Sonny Red - Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (2-Disc Set)

Sonny Red (as), Blue Mitchell (tp), Yusef Lateef, Clifford Jordan (ts), Barry Harris, Tommy Flanagan, Ronnie Matthews, Cedar Walton (p), Grant Green (g), Bob Cranshaw, Art Davis, George Tucker (b), Albert 'Tootie' Heath, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Cobb (d).

Inspired by Charlie Parker and then Jackie McLean, the widely experienced, Detroit-born altoist Sonny Red, nee Sylvester Kyner (1932-1980) was an archetypal Motor City bopper, who, like many of his confreres there, also absorbed the blues-drenched lines of pianist Bud Powell. Forthright, direct, unpretentious, a skilled soloist with a strong feeling for the blues, he played and recorded with some of the finest jazzmen around.

The presence here of such luminous talents as, most notably, pianist Barry Harris, along with fellow pianist Tommy Flanagan, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, saxophonists Clifford Jordan and Yusef Lateef, and guitarist Grant Green left no doubt about his stature among them. Despite this and the fact that he also worked with such marquee names as Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller and Paul Quinichette, he never quite made the breakthrough his skills suggested he would and his recordings have been difficult to find.This collection of quartet, quintet and sextet settings brings together four albums he made for the Jazzland label during one of the most productive spells of his career and shows why he was held in such esteem by his contemporaries.

Album: Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:53
Size: 180.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012

[5:02] 1. Brother B
[4:03] 2. All I Do Is Dream Of You
[5:33] 3. The New Blues
[4:36] 4. Ditty
[6:27] 5. 'teef
[6:06] 6. Breezin'
[4:43] 7. A Handful Of Stars
[2:52] 8. If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You
[3:52] 9. Cumberland Court
[4:50] 10. A Story Tale
[5:39] 11. You're Driving Me Crazy
[3:27] 12. Defiance
[6:02] 13. Prints
[5:02] 14. Hip Pockets
[5:16] 15. They Say It's Wonderful
[5:16] 16. If I Didn't Care

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Album: Breezing/A Story Tale/The Mode/Images (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:05
Size: 176.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:21] 1. I Like The Likes Of You
[4:36] 2. Bye, Bye Blues
[6:34] 3. Never, Never Land
[4:19] 4. Ko-Kee
[6:34] 5. Images
[4:51] 6. Blues For Donna
[5:22] 7. Dodge City
[6:16] 8. Moon River
[5:38] 9. Super-20
[8:53] 10. The Mode
[8:33] 11. Blue Sonny
[5:15] 12. The Rythm Thing
[5:46] 13. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered


Breezing-A Story TaleThe ModeImages(Disc 1)(Disc 2)

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Brian Auger, Julie Tippetts - Encore

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:35
Size: 83.8 MB
Styles: Art-rock, Jazz-rock
Year: 1978/2007
Art: Front

[4:06] 1. Spirit
[3:32] 2. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
[3:45] 3. Git Up
[2:48] 4. Freedom Highway
[4:20] 5. Future Pilot
[3:01] 6. Rope Ladder To The Moon
[6:14] 7. No Time To Live
[3:43] 8. Nothing Will Be As It Was (Nada Sera Como Antes)
[5:02] 9. Lock All The Gates

Julie Driscoll left Trinity, the band she fronted and directed with Brit soul-jazz icon Brian Auger, in 1969. She recorded a pair of solo albums, married Keith Tippett, a brilliant jazz improviser and bandleader, and recorded with Ovary Lodge, a free-form vocal ensemble, in 1977. In 1978 she and Auger reunited for Encore, a one-off studio offering that revealed the hole she'd left in the progressive pop scene of the late '60s. Her voice was in even better shape nearly a decade later: fuller, stronger, more throaty, without giving up a bit of her range. Auger, meanwhile, had remained very active with his groundbreaking soul-jazz-funk ensemble the Oblivion Express. While some complain that these sides don't have the Swinging London imprint on them, that would be because they stayed back there in the musty, dusty pop history bin. Listening to Encore in the 21st century is nearly a revelation. Auger, for his part as the band's musical director on his trademark B-3, acoustic piano, and a slew of electronic keyboards, is a strictly no-BS performer. He's as straight-ahead as they get, and Julie Tippetts understands that the root of the song is in its intention. Together, they make a nearly flawless pair on these nine cuts. Nowhere is this clearer than on the two tracks previously defined by other vocalists. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," while oft-covered, had never come close to Eric Burdon & the Animals' version. Tippetts, however, plasters the song with bluesy feeling and a smoldering, nearly angry plea. Then there's Jack Bruce's "Rope Ladder to the Moon." Tippetts implicitly understands the jazz feel of the tune as Bruce wrote it. The funky backdrop bassline by David McDaniels doesn't even muddy it up. Auger's Rhodes piano and B-3 and George Doering's gorgeous acoustic guitar playing are certainly the pegs the tune turns on, but it's Tippetts who delivers the authority and dark secret in this song about love's cruelty.

And, of course, there's Pops Staples' "Freedom Highway," in which the vocalist here gives Mavis Staples a run for her money in offering the sense of determination and joy in the gospel and blues shout she got to use so rarely in her solo career. But there's more than this, too: Tippetts and Auger deliver the album's two bookends written by Al Jarreau, "Spirit" and "Lock All the Gates," as harder, funkier jazz numbers while never losing the airiness at their core. On the former, Tippetts is prodded and edged to the ledge by Auger and McDaniels, and the tune nearly lifts off. The only weak spot on this whole set is the Auger vocal on Milton Nascimento's "Nothing Will Be as It Was." It's not that the tune wouldn't have been a standout on an Oblivion Express record, but on this one it's pale in comparison to the solid groove consciousness and expression in Tippetts' Earth angel voice. Auger wrote a couple of winners here as well in both "Git Up" and "Freedom Pilot," and they stand up with the canonical tracks just fine. The former is as jazzy funk tune with some knotty twists and turns that Tippetts pulls off without a seam, and the latter is a soul groover. Finally, it should be mentioned that "No Time to Live," the Steve Winwood-Jim Capaldi tune, is given all the elegance of the original, but Tippetts adds her own sense of smoke and fire to its lyric, turning it inside out as a soul tune. The lead work of Doering as it punches through Auger's fat acoustic piano makes this little ballad soar. Ultimately, this is as necessary as any of the previous Auger/Driscoll (nee Tippetts) collaborations, and aurally reveals that for the two of them, time may move on, but their collaborative spirit is nearly effortless in its balance, dignity, feeling, and poise. ~Thom Jurek

Encore mc
Encore zippy

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Steve Kuhn - Dedication

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:35
Size: 134.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[6:13] 1. Dedication
[5:50] 2. The Zoo
[5:51] 3. I Waited For You
[5:41] 4. Eiderdown
[7:28] 5. Please Let Go
[8:02] 6. It's You Or No One
[6:14] 7. For Heaven's Sake
[7:18] 8. Like Someone In Love
[5:55] 9. Blue Bossa

The first of Steve Kuhn's several CDs for Reservoir is a multifaceted trio session with bassist David Finck and drummer Billy Drummond. Kuhn opens with a pair of enjoyable originals, the gliding post-bop "Dedication" and "The Zoo," cast as a melancholy bossa nova. He does justice to two compositions by bassist Steve Swallow, the well-known "Eiderdown" and the more obscure "Please Let Me Go," both of which prominently feature Finck's superb playing. His fresh, somewhat darker approach to Kenny Dorham's catchy "Blue Bossa" starts subtly but grows in intensity. Nor does the leader ignore standards. His bright, swinging take of "It's You or No One," the lush setting of "For Heaven's Sake," and a loping waltz treatment of "Like Someone in Love " all merit high praise. ~Ken dryden

Dedication mc
Dedication zippy

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Dexter Gordon - Dexter Rides Again

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1947
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:59
Size: 85,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:46)  1. Dexter's Riff
(5:55)  2. Settin' the Pace - Part 1 & 2
(3:43)  3. So Easy
(3:05)  4. Long Tall Dexter
(3:18)  5. Dexter Rides Again
(3:17)  6. I Can't Escape from You
(3:00)  7. Dexter Digs In
(2:45)  8. Dexter's Minor Mad
(3:00)  9. Blow Mr. Dexter
(2:58) 10. Dexter's Deck
(3:08) 11. Dexter's Cuttin' Out

Taken from three separate sessions from 1945-'47, Dexter Rides Again showcases prime bebop sides Gordon cut for Savoy. His unique adaptation of Charlie Parker's alto conception to the tenor saxophone is displayed throughout, revealing a mix of fluid, hard-toned lines and a vibrato-heavy and vaporous ballad sound. And while Gordon's ballad mastery would come to the fore on his come-back albums for Blue Note in the '60s, the tenor saxophonist primarily sticks to up-tempo material here, a standard for most bebop sets. Abetted by a collective cast including the fine, yet rarely heard trumpeter Leonard Hawkins, baritone saxophonist Leo Parker, pianists Tadd Dameron and Bud Powell, and drummers Max Roach and Art Blakey, Gordon is in top form on a typical collection of self-penned, utility tunes, dispensing of involved head statements in favor of solo space. Standouts include "Dexter's Deck," the lone ballad "I Can't Escape From You," and the jam session number "Settin' The Pace" (Gordon recorded many extended cuts like this with fellow bebop tenor star Wardell Gray, and here teams up with Leo Parker for something like a baritone and tenor cutting contest). For those interested in where elements of both Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane's distinct style came from, check out these fine Gordon sides; besides the history lesson on wax, there's a consistent run of top-notch bebop sides to enjoy. For completists, these tracks, plus alternate takes and an excellent session featuring Fats Navarro, are included on Denon's Savoy reissue package, Settin' the Pace.~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/dexter-rides-again-mw0000077810

Personnel: Dexter Gordon (tenor saxophone); Leo Parker (baritone saxophone); Leonard Hawkins (trumpet); Bud Powell, Tadd Dameron, Sadik Hakim (piano); Gene Ramey, Curly Russell (bass); Art Blakey, Max Roach, Ed Nicholson (drums).

Dexter Rides Again

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Molly Johnson - Messin' Around

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:54
Size: 103,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Messin' Around
(3:47)  2. If You Know Love
(4:30)  3. Let's Wate Some Time
(4:01)  4. Rain
(3:48)  5. Sunday
(4:46)  6. Northern Star
(3:17)  7. Streets Of Philadelphia
(3:26)  8. But Not For Me
(4:22)  9. Sticks And Stones
(3:39) 10. Tristes Souvenirs
(3:19) 11. Tonight
(2:16) 12. Tangerine

Jazz singer Molly Johnson has done time in both pop and art rock bands and has served as an opening act for such blues and R&B superstars as Ray Charles and B.B. King, so the stylistic range in evidence on her first album for Narada Jazz doesn't come as much of a surprise. She jumps from bracing and jazz-inflected pop/rock (the radio remix of "Another Day") to a piano-based reggae/R&B hybrid ("Ooh Child/Redemption Song") without missing a beat, and slinks her way through torchy blues numbers with equal facility. 

On the downside, "Celie's Blues" sounds just as anachronistic and politically forced in this version as it did popping up out of nowhere in the middle of The Color Purple, and the fact that Johnson's delivery comes across as little more than a Billie Holiday impression just makes things worse. On the other hand, her version of "Summertime," which was an inevitable song choice given her vocal style, is given new life by the minimalist arrangement of voice, bass, and percussion, and "Red Cardinal" has a fun, jumpy Tin Pan Alley feel. Overall, this album can be confidently recommended to adventurous lovers of vocal jazz. ~ Rick Anderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/messin-around-mr0001204899

Messin' Around

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Erroll Garner - Serenade To Laura

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:15
Size: 100,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. Laura
(2:59)  2. Love Walked In
(2:20)  3. This Can't Be Love
(2:39)  4. The Man I Love
(2:37)  5. Moonglow
(2:48)  6. I Want A Little Girl
(2:44)  7. It's Easy To Remember
(2:57)  8. Goodbye
(2:31)  9. She's Funny That Way
(2:52) 10. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
(3:01) 11. I'm Confessin' That I Love You
(3:09) 12. Stormy Weather
(3:03) 13. I Surrender Dear
(2:56) 14. I'm In The Mood For Love
(2:48) 15. All Of Me

In 1993, the original source recordings for this classic album, Erroll Garner's Serenade to Laura, were remastered in 24-bit digital audio, with quietly spectacular results  you can now hear every nuance of every key stroke, and also the action of the piano on some numbers, such as "Goodbye." 

This reissue also contains a previously unissued recording of "Love Walked In" that makes a perfect pairing with "Laura." ~ Bruce Eder https://www.allmusic.com/album/serenade-to-laura-mw0000111819   

Personnel: Erroll Garner (piano); John Levy, John Simons (bass); George De Hart, Alvin Stohler (drums).

Serenade To Laura

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Tete Montoliu, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - Face To Face

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:31
Size: 93,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:34)  1. There'll Never Be Another You
( 9:20)  2. I Love You
(11:02)  3. I Fall In Love Too Easily
( 9:34)  4. Lover Man / Salt Peanuts

A legendary meeting of two of the greatest European jazz talents. Though they have been playing together since the early 60s, this is their first and (so far) only duo recording.

Personnel:  Tete Montoliu – piano;  Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – bass

Face To Face

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Steve Gadd Band - Steve Gadd Band

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:59
Size: 132,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. I Know, But Tell Me Again
(5:20)  2. Auckland by Numbers
(4:14)  3. Where's Earth
(6:36)  4. Foameopathy
(4:49)  5. Skulk
(5:08)  6. Norma's Girl
(6:35)  7. Rat Race
(4:12)  8. One Point Five
(3:41)  9. Temporary Fault
(4:53) 10. Spring Song
(5:35) 11. Timpanogos

This tasty set is the fourth from the airtight Steve Gadd Band. Atop Gadd’s distinctly supple sense of groove, we hear master pianist Kevin Hays (in for Larry Goldings) playing lots of earthy Rhodes with just the right touch and singing on “Spring Song.” Michael Landau provides rhythmic snap and bluesy bite on guitar. Trumpeter Walt Fowler brings melodic focus with an unhurried, crystalline tone. Longtime Allan Holdsworth bassist Jimmy Johnson stays straightforward and in the pocket while hugging every compositional curve, not least on Holdsworth’s composition “Temporary Fault.” ~ Editor's Notes https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/steve-gadd-band-feat-walt-fowler-kevin-hays-jimmy-johnson/1343432193

Personnel:  Steve Gadd Band (drums), Kevin Hays (keyboards, vocals), Walt Fowler (trumpet/flugelhorn), Jimmy Johnson (bass), Michael Landau (guitars)

Steve Gadd Band

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Cannonball Adderley - Sophisticated Swing

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:01
Size: 84,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. Another Kind Of Soul
(6:13)  2. Miss Jackie's Delight
(3:48)  3. Spring Is Here
(3:32)  4. Tribute To Brownie
(3:56)  5. Spectacular
(3:29)  6. Jeanie
(3:17)  7. Stella By Starlight
(5:21)  8. Edie McLin
(2:41)  9. Cobbweb

Sophisticated Swing is the fifth album by jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, and his fourth released on the EmArcy label, featuring performances with Nat Adderley, Junior Mance, Sam Jones, and Jimmy Cobb. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophisticated_Swing

Personnel:  Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone;  Nat Adderley – cornet;  Junior Mance - piano;  Sam Jones - bass;  Jimmy Cobb - drums

Sophisticated Swing

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Lady Kim - Everything Must Change

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:17
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. Everything Must Change
(3:21)  2. Why Don't You Do Right?
(5:47)  3. I Loves You Porgy
(3:26)  4. How High The Moon
(5:12)  5. Tell Me More And More (And Then Some)
(3:45)  6. Love For Sale
(5:33)  7. The Neamess Of You
(3:23)  8. Girl From Ipanema
(5:50)  9. A Song For You
(3:44) 10. Summertime
(4:54) 11. Looking Back

I started singing in Boston as a young girl, inspired by Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross. My mom introduced me to the music of Billie Holiday, and I was hooked. My plans to become a pediatrician went out the window. Since then I’ve been described as “a musical jewel” with a repertoire that has included jazz standards, jazz-not-so-standards, the blues, funk, and reggae. Throughout my career I’ve been lucky enough to perform in a variety of great places : from The New York Jazz Session in Irkutsk, Siberia to the Blue Note in Fukuoka, Japan; from the Montreal’s International Jazz and Off Jazz Festivals to the Ginza Jazz Festival, Japan. And I have performed with a variety of stellar artists: from jazz bassist William Parker to the undeniable funk of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic; from Joe Hisaishi’s Japanese New World Philharmonic Orchestra to New Orleans’ Charles Neville. Originally from the States, I work with a fabulous group of Montreal musicians.  My vocal style has been called “warm as hot chocolate”, and the band and i swing with tunes from Thelonius Monk, make you cry with some of the best jazz standards, as well as open your ears with original songs! Montreal’s wonderful jazz critic, Len Dobbins, was also a fan and referred to me as a “great vocalist” he recommends listening to. I hope you enjoy what you hear. Singing is my deepest joy, is the place where I am my most real and best self. http://kimzombik.com/music/bio/

Everything Must Change

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Barry Harris - The Bird of Red and Gold

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:52
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Nascimento
(5:42)  2. Body and Soul
(4:39)  3. Sweet and Lovely
(6:13)  4. Tommy's Ballad
(3:55)  5. Nobody's
(4:37)  6. Cats in My Belfry
(6:00)  7. This is No Laughing Matter
(5:16)  8. Tea for Two
(4:17)  9. My Ideal
(3:07) 10. Just One of Those Things
(6:39) 11. Pannonica
(2:29) 12. The Bird of Red and Gold

Although this LP claims to have the recording date of Sep. 18, 1989 and is listed so in some discographies, the album itself came out in 1982, making one assume that it is really from 1979. Unlike most of his other Xanadu LPs (which were generally dedicated to the work of one composer), this solo recital by pianist Barry Harris is a more diverse set. Harris contributed five originals (including his haunting "Nascimento" and the title cut, which he also sings) and also plays some standards and Thelonious Monk's "Pannonica." Superior bop-based music. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bird-of-red-and-gold-mw0000172181

Personnel: Barry Harris (vocals, piano).

The Bird of Red and Gold

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Dave Holland - Pass It On

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:21
Size: 170,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:11)  1. The Sum Of All Parts
( 6:30)  2. Fast Track
(10:07)  3. Lazy Snake
( 8:07)  4. Double Vision
( 9:09)  5. Equality
( 5:58)  6. Modern Times
(13:45)  7. Rivers Run
( 4:33)  8. Processional
( 7:56)  9. Pass It On

Sometimes it's necessary to shake up even a good thing. Dave Holland's decade-old Quintet with vibraphonist Steve Nelson, trombonist Robin Eubanks and saxophonist Chris Potter has garnered multiple awards and significant attention. But while the group has evolved as a standalone unit on albums including Critical Mass (Dare2, 2006), and as the core of Holland's Big Band on Overtime (Dare2, 2005), the overall sonority has become, perhaps, a little too familiar. The debut of Holland's sextet on Pass It On may include members from his Quintet and Big Band saxophonist Antonio Hart, trombonist Robin Eubanks and trumpeter Alex Sipiagin but pianist Mulgrew Miller and drummer Eric Harland make this group unlike any Holland's had before. Still, despite a new complexion and fresh blood, it possesses the various threads that have defined Holland since he began leading groups in the mid-'80s. Pass It On largely revisits material from earlier Holland albums: the evocative ballad "Equality" and dark groove of "Lazy Snake" from Dream of the Elders (ECM, 1996); the rubato freedom that turns into a visceral modal groove in "Rivers Run" from Triplicate (ECM, 1988); the 5/4 ballad "Processional" from Extensions (ECM, 1990); and fiercely swinging "Double Vision" from Seeds of Time (ECM, 1985). There's also a Latin-esque reading of "Modern Times" from Homecoming (ECM, 1995), by Holland's collaborative Gateway trio with guitarist John Abercrombie and drummer Jack DeJohnette.

Most tunes will be familiar to Holland fans and even the sax/trumpet/trombone frontline won't be new to followers of his mid'-80s quintet with Eubanks, altoist Steve Coleman and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. But this is the first time the bassist has used piano in a group a perhaps more conventional complexion that he's intentionally avoided in the past by using vibraphone or guitar as chordal instruments. But with the vibrant Miller, it fits in comfortably with Holland's evolving concept; the sextet clearly dovetails with his other work of the past 25 years.There's a different kind of energy here, with Holland combining the more liberated approach of "Rivers Run," which harkens back to his '80s quintet, with Eubanks' polyrhythmic "The Sum of All Parts." The latter opens the disc with the musicians entering one at a time, ultimately coalescing into the kind of visceral, irregular-metered groove that's been so definitive of Holland's Quintet and Big Band. Everyone's a star here, but Harland and Miller push the group in new and different ways; Miller's distinctive out-of-Tyner harmonic approach and Harland's empathic, elastic playing open the group up to greater freedom and interpretation. Dipping into his past repertoire is a device Holland also used for his Big Band's debut, What Goes Around (ECM, 2002); however, this smaller and more intimate ensemble with a big sound revisits his material with greater flexibility and power. Pass It On is the welcome and long overdue debut from a sextet that's been performing for a couple of years, and possesses the same deep chemistry that has made Holland's other groups and releases such winners. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pass-it-on-dave-holland-dare2-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Dave Holland: bass; Eric Harland: drums; Antonio Hart: alto saxophone; Robin Eubanks: trombone; Mulgrew Miler: piano; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet.

Pass It On

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Russell Gunn - Mood Swings

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:52
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. The Injuns
(6:30)  2. Park Avenue Petite
(7:36)  3. African Queen
(3:41)  4. S. Crib
(6:32)  5. Night And Day
(6:47)  6. Mood Swings
(6:57)  7. I'll Close My Eyes
(4:47)  8. Blues To Lee
(4:08)  9. Twice Around

At first, it might seem like a calculated stylistic detour hot young hip-hop-influenced trumpeter teams up with a Hammond organ player (Radam Schwartz) who's equally fresh but strictly from the old school. But 2003's Mood Swings is not Wynton Marsalis-style dilettante posing of the "I remember Jimmy Smith" variety; there is nothing retro or nostalgic about this album, although it's firmly rooted in '60s-style organ combo jazz and mostly draws from the hard bop songbook. The opening track, a frenetic 20-notes-a-second take on Donald Byrd's "The Injuns," is as forward-looking as anything Gunn has done. Although ballads like Benny Golson's weightless, lovely "Park Avenue Petite" allow Gunn to explore Miles Davis' gentle tonal palette, it's more aggressive performances like "S. Crib" and the downright funky "Twice Around" that really show off Gunn's abilities. ~ Stewart Mason https://www.allmusic.com/album/mood-swings-mw0000318983

Personnel: Russell Gunn (trumpet); Radam Schwartz (Hammond B-3 organ); Eric Johnson (guitar); Cecil Brooks III (drums)

Mood Swings

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Laura Ellis - Femme Fatale

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:19
Size: 58,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. I've Been Kissed Before
(2:42)  2. Somewhere In The Night
(2:34)  3. Again
(1:11)  4. I Want To Be Talked About
(3:10)  5. Laura
(4:05)  6. Blue Gardenia
(2:44)  7. Put The Blame On Mame
(2:33)  8. This Bitter Earth
(3:13)  9. Trinidad Lady

Femme Fatale is the soundtrack recording for the stage show starring Laura Ellis. Miss Ellis, walks off the screen and onto the musical stage as the irresistible Femme Fatale. Accompanied by her nimble jazz band, with song and Film Noir movie clips, Laura weaves a story of a female con artist, her hapless fall guy and the music of the 1940s and 50s. Femme fatale is blend of cinematic wizardry and live stage show. Using green screen technology and public domain film noir clips, the character of the Femme Fatale is inserted into a new but classic noir story. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/lauraellis2 

Femme Fatale

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Quincy Jones - Sounds & Stuff Like That

Styles: Swing, Big Band
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:45
Size: 82,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Stuff Like That
(3:31)  2. I'm Gonna Miss You In The Morning
(5:13)  3. Love, I Never Had It So Good
(6:45)  4. Tell Me A Bedtime Story
(4:08)  5. Love Me By Name
(5:25)  6. Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
(4:24)  7. Takin' It To The Streets

With ears dead set on the trends of the moment but still drawing now and then on his jazz past, Quincy Jones came up with another classy-sounding pop album loaded with his ever-growing circle of musician friends. Disco was king in 1978 and Jones bows low with the ebullient dance hit "Stuff Like That" which is several cuts above the norm for that genre  along with a healthy quota of elegantly produced soul ballads. Yet amidst the pop stuff, Jones still manages to do something fresh and memorable within the jazz sphere with a gorgeous chart of Herbie Hancock's "Tell Me a Bedtime Story." Hancock himself sits in impeccably on electric piano, and violinist Harry Lookofsky painstakingly overdubs one of Hancock's transcribed solos on 15 violins. Despite the cast of hundreds that is now de rigueur for Quincy Jones, the record does not sound over-produced due to the silken engineering and careful deployment of forces. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/soundsand-stuff-like-that%21%21-mw0000649592

Personnel: Nickolas Ashford (vocals, percussion); Yolanda McCullough (vocals, background vocals); Gwen Guthrie, Luther Vandross, Patti Austin, Tom Bahler, Valerie Simpson, Vivian Cherry, Chaka Khan, Charles May (vocals); David T Sounds; Walker, Eric Gale , Melvin Watson, Wah-Wah Watson (guitar); Gayle Levant (harp); Tom Scott (lyre, flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, lyricon); Jerome Reisler, John Wittenberg, Wilbert Nuttycombe, Carl LaMagna, Marvin Limonick, Betty LaMagna, Connie Kupka, Israel Baker, Arnold Belnick, Nathan Ross, Sheldon Sanov, Harry Bluestone, Harry Lookofsky (violin); Meyer Bello, David Schwartz , Leonard Selic, Samuel Boghossian (viola); Gloria Strassner, Dennis Karmazyn (cello); George Young (flute, saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Hubert Laws, Jerome Richardson, Bill Perkins, Bud Shank, Buddy Collette (flute, saxophone, tenor saxophone); Harold Vick (saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn); Howard Johnson (saxophone, tuba); David Tofani, Harold Fick (saxophone); Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Jon Faddis, Virgil Jones (trumpet, flugelhorn); Chuck Findley, Bill Lamb, Oscar Brashear, Snooky Young (trumpet); Arthur Maebe, David Duke , Sidney Muldrow, Aubrey Bouck, Henry Sigismonti (French horn); Donald Waldrop, Jimmy Cleveland, Robert Payne, Bill Watrous, Charles Loper, Chauncey Welsch (trombone); Alan Raph (bass trombone); Roger Bobo, Tommy Johnson (tuba); Herbie Hancock (piano, electric piano, keyboards); Richard Tee (piano, organ, keyboards); Clark Spangler (synthesizer, programming); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer); Anthony Jackson (bass guitar); Steve Gadd (drums); Ralph MacDonald (percussion); Zachary Sanders, Bill Eaton, Frank Floyd (background vocals)

Sounds & Stuff Like That

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Hal Galper Quartet - Cubist

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:08
Size: 158,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:51)  1. Solar
( 9:09)  2. Israel
( 5:24)  3. Artists
(11:21)  4. Kiwi
( 8:10)  5. Cubist
(13:00)  6. Scene West
( 7:29)  7. In a Sentimental Mood
( 8:41)  8. Scufflin'

Hal Galper has been in the jazz limelight now for over a half century, establishing his trademark sound in more traditional settings with alto saxophone luminaries Cannonball Adderly, and Phil Woods, and trumpet legend Chet Baker. Yet in the new century, Galper has turned the piano trio concept on its collective ear, something that hadn't taken place in the jazz universe since Bill Evans entered the fray with his conversational approach to the trio with Scott LaFaro, and Paul Motian. Galper has pushed the boundaries of the music in his distinct rubato style, an open and interpretive concept of time where the musical continuum achieves a high degree of elasticity. Galper has found the perfect partners in this reshaping of the art form in trailblazing bassist Jeff Johnson and sophisticated intuitive drummer John Bishop. The trio has found a home at Origin records, now a legacy of six albums beginning with the 2007 release Furious Rubato (Origin, 2007). 

On his new release on Origin, Cubist, Galper expands his vision to the quartet, bringing in long time colleague and friend, tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. Bergonzi adds yet another dimension to the rubato equation, adding avenues of collective insight that fits in seamlessly with this trio that has achieved such a rare subconscious understanding of each other. Recorded in an open session format before a small audience, the music has an overwhelming emotional honesty, and visionary artistry. The quartet seems to match musical character and personality perfectly between the four participants.

Bassist Jeff Johnson, long one of the most musical of jazz bassists, contributes four compositions that define his unique approach to writing. His conception of time and space is uniquely compatible to Galper's vision of the same. Johnson has played in Galper's trio since the early 90's, and has submitted a number of tunes to him in the process, most of which going unrecorded. For this session, some of them 'clicked,' including the aptly titled "Cubist." States Galper, "It struck me how apt the title was, how our Rubato Style is similar to Cubist painting." Indeed, the metaphor is striking, the visual concept of all the elements being there, yet with many of them out of place, and emphasized in different variables. "Scene West" conjures audible snapshots of Johnson's solo recordings, in particular the eclectic The Art of Falling (Origin, 2001). Johnson leads his partners into the fray with a dark, rhythmic undercurrent that results in a free, tumbling whirlwind of a solo from Galper. Bergonzi adds a restrained subtlety to the conversation that builds into an urgent frenzy, in the end dropping off into Johnson's deeply colored melodicism.

There is a certain radiant tonality to the playing of drummer John Bishop. Indeed, as in many ways that one might describe these same tonal qualities in a horn player, Bishop has his own distinctive sound, one that a listener can identify on any recording. His intuitive sensitivity, chant-like use of cymbals, and masterful brush work serve as a spatial touchstone throughout Cubist. His long term artistic relationship with Johnson predates his association with Galper, and those qualities that can only be chanced upon over time shine brightly when merged with Bergonzi's full bodied dynamic articulation, and Galper's visionary freewheeling conception of time. Galper's original, "Scufflin" highlights his innovative processes as a pianist. His lightning quick fluidity, melodic phrasing, and ability to move the music, and reactions of his bandmates in variable directions at will, are astoundingly unique to his gigantic talents. Throughout the linear historic timeline of great jazz pianists, Galper undoubtedly falls along the lines of Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Bud Powell, and Ahmad Jamal in terms of their approach to intimate trio playing. After six albums together on Origin, Galper could have very well chosen to sustain the momentum with his mates Johnson and Bishop, continuing to record and tour as a trio. The addition of Bergonzi turns out to be another stroke of collective genius for Galper, and his forward moving approach to modern jazz music. His playing from start to finish on this record is truly transformative. It states clearly his ability as a leader to value the whole greater than the collective parts. The result is a compelling rubato experience for the listener.

Much is mentioned here, and in every subsequent review of his recordings over the past decade, of the advanced conception of time utilized by Galper. It must be stated that while the music may often travel in uncharted territory, it nonetheless travels in the same universe where the jazz tradition resides, where an elastic sense of freedom can ground itself in swing, and the finer qualities of post bop free thinking. Galper has found the perfect four personalities to travel through this musical labyrinth with. All four have emerged from past histories with jazz legends to bushwack a trail through the never ending expedition into musical exploration and discovery. On Cubist, they have revealed a work of true artistic mastery, and generational significance. In many ways, it personifies the direction of jazz music into the 21st century, a mantle to be grasped and moved forward by generation next. ~ Paul Rauch https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cubist-hal-galper-origin-records-review-by-paul-rauch.php

Personnel: Hal Galper: piano; Jerry Bergonzi: tenor sax; Jeff Johnson: bass; John Bishop: drums

Cubist

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Cassandre McKinley - Dragonfly

Size: 104,9 MB
Time: 44:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Americana
Art: Front

01. Plain Gold Ring (4:28)
02. All Alone Am I (4:50)
03. Let It Be Me (3:58)
04. Lonely Wine (4:31)
05. I Miss You So (3:55)
06. Change Your Mind (5:56)
07. Do I Move You (3:54)
08. Mama (2:43)
09. Are You Lonesome Tonight (3:30)
10. Out Of The Rain (6:54)

A vocal culmination of Jazz, Country and Blues styles adapted through songs by great artists like Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, Nina Simone and Etta James.

Boston born and bred, McKinley started a career in film and television upon entering her freshman year of high school. By 16, she had already signed with a New York talent agent, began taking weekly private voice instruction and attended a long series of intensive music programs that specialized in voice performance. After high school, she attended The Boston Conservatory of Music majoring in Musical Theater and has now held an accomplished career spread over 3 decades as a professional singer, dancer, actress, voice-over artist and print model.

McKinley is best known for her powerhouse voice and stylistic versatility and ability to cross genres effortlessly. She is renowned for her spirited and emotional performances with a presence on stage that is exuberant and passionate yet warm and disarming. She has shared the stage, and in some cases, recorded with greats such as Dick Johnson (Artie Shaw Orchestra), Clay Osborne, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Jay Geils, Fred Lipsius (Blood, Sweat and Tears), Jerry Portnoy (Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters), the legendary Herb Pomeroy and others.

After self-releasing several favorable straight-ahead jazz albums, McKinley drew from deeper influences of her youth and revealed a more “soulful” sounding jazz album in remembrance of the late Marvin Gaye. Her expressive work on this album generated a resounding and enthusiastic buzz – soon to follow was a signed record contract and an extended release of the project re-titled “Til Tomorrow - Remembering Marvin Gaye” (MAXJAZZ 2007). Jazztimes Magazine hailed the work as “a rich, sensual salute”. The album steady stream of success both nationally and internationally, legitimizing her standing as a prominent and salient new artist. With a heightened joy for the process of creativity and performance, McKinley is continuously evolving seeking imaginative ways to illustrate her passion and elevate her art.

Dragonfly

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Sacha Distel - Sacha’s Guitar

Size: 179,8 MB
Time: 77:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazz: Jazz Guitar
Art: Front & Back

01. Olympia Orgy (2:41)
02. On Serait Des Chats (3:02)
03. Round About Midnight (3:28)
04. No1 For Sacha (2:57)
05. Avec Ces Yeux-La (4:11)
06. All The Things You Are (With Lionel Hanpton Paris All Stars) (7:28)
07. Minor Drops (With Bobby Jaspar All Stars) (4:58)
08. I'll Remember April (With Bobby Jaspar All Stars) (5:42)
09. I Cover The Waterfront (With John Lewis & The Modern Jazz Quartet) (6:48)
10. Dear Old Stockholm (With John Lewis & The Modern Jazz Quartet) (6:04)
11. Afternoon In Paris (With John Lewis & The Modern Jazz Quartet) (9:20)
12. All The Things You Are (With John Lewis & The Modern Jazz Quartet) (5:13)
13. Bag's Groove (With John Lewis & The Modern Jazz Quartet) (6:09)
14. Willow Weep For Me (With John Lewis & The Modern Jazz Quartet) (9:31)

Sacha Distel is probably more famous internationally as a singer, and even an actor, than he is as a jazz guitarist. It was as a guitarist, however, that he made his first mark on the entertainment world. This all-instrumental compilation is a document of those beginnings, gathering 14 tracks that he recorded between late 1955 and late 1956 in a variety of settings. Just five of them were credited to Distel; the remaining nine cuts include one with the Lionel Hampton Paris All-Stars, a couple with the Bobby Jaspar All Stars, and five as co-leader of the John Lewis-Sacha Distel Quintette. The mere fact that by his early twenties he was already playing with the likes of Hampton and Lewis is an indication of how highly regarded his talents on guitar were regarded by the jazz world. While there's no indication that the world lost a future Wes Montgomery after Distel switched his focus to pop vocals, these tracks alone are enough to establish his credibility as an instrumentalist in the straight jazz scene. For the most part, they're respectable straight-ahead pieces in the cool-bop-influenced style, Distel taking smooth leads that show a debt to the work of Charlie Christian. Be aware that on some numbers, the focus isn't wholly on Distel, though this isn't such a bad thing if you're a general fan of jazz from the period, especially on the Lewis cuts, where Lewis' piano and contributions by esteemed sidemen such as drummers Kenny Clarke and Connie Kay are also prominent. Also be aware that there are no original Distel compositions on this compilation, which includes material by Lewis, Thelonious Monk, Billy Byers (who plays trombone on the tracks billed to Distel alone), Milt Jackson, and Michel Legrand, as well as standards like "All the Things You Are" (heard in two versions) and "Willow Weep for Me." ~by Richie Unterberger

Sacha’s Guitar

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Zeduardo Martins - Oxala: Novos E Velhos Standards

Size: 180,6 MB
Time: 78:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016/2018
Styles: Brazilian Rhythms
Art: Front & Back

01. Pinela E Bonita ( 5:43)
02. Agua De Beber ( 6:23)
03. Afoxe ( 6:45)
04. Prato Feito ( 7:20)
05. Aguas De Março (10:57)
06. Tem Do ( 3:57)
07. Mans De Affecto ( 6:07)
08. Pais Tropical ( 5:15)
09. Tarde Em Itapoa ( 9:15)
10. Garota De Ipanema ( 5:39)
11. Canto Das Tres Raças ( 6:13)
12. Anna Sonha ( 4:23)

.. The Samba Blues/Rock Macumba and the Samba Jazz are the mix in between the brazilian rythm and blues,blues rock and jazz by my compositions or arrangement. Me and the others brazilian musicians needed the blues to full a empty place on the brazilian music sound universe and I got that by mix the brazilians rythm groove with the blues or jazz or blues rock language and atmosphere... ...I'm not able to be a blues man,but I got 12 years of crazy life to understand "enough" blues to improve that music...I'm a Samba Blues musician and I'm so thankfull to my masters in blues,specially Jimi Hendrix that is the Christ of my life and his language I mixed with many etnic brazilian rythm,but my first master in blues was ARTHUR ABELHA who introduced me to that sound...But I have also a lot of respect to my teacher of classic guitar(bossa nova/chorinho...on 70's)...ROBERTO NUNES...He opened me to many brazilian sounds and the free spirit of the "crazy" improvisation like Jimi,but on the choro/bossa...And he never listened Jimi before. I tell that here because I want that the world know about Arthur Abelha and Roberto Nunes, two magic musicians from Niteroi...Brasil.

Oxala

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Eleanor Dubinsky - Soft Spot Of My Heart

Size: 101,7 MB
Time: 39:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Turn It Around (3:47)
02. Soft Spot Of My Heart (4:56)
03. Wind Won't Knock It Down (3:14)
04. Wait For You (3:45)
05. Free Again (4:54)
06. El Sabor De La Vida (4:10)
07. Morning Song (2:59)
08. I Let Go (4:05)
09. Cuando Voy A Mi Trabajo (4:20)
10. You Are Special, You Are Beautiful (3:14)

American composer, songwriter and vocalist Eleanor Dubinsky uses various musical genres to express her finely-crafted songs. She has a delightful, engaging vocal style and her lyrics transmit her concern for the marginalized, longing and understanding of human beings from diverse cultures.

On Soft Spot of My Heart you’ll find a captivating collection of songs that incorporate jazz, gospel, soul, Americana, pop and world music elements.

The album was recorded in Portugal and New York City, which allowed Dubinsky to collaborate with a group of artists representing different musical genres and nationalities, including musicians from New York, Brazil, Cape Verde, and Portugal.

Eleanor Dubinsky spent several years abroad in Europe, Argentina and Mexico, where she learned French and Spanish. She writes her songs in English, French and Spanish. Meanwhile, she was exposed to Cape Verdean and Angolan music. Portuguese-Cape Verdean singer Sara Tavares became a major influence. Eleanor Dubinsky met of the musicians Tavares works with frequently. Three of these talented musicians, bassist Rolando Semedo, percussionist Miroca Paris, and drummer Ivo Costa appear on Soft Spot.

Dubinsky sings in Spanish on two songs. “El sabor de la vida,” includes a fascinating mix of world percussion, soulful vocals and gospel. “Cuando voy a mi trabajo” features vocals in three languages and is the most world music-oriented track featuring global rhythms, great bass lines and acoustic guitars.

There’s a great blues-infused climactic song titled “I Let Go,” in which Dubinsky adds cello, which is one of the instruments close to her heart. ~Angel Romero

Soft Spot Of My Heart

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