Eric Kloss - About Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:05
Size: 172,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:53)  1. Close Your Eyes
(5:49)  2. Old Folks
(8:12)  3. 'S 'Bout Time
(5:32)  4. That's The Way It Is
(5:44)  5. All Blues
(4:33)  6. Embraceable You
(4:58)  7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(5:56)  8. Just For Fun-K
(5:20)  9. No Blues
(7:41) 10. Love For Sale
(5:09) 11. I'm Glad There Is You
(3:05) 12. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(6:07) 13. Gemini

Eric Kloss was 16 and 17 when he recorded his first two albums, which are reissued in full on this single CD. A brilliant altoist and tenor saxophonist with a sound and a post-bop style of his own, Kloss shows a great deal of potential during these performances, which were originally released as Introducing Eric Kloss and Love and All That Jazz. He is joined by trios that feature either Don Patterson or Richard "Groove" Holmes on organ; Pat Martino, Vinnie Corrao, or Gene Edwards on guitar; and Billy James or Grady Tate on drums. Two Kloss originals and one by Patterson join ten jazz standards, including "Close Your Eyes," "All Blues," a cooking version of "Embraceable You," and Miles Davis' "No Blues." The fire, intensity, and creativity of Eric Kloss' playing makes one regret that he did not have a much longer career. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/about-time-eric-kloss-the-rhythm-section-love-and-all-that-jazz-mw0000221813

About Time

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Bob Florence - State of the Art (Limited Edition)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:38
Size: 128,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:22)  1. Just Friends
(5:13)  2. Moonlight Serenade
(6:55)  3. Silky
(7:05)  4. The Crunch
(4:05)  5. Stella by Starlight
(8:46)  6. All the Things You Are
(6:04)  7. Mr. Paddington
(5:42)  8. BBC
(5:23)  9. Auld Lang Syne

The first of two sets by Bob Florence's Limited Edition Orchestra for the USA label breaks from his tradition in that only four of the nine selections are Florence originals. The arranger completely reworks such familiar tunes as "Just Friends," "Moonlight Serenade," "All the Things You Are" and even "Auld Lang Syne." Among the key players are altoist Lanny Morgan, trumpeter Steve Huffsteter, Bob Cooper on tenor, and Kim Richmond on alto and soprano. Modern, swinging and unpredictable music. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/state-of-the-art-mw0000198731    

Personnel: Bob Florence (piano, electric piano, synthesizer); Lanny Morgan (flute, piccolo, clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Kim Richmond (flute, clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Dick Mitchell, Bob Cooper (flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone); Bob Efford (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); John Lowe (e flat clarinet, baritone saxophone); George Graham, Larry Ford, Steve Huffsteter , Warren Luening (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Culper, Herbie Harper, Rick Culver, Charles Loper, Chauncey Welsch (trombone); Donald Waldrop (bass trombone); Tom Warrington (acoustic bass, electric bass); Peter Donald (drums); Alex Acuña (percussion).

State of the Art (Limited Edition)

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Elmo Hope Quintet - Elmo Hope Quintet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:45
Size: 173.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1954/1991/2015
Art: Front

[2:48] 1. It's A Lovely Day Today
[2:51] 2. Mo Is On
[2:59] 3. Sweet And Lovely
[2:52] 4. Happy Hour
[3:53] 5. Hot Sauce
[3:06] 6. Stars Over Marakesh
[3:05] 7. Freffie
[2:56] 8. Carvin' The Rock
[2:46] 9. I Remember You
[2:52] 10. Mo Is On (Alternate Take)
[4:17] 11. Crazy
[3:48] 12. Abdullah
[3:36] 13. Chips
[4:01] 14. Later For You
[4:12] 15. Low Tide
[4:25] 16. Maybe So
[4:23] 17. Crazy (Alternate Take)
[6:08] 18. So Nice
[5:56] 19. St. Elmo's Fire
[4:45] 20. Vaun-Ex

Bass – Percy Heath; Drums – Art Blakey; Piano – Elmo Hope; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster; Trumpet – Freeman Lee.

Of the collections of Elmo Hope's '50s recordings, Trio and Quintet is the one to get. It includes his prime Blue Note sessions and features a stellar cast of hard bop musicians including Art Blakey, Frank Foster, Philly Joe Jones, and Harold Land. The majority of the tunes are Hope originals which, in their angular introspection, bear the influence of both Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. Things begin with ten mostly hard bop swingers from a trio date in 1953. Prominently featured is Hope's Powell like, single line attack. Solos stay brisk and straightforward on uptempo numbers like "Hot Sauce," but turn a bit mercurial on slower pieces like "Happy Hour." Standout tracks include Hope's "Mo Is On" with its "off to the races" opening statement and "Carvin' the Rock," which falls somewhere between Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare" and "So Sorry Please." Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones provide sympathetic support throughout. The Quintet tracks start with an East Coast session featuring Foster and Blakey. "Crazy"; it causes some problems for trumpeter Freeman Lee, but finds Foster in command with a vigorous solo statement. The remainder of the session impresses with a series of rhythmically rich Hope compositions which, like the majority of Monk's tunes, stay memorable in spite of their complexity. Three more Hope tunes from a West Coast date round out the quintet tracks and close the CD. This Blue Note release is great not only for its cross-section of Hope compositions, but also for the many fertile ideas they've inspired in top-drawer soloists. ~Stephen Cook

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Howard Alden, Andy Brown Quartet - Heavy Artillery

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:24
Size: 136.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:23] 1. Louisiana
[5:54] 2. Chuckles
[6:27] 3. Voce E Eu
[6:13] 4. I Had The Craziest Dream
[5:06] 5. Three And One
[6:08] 6. No One Else But You
[6:09] 7. Brigas Nunca Mais
[5:26] 8. Heavy Artillery
[5:39] 9. I Brung You Finjans For Your Zarf
[5:55] 10. If Dreams Come True

Its title notwithstanding, Heavy Artillery has far more to do with finesse than firepower, something that’s evident from the opening track, a slyly unfolding, effortlessly swinging rendition of “Louisiana.”

Lest anyone need further proof that guitarists Howard Alden and Andy Brown-mentor and protégé, respectively-are inspired by their rhythm tandem (bassist Joe Policastro and drummer Bob Rummage) and the relaxed studio setting, the balance of the album offers seven additional selections that elegantly underscore ensemble chemistry and intuitive guitar interplay. There is a pair of guitar duets, too. The last, a woven interpretation of “If Dreams Come True,” is as spry as it is delightful, arranged in ways that showcase nimble exchanges and contrapuntal designs.

The colorfully varied tune selection is also a big plus. Alden and Brown never seem at a loss when it comes to refreshing a vintage tune, familiar or not. Both players excel at melodic embellishment, and when shifting from lead to rhythmic roles, as they often do, the transitions are seamless. One after another, pieces composed by Clark Terry (“Chuckles”), Thad Jones (“Three and One”), Antonio Carlos Jobim (“Brigas Nunca Mais”), Don Redman (“No One Else But You”), Django Reinhardt (the album’s title track) and, not least, Red Norvo/Tal Farlow (“I Brung You Finjans for Your Zarf”) are imaginatively recast and revived by the quartet-so much so, in fact, that the absence of original material is never an issue. ~Mike Joyce

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Sy Smith - Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:09
Size: 94.2 MB
Styles: Soul
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:06] 1. Perspective
[3:54] 2. Can't Get Over You
[4:51] 3. Camelot
[5:03] 4. We Were Never Free
[3:02] 5. Catastrophe
[1:28] 6. I'll Always Come Back To You (A Prelude)
[5:36] 7. Closer Than You Know
[1:38] 8. Doowop With Dad (A Prelude)
[4:30] 9. Now And Later
[0:45] 10. Suri Speaks (A Prelude)
[4:13] 11. Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete
[1:58] 12. It's All In My Mind (Reprise)

“Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete” (SRWGC) is fifth studio album by critically-acclaimed progressive soul artist Sy Smith. Often called the “Queen Of Underground Soul”, her previous works include “The Syberspace Social” (named in the top 10 albums of 2005 by The Boston Globe), “Psykosoul Plus” (2007) “Conflict” (2008, with charting radio singles “Fly Away With Me” and “The Art Of You”), and “Fast And Curious” (called “one of the best releases by a female” of 2012 by Soultracks.com). SRWGC is the first album completely written and produced by this multi-talented singer/songwriter/musician and features her slick synth bass playing and lithe fingering on piano/keys along with her incomparable soprano voice and signature harmonies/vocal arrangements. Sy Smith is finally having her singer/songwriter moment (think a 21st century Roberta Flack) - this album flourishes with compelling musical/vocal arrangements, thoughtful lyrics and Sy’s voice sounding better than ever.

As a producer, Sy displays an expected but not-before seen maturity on SRWGC. When she does play keys and synth bass, she does both effortlessly; but she brings in some of the top sidemen when the songs call for a different touch. Sy enjoys international acclaim having toured/recorded with some of the best-known recording artists including Whitney Houston and Meshell Ndegeocello. She’s currently a featured special guest on tour with Grammy-winning trumpeter Chris Botti and is featured on his Grammy-nominated DVD “Live In Boston”. SRWGC features many of these previous/current bandmates including legendary percussionist Sheila E. (with whom Sy has toured/recorded) and violinist Lucia Micarelli (bka Annie on HBO’s Treme). Vocally, Sy’s soprano soars effortlessly; she shows off a sure-footed whistle tone (a la Minnie Riperton), confident jazz chops (Sy has been featured with numerous orchestras in tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, including at Carnegie Hall & Kennedy Center), a full-out commanding belt in her upper register - but usually her whimsical, conversational tone is utilized to tell the stories on this project. Still carrying a strong pen, Sy reveals victories won and battles still being fought as she allows her listeners into the most intimate spaces she’s ever exposed. The title track is a powerful, if haunting, ode to people (especially Black women in this case) who come through the harshest of trials and still bloom as beautifully as roses. Sy is that defiant rose throughout this entire project.

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Russell Gunn - Ethnomusicology Vol 2

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:31
Size: 153,7 MB
Art: Front

( 2:04)  1. Intro (A.K.A... I Think I Love You)
( 6:29)  2. Epistrophy
( 5:57)  3. Del Rio (A.K.A. Anita)
( 8:18)  4. Dance of the Concubine
( 6:08) 5. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Go-Go- Swing)
( 1:14)  6. Kebbi Williams Interlude
( 5:13)  7. I Wish
( 6:47)  8. Caravan
( 9:12)  9. Lyne's Joint
(15:04) 10. Outro

Trumpeter Russell Gunn demonstrated a very personal vision of jazz fusion on the first volume in this series, which generated a lot of media interest and earned him a Grammy nomination. He continues along the same vein with Ethnomusicology, Vol. 2, a fine showcase for his manifold crossover interests. It's too easy to dismiss this music as lightweight or trivial. Gunn is serious about his work, and there's ample evidence on Ethnomusicology, Vol. 2 to prove the point. His interpretation of Monk's "Epistrophy," for example, blows the original apart. Building layers of piano vamp, guitar pulse, bass bop, scratching, and hip-hop lyrics, this piece eventually settles into a harmonized statement of the theme on the horns. The foundations lay down a laid-back groove while Gunn takes his opportunity to solo convincingly on top. One tune later, on "Del Rio," he invades Afro-Latin rhythms with a Cubanized theme. It's all part of Gunn's extended continuum, which includes Go-Go swing piano ("It Don't Mean a Thing"), free improv ("Kebbi Williams Interlude"), Afro-Cuban dance music ("Del Rio"), understated Brazillian cool ("Dance of the Concubine"), hip-hop attitude ("Epistrophy"), and airtight funk ("Caravan"). Only the soul ballads "I Wish" and "Lyne's Joint" sag a bit at times, rearing the ugly head of smooth jazz. Gunn has come up with a beautiful blend of styles, and it's remarkable that his group can stretch to fit each niche. Much of that effect comes from the efforts of multi-talented pianist Marc Cary and versatile drummer Woody Williams. But guitarist Carl Burnett lends some critical support, and the other horns play important roles both as support and lead. One has the sense from listening to Ethnomusicology, Vol. 2 that these musicians had a lot of fun putting this record together. Adding to this spirit, the pictures of band members all feature images from early childhood. But make no mistake: Gunn is at the helm, and his vision is what keeps everyone together. Like the best kind of fusion, this record comes off like it was put together effortlessly. Everyone gets a chance to stretch out and have some fun. Hardly by accident, though. Don't dismiss Russell Gunn: he's a man with some interesting ideas. Check this disc out. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ethnomusicology-vol-2-russell-gunn-justin-time-records-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Russell Gunn: trumpet, flugelhorn, piano, fender rhodes, keyboards; Gunn Fu: vocals; Andre Heyward: trombone; Kebbi Williams: tenor saxophone; Marc Cary: piano, fender rhodes; Carl Burnett: guitar; Lonnie Plaxico: acoustic bass; Woody Williams: drums; D.J. Apollo: turntables. Special guests: Sherman Irby: flute, alto saxophone; Shedrick Mitchell: piano; Tony Suggs: keyboards.

Ethnomusicology  Vol  2

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Harold Mabern Trio - Straight Street

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 132,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:35)  1. Mr. Stitt
(5:20)  2. It's All in the Game
(4:27)  3. To Wane
(6:34)  4. Afterthoughts
(4:14)  5. Straight Street
(6:04)  6. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
(6:49)  7. Crescent
(6:01)  8. It's You or No One
(6:43)  9. Seminole
(5:04) 10. APAB and Others

For a time in the early 1990s, some of the CDs from the Japanese DIW label were made available domestically through Columbia. This trio date by pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Jack DeJohnette has Mabern originals dedicated to Sonny Stitt and Wayne Shorter, plus some offbeat standards and a pair of rarely performed John Coltrane tunes ("Straight Street" and "Crescent"). The interplay between the musicians is impressive and Mabern is heard throughout in excellent form. He closes the set with a piano solo that he titled "Apab and Others," after Art Tatum, Phineas Newborn, Ahmad Jamal and Bud Powell. This will be a difficult CD to find. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/straight-street-mw0000279535 

Personnel:  Harold Mabern – piano;  Ron Carter – bass (tracks 1–9);  Jack DeJohnette – drums (tracks 1–9)

Straight Street

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Lindsey Webster - Love Inside

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:45
Size: 132,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:18)  1. Love Inside
(4:26)  2. A Love Before
(4:10)  3. Bad Grammar (Me & You)
(4:57)  4. Free To Be Me (feat. Norman Brown)
(4:42)  5. Dream
(4:01)  6. Don't Give Up On Me
(4:12)  7. One Last Time
(1:40)  8. Even If He Lied
(5:52)  9. Walk Away
(5:27) 10. It's Not You, It's Me (feat. Rick Braun)
(5:27) 11. Opportunity 2.0
(4:29) 12. By My Side

Lindsey Webster is the first vocalist to score four #1 Smooth Jazz radio hits in a row and was recently named the #1 Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs Artist for 2017. She's been on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart for an amazing 60 weeks. Her swift rise has been nothing short of spectacular! Love Inside promises to be Lindsey Webster's breakout album. The album's first single, "Love Inside," is quickly following the suit and making it's way up the chart!. Other highlights such as the sensuous "It's Not You, It's Me" (featuring Rick Braun) and the soulful "Free To Be Me" (featuring Norman Brown) help make Love Inside a must have release for Lindsey's growing legion of dedicated fans! ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Love-Inside-LINDSEY-WEBSTER/dp/B078X679P2

Love Inside

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Yelena Eckemoff - Blooming Tall Phlox

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 98:12
Size: 248,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:42)  1. Blooming Tall Phlox
(6:53)  2. Apples Laid Out On The Floor
(5:16)  3. Baba Lisa's Singer
(5:39)  4. Old-Fashioned Bread Store
(6:18)  5. Wildflower Meadows
(5:17)  6. Fish Fried On Open Fire
(8:54)  7. Sleeping In The Tent
(8:25)  8. Pine Needles Warmed By The Sun
(6:48)  9. Smoke From The House Chimneys In Frosty Air
(6:15) 10. Talks Over Hot Tea
(7:52) 11. Grandpa Lera's Bookcase
(7:43) 12. Clementines And Candies On Christmas Tree
(5:05) 13. Mommy's Shawl
(5:13) 14. Aunt Galya's Perfume
(5:45) 15. Scented Candles And Sparkling Wine

While the art of playing jazz qualifies as a multisensory experience, involving listening, touching, and seeing, it usually doesn't extend so far as to include the sense of smell. But that's not to say that a nose for scents has no place in musical and artistic spheres. If you need convincing, just look at Blooming Tall Phlox. For her tenth album in six years, pianist Yelena Eckemoff uses life and nature's bouquets as her muse. Her memory sniffs out various ideas and moments in time, which are then remarkably translated to the page and further expanded upon in performance. There are no secrets to be found in the titles themselves, as Eckemoff points directly to the aromas and odors that inspired them, but the music is full of mystique and aural arcana. In considering those facts, Blooming Tall Phlox can accurately be described as Eckemoff's most and least direct album to date. Eckemoff and her band, comprised of up-and-coming Finnish musicians, explore fifteen different topics here, split over two CDs and divided into two seasonal categories"Summer Smells" and "Winter Smells." The album opens in the former season with the title track. A gentle metallic clang greets the listener, inviting the ears into a free and nebulous atmosphere at first glance. Bassist Antii Lötjönen eventually helps the music to coalesce, and trumpeter Verneri Pohjola, entering more than a minute into the piece, further assists in the binding process. Pohjola's searching horn draws focus upon its entrance, but it doesn't retain control. Eventually solid shapes are reduced to seemingly formless wanderings that eventually merge anew and evolve into a courtly dance for Eckemoff, Pohjola, vibraphonist Panu Savolainen. This initial offering doesn't define what's to follow, but it illustrates how concrete writing and indeterminate thoughts both have a seat at the table when Eckemoff is at the head of it.

As Eckemoff and company continue to move through the lazy days of summer, they continue to toy with expectations. "Apples Laid Out On The Floor," a number with a swinging subtext, benefits from the use of an accelerando and rallentando that help to create a tempo arc in the music; "Baba Liza's Singer" builds off of minimalistic layering before using Pohjola as a directional beacon to take the music from dirge-like depths to soaring heights; "Old-Fashioned Bread Store" sways and swoons, presents some of Eckemoff's hippest soloing on the album, and offers another opportunity to appreciate the interplay between trumpet, piano, and vibraphone; and "Fish Fried On Open Fire" presents like an attractively quirky tango in a slow glide, inviting the ear to take part in an oddly alluring dance. The trip into winter that occurs on the second disc is equally intriguing, but it isn't the icy spell that might be expected. Eckemoff certainly conjures a chill, as displayed on the sedate yet impactful "Smoke From The House Chimneys In Frosty Air," but she largely shuns glacial tempos and oh-so-spare atmospheres here. "Clementines And Candies On Christmas Tree," for example, puts beauty and strength in balance and focus, and "Scented Candles And Sparkling Wine" grows from daintiness and gaiety to a controlled groove that's magic. Whether you appreciate this music or not, you really have to hand it to Eckemoff. She's quickly managed to create an enviable body of work that blends post-modern abstraction, classical thought, and jazz language into a seamless whole. There's a fearlessness in her art that's not always addressed in discussions of her work. 

It's not so easy to just dive into jazz when you're further down life's road, it's certainly a challenge to try to match forces with some of the music's giants shortly after taking the initial plunge, and it's quite difficult to create original music that offers intelligent thought and surprise when you're working under the aforementioned realities. Kudos to her for overcoming those obstacles. Eckemoff may not be a pure jazz musician, but who is these days? She has her own voice, she knows how to utilize her gifts, and she's managed to create quite a lot of compelling music in an incredibly short period of time. We may not know where she'll go next, but if the recent past is any indication, she'll probably go there soon, and it will probably be a trip unlike any other. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blooming-tall-phlox-yelena-eckemoff-l-and-h-production-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Yelena Eckemoff: piano; Verneri Pohjola: trumpet, flugelhorn; Panu Savolainen: vibraphone; Antti Lötjönen: double bass; Olavi Louhivuori: drums, percussion.

Blooming Tall Phlox

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Air - Air Lore

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:31
Size: 84,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:20)  1. The Ragtime Dance
( 9:27)  2. Buddy Bolden's Blues
( 3:48)  3. King Porter Stomp
( 2:19)  4. Paille Street
(11:35)  5. Weeping Willow Rag

Recorded for RCA in 1979, the vanguard trio Air set out to explore its jazz roots. In fact, not only the trio's jazz roots, but everybody's right back to Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton as they were inventing a music that would tear up the streets of New Orleans and later change the world. Interestingly, since most of the music here all written by the aforementioned except for one tune was composed by pianists and is widely regarded as piano music, Air's exploration entirely struck the piano from the conversation. Reedman Henry Threadgill, bassist Fred Hopkins, and drummer Steve McCall turned the ragtime music of the fathers inside out and created an exploratory reinsertion of it into the avant-garde of the late '70s. Jelly Roll's "Buddy Bolden's Blues" becomes a blues from another century in the melodic universe of Threadgill, who doesn't give a damn about changes as much as he does stretching the harmonics of the blues idiom into other musics entirely. And in the familiar "King Porter Stomp," also by Morton, Threadgill challenges McCall, who quadruples the time so Henry and Fred can stop up the middle eight with some weird angular intervals where arpeggiated harmony and modal striation become one and the same thing. Finally, on Joplin's "Weeping Willow Rag," the band moves through the changes and then undermines them, turning them inside out as if this were really a party tune from somewhere that willow trees didn't exist or had already disappeared into some toxic twilight. Here are the joyous blues, the raucous blues, the rip 'em up and then send 'em home blues trapped in a color palette so rich and so varied it's difficult to find only one or two textures to fit them inside. Through it all, this remains the album most Air fans love most, precisely because of all the joy and irreverence in the proceedings, which didn't update the old music, but brought it into focus for the revolutionary improvisational template that it is. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/air-lore-mw0000197994

Personnel:  Henry Threadgill – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute;  Fred Hopkins – double bass;  Steve McCall  – drums, percussion.

Air Lore

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Brian Lynch Quintet - Back Room Blues

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:37
Size: 135,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:39)  1. Back Room Blues
(8:26)  2. I Waited For You
(8:47)  3. One For Mogie
(7:01)  4. Chandeks's Den
(9:36)  5. C.k.'s Bossa
(6:44)  6. Blues For Cramer Street
(7:23)  7. Confluence

Brian Lynch's second Criss Cross release features the fiery trumpeter in a hard bop quintet with tenor-saxophonist Javon Jackson, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash. Although the musical style might be familiar, the repertoire (five Lynch originals and one by Hazeltine plus the Dizzy Gillespie-associated "I Waited For You") is not. Lynch digs quite ably into the largely straightahead material and the results are predictably swinging and creative within the tradition. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-room-blues-mw0000269853

Personnel:  Trumpet – Brian Lynch;  Bass – Peter Washington;  Drums – Lewis Nash;  Piano – David Hazeltine;  Tenor Saxophone – Javon Jackson

Back Room Blues

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Kristin Asbjornsen - Traces Of You

Size: 90,4 MB
Time: 38:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. By Your Side (3:33)
02. You Hold Me While Leaving Me (3:53)
03. She Holds My Hand (3:17)
04. Promise (4:06)
05. We Haven't Found Our Way Back Home (3:15)
06. Goodbye (3:19)
07. Finally (3:10)
08. I Won't Leave The Room (3:32)
09. Spring Reappears (4:36)
10. Traces Of You (2:23)
11. Vil Du Være Her Bestandig (3:13)

Personnel:
Olav Torget – guitars, konting & bass
Suntou Susso – kora & vocals
Anders Engen – percussion & vocals
Monica Ifejilika – vocals

Based on her assured melodic flair and poetic lyrics, Kristin has on Traces of You explored new fields of music. The songs have developed a haunting sound where vocals, guitars, kora, konting and hand claps are woven creatively into a meditative and warm vibration.

The album’s expression is naked and rich in details, with traces of West African music, lullabyes and Nordic contemporary jazz.

Traces of You has a serene intensity, conveyed by the unique presence of Kristin’s vocals.

The album was made in close collaboration with her longtime guitarist Olav Torget and sound maestro Ulf Holand. The album also introduces a new musical encounter with the Gambian griot and kora player Suntou Susso. Lyrical African ornaments unite in a playful dialogue with a sonorous guitar universe. Kristin sings in moving chorus with griot Suntou, using excerpts of her poems translated into Mandinka language.

Traces of You embracing the complexity and beauty of belonging. The songs are like delicate sensations: of life’s imprints, presence and love’s transformations.

Traces Of You

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Chris Standring - Sunlight

Size: 116,5 MB
Time: 50:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Static In The Attic (4:49)
02. Aphrodisiac (7:41)
03. Love Street (3:42)
04. The Revisit (Feat. Bob James) (6:52)
05. No Explanation (Feat. Mica Paris) (3:55)
06. God Only Knows (Feat. John Novello) (4:11)
07. Like Paradise (3:49)
08. Moon Child (4:26)
09. Do Not Adjust Your Set (5:20)
10. The Principle Of Pleasure (4:33)
11. Static In The Attic (Reprise) (0:53)

Celebrating an extraordinary and prolific 20 years since the release of his debut album Velvet, Chris Standring once again spins his trademark retro-meets-modern vibes in fresh and unexpected directions to create the perfect antidote for these daunting, uncertain times - a powerful, melodic and rhythmically infectious burst of Sunlight. A bright, ambitious soul-jazz experience featuring multiple soloists including legendary pianist Bob James, and British soul singer Mica Paris, Sunlight draws on Standring's trademark, slightly off the beaten path urban jazz artistry infusing elements of classic soul, cool jazz and some fine jazz guitar playing.

Sunlight

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Lynda Carter - Red Rock N' Blues

Size: 163,0 MB
Time: 69:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Blues, Rock, Jazz, Country, Pop
Art: Front

01. You Never Need Nobody (4:38)
02. Take Me To The River (4:12)
03. Stop In The Name Of Love (5:14)
04. Gone, Gone, Gone (2:59)
05. Who's Foolin' Who (4:37)
06. Change Just A Little (3:25)
07. Put The Gun Down (3:18)
08. God Bless The Child (6:25)
09. Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing (3:06)
10. All I Have To Do Is Dream (2:50)
11. The Other Side Of Trouble (3:41)
12. After All These Years (3:33)
13. I'm Yours (3:41)
14. Long Legged Woman (3:01)
15. Lonely Girl (3:43)
16. I'm On Fire (3:36)
17. You've Changed (4:11)
18. Mercy (3:38)

Best known for winning our hearts as TV’s iconic Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter is an accomplished singer who has performed to rave reviews before sell-out crowds around the world. In addition to her long acting career, Lynda has the distinction of producing and starring in five highly rated network television specials, several of which were Emmy Award nominated.

She has appeared on stage with many of the world’s most famous singers including Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, George Benson and Ben Vereen. This Spring, Lynda, along with her All-Star Band of award-winning Nashville musicians, has released her latest album “Red, Rock N’ Blues”, which is the name of her newest show she will be presenting on her return to the Franklin Theatre. “Singing is in my soul,” says Lynda.

An engaging storyteller, she takes her audience on a journey where her life story and music intertwine. This new show will feature her distinctive takes on rock, jazz, blues, country, pop and original tunes.

Red Rock N' Blues

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David Garfield - Jazz Outside The Box

Size: 207,4 MB
Time: 89:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Fragile (Feat. Michael McDonald, Bruce Hamada & Diego Figueiredo) (5:37)
02. Harvest Time (Acoustic) (Feat. Eric Marienthal & Airto Moreira) (5:49)
03. In A Sentimental Mood (Feat. Poncho Sanchez & Larry Klimas) (5:49)
04. Roxanne (Feat. Robbie Wyckoff & Joe Porcaro) (4:22)
05. Song For My Father (Full-Length) (Feat. John Densmore, Denny Dias & Randy Brecker) (7:14)
06. Rainbow Seeker (Acoustic) (Feat. Chuck Loeb & Steve Jordan) (5:44)
07. Stolen Moments (Feat. Tom Scott & Joe Porcaro) (4:55)
08. Voodoo Gumbo - Citizen Coryell (Feat. Larry Coryell & Airto Moreira) (2:24)
09. East Lou Brew (Feat. Bennie Maupin, Wallace Roney & Larry Coryell) (5:46)
10. Sophisticated Lady (Feat. Poncho Sanchez, Leslie Smith & Pete Christlieb) (6:16)
11. Red Baron (Feat. Randy Brecker & Brian Auger) (4:08)
12. Country Preacher (Feat. Eric Marienthal & Mike Finnigan) (4:56)
13. Prophecy (Feat. Michael Landau & Vinnie Colaiuta) (4:32)
14. My Favorite Things (Feat. Robert Greenidge & Terry Trotter) (5:33)
15. Song For My Father (Radio Version) (Feat. John Densmore, Denny Dias & Randy Brecker) (4:41)
16. Red Baron (Alternate Version) (Feat. Oz Noy & James Harrah) (4:07)
17. Harvest Time (Extended Version) (Feat. Eric Marienthal & Airto Moreira) (6:52)

David Garfield, the guiding light for the jazz-fusion band Karizma, unveils Jazz: Outside the Box. on 2018. He’s not one to stand still as he’s an in-demand player, and has been musical director for George Benson, as well as a solo star in his own right.

Jazz: Outside the Box is a labor of love for the Los Angeles-based keyboardist. He has recorded more than four discs worth of music for the on-going Outside the Box project. Jazz: Outside the Box follows three singles released in 2017: A cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Go Home” featuring Kirk Whalum and Paul Jackson Jr.; “Jamming,” a Bob Marley cover with Mike Campbell; and the original tune “I Lied” he co-wrote with Smokey Robinson for vocalist J. Paris.

The Sting classic “Fragile” kicks things off in fine form. David Garfield’s piano centered arrangement is elegant. Touches of percussion by Kevin Ricard and acoustic bass by Carlos del Puerto move things along, while vocalist Michael McDonald provides an understated charm which is perfectly fitting. John Clayton arranged and conducted the string section on this, and it majestically intertwines with the song.

“In a Sentimental Mood” adds a Latin jazz flavor as percussionist and bandleader Poncho Sanchez adds congas, shakers and his unmistakable flare to bring the proceedings to a simmer. Garfield’s acoustic piano supports the tenor saxophone and trumpet, while the vibraphone toys with the melody. Garfield’s production and arranging allow each player to shine, while they support the song.

Joe Porcaro and Robbie Wyckoff get the same opportunity. Their interpretation of “Roxanne” defies expectations. The trumpet kicks of this song’s melodic core, before the band swings into the familiar tension of the song. Touches of Hammond B-3 support David Garfield’s piano. The band is in full swing mode before the backing vocals enter to support the musical bliss. Wyckoff’s lead vocal is perfect as it never attempts to replicate the original, and Porcaro’s drums (instead of his usual percussion additions) are always a welcome addition to any song. Carmen Grillo fills out the vocals to make this even more of a treat.

Bass, piano and guitar dance with each other in “Rainbow Seeker,” a Joe Sample composition. The late Chuck Loeb provides delicate leads as his electric guitar works magic with the melody. Steve Jordon reminds everyone why he’s so many artists’ first-call drummer. Garfield’s piano, Loeb’s guitar and Jordon’s drums conspire to lift the song to the stars.

Joe Porcaro returns on “Stolen Moments” but, this time, Tom Scott’s tenor is Porcaro’s and Garfield’s playmate. The song’s slow methodical groove is supported by a big band horn chart that flaunts jazz tradition while bringing in something new. Again, Garfield shows off his arranging chops as tenor sax, alto, baritone weave seamlessly with trombone and trumpet. Scott’s tenor solo smokes, as he moves the tempo forward.

The horns have a Steely Dan-meets-Chicago flare, with Chuck Findley and Nick Lane adding trumpet and trombone, respectively. Original Steely Dan guitarist Denny Dias makes a surprise and welcome appearance, going on a series of fluid runs. By the time David Garfield weaves in his acoustic solo, you can’t help but realize the song – and, indeed, all of Garfield’s Jazz: Outside the Box – is something special.

“Sophisticated Lady” features Sanchez again on congas, and an understated lead male vocal. Garfield ties in a full horn section but leaves solo space for the great Pete Christlieb. Christlieb does not disappoint as his bars of pure jazz delight hover above Sanchez’s conga and Garfield’s piano like angels above the clouds.

Karizma members Michael Landau and Vinnie Colaiuta make an appearance on “Prophecy.” The song has a fusion feel with an early drum solo by Colaiuta, nice chunky guitar fills by Landau and a mid-song solo. David Garfield sticks with his acoustic piano as the song builds, yet “Prophecy” seems almost out of place surrounded by the more contemporary jazz selections.

Jason Scheff, the long-time former bassist of Chicago, shows off his considerable jazz chops to “Song For My Father.” His bass is melodic, as its dances with Doors drummer John Densmore’s laid back rim work. Scheff also takes a turn at the mic, lending his unmistakable tenor to the mix. Denny Dias is also along for the ride. Dias, who appears on Garfield’s Porcaro-related Tribute to Jeff album is as tasteful as ever, adding even a touch of “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” to the melody – even if he didn’t play on that Steely Dan song. The song’s samba beat adds another dimension to Jazz: Outside the Box, which at 17 songs covers a lot of ground.

Jazz: Outside the Box is a fascinating and often exhilarating look at David Garfield’s vision of straight-ahead jazz. Yet it’s only a tease as Garfield plans three more Outside the Box releases covering contemporary jazz, voice and fusion. If Jazz: Outside the Box is any indication, we are in for a treat. ~by Preston Frazier

Jazz Outside The Box

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Mary Coughlan - Live & Kicking

Size: 172,9 MB
Time: 74:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz, Blues, Rock, Folk
Art: Front

01. Fifteen Only (Live) (1:53)
02. Blue Surrender (Live) (4:39)
03. Friend Of Mine (Live) (3:14)
04. This Is Not A Song (Live) (4:18)
05. The Beach (Live) (6:48)
06. Invisible (Live) (4:11)
07. Man Of The World (Live) (4:41)
08. Chance Encounter (Live) (4:12)
09. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Live) (7:07)
10. Whiskey (Live) (4:43)
11. Do What You Gotta Do (Live) (3:47)
12. These Boots Are Made For Walking (Live) (4:23)
13. Whiter Shade Of Pale (Live) (5:15)
14. I'd Rather Go Blind (Live) (9:28)
15. Ride On (Live) (5:31)

The show is a celebration of Coughlan's 30+ years in the music business. Her music career has been a roller coaster - one hell of a ride - and this concert will reflect that as it features all the songs that are close to Mary's heart.

Coughlan has often been described as one of the greatest female vocalists and interpreters of songs the country has ever produced.

She proudly stands alongside the iconic giants of jazz on both sides of the Atlantic, the likes of Billie Holiday and Edith Piaf.

Mary Coughlan is the only singer these shores have produced to rival the greatest of cabaret and jazz club blues thanks to her unique voice. She is unique in blending the whisky-blurred, smoke-seared, husky notes and laconic wit of Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee and the line of deep, down and dirty blues singers back to Memphis Minnie and Bessie Smith with the sardonic, bitter-sweet defiance and despair of the Piaf.

Coughlan delivers it all in a delicious and unapologetic Irish drawl, sceptical, rueful, mournful and melting, ardent for love, all in one voice which wraps itself around Cole Porter and Jerome Kern, Elvis Presley and Joy Division.

Over 25 years and ten albums, Coughlan has made the most grown-up, uncompromising, wholly personal and utterly universal music on either side of the Atlantic about what goes on between men and women. She has taken the classic standards of jazz balladry and the recent gems of rock and Irish song-writing, shaken them and offered them up anew.

She sings in the voice of the wrong and wronged woman and she makes us think what it is men make of women and what women have to do to make do. She has just one other forebear in the pretty pallid parade of female pop artists, just one other woman whose bruised, haunted voice could find and enjoy the inconsolable longing and loss in a three minute pop song: Dusty Springfield.

Live & Kicking

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Vikki Carr - The Best Of The Liberty Years

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:42
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. It Must Be Him
(3:31)  2. Goin' Out Of My Head
(2:57)  3. Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(3:24)  4. Meditation (Bosanova)
(2:39)  5. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
(3:12)  6. Can't Take My Eyes Off You
(4:40)  7. With Pen In Hand
(3:15)  8. Cuando Calienta El Sol
(2:32)  9. I Will Wait For You
(2:52) 10. Until It's Time For You To Go
(3:21) 11. The Glory Of Love
(3:29) 12. Carnival (A Day In The Life Of A Fool)
(2:34) 13. The Lesson
(2:32) 14. When In Rome
(2:56) 15. There I Go
(2:49) 16. For Once In My Life

After singing in various school functions, local groups, and Pepe Callahan's Mexican-Irish band, Carr began her professional musical career in earnest in the early '60s. Her solo debut was in Reno, supported by the Chuck Leonard Quartet, which led to a record contract with Liberty. While not gathering much attention in the U.S., her first single ("He's a Rebel") was a hit in Australia and led to numerous television appearances, and a spell as a regular on The Ray Anthony Show. In the late '60s, Carr scored three Top 40 hits, including the number three "It Must Be Him." Her American sales dwindled in the beginning of the '70s. With the release of her 1980 album, Vikki Carr y el Amor, Carr gained enormous success in the Latin music world. In 1991, Carr won a Best Latin Pop Album Grammy for her Cosas del Amor. Reta Manda y Provoca followed in 1998, and the next year saw the release of Memories Memorias. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  https://www.allmusic.com/artist/vikki-carr-mn0000806991/biography   

The Best Of The Liberty Years

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Donny McCaslin Trio - Recommended Tools

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:20
Size: 150,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:53)  1. Recommended Tools
(9:14)  2. Eventual
(6:37)  3. Late Night Gospel
(4:09)  4. Excursion
(5:18)  5. Isfahan
(5:39)  6. The Champion
(6:27)  7. Margins Of Solitude
(6:48)  8. 3 Signs
(6:27)  9. 2nd Hour Revisited
(6:44) 10. Fast Brazil

The venerable trio tradition has long been viewed as a proving ground for the talents of upcoming tenor saxophonists. Thrust into the spotlight with minimal accompaniment, the stripped-down setting provides microscopic attention to an improviser's melodic ingenuity, harmonic subtlety and sense of rhythm; free of harmonic restraints, there is no room for error. His seventh release as a leader, Recommended Tools is tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin's first trio session, and his first recording for part-time employer, trumpeter Dave Douglas' Greenleaf Music. According to Douglas, "I asked Donny McCaslin to write and record the Great American Tenor Trio record, half jokingly. Well, he delivered, with a stunning set of music." On par with some of the best albums made in this format, this date offers ample proof of McCaslin's improvisational mettle. His skills honed in collaboration with some of the most creative minds in the mainstream arena, McCaslin has proven himself to be a fearless inside/outside player, able to drift between stylistic realms with ease. Indicative of his talents, Gary Burton, Ken Schaphorst, Maria Schneider and Douglas have all employed McCaslin in their ensembles. Bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Johnathan Blake form McCaslin's elastic rhythm section. A kindred spirit, Glawischnig's previous album, Panorama (Sunnyside, 2008) revealed a blend of intricate post bop and Latin traditions reminiscent of McCaslin's In Pursuit (Sunnyside, 2007). The bassist's stalwart phrasing and robust tone provide the trio with an unwavering bottom end. A relatively new face on the scene, Blake's playing is sure to turn heads especially his melodic solos on "Eventual" and "Fast Brazil." The spirited blues of the title track and the intensifying drama of "Eventual" set the stage for stunning feats of virtuosity from the leader as McCaslin uncoils spiraling sheets of sound. Glawischnig and Blake balance careful listening with nimble interplay, parrying the leader's circuitous salvos and setting up dynamic countermeasures that keep the structures in continuous flux. A peerless virtuoso, McCaslin's fluid cadences avoid stock phrases to extrapolate emotionally charged variations from his distinctive melodies and unorthodox chord changes. His unaccompanied solo cadenza on "The Champion" is a testament to his creative prowess that displays a remarkable technique driven by a singular harmonic and thematic sensibility. A thrilling session, the set brims with labyrinthine improvisations and turbulent interaction, such as the angular high-wire theatrics of "Excursion" and the rousing momentum of "2nd Hour Revisited," yet McCaslin and company also understand the value of restraint. "Late Night Gospel" revels in soulful Americana and "Margins of Solitude" offers edgy introspection, while a gorgeous rendition of Billy Strayhorn's sublime "Isfahan" unfolds with exotic lyricism. A brilliant take on the hallowed tenor trio tradition, Recommended Tools is not only a high water mark for McCaslin, but one of the most beguiling records of the year. ~ Troy Collins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/recommended-tools-donny-mccaslin-greenleaf-music-review-by-troy-collins.php

Personnel: Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone; Hans Glawischnig: double bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

Recommended Tools

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Steve Slagle - Rio Highlife

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 92,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:57)  1. Highlife
(4:41)  2. Saidas E Bandeiras(Exits and flags)
(6:20)  3. Santa Monica
(7:40)  4. General
(7:59)  5. Cor de Rosa(Rose coloerd)
(6:44)  6. Beira Do Mar(Next to The Sea)

Born 18 September 1951, Los Angeles, California, USA. Starting out playing saxophones while still very young, Slagle moved to the opposite side of the country where he studied at the Berklee College Of Music. Subsequently, and through the 70s, he worked with artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder, John Scofield and Machito. In the early years of the next decade he was with Woody Herman’s band, playing tenor saxophone, and also worked with Lionel Hampton, playing alto, and Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, Steve Kuhn, and Mingus Dynasty. At the end of the 80s he was musical director for the Ray Barretto Band. His first album as a leader was released in 1983, and during the 80s he often worked with a quartet featuring Jaco Pastorius (bass), Mike Stern (guitar) and Adam Nussbaum (drums). In the following decade Slagle recorded several sessions for SteepleChase Records, with musicians including Tim Hagans and Ryan Kisor (trumpets), Kenny Drew Jnr. (piano), Cameron Brown (bass), and Gene Jackson (drums). Slagle also co-leads a group with Dave Stryker (guitar), and works as lead altoist and chief arranger with the Mingus Big Band. A brilliant stylist, who also plays soprano saxophone and clarinet, Slagle’s work indicates his abiding interest on the transitional music that followed hard bop into free jazz, although he is at his considerable best when he underpins these latter-day forms with the essence of the blues. His striking technical mastery of his instruments is always evident but it is never used for its own sake. Although adept on all the instruments in his arsenal, Slagle is perhaps must interesting on alto, where his sinuous solo lines create a musical atmosphere that is both demanding and compelling in its intensity. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-slagle-mn0000033922/biography               

Personnel:  Steve Slagle  alto saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Nico Assumpção bass;  Luiz Avellar keyboards;  Carlos “Bala” Gomes drums;  Ricardo Silveira guitar

Rio Highlife

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Russell Gunn - Ethnomusicology Vol 1

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:35
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. 74 Miles Away - Intro
(7:55)  2. Shiva
(7:52)  3. Sybil's Blues
(0:24)  4. Dj Apollo Interlude
(6:41)  5. Woody 1 : On The New Ark
(7:06)  6. The Blackwidow Blues
(6:02)  7. Doll
(6:44)  8. Folkz
(1:04)  9. Andre Heyward Interlude
(7:17) 10. Mr Hurt

Few attempts at a jazz and hip hop union have ever been successful or satisfying. Maybe it's one school's inability to understand the other or the problematic potential of getting two such different audiences in the same room. But, somehow, the maverick 28-year-old trumpeter Russell Gunn has made it work with Ethnomusicology, one of the finest and most original jazz documents to come along in some time. On this, his first Atlantic set, Gunn departs distinctively from his previous Muse and High Note releases, coupling his protean roar with hard-funk rhythms, electric instrumentation and even DJ Apollo's turntables. Most startling of all, though, is how traditional and timeless it all sounds: like jazz modes and bop phrasing filtered through r & b rhythms and hip hop stylization (mercifully not the reverse, which ruins any good attempt). But consider that Gunn's résumé includes contributions to both Wynton Marsalis's opera Blood on The Fields and the funk of brother Branford's diametrically opposed Buckshot LeFonque. And while he's held court (and his own) with legends like James Moody and Jimmy Heath, Gunn grew up idolizing L.L. Cool J and has gone on to record hits with Maxwell and Lou Reed. So nothing about Ethnomusicology should surprise. Still, it does. It's thoroughly invigorating and inviting. Consistently, throughout, Gunn explores the jazz tradition with insight and reverence and through his masterful delivery comes up with something that has plenty of street credibility too.

Appropriately, Gunn introduces his concept with Joe Zawinul's "74 Miles Away" (originally performed by Cannonball Adderley, who, with Woody Shaw, seems to steer Gunn's jazz approach here). Replete with a P-Funk-style helium sermonette ("all that's required is an open mind and two ears"), "74 Miles Away" is especially notable for a delicious taste of the trumpeter's ever elegant phrasing. It is Gunn's gift for melody which is often most memorable as the beats rescind or disappear altogether, as on the lovely and hit-worthy ballad "Doll," a feature for Gunn's flugelhorn and Special EFX-man Chieli Minucci's guitar.

But it is the muscular rhythms and aggressive funk that most dominate Ethnomusicology. Sample the relentless ostinatos of the modal "Folkz" or the Indian drone of "Shiva," both fine features for the commanding horns of Gregory Tardy, Bruce Williams and Andre Heyward. Gunn's conceptions reach sonic perfection in no small measure to the awesome powers of his like-minded rhythm section: James Hurt on piano, Rodney Jordan on bass and, most especially, the diversely imaginative drummer Woody Williams. They are especially noteworthy on the disc's best tracks: the razor-sharp Cannonball funk of "Sybil's Blues" (featuring a brief chat on the blues from, of all people, Wynton Marsalis!), the surprisingly straight-forward yet danceable (!) cover of Woody Shaw's "Woody 1: On The New Ark" (from Shaw's neglected 1979 masterwork, Woody III ) and Branford Marsalis's "The Blackwidow Blues," beautiful bop that would make Art Blakey proud (even as it samples Jeru the Damaja's "Da Bichez"!). Having just noticed all the exclamations used above, it's worth noting that Ethnomusicology is brimming with such arresting punctuation. Gunn may have been intending dancefloor fluff or, more likely, an electric redux on straight-ahead jazz. But he's crafted something more substantial that might actually serve to bridge the gap between the old and the new as we transition into jazz's second century. Ethnomusicology is quite an achievement. ~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ethnomusicology-volume-1-russell-gunn-atlantic-jazz-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Players: Russell Gunn: trumpet, flugelhorn, organ bass, Vox, Human Beatbox, tambourine; Gregory Tardy: tenor sax, flute, bass clarinet; Bruce Williams: alto sax, e flat clarinet, cowbell; Andre Heyward: trombone; Chieli Minucci: guitar; James Hurt: piano, Fender Rhodes, organ; Rodney Jordan: bass; Woody Williams: drums; Khalil Kwame Bell: percussion; DJ Apollo: turntables.

Ethnomusicology  Vol 1

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