Friday, April 20, 2018

Bill Hardman - What's Up

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:33
Size: 154,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:25)  1. Fuller Up
( 9:22)  2. I Should Care
( 8:20)  3. Whisper Not
(10:31)  4. Straight Ahead
( 7:10)  5. P.B.
( 8:57)  6. Like Someone In Love
( 7:42)  7. Yo What's Up
(10:03)  8. Rooms Blues

A reliable hard bop-oriented trumpeter, Bill Hardman never became famous, but he helped out on many sessions. While a teenager, Hardman gigged with Tadd Dameron, and after graduating high school he was with Tiny Bradshaw (1953-1955). He debuted on record with Jackie McLean (1955), played with Charles Mingus (1956), and gained recognition for his work with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1956-1958). 

Hardman worked with Horace Silver (1958), Lou Donaldson (on and off during 1959-1966), re-joined Blakey twice (1966-1969 and in the late '70s), was with Mingus again during parts of 1969-1972, and led a group with Junior Cook (1979-1981). Bill Hardman had an appealing style in the Clifford Brown tradition and recorded as a leader for Savoy (1961) and Muse. 
~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/whats-up/159915066

Personnel:  Bill Hardman - trumpet;  Junior Cook - tenor saxophone;  Robin Eubanks - trombone;  Mickey Tucker - piano;  Paul Brown - bass;  Leroy Williams - drums

What's Up 

Leslie Uggams - Try To See It My Way

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:01
Size: 63,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Love Is A Good Foundation
(3:01)  2. Try To See It My Way
(2:31)  3. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
(3:03)  4. I Love You (Je Vous Aime Oui Fais)
(2:24)  5. Brighten Hill
(3:31)  6. Oh Lord What Are You Doing To Me
(2:26)  7. I Just Can't Help Believin'
(2:44)  8. The Love Of My Man
(1:56)  9. Rescue Me
(2:48) 10. The Weight

A singer and actress perhaps best known for her work in the landmark television miniseries Roots, Leslie Uggams was born May 25, 1943, in New York City. The product of a showbiz family her father sang with the Hall Johnson Choir and her mother was a chorus dancer  she began her own career while still a child, making her TV debut at the age of six on the series Beulah. A year later, Uggams began performing regularly at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem, opening for such legends as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dinah Washington; she subsequently attended the Professional Children's School of New York, and frequently guested on television variety programs including The Milton Berle Show, The Arthur Godfrey Show, and Your Show of Shows. At the age of 12, Uggams retired from performing; her absence from the spotlight was relatively brief, however, and three years later she appeared as a vocalist on the TV quiz show Name That Tune.While a student at Juilliard, Uggams was tapped to join the cast of Sing Along with Mitch, becoming the first female singer and the first African-American talent to join the Mitch Miller-hosted variety program; in 1962, she also made her on-screen film debut with a cameo in Two Weeks in Another Town, and after signing to Columbia scored a hit single with "Morgan." She spent the next several years alternating nightclub dates with stage performances, also appearing in the theatrical production The Boyfriend. In 1968, Uggams was chosen to replace Lena Horne in the lead role in the Broadway musical Hallelujah, Baby!; the performance earned her a Tony Award and culminated her rise to stardom. In 1970, she was named the host of her own CBS variety series, the first black female since Hazel Scott a decade earlier to be given such an opportunity; however, The Leslie Uggams Show proved short-lived, one in a long list of sacrifices to the ratings juggernaut known as Bonanza. 

The early '70s marked a decline in Uggams' fortunes; outside of an appearance in the all-star 1972 film Skyjacked, she enjoyed little of the same success of recent years, and a move from Columbia to Atlantic did little to resuscitate her singing career. In 1977, however, she returned to television in the slavery saga Roots, with her superb performance as Kizzy earning an Emmy nomination; two years later, Uggams earned more kudos for her work in another miniseries, Backstairs at the White House, and in 1983 won an Emmy as co-host of the short-lived NBC series Fantasy. Later in the decade, Uggams returned to Broadway, starring in the musicals Blues in the Night and Jerry's Girls. In 1987, she toured with Peter Nero and Mel Tormé in The Great Gershwin Concert, and in 1988 starred in the Lincoln Center production of Anything Goes. After touring during the early '90s in Stringbean, a musical based on the career of Ethel Waters, in 1996 Uggams joined the cast of the hit daytime soap opera All My Children. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/leslie-uggams-mn0000820567              

Try To See It My Way

Harold Ashby Quartet - What Am I Here For?

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:17
Size: 159,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:31)  1. I Can't Get Started
(7:35)  2. What Am I Here For?
(5:08)  3. Mood Indigo
(7:41)  4. Frankie And Johnny
(4:54)  5. Once In A While
(9:00)  6. Poinciana
(7:47)  7. C Jam Blues
(6:55)  8. Prelude To A Kiss
(8:27)  9. September In The Rain
(6:15) 10. Perdido

It shouldn't be surprising that Harold Ashby has a decidedly Ellington slant to this CD. A tenor saxophonist in the mold of Ben Webster (who first introduced him to the maestro) Ashby was a frequent substitute on call until he replaced the departed Jimmy Hamilton in 1968, where he remained until the year after Ellington's death. On this relatively rare date as a leader, the veteran devotes half of his program to music from the vast Ellington repertoire, including a strutting take of "What Am I Here For?" and a lush treatment of "Mood Indigo" that initially features Mulgrew Miller's old-fashioned stride piano and Rufus Reid's arco bass in unison with Ashby. An up-tempo "C Jam Blues" is kicked off by drummer Ben Riley, while the leader's rich vibrato reins supreme in their interpretation of the lovely "Prelude to a Kiss." The final track from the Ellington book is Juan Tizol's "Perdido," which wraps the CD with a flourish. 

Most of the non-Ellington tracks that make up the rest of this release are favorites of the swing era, with the exception of the easygoing and somewhat romantic bossa nova "Poinciana." Although this session was recorded in New York City, the erratic distribution of the Criss Cross label makes this CD somewhat more difficult to find than it should be for many swing fans. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/what-am-i-here-for-mw0000083425

Personnel: Harold Ashby (tenor saxophone), Mulgrew Miller, Rufus Reid, Ben Riley.

What Am I Here For?

Geoff Keezer - Here And Now

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:08
Size: 140,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:26)  1. There But For The Grace Of...
(7:52)  2. Headed Off At The Pass
(9:49)  3. Leilanis Mirror
(5:39)  4. Agra
(4:05)  5. (It Was) Just One Of Those Things
(4:59)  6. Its The Thought That Counts
(7:50)  7. The Feeling Of Jazz
(4:22)  8. Turning Point
(4:22)  9. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:38) 10. Scandal In Shinjuku

Pianist Geoff Keezer, two months shy of his 21st birthday at the time of this session, sometimes recalls McCoy Tyner in his playing with touches of Herbie Hancock, although on a romping version of "Just One of Those Things," his interpretation is pure Bud Powell. Steve Nelson's vibes are most heavily influenced by Bobby Hutcherson and Milt Jackson, while the somewhat dry originals take quirky twists in the best tradition of Wayne Shorter. With bassist Peter Washington and drummer Billy Higgins completing the quartet (altoist Donald Harrison guests on three numbers), this is an excellent (if not innovative) modern mainstream set, a strong showcase for both Keezer and Nelson. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/here-and-now-mw0000264840

Personnel:  Geoff Keezer piano;  Steve Nelson vibraphone;  Peter Washington bass;  Billy Higgins drums;  Donald Harrison alto saxophone.

Here And Now

Jane McDonald - Live At The London Palladium

Size: 175,6 MB
Time: 75:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Pop Rock
Art: Front

01. The Hand That Leads Me (2:58)
02. It's Getting Better (3:16)
03. Give Me Time (3:18)
04. Burt Bacharach Medley (Walk On By - Do You Know The Way To San Jose - Say A Little Prayer - There's Always Something There To Remind Me) (9:15)
05. Even Now (4:24)
06. You Don't Know Me (4:31)
07. Help Me Make It Through The Night (4:16)
08. One Night Only (4:14)
09. And I Am Telling You (4:04)
10. Doctor's Orders (2:57)
11. O Mio Babbino Caro (2:37)
12. There's Not A Day Goes By (5:07)
13. Maybe This Time (3:29)
14. Motown Northern Soul Medley (Out On The Floor - Love Machine - Love Is Like A Heatwave) (6:30)
15. You're My World (3:39)
16. One Voice (3:21)
17. Disco Medley (Disco Inferno Burn Baby Burn - Giving Up Giving In - Voulez Vous - Dance Yourself Dizzy) (7:35)

Recorded live at the world famous London Palladium during her sell-out national concert tour, this sensational release (both on DVD and CD/DVD) proves once again why Jane McDonald is regarded as one of Britain's most popular and best loved entertainers. With her powerhouse vocals, amusing anecdotes and infectious, self-deprecating humour Jane, together with her fabulous 15 piece orchestra and backing singers, takes us on a roller coaster ride of emotion, bringing laughter and tears from an adoring and packed London Palladium audience, including Jane's specially invited celebrity friends.
A combination of her own compositions and covers of some of the most popular songs over the last few decades, from Burt Bacharach to ABBA, Ray Charles to Motown, huge ballads to funky disco, Live At the London Palladium provides first class entertainment. An inspired choice of songs and wonderful musical arrangements gives Jane the perfect platform to show just how talented and versatile she is.

Live At The London Palladium

Martial Solal - My One And Only Love (Live At Theater Gutersloh)

Size: 181,1 MB
Time: 77:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Have You Met Miss Jones (4:55)
02. Medley Caravan - Prelude To A Kiss - Sophisticated Lady - Satin Doll - Take The A Train (7:45)
03. Sir Jack (3:38)
04. Coming Yesterday (4:44)
05. Köln Duet (4:45)
06. My One And Only Love (5:44)
07. Body And Soul (8:03)
08. Night And Day (5:28)
09. Marche Turque (2:44)
10. All The Things You Are (6:00)
11. Night In Tunisia (4:35)
12. Tea For Two (5:47)
13. Sir Jack II (5:44)
14. Interview With Martial Solal (Goetz Buehler) (7:57)

"Martial Solal has, in abundance, those indispensables of the musicians’ craft: sensitivity, creativity, and a prodigious technique. Most of all, he sparkles with refreshment." These words of praise were written by his "soul brother" Duke Ellington for Solal’s US debut album, recorded mostly at Newport in 1963 with Bill Evans’ rhythm section Paul Motian on drums and Teddy Kotick on bass. More than half an exciting century later the legendary French pianist and composer, who excelled with works for soundtracks, orchestras, big bands and his own groups, as well as in the meantime duo settings with jazz masters from Lee Konitz to Dave Liebman, once again proved why the Duke loved him madly.

As soon as Martial Solal sat down at the piano in the Theater Gütersloh for soundcheck, all the months of preparation and practice for this solo-concert, and the strain of the travel here from his home in Chatou near Paris seemed to disappear. "At home I don’t even make music, I just practice scales and things", he said, after explaining why he looks forward to play on a great grand piano on stage. "I have two pianos at home: I practiced for years on an old upright piano with a light keyboard touch, and I was frequently suffering when meeting on stage instruments with a heavier touch. Then I bought in 1977 a grand piano Kawai, and asked the piano maker to adjust it with a heavy touch response, to be perfectly at ease on all kind of pianos I am invited to play. I always have the music in my head, but it only comes out on the right instrument."

Solal obviously enjoyed playing the Steinway on offer here, and almost forcibly had to restrain himself from letting out even more amazing music already at soundcheck. He was wondering which song even the kids attending the concert that evening would recognize, some tune so well known that he could weave it into his improvisations to get their attention. After several suggestions, this 90 year old European Jazz Legend was finally reminded of "Frère Jacques", a nursery rhyme Solal knows well, but had never played before – at least the way he did that night!
The two "Sir Jack" improvisations on the theme of this canon included in this live recording alone attest the pianist’s sensitivity, creativity, and prodigious technique. And yes, they, and all the other melodies you thought you knew so well, sparkle with refreshment, too. ~Gotz Buhler

My One and Only Love                 

Mette Olsen Kvartet - Still Alive

Size: 118,1 MB
Time: 50:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. L'll Be Seeing You (3:49)
02. The More I See You (3:10)
03. All Or Nothing At All (4:02)
04. Lucky To Be Me (3:36)
05. Autumn Leaves (4:50)
06. It Could Happen To You (3:07)
07. Let There Be Love (3:25)
08. August Moon (4:14)
09. Only Trust Your Heart (4:00)
10. Old Folks (4:01)
11. Shiny Stockings (3:38)
12. Speak Low (4:17)
13. Memories (In Life) (4:32)

Standard jazz mixed with newer Danish, Swedish and own compositions.

Personnel:
Mette Olsen - Vocals
Stig Andreasen - Bass
Michael Vogelius Larsen - Piano
Chano Olskær - Drums

Still Alive

Charles Turner - Single & In Love

Size: 101,6 MB
Time: 38:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Single (2:31)
02. The Double Take (2:17)
03. Ooh La La (1:52)
04. Wise Man's Lament (6:23)
05. When Will I Find You (4:45)
06. Manhattan (0:52)
07. City Life (3:30)
08. Manhattan II (0:46)
09. Millennial's Blues (4:15)
10. Realign (3:57)
11. Let Me In (3:49)
12. November (3:31)

Recently the 1st place winner of the 1st Annual Duke Ellington Vocal Competition here in New York City Hosted by Mercedes Ellington, 26 year old Turner has taken the jazz scene by storm. Charles relocated to New York in 2011, and has performed in venues such as Smoke Jazz and Super Club, Birdland, Ginny's Supper Club, Smalls, and Mintons were has a residency every Wednesday with the JC Hopkins Biggish Band and every Thursday with Marc Cary and Focus Trio at Gin Fizz in Harlem.

The Charles Turner Quartet has performed at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center for the Generations in Jazz festival for 2 consecutive years. He also Released his Debut Album " Dreamers" Produced by Grammy Award winning Drummer Ulysses Owens at Jazz at Lincoln Center March 2014. Appearing next at Jazz at Lincoln Center, he will be a part of the 2015-16 Season at is Debut concert in the Appel Room in May 2016. Turner graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Ma on a full scholarship. During his time there Charles had the wonderful opportunity to study and perform with Grammy Award–winning drummer and educator Terri Lyne Carrington, Dave Samuels, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Joanne Brackeen.

In 2013 Charles was invited to participate in the prestigious Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program, where he worked with Jason Moran, Craig Handy, Marc Cary, and performed at the Kennedy Center. He also won Best Jazz Vocalist awards at the Monterey Jazz Festival, and was a finalist at the esteemed Shure Montruex jazz festival Vocal Competition. Charles also performed with Bobby Mcferrin along with other young talents in a Improvisation Workshop Concert at Carnegie Hall. Featured on Ulysses Owens latest album which is receiving rave reviews from the New York Times and other publication. Charles has collaborated with many young up and coming artist as well as veterans in out music today. He has performed in Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain and Russia. Charles will continue to spread his love for music for years and years to come.

Single & In Love 

Mike Clark & Delbert Bump - Retro Report

Size: 146,8 MB
Time: 62:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Topsy (6:49)
02. Chicken (4:25)
03. Deep In The Inner City (6:09)
04. Hi Heel Sneakers (6:13)
05. Alice In Wonderland (6:08)
06. You Don't Know What Love Is (7:03)
07. No Blues (5:25)
08. More Chicken (5:25)
09. Peri's Scope (4:43)
10. Honky Tonk (6:25)
11. Well, You Needn't (4:08)

His father was a railroad man and Mike picked up a great understanding of different musical styles around the country while riding the rails. From Herbie Hancock's Headhunters to a long list of the greats, Mike Clark shows how it's done both on the drums and as a Jazzman. Hip, positive, and adventurous at 70, Mike met up with his longtime friend Delbert Bump and together they tracked an album of Hammond based grooves - Retro Report, bringing in young Elias Lucero to rip it up on guitar with some horn touches from Vince Denham and Rob Dixon. This is your Father's Jazz, your Sister's Jazz, your long lost Uncle Benny's Jazz, and your Grandson's Jazz. That is to say it crosses the span of time with a master's flick of the wrist.

About Mike Clark & Delbert Bump:
While often referred to as the “Tony Williams of funk,” Mike Clark considers jazz his first love. He gained worldwide recognition as one of America’s foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancock in the early seventies. His incisive playing on Hancock’s “Actual Proof” garnered him an international cult following and influenced generations of drummers.

Mike has performed with such well-known jazz greats as Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Chet Baker, John Scofield, Nicholas Payton, Tony Bennett, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Vince Guaraldi, Woody Shaw, Donald Harrison, Albert King, Larry Coryell, Mike Wolff, Wallace Roney, Billy Childs, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Chris Potter, Bobby McFerrin, Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown Jr., and Gil Evans and his Orchestra.

Born in Sacramento, CA, Mike traveled around the country with his father, a former drummer himself and a union man for the railroad. His dad had a great appreciation for jazz and blues music, and Mike absorbed the music of America while riding the rails. He credits this exposure as forming the foundation for his ability to synthesize many different regional styles. From age 4, he was a prodigy, sitting in-- and getting “house” -- - with bands in Texas and New Orleans. And by the time he reached his early twenties he was known as one of the founders of the distinctive East Bay Sound coming out of Oakland, California.

During the late sixties, he led his own jazz organ trio, until he met Hancock in 1973. With Hancock, Mike set the rhythms for the acclaimed group, The Headhunters. Afterwards, he did a two-year stint with Brand X, the British jazz/rock fusion band founded by Phil Collins. With them he recorded ”Do They Hurt?” and “Product.”

By 2000 Mike made a foray into the popular jam band scene. His group Prescription Renewal pulled together cross-generational talents, such as Charlie Hunter, Fred Wesley, Skerik, Robert Walter, and DJ Logic, and featured special guests such as Donald Harrison, George Porter Jr. of The Meters, Les Claypool, Larry Goldings and fellow Headhunters alumni Bill Summers. He also toured with The Roots Funk All Stars.

Along with James Brown's drummer Clyde Stubblefield, Mike's beats with The Headhunters (most notably "God Make Me Funky") include some of the most sampled in hip hop. Featured in Downbeat, Musician, International Musician & Recording World, Modern Drummer, Jazz Times, Guitar Player, Jazz Is and numerous jazz history and method books, Mike is a popular and busy clinician. His book Funk Drumming: Innovative Grooves & Advanced Concepts was published in 2012 by Hal Leonard.]

2015 is shaping up to be another musically exciting year. His second Wolff & Clark Expedition CD releases in February, and his hard bop band “Indigo Blue Live at the Iridium” arrives six months later, both on Random Act Records. Both CDs feature Christian McBride on bass, Donald Harrison on alto, Rob Dixon on tenor, Antonio Farao on Piano and Randy Brecker on trumpet.

As a bandleader, his release “Give The Drummer Some” earned a rare four and a half stars in Downbeat. “The Funk Stops Here,” a joint effort with Hancock alumni Paul Jackson got five stars, as did 2011’s “Carnival of Soul.” In 2001, his solo CD “Actual Proof” met with critical acclaim, as did the 2003 acoustic jazz release, “Summertime,” featuring Chris Potter and Billy Childs, which spent weeks in the top ten jazz charts. 2009’s “Blueprints of Jazz” was considered one of the top jazz releases of the last ten years by Downbeat magazine.

Recently Mike has been co-leading The Headhunters,’ with original founding member Bill Summers. 2012 saw a new Headhunters release, “Platinum.” which featured guest turns by Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, and Killah Priest.

Mike has produced three releases for the spoken word prophet Tony Adamo, indulging ”Miles of Blu" with Tower of Power Doc Krupka, bass legend Paul Jackson, Michael Wolff. Along with drum legend Lenny White (Return to Forever), Mike is co-leading Nu Brew, a double drummer experience in new music. He also appears on Tower of Power's organist Chester Thompson's new "Mixology."

Retro Report

Sara Serpa - Close Up

Size: 100,4 MB
Time: 41:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Object (4:01)
02. Passaros (4:16)
03. Sol Enganador (5:59)
04. The Future (5:37)
05. Listening (2:55)
06. Storm Coming (5:18)
07. Woman (4:03)
08. Quiet Riot (3:55)
09. Cantar Ao Fim (4:57)

Personnel - Sara Serpa: vocals; Ingrid Laubrock: tenor and soprano saxophone; Erik Friedlander: cello.

The incomparable Portuguese vocalist/composer Sara Serpa remains faithful to her own musical signature, receiving universal acclaim with recent projects such as Sara Serpa’s Recognition (with harpist Zeena Parkins and saxophonist Mark Turner), Serpa/Matos duo, and now this fantastic new trio, whose first album, Close Up, is the subject of this review. Whether creating textural consonance or embarking on precise contrapuntal effects, the work of German-born saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and American cellist Erik Friedlander coexists beautifully and pacifically with Serpa’s flawless phrasing and multi-sensitive tone.

Like in some past works, this album includes many references to literature, a deep-rooted passion now extended to film, with Abbas Kiarostami’s 1990 masterpiece Close-Up surfacing as an extra inspiration.

“Object” shows the threesome dancing in different ways, using distinct cadences yet perfectly integrated as a group. Brief cello slashes provide a thin tapestry for both Serpa’s lyrical buoyancy and Laubrock’s world music-inspired inflections on the soprano. The vocalist perambulates since the moment that sax and cello agree on standing side-by-side, anticipating a grand finale delivered in unison.

“Quiet Riot” is clearly hooked on Serpa’s style. Elegant parallel motions and counterpoints, phrase complementations, and Laubrock’s soprano knottiness over the groovy bends and swift drives imposed by Friedlander. These bright moments make you want to go back and re-listen to them again.

Exhibiting multiple ostinatos and the words of the Portuguese poet Ruy Bello, “Pássaros”, is a furtive chamber-jazz effort with a well-defined identity. Still, it couldn't match the irresistible enunciation of “The Future”, a poignant, unswerving song awaken by a continuously reiterated sax-vox pointillism and cello wails. Inspired by Virginia Woolf, the song merges light and darkness in genial moments of metrical defiance. This is naked music where the words mean highly focused sounds.

Friedlander’s seductive fingerstyle drives “Sol Enganador”, a meditative cinematic odyssey where Godard’s philosophical freedom gets in touch with a Fellini-esque flamboyance. Laubrock’s air blows, percussive and invasive at the same time, end up falling into short, feverish phrases that contrast with Serpa’s syllabic patterns, sparsely laid down with an infallible precision.

Floating like a breezy folk song, “Woman” was devised with a sort of angelic flair and erudite expressiveness, meaning that the spirit of Luce Irigaray, who inspired the composition, was properly captured and relocated into the music.

The album closes with “Cantar Ao Fim”, a spellbinding piece with a strong connection to nature, whose freedom erupts from all the pores of its smooth skin. The natural, impromptu vocal chant that inaugurates this piece is followed by a blossoming groove that pushes us into a rapturous sonic orb.

Composition-wise, Serpa is ahead of the curve, establishing her ideas with one foot on the avant-garde and the other on the new music. Categorization can be a difficult task, but what’s really relevant here is that Close Up guarantees an arresting affirmation of her artistic maturity. ~JazzTrail

Close Up

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Dick Katz - Three Way Play

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:26
Size: 142.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[5:14] 1. Three Little Words
[4:29] 2. Solar
[4:43] 3. You're My Thrill
[5:45] 4. Steepleechase
[4:01] 5. The Little Things That Mean So Much
[5:18] 6. Monk's Dream
[5:20] 7. Limehouse Blues
[3:15] 8. Star Crossed Lovers
[7:17] 9. Blues In My Heart
[5:57] 10. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
[6:01] 11. Samburan
[5:02] 12. There Is No Greater Love

Dick Katz had a long career in jazz, though a relatively small discography as a leader. These 1992 sessions for Reservoir represent the next to last CD that he made under his own name, with the pianist joined by two veterans, bassist Steve LaSpina and drummer Ben Riley. While Katz has considerable chops, he is not an overly busy pianist on these selections, giving the music plenty of breathing space and room for the input of his sidemen. His breezy take of Miles Davis' "Solar" is a playful affair, while the trio is in jaunty spirits throughout Charlie Parker's "Steeplechase," an imaginative reworking of "I Got Rhythm." There are also plenty of standards, including an intricate study of "There Is No Greater Love" that swings like mad, while his creative take of the old warhorse "Limehouse Blues" incorporates a bit of Claude Debussy's impressionism. It's always great when a leader takes the time to put the spotlight on a contemporary's composition that isn't well-known. His adaptation of pianist/vocalist Daryl Sherman's "Samburan" is a sauntering affair that makes it seem like a perfect soundtrack for a detective show. Sadly, Dick Katz only made one more recording for Reservoir prior to his death in 2009, while this outing is easily one of his best. ~Ken Dryden

Three Way Play mc
Three Way Play zippy

Seal - Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:46
Size: 95.6 MB
Styles: Standards, Vocal
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. Luck Be A Lady
[2:54] 2. Autumn Leaves
[2:54] 3. I Put A Spell On You
[3:14] 4. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[4:29] 5. Anyone Who Knows What Love Is
[3:42] 6. Love For Sale
[4:30] 7. My Funny Valentine
[3:11] 8. I've Got You Under My Skin
[4:29] 9. Smile
[3:04] 10. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[4:39] 11. It Was A Very Good Year

Seal: vocals, guitar; Randy Waldman: piano; Greg Fields: drums; Chuck Berghofer: bass; The Puppini Sisters: vocals (10).

It shouldn't be a surprise that Seal would take on the American songbook, with a baritone that was made for classics like "Autumn Leaves" and "Love for Sale." Born Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel in Paddington, England, the singer, guitarist and composer rose to fame with his global hits, and Grammy-winning songs, "Crazy" and "Kiss From a Rose," both from his first self-titled album (Warner Music UK, 1991). That albumand a number of subsequent Seal releases were produced by Trevor Horn of The Buggles and Yes. Seal had previously released two albums dedicated to soul classics but Standards is Seal's first foray into the jazz world.

Seal recruited a number of musicians who would bring additional jazz-legitimacy to this project. Pianist Randy Waldman toured with Frank Sinatra and worked with George Benson and The Manhattan Transfer; Greg Fields also played drums with Sinatra and with The Count Basie Orchestra. Bassist Chuck Berghofer played with Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper and others.

Seal's arrangements are not especially innovative but that's an advantage in that the interpretations shine solely on his extraordinary vocal ability. Especially rewarding is "I Put a Spell on You," first made popular by its writer Screamin' Jay Hawkins and later by Nina Simone. Seal offers a beautiful version of "Smile," a hit for Nat "King" Cole in the mid-1950s, the song was written by Charlie Chaplin in 1936, for the soundtrack to his movie Modern Times. Seal gives new life to Duke Ellington's "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin" and includes an outlier, "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is," co-written by Randy Newman and Jeannie Seely.

To add to the aura of authenticity, Seal recorded a good portion of the album in the studios where the original classics were captured, including Capitol Records in Los Angeles and Sinatra's United Studios. During his career, Seal has sold more than thirty-million albums and those who appreciate his popular music legacy are not likely to crave a shift to crooner status. Be that as it may, Annie Lennox and Lady Gaga have successfully taken on standards and Seal is, arguably, a more comfortable fit in this genre. Standards never feels like a pop star cross-over and it would be a welcome treat if Seal chose a follow-up with less ancient material. ~Karl Ackermann

Standards 

Hampton Hawes - Something Special

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:37
Size: 115.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[7:47] 1. BD & DS Blues
[9:13] 2. Pablito
[9:37] 3. Sunny
[9:03] 4. Nice Meanderings
[5:29] 5. St. Thomas
[9:25] 6. Fly Me To The Moon

This 1994 CD released for the first time a live set (recorded at Half Moon Bay, California) performed less than a year before pianist Hampton Hawes' death. Hawes, in a quartet with guitarist Denny Diaz, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Al Williams, dominates the music and displays his ability to uplift a couple of pop tunes ("Sunny" and "Fly Me to the Moon"). He also swings creatively through a blues, "St. Thomas" and a pair of his originals. This excellent music gives no hints of Hawes' upcoming demise. ~Scott Yanow

Something Special mc
Something Special zippy

Nina Simone - Mood Indigo: The Complete Bethlehem Singles

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:08
Size: 103.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:09] 1. I Loves You, Porgy
[3:20] 2. Love Me Or Leave Me
[3:30] 3. Little Girl Blue
[2:27] 4. He Needs Me
[3:03] 5. Don't Smoke In Bed
[3:08] 6. African Mailman
[2:42] 7. Mood Iindigo
[3:00] 8. Central Park Blues
[3:59] 9. For All We Know
[2:57] 10. Good Bait
[3:09] 11. You'll Never Walk Alone
[3:26] 12. Plain Gold Ring
[2:36] 13. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
[3:37] 14. My Baby Just Cares For Me

Nina Simone's classic Bethlehem singles collected in one package featuring remastered "Porgy (I Loves You, Porgy)" b/w "Love Me Or Leave Me". Features 7 unique single-only versions and an alternate take of "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands", all previously only available on the Original 45s. Carefully curated and packaged together to bring back Nina's classic recordings, the notes by Ashley Kahn contain a new interview with bassist Al "Tootie" Heath!

Nina Simone is a 2018 inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

Mood Indigo: The Complete Bethlehem Singles mc
Mood Indigo: The Complete Bethlehem Singles zippy

Alex Acuña & The Unknowns - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:10
Size: 101.1 MB
Styles: Fusion
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[3:51] 1. Te Amo
[3:51] 2. Joe's Red Eye
[4:42] 3. Marionettes
[5:30] 4. Hoppin' It
[4:09] 5. Nice
[4:15] 6. Cocho San
[2:52] 7. Van Nuys Jam
[5:04] 8. Thinking Of You (Pensando En Ti)
[6:00] 9. Psalms
[3:52] 10. Ten O' Clock Groove

Backing Vocals – Dante Young, Tiki; Bass – Abe Laboriel, John Peña; Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Alex Acuña; Flute – Danilo Lozano; Flute, Synthesizer [Wind] – Pedro Eustache; Guitar – Carlos Santana; Guitar [Guitars] – Ramon Stagnaro; Keyboards – Cocho Arbe; Keyboards, Vocals – Otmaro Ruiz; Percussion – Luis Conte, Michito Sanchez, Paulinho Da Costa, Rudy Regalado; Saxophone [Sax] – Brandon Fields; Vocals – Diana Acuña; Vocals, Piano – Lou Pardini.

Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands from the age of ten, and moved to Lima as a teenager. At the age of eighteen he joined the band of Perez Prado, and in 1966 he moved to San Juan Puerto Rico. In 1974 Acuña moved to Las Vegas, working with artists such as Elvis Presley and Diana Ross, and the following year he joined the jazz-fusion group Weather Report, appearing on the albums Black Market and Heavy Weather. Acuña left Weather Report in 1978, and became a session musician in California, recording and playing live with (amongst many others) Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, Chick Corea, Whitney Houston, Plácido Domingo, former Weather Report bandmates Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Beck, Roberta Flack, U2, Al Jarreau Marcos Witt. He can be found on recordings by musicians as culturally Lee Ritenour, Johnny Clegg, Roy Orbison, YellowJackets, Lalo Schiffrin, Milton Nascimento, Don Grusin, Dave Grusin, The Brecker Brothers, Arturo sandoval, Paquito d' Rivera, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Brad Melhdau, Paco de Lucia, John Patitucci, Sadao Watanabe, Lyle Mays, Diana Ross, Sergio Mendez, Robbie Robertson, Jackson Browne Beth Midler, Christina Aguilrera, Seal, Chris Botti.

Alex Acuna & The Unknowns are one of the greatest fusion groups that nobody has heard of! Alex Acuna (drummer for the famous Weather Report) and world class session drummer is well known but his work with the "Unknowns" remains unknown to the vast majority of the jazz fusion listening public! ~David Arivett

Alex Acuña & The Unknowns mc
Alex Acuña & The Unknowns zippy

Dave Liebman - Dedications

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:35
Size: 138,8 MB
Art: Front

(11:16)  1. The Delicacy of Youth
( 7:44)  2. South Africa
(12:08)  3. The Code's Secret Code
(12:34)  4. Ode for Leo
( 8:26)  5. Treblinka
( 8:25)  6. Mr. K

'79 septet performances led by saxophonist David Liebman. These mix standards, originals, blues, and ballads, with strong, intense solos from Liebman, fine arrangements and ensemble interaction, and standout contributions from pianist Richie Beirach and bassist Eddie Gomez. 
~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/dedications-mw0000871380     

Personnel: Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute [Alto], Producer – David Liebman;  Bass – Eddie Gomez;  Cello – Clay Ruede;  Piano – Richard Beirach;  Viola – Judy Geist;  Violin – Charles Veal, Susan Ornstein

Dedications

Alison Ruble - Ashland

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:38
Size: 125,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. The Summer Knows
(6:03)  2. S'wonderful
(4:29)  3. Here I Am
(7:06)  4. Let's Fall In Love
(4:13)  5. Night And Day
(5:42)  6. Under The Milky Way
(5:32)  7. Tangled And Dark
(4:04)  8. Matte Kudasai
(4:49)  9. Route 66
(4:53) 10. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

Vocalist Alison Ruble's second CD for Origin is much like her first effort, a mix of standards and pop with embellishments of folk and rock, with arrangements again by guitarist John McLean. Gifted with a warm alto voice, Ruble starts off with an intriguing take of "The Summer Knows" (remembered by many as Michel Legrand's haunting theme written for the early-'70s film Summer of '42) that has a rich backdrop of acoustic guitar, alto flute, arco cello, and bass caressing her warm vocals. Most arrangers don't put a lot of thought into the scoring of the standard "Let's Fall in Love," yet McLean's brilliant chart incorporates an infectious vamp and subtle use of the strings and Jim Gailloreto's soprano sax to back Ruble's playful vocal. Though written by Bobby Troup, "Route 66" is readily identified with the late jazz pianist/vocalist Nat King Cole. Ruble's contemporary version is well out of jazz territory and heads into soft rock, though it retains a high energy level. The newer songs from country, pop, rock, and blues are a bit uneven. Emmylou Harris is a country/rock artist who has thoroughly tested her own musical boundaries, so it's logical that Ruble would explore her own songs. Organ and acoustic guitar are prominent in Ruble's contemporary interpretation of Harris' "Here I Am." Less interesting are the country-flavored setting of King Crimson's "Matte Kudasai" (hampered by both its weak melody and forgettable lyrics) and the funky yet bland take of Bonnie Raitt's "Tangled and Dark." While this is a generally enjoyable CD by Alison Ruble, it isn't quite as strong as her debut release This Is a Bird. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/ashland-mw0002029531

Personnel: Alison Ruble (vocals); John McLean (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Jill Kaeding (cello); Jim Gailloreto (alto flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Karl Montzka (Hammond b-3 organ); Larry Kohut (acoustic bass, Chapman stick); Jim Widlowski (drums, percussion)

Ashland

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Quartet - Dancing on the Tables

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:48
Size: 91,3 MB
Art: Front

(14:48)  1. Dancing on the Tables
( 1:37)  2. Future Child
( 3:32)  3. Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag
( 9:30)  4. Evening Song
(10:19)  5. Clouds

Famous for his work as a teenager in Europe playing with veteran American greats, and for his many recordings as a sidemen with the veteran straight-ahead jazz all-stars for the Pablo label (including Oscar Peterson), bassist Niels Pedersen's own projects tend to be more modern than bop-oriented. For this set, Pedersen's quartet includes three rather notable sidemen: the then fairly unknown guitarist John Scofield; drummer Billy Hart; and Dave Liebman on tenor, soprano, and alto flute. The bassist contributed four compositions, which are joined by a Danish folk song. The nearly 15-minute "Dancing on the Tables" (which utilizes some childlike melodies) and the episodic "Clouds" are highlights of the continually intriguing and adventurous program. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/dancing-on-the-tables-mw0000181517  

Personnel:  Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – bass;  Dave Liebman – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute;  John Scofield – guitar;  Billy Hart – drums

Dancing on the Tables

Gianni Basso & Renato Sellani - Isn't It Romantic?

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:20
Size: 166,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:45)  1. Nancy with the Laughing Face
(5:20)  2. Embraceable You
(5:51)  3. I'm Getting Sentimental over You
(5:30)  4. Deep Purple
(4:11)  5. Everything I Have Is Yours
(3:49)  6. Isn't It Romantic?
(8:02)  7. Body and Soul
(4:29)  8. I Should Care
(7:46)  9. I'll Remember April
(5:23) 10. Over the Rainbow
(8:48) 11. It Might as Well Be Spring
(7:21) 12. I Remember Clifford

A fantastic update of an older tenor and piano mode served up here by the great Gianni Basso and Renato Sellani! Both players are stalwarts of the Italian scene, and both often never fully got their due on this side of the Atlantic and together, they craft a wonderful set of moody, late nite ballads that could just as easily have been cut by Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson although maybe with some darker, more modern currents on Sellani's piano than Oscar and some classic, but individual phrasing by Basso! 

The tunes are all standards, but opened up in that very personal way that the best soloists can acquire and titles include "Nancy", "Everything I Have Is Yours", "Deep Purple", "I Remember Clifford", "I Should Care", "Body & Soul", and "I'll Remember April".  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/857709/Gianni-Basso-Renato-Sellani:Isn%27t-It-Romantic

Personnel: Gianni Basso (tenor saxophone); Renato Sellani (piano).

Isn't It Romantic?

Matthew Shipp - Zero

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:51
Size: 103,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Zero
(3:52)  2. Abyss Before Zero
(3:22)  3. Pole After Zero
(4:17)  4. Piano Panels
(3:46)  5. Cosmic Sea
(2:15)  6. Zero Skip and a Jump
(6:39)  7. Zero Subtract from Jazz
(5:18)  8. Blue Equation
(2:50)  9. Pattern Emerge
(1:42) 10. Ghost Pattern
(5:13) 11. After Zero

Playing improvised solo piano is essentially a conundrum. Where do you start and when does a form emerge? Music begins as sounds and a composition could be the shaping of those sounds, but what about silence and the thing that comes before sound? Avantgarde-composer, John Cage, famously framed the sound of silence on his composition "4'33" to show that music is always happening, but in a very conceptual way. Pianist, improvisor and composer, Matthew Shipp, arrives at the same point on his solo piano album, Zero, but not through the reduction of minimalism, but the expansion of melody. Indeed, Zero, in spite of its philosophical implications, is not a difficult avant-garde work, but an album that can be enjoyed simply as great jazz music bursting with musical ideas. The idea of the zero is referenced on several compositions: "Zero," "Abyss Before Zero," "Pole After Zero," "Zero Skip and a Jump," "Zero Subtract From Jazz" and "After Zero" and in the liner notes, writer Steve Dalachinsky also quotes Shipp pondering the subject of zero: "What existed before existence zero is the universe a vacuum state where things seem to exist but in reality are flows of energy that twirl in kaleidoscopic flow patterns? does it go back to its ground state in zero? what is a piano? is it a zero? is it an alphabet of language of zero? how could it be anything if ground bass is zero? is zero base potentially everything? or is it one? I have an album called ONE. also, I like emanations does one come out of zero? is one zero? who gives a fuck? is the universe one big fucking joke or is it zero joke?"

Musically the question of zero becomes a joyful journey through many different musical forms. The title track alone contains enough musical information for several compositions as melodic lines evolve with hints of baroque ornamentation, solid swing and knotty breaks and a theme emerges that would have made Thelonious Monk proud. There is a strange feeling of the piece moving forward and yet starting again and again. The music seems through-composed, every phrase shining like diamonds, and yet there's an immediate energy that comes with improvisation, music being made in the moment. To quote another title, a "Pattern Emerge" and a form becomes. These forms are also historically conscious. The sounds of "Pole After Zero" could only have been made by a pianist who knows Duke Ellington and the complex anatomy of swing. Inspiration can be a simple thing, the quotation of specific songs or the use of clearly identifiable musical tropes, like a certain riff. Shipp's inspiration is more complex than that. It is rather subtle layers. The idea of an archaeologist digging through the ground to find layers of different historical periods comes to mind. Shipp seamlessly integrates all the ages of jazz into his expression and comes out with something that is both old and new. Another thing is the attention to harmony. The lush harmonic landscape of "Cosmic Sea" is stunning in its sensitivity and far from the sledgehammer that Shipp has used to great effect on some of his other pieces. Here the language is more delicate. A composition like "Piano Panels" says it all. Shipp knows the tiniest details of his instrument and brings out all of its shades and colors. The music is both bodily, intellectual and spherical, but most of all immediately accessible. Despite the complexity of musical information, it reaches out with melodies and rhythms that connect the past, present and future. Zero is both a return to the roots and a new beginning that offers an alternative path to solo piano playing. ~ Jacob Baekgaard https://www.allaboutjazz.com/zero-matthew-shipp-esp-disk-review-by-jakob-baekgaard.php

Personnel: Matthew Shipp: piano.

Zero