room
(4:46)  5. Afro Blue/Footprints
(4:14)  6. Make This City Ours Tonight
(4:23)  7. Crystal Rain (Sunshower)
(5:39)  8. Empty Faces (Vera Cruz)
(3:51)  9. Now and Then
(3:20) 10. Nara's Song (Little Sunflower)
(2:05) 11. Love Theme from Spartacus
(2:59) 12. Usha's Wedding

Tessa Souter is a consummate and dedicated vocalist who is deservedly on the rise in the New York jazz scene and elsewhere. A contralto who sings with both precision and emotion, her impressionist and minimalist interpretations bring out the meanings of her songs while remaining true to their melodic lines. Following Listen Love (Nara Music, 2004) and Nights of Key Largo (Venus Records, 2008), Obsession continues her in-depth preoccupation with the nature and experience of love, but with a slight shift to the Latin rhythmic side. In this respect, she is helped along by a well-chosen ensemble of instrumentalists who surround her with gentle warmth. By incorporating guitar (Jason Ennis), accordion (Victor Prieto), and violin (Todd Reynolds) into the group, Souter establishes a sultry feeling of a late night cabana in a southern clime. This provides the backdrop for further reflections on the vicissitudes of intimacy which she pursued in her previous recordings. The songs are well-chosen and carefully crafted, and the arrangements are done with great care to evoke an intended range of feelings and stylistic changes. The recording begins on the lonely 1960s note of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," and goes on to songs such as "Riverman," "Obsession," and "White Room," which evoke the passionate, obsessive side of love. "Afro Blue/Footprints" evokes John Coltrane's classic in an urbane manner, leading up to "Make This City Ours Tonight," while the remaining songs explore the light and dark aspects of intimacy, always with echoes of Latin genres. The instrumentalists complement Souter's singing with interpretive sensitivity, with Ennis' playing especially striking. Souter stands out in a large field of contemporary jazz vocalists because, unlike most of them, she thinks before she sings and never compromises the music with irrelevancies. She thinks not only of the music itself, to which she brings ample talent and sophistication, but also almost philosophically about what she wants to say. She uses dynamics and inflections to convey a deeper sense of meaning that the songs imply, and she does it with great attention to details that most singers overlook. This contemplative aspect, along with her unique style, precise articulation and her well-trained, stunning voice, make Souter a vocalist to reckon with and one whose development should be followed with great interest. ~ Victor L. Schermer  https://www.allaboutjazz.com/obsession-tessa-souter-motema-music-review-by-victor-l-schermer.php

Personnel: Tessa Souter: vocals; Jason Ennis: guitar; Gary Wang: bass; Conor Meehan: drums; Victor Prieto: accordion; Todd Reynolds: violin; Ansel Matthews: backing vocals.

Obsession

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Nancy Wright - Putting Down Roots

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:40
Size: 121,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Sweet Soul Satisfaction
(3:54)  2. Funkin' It Up
(5:09)  3. Just Can't Put A Finger On It
(4:27)  4. A Serendipity
(4:59)  5. The Big Queen
(3:17)  6. Hush Little Darlin'
(5:01)  7. Well I'm Travelin'
(4:35)  8. Grooving Easy
(3:19)  9. Lovely Pretender
(4:05) 10. Seems I Still Love You
(4:26) 11. Boogie For JL
(4:20) 12. Sanctity In Blue

Nancy Wright carved out an illustrious place among the ranks of tough, widely informed tenor saxophonists straddling blues and jazz, with a lot of fun stops along the way long before giving us PUTTING DOWN ROOTS, her latest and boldest CD. She sums up her frame of reference, “I love listening to and playing music that is soulful, direct and intense music that hits you below the neck in the heart, gut, and/or hips. My musical home is in blues, R & B, and New Orleans music styles, and I also enjoy gospel and funk.” Born in Dayton, Ohio, Nancy was classically trained on a variety of instruments, picked up the saxophone at 16 during her freshman year of college, was influenced by Chicago blues, and received valuable mentoring from the great guitarist-vocalist Lonnie Mack. She relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1983, where she emerged in 1984 with Hot Links, recording with Katie Webster and B.B. King. She also toured with John Lee Hooker, Elvin Bishop, Commander Cody, Maria Muldaur and many others. Meanwhile, she was racking up studio credits with most of the aforementioned plus Joe Louis Walker, Mark Hummel, Mighty Mike Schermer, Ron Hacker and S.E. Willis and recently two very well received projects featuring vocalist Frank Bey, among a long list. Says Nancy, “Junior Walker and King Curtis are huge influences [along with the historical lineage from Illinois Jacquet, Gene Ammons and on up]. Johnnie Taylor and Irma Thomas are favorite vocalists. But I am also very much influenced by the players and singers I work with, and I continue to be blessed by working with so many talented musicians.”

2009 saw the release of her debut all-instrumental CD MOANIN’ on Chicken Coup/Summit Records, a soul jazz tour de force backed by the organ trio of producer Tony Monaco. Shortly thereafter, Nancy began singing on stage and received positive feedback. Now with PUTTING DOWN ROOTS, Nancy adds three major dimensions to her recorded artistry. We’ll let her set the scene: “I wanted this CD to feature the music which most influenced me as a player. The music incorporates many roots musical styles which are also my musical roots. I decided to challenge myself by doing a full CD of original material and by adding songwriting/vocals for the first time. I chose musicians from the Frank Bey project seasoned supportive players who have a demonstrated track record of working well together and a studio and engineer that we were all familiar and comfortable with. [Keyboardist] Tony Lufrano put together some wonderful pre-production demos for about half the tunes, and it was at times magical watching these players develop the material for the session. This is my first time as a producer, and one of the pleasures of listening so closely was a constantly increasing appreciation for their work on this CD.”

The resulting CD is equally impressive and personal. The supporting music is indeed immaculate, tasty and tasteful. Nancy’s vocals convey charm and more than enough skill and conviction to sell her words. The instrumentals span a wide gamut and would make up a party disc to rival those of her avowed heroes. “Boogie for JL” is dedicated to Hooker, with whom she has fond memories of touring including a Carnegie Hall showcase, with an extra “bit of my love for the music of Magic Sam.” “The Big Queen” is New Orleans to its funkified core. Per Nancy, “There is something so special about the music there, especially the rhythm sections. The title refers to the women who mask for the Mardi Gras Carnival festival.” “A Serendipity” adds a touch of whimsy; “Funkin’ It Up” will put the listener in a cold sweat; “Grooving Easy” is soul at its sweetest; and “Sanctity in Blue” is what the title suggests, a slow blues-based sermon topped with a strong solo by always tasty guitarist Anthony Paule. Kid Andersen demonstrates his shared affinity for Lonnie Mack on the vocal “Well I’m Travelin’,” a totally apropos homage to Nancy’s early supporter with a train-beat. The rest of the vocals are spiced to varying degrees with her powerful tenor playing. “Sweet Soul Satisfaction” is an ode to romantic rapture; “Just Can’t Put a Finger on It” is a funk-laced ballad of changing love; “Hush Little Darlin” is a lilting offer of comfort. Nancy’s own rousing Junior Walker-laced solo graces “Lovely Pretender,” about a woman’s bravado. “Seems I Still Love You” is a deep ballad with gospel feeling. It takes courage, plus a whole lot of creativity and diligence, to put out a collection of music which is this personally conceived and submits so many aspects of the artist for public acceptance. There is so much more to her than the impressive resume we already knew, and here it is. Nancy need have no fear, and neither should the listener. She and the band have nailed PUTTING DOWN ROOTS in every way possible. Her challenge is our enjoyment. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/nancywright2

Personnel: Nancy Wright (vocals, saxophone); Kid Andersen, Anthony Paule (guitar); Tony "Macaroni" Lufrano (keyboards); Paul Revelli (drums, percussion); Lisa Leuschner (background vocals).

Putting Down Roots

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Richard Davis - Dealin'

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:07
Size: 132,1 MB
Art: Front

( 6:24)  1. What'd You Say
( 6:03)  2. Dealin'
( 5:36)  3. Julie's Rag Doll
( 3:54)  4. Sweet'n
( 3:14)  5. Sorta
(10:54)  6. Blues For Now

Superb bass technician who doesn't have as extensive a recorded legacy as expected, Richard Davis has a wonderful tone, is excellent with either the bow or fingers, and stands out in any situation. He has been a remarkable free, bebop, and hard bop player, served in world-class symphony orchestras, backed vocalists, and engaged in stunning duets with fellow bassists. He does any and everything well in terms of bass playing: accompaniment, soloing, working with others in the rhythm section, responding to soloists, or playing unison passages. He combines upper-register notes with low sounds coaxed through the use of open strings. Davis studied privately nearly ten years in the '40s and '50s, while also playing with Chicago orchestras. He played with Ahmad Jamal, Charlie Ventura, and Don Shirley in the early and mid-'50s, then worked with Sarah Vaughan in the late '50s and early '60s, as well as Kenny Burrell. Davis divided his duties in the '60s between recording and performing sessions with jazz musicians and freelance work with symphony orchestras conducted by Leonard Bernstein and Igor Stravinsky. He recorded often with Eric Dolphy, including the unforgettable dates at the Five Spot. He also worked with Booker Ervin, Andrew Hill, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Earl Hines, and the Creative Construction Company. Davis teamed with Jaki Byard and Alan Dawson on sessions with Ervin, and others like Rahsaan Roland Kirk. He also played with Van Morrison. During the '70s Davis worked with Hank Jones and Billy Cobham, and he was a member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra in the '60s and '70s. Davis left New York in 1977 to teach at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he has remained as a professor into the 21st century. Concurrent with his life as an educator, he continued making intermittent appearances as a performer, including at the Aurex Jazz Festival in Tokyo in 1982, playing in a jam session led by trombonists J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding, and at the 1984 Chicago Jazz Festival. Davis was featured in the 1982 film Jazz in Exile. He's done relatively few recordings as a leader, though three Muse sessions are available on CD. The superb The Philosophy of the Spiritual, which matched Davis and fellow bassist Bill Lee, is not in print or on CD. Notable Richard Davis recordings during the 21st century include The Bassist: Homage to Diversity (a duo recording with John Hicks) issued by Palmetto in 2001, as well as two Japanese releases on the King label, So in Love in 2001 and Blue Monk (with pianist Junior Mance) in 2008. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-davis-mn0000851653/biography

Personnel:Bass, Bass [Fender] – Richard Davis; Drums – Freddie Waits; Guitar – David Spinozza; Piano, Organ, Electric Piano, Clarinet – Paul Griffin;  Saxophone [Tenor Soprano], Cowbell – Clifford Jordan;  Trumpet, Tambourine, Cowbell – Marvin Peterson           

Dealin'

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Steve Forbert - Streets Of This Town

Styles: Vocal, Guitar, Folk
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:19
Size: 88,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. Running On Love
(3:34)  2. Don't Tell Me ( I Know)
(4:48)  3. I Blinked Once
(3:30)  4. Mexico
(3:20)  5. As We Live And Breathe
(3:41)  6. On The Streets Of This Town
(3:44)  7. Hope Faith And Love
(3:35)  8. Perfect Stranger
(3:51)  9. Wait A Little Longer
(4:38) 10. Search Your Heart

Steve Forbert began his career as auspiciously as any young artist could have possibly hoped a recording contract by the time he was 23, a critically acclaimed debut record, and a hit single from its follow-up. On the flip side, in just five years he found himself in record industry limbo when his label wouldn't release what would have been his fifth album, while at the same time refusing to free him from his contract. Following a drawn-out legal battle, Forbert, with the help of E Street Band bassist Garry W. Tallent, returned nearly six years later with 1988's Streets of This Town. As producer, Tallent succeeds in capturing Forbert's folk-rock at its best, with just the right mix of muscle ("Don't Tell Me [I Know]," "Wait a Little Longer"), pop ("Running On Love," "Perfect Stranger"), and insight ("I Blinked Once," "Search Your Heart"). He also brings a cohesiveness to Forbert's sound that had been lacking since his first recording. And while there are understandable bits of frustration and anger throughout, there's also a prevailing feeling of "Hope, Faith and Love" (a song title), as well as a refreshing sense of perspective. Just the fact that he kicks things off with the buoyant "Running on Love" and closes with the beautifully uplifting "Search Your Heart" lets you know that this isn't whiny, singer/songwriter fodder. At 33, Forbert is wise enough to know that what's done is done, and the only way to move beyond it is to look forward. Despite a welcome reception at the time of its release, Streets of This Town never quite fulfilled the commercial hope set for Steve Forbert back in the late '70s. Still, it was a strong comeback, and his best since Alive On Arrival was issued ten years prior. ~ Brett Hartenbach https://www.allmusic.com/album/streets-of-this-town-mw0000196340

Personnel:  Steve Forbert - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Lead Guitar on (2) & (9); Clay Barnes - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals;  Danny Counts - Bass;  Paul Erricho - Keyboards, Backing Vocals;  Bobby Lloyd Hicks - Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals

Streets Of This Town

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Frank Sinatra - Nice 'n' Easy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:57
Size: 116.7 MB
Styles: Vocal, Standards
Year: 1960/2008
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Nice 'n' Easy
[3:31] 2. That Old Feeling
[3:13] 3. How Deep Is The Ocean
[2:14] 4. I've Got A Crush On You
[4:25] 5. You Go To My Head
[3:22] 6. Fools Rush In
[3:15] 7. Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
[3:56] 8. She's Funny That Way
[3:19] 9. Try A Little Tenderness
[3:21] 10. Embraceable You
[2:45] 11. Mam'selle
[2:54] 12. Dream
[2:40] 13. The Nearness Of You
[2:54] 14. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:04] 15. Day In-Day Out (Alternate Version)
[3:12] 16. My One And Only Love

Breaking slightly from his pattern of a swing album following the release of ballads set, Frank Sinatra followed No One Cares with Nice 'N' Easy, a breezy collection of mid-tempo numbers arranged by Nelson Riddle. Not only is it the lightest set that he recorded for Capitol, it is the one with the loosest theme. Sinatra selected a collection of songs he had sang early in his career, having Riddle rearrange the tunes with warm, cheery textures. Unlike his previous ballads albums, Nice 'N' Easy doesn't have a touch of brooding sorrow -- it rolls along steadily, charming everyone in its path. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Nice 'n' Easy mc
Nice 'n' Easy zippy

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Tom Scott - The Very Best Of Tom Scott

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:32
Size: 122.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. Upbeat 90's
[4:23] 2. Only A Heartbeat Away
[5:40] 3. Reed My Lips
[5:04] 4. Anytime, Anyplace
[4:55] 5. Mazin'
[5:37] 6. Lost In Love
[5:09] 7. In Your Eyes
[4:33] 8. Chester & Bruce
[4:45] 9. Only You
[5:03] 10. Amaretto
[3:52] 11. Born Again

The Very Best of Tom Scott covers his recording career for the GRP label between 1987 and 1996 only, and is therefore misleading. The 11 cuts selected reveal different aspects of Scott's playing, but all but one, the bebop tune "Born Again," this set's last tune from the album of the same name, feature Scott in the various smooth jazz and jazz-funk settings. Scott's sound has been synonymous with the genre for three decades -- long before the genre had a name, in fact. Scott's session work alone would fill a box set, so it's difficult to narrow the man down to this one 11-track sampler. The collection's best tracks are the aforementioned (because it displays a completely different sound of the saxophonist's expertise), the title cut from 1994's Reed My Lips (with the late Grover Washington, Jr. on soprano), "Only You" (from 1996's Bluestreak, with Robben Ford, Joe Sample, Steve Gadd, and Ralph MacDonald), and the ballad "In Your Eyes" (also from Bluestreak). This is one of those sets for folks for whom smooth jazz is the only kind of jazz and who are looking for an introduction to his work. ~Thom Jurek

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Bettina Corradini - Debandade

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:29
Size: 143.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[6:11] 1. Cold Winds
[5:45] 2. Change (Débandade)
[3:29] 3. Talk To Me
[4:54] 4. My Tribe
[7:26] 5. Andros Bar
[8:31] 6. Sin Hombre
[4:49] 7. Dehors Il Pleut
[4:48] 8. Some Say
[5:10] 9. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
[6:21] 10. No End To Love
[4:59] 11. Soul Voyage

Bettina Corradini (voce); Aisha Ruggieri (piano); Ernie Watts (sax tenore); Paolo Boninsegna (contrabbasso; basso elettrico); Giorgio Zanier (batteria); Renzo De Rossi (sax tenore); Gianluca Carollo (tromba); Vincenzo “Titti” Castrini (fisarmonica).

25 years in Paris and then the decision to return to Italy (the father of Bettina was of Italian descent). So, the time to encourage yourself by the force of jazz, funk, rock and R & B and sooner or later the opportunity had to show up.

With Debandade (in fact sbando in French), debut album, Corradini shows us a strict coherence instead. The ideas are clear. Paolo Boninsegna's bass props ("Change" and "My Tribe" produce an engaging groove), Aisha Ruggieri's pianist and essentials (with echoes of the best Herbie Hancock), the tenor (terrible and magniloquent) saxophone of Ernie Watts ( "Andros Bar"), Vincenzo "Titti" Castrini (from romantic landscapes on the Seine "Dehors il pleut") are the happy and comforting narration of a debut album that has the same warm welcome as a field of sunflowers. ~AAJ Staff (Translated from Italian.)

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Frank Lozano Group - Colour Fields

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:03
Size: 132.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[ 5:47] 1. Cast
[11:21] 2. Village
[ 2:01] 3. Rothko (Colour Fields)
[ 7:40] 4. Buciumeana
[ 5:33] 5. New Man
[ 2:22] 6. Kandinsky
[ 7:22] 7. Now Won
[ 5:48] 8. L.R.P
[ 3:46] 9. Fleurette Africaine
[ 6:17] 10. Center Of Gravity

Frank Lozano: tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; Kim Ratcliffe: guitar, mandolin; Jim Lewis: trumpet, flugelhorn; John Geggie: bass; Jean Martin: drums.

The diversity of the Canadian jazz scene, as with many countries, is rarely fully appreciated. The Montreal scene, in particular, is as far-reaching as it gets—everything from the mainstream to the experimental can be found in the clubs and on labels like Effendi and Justin Time. Ottawa-born, Toronto and Boston- schooled, and Montreal-based saxophonist Frank Lozano has been active in that most cosmopolitan of Quebec cities for some time, and can be heard on a number of Effendi recordings by Thom Gossage's Other Voices, Effendi Jazzlab and label president/bassist Alain Bédard's Auguste Quintet. Colour Fields is Lozano's long overdue debut as a leader and, with a quintet cherry-picked from the Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto scenes, it's been well worth the wait. ~John Kelman

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Joe Henderson - Warm Valley

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:49
Size: 150.7 MB
Styles: Straight ahead jazz
Year: 1998/2008
Art: Front

[ 6:23] 1. Who Knows
[ 8:49] 2. Warm Valley
[ 6:40] 3. Zsa Zsa
[12:02] 4. Santorini
[ 9:35] 5. G Flat Ballad
[ 7:56] 6. Escapade
[ 7:35] 7. Sarabande
[ 6:45] 8. Perdido

Bass, Producer – Tommy Cecil; Cello – Susan Kelly (4) (tracks: 7); Drums – Tony Martucci; Piano, Producer, Design [Booklet], Coordinator – Louis Scherr; Saxophone – Joe Henderson (tracks: 2-6). Recorded April 11 & 12, 1991 in Washington, DC.

Although tenor great Joe Henderson is heard on five of the eight selections, this CD is worth picking up if only for the tightness of the fine trio (a co-op consisting of pianist Louis Scherr, bassist Tommy Cecil and drummer Tony Martucci) and the fine mixture of melodic originals ("G Flat Ballad" is particularly memorable) with three standards; guest cellist Susan Kelly is the lead voice on "Sarabande." Henderson's powerful presence gives listeners an additional reason to search for this straightahead set. ~Scott Yanow

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Ari Ambrose - Whatever Happens

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:37
Size: 164,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:16)  1. No More
(9:41)  2. More Than You Know
(7:59)  3. Whatever Happens
(6:48)  4. I'm Glad There Is You
(6:36)  5. Luna
(6:40)  6. Emily
(7:31)  7. Unknown Side
(8:51)  8. Don't Blame Me
(9:11)  9. Like Someone In Love

The word retro is almost too new-school when dealing with the stylistic expressions of tenor saxophonist Ari Ambrose. His efforts on Whatever Happens reveal a throwback to the sounds of the tenor players of the ’30s and pre-bop era of the ’40s, when Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Chu Berry and Don Byas ruled the roost, mostly in the big bands of the time. Although largely bypassing references to bop, hard-bop, etc., Ambrose, on his eighth leader date for SteepleChase, has found a way to adapt his playing so it fits neatly with the more modern direction of his rhythm section: pianist George Colligan, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Billy Drummond. Opening with the Lucky Thompson tune “No More,” the tenorist offers a sensitive reading that holds some of the earmarks of the Thompson sound. The rest of the way through older standards, Johnny Mandel’s “Emily” and three Ambrose originals, the leader plays with a quality that will remind listeners of Bean, Ben and Lester. The smooth, relaxed feel of his tenor work, while perhaps old-school, shows plenty of technical skill and creative flair. He spices up his solos with occasional flurries of notes that aren’t exactly within his stylistic zone but somehow seem to fit nicely. Colligan doesn’t play with his usual adventurous edge but keeps everything together within the rhythm team. With so many of the young tenor voices continuing to follow John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins or turning toward free-form abstraction, it’s refreshing to find Ambrose employing the tradition, taking it back and bringing it forward. If nothing else, he, Mark Turner, Ned Goold, Chris Byars and even Scott Hamilton are offering something different in what often seems to be a world of clones. https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/ari-ambrose-whatever-happens/

Personnel:  Ari Ambrose, tenor sax; George Colligan, piano; Ugonna Okegwo, bass; Billy Drummond, drums.

Whatever Happens

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Sally Oldfield - Natasha

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:14
Size: 100,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. Break Through The Rock
(4:50)  2. Natasha
(4:35)  3. Keep The Fire Burning
(2:20)  4. Clear Light
(5:44)  5. My Drumbeat Heart
(4:03)  6. Song Of The Mountain
(5:01)  7. You Break Like A Wave
(4:12)  8. Maya
(4:31)  9. In The Presence Of The Spring
(4:03) 10. Guiding Star

Sally Patricia Oldfield (born 10th March 1947) is a singer-songwriter, sister of composers Mike and Terry Oldfield. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Oldfield was raised in the Roman Catholic faith of her mother, Maureen. Spending her childhood in Reading, Berkshire, Oldfield studied ballet from the age of four and won numerous competitions in all styles of dance, including ballet, tap and modern. At the age of eleven, she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dancing, then located in Holland Park, London, and two years later was starred to move on to the Royal Ballet School at White Lodge. However, she gave up ballet two years later, and achieved three A-Levels at Grade A. She studied classical piano to Grade 7. All her school years were spent at St Joseph's Convent School, Reading, where she became friends with Marianne Faithfull. Oldfield went on to read English Literature and Philosophy at Bristol University. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Oldfield

Natasha

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Stephen Riley - Once Upon A Dream

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:57
Size: 158,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:54)  1. Israel
(6:52)  2. I'm an Old Cowhand
(7:45)  3. In My Solitude
(8:13)  4. Swinging Till the Girls Come Home
(5:00)  5. Lover Come Back to Me
(6:07)  6. The Very Thought of You
(8:20)  7. Tea for Two
(6:03)  8. All of You
(7:13)  9. Meditation
(3:56) 10. Once Upon a Dream
(3:31) 11. Tune Up

Stephen Riley's third CD as a leader for Steeplechase, like his earlier sessions for the label, is a pianoless affair, but the tenor saxophonist's sole musical partner is fellow Duke University jazz professor John Brown on bass. Although duos of tenor sax and bass are hardly a novelty, they aren't that common; Riley and Brown make the addition of other musicians unnecessary. The repertoire they chose for the recording included standards and a sprinkling of jazz compositions, almost all of which were written prior to 1960. Johnny Carisi's "Israel" has long been a favorite of jazz musicians and the duo's intricate interpretation proves that the lack of piano is no problem. Like Sonny Rollins, they find possibilities within Johnny Mercer's "I'm an Old Cowhand," though the only percussion is provided by Brown's playful taps on the body of his bass; Riley's humor comes through as he uses the full range of his horn and adds a few flutters without overdoing them. Riley's lush rendition of Duke Ellington's "In My Solitude" has the lyricism of Ben Webster, while Brown's arco bass provides a sublime background. Brown walks up a storm in Oscar Pettiford's "Swinging Till the Girls Come Home." Even old chestnuts like "Tea for Two" keep one's interest, due to the inventive approach of Riley and Brown. "Once Upon a Dream" was adapted from Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty, and the duo's setting of this charming jazz waltz is full of lyricism. Both Stephen Riley and John Brown merit wider attention in the jazz press with this outstanding CD. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/once-upon-a-dream-mw0000585362

Personnel: Stephen Riley (tenor saxophone).

Once Upon A Dream

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Andrei Kondakov & Paul Bollenback - Alone and Together

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:43
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:00)  1. Song for Michel (Kondakov)
(3:57)  2. Together (Bollenback)
(7:02)  3. And I Love Her (Lennon - McCartney)
(4:55)  4. Alone Together (Dietz - Schwartz)
(5:16)  5. Skylark (Carmichael - Mercer)
(6:08)  6. If I Should Lose You
(8:17)  7. Cat's Eye (Bollenback)
(4:33)  8. Alone (Kondakov)
(8:30)  9. I Thought About You (Mercer - Van Hensen)

Award-winning jazz guitarist Paul Bollenback developed a taste for the exotic over the course of a three-year period when his family lived in India. He was 11 years old when the family traveled to New Delhi, and years later the sounds and experiences of that early journey found their way into his first album from Challenge Records, Original Visions. His next release, Double Gemini, continued to stir up a buzz among critics, and it drew honors as CD of the Month from both WBGO, a Newark jazz station, and 20th Century Jazz Magazine. Bollenback remained with Challenge for his next project, Soul Grooves.The guitarist first got his hands on an instrument with nylon strings when he was seven years old. The guitar was a gift from his dad, who adored music as much as the younger Bollenback and also played the trumpet. At the age of 14, the budding guitarist headed home to the states with his family, where he discovered the delights of rock & roll. Around this time he started to play the electric guitar, another gift from his dad. When he discovered Miles Davis, it was a major turning point in his musical development.

Bollenback's education includes music studies at the University of Miami. He continued his studies with eight more years of private instruction under the tutelage of Asher Zlotnik in Baltimore. In 1993, the year that he embarked on a European tour, he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant, in conjunction with the Virginia Commission on the Arts, for "New Music for Three Jazz Guitars." The Washington Area Music Awards dubbed him Musician of the Year in 1997, the same year that he joined the music faculty at American University. SESAC honored two of his original pieces, "Romancin' the Moon" and "Wookies' Revenge," both of which were included on the album Reboppin' by Joey DeFrancesco, who returned the favor by appearing on Bollenback's Soul Grooves. he Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Music School installed Bollenback as artist-in-residence. He also is a featured artist on the bill of the Summer Guitar & Bass Workshop offered by Duquesne University. The guitarist has performed on numerous television programs, among them Entertainment Tonight, The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Joan Rivers, and Good Morning America. He has shared the stage with a long list of musical artists, including Charlie Byrd, Arturo Sandoval, Herb Ellis, Stanley Turrentine, Spyro Gyra's Scott Ambush, and Della Reese. ~ Linda Seida https://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-bollenback-mn0000746344/biography  

Alone and Together

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Thomas Quasthoff - A Portrait

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:20
Size: 192,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:04)  1. Erlkönig (Schubert)
( 4:47)  2. Der Zwerg, op. 22,1 (Schubert)
( 5:33)  3. Prometheus (Schubert)
( 5:03)  4. Der Lindenbaum (Schubert)
( 3:40)  5. Mondnacht (Schumann)
( 1:25)  6. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai (Schumann)
( 4:05)  7. Belsazar, op. 57 (Schumann)
( 4:30)  8. Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen (J. S. Bach)
( 4:10)  9. Mein teurer Heiland, laß dich fragen (J. S. Bach)
( 5:11) 10. Hai gia vinta la causa - Vedro mentre io sospiro (Mozart)
( 5:46) 11. Madamina, il catalogo e questo (Mozart)
( 2:00) 12. Deh! vieni alla finestra, o mio tesoro (Mozart)
( 2:52) 13. Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja (Mozart)
( 4:13) 14. Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen (Mozart)
( 2:42) 15. pa-pa-pa-pa (Mozart)
( 4:41) 16. In diesen heil'gen Hallen (Mozart)
(12:31) 17. Des besten Königs Wink und Wille (Beethoven)

Quasthoff’s reputation has increased with each new disc‚ so it is a good idea of RCA’s to issue this composite picture of his achievements to date. We are here reminded that the eminent bass­baritone has just about every virtue called for in practically all the repertory included here. His voice is faultless in tonal production and technical assurance: he always sings with thought for the text; word and note become as one. These assets are controlled by a sharp‚ intelligent mind and an emotional impulse that makes every reading a sustenance for ear and mind. The Schubert group four dramatic songs‚ one reflective are delivered with a marked emphasis on firm tone‚ a refined legato and acute use of text. His Schumann is hardly less successful The two airs from Bach’s St John Passion have the breadth of line and sonorous voice that make them near­ideal. In Mozart‚ his imposing account of Count Almaviva’s outburst contrasts nicely with his suave Giovanni‚ but his Leporello is rather too well­behaved. The traversal of Sarastro’s second aria is the very epitome of wise authority and most beautiful to hear. He plays Papageno pretty straight‚ and then in the only new item here he’s joined by Caballé‚ of all singers‚ for the duet with Papagena‚ a real collector’s piece‚ the then 65­year­old diva just about keeping up with her partner. Finally comes the closing scene of Fidelio with Quasthoff‚ as I wrote when the set came out‚ as noble and warm a Don Fernando as one could wish. Sir Colin Davis is at his best in this extract from what overall is an uneven set. Elsewhere in the present compilation the piano playing and conducting are all worthy of this artist’s profoundly satisfying work.

A Portrait

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