Michael Franks - Rendezvous in Rio

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:39
Size: 129,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. Under the Sun
(5:36)  2. Rendezvous in Rio
(5:47)  3. The Cool School
(4:40)  4. Samba do Soho
(5:16)  5. The Critics Are Never Kind
(4:27)  6. Scatsville
(4:24)  7. The Chemistry of Love
(5:41)  8. Hearing 'Take Five'
(4:30)  9. The Question is Why
(6:46) 10. Songbirds

Michael Franks' laid-back vocals have made him the choice of a new generation of cool school attendees. With Rendezvous in Rio, his debut release for Koch Records, Franks continuously shows why he is still at the top of his game with brand-new songs that will soothe, undo your stresses, or put you in a romantic mood. The various musical styles on the CD include two Brazilian sambas, one titled "Under the Sun," pointing you toward the Southern Hemisphere and the warmth of Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. A master of phrasing and elongated notes, Franks tells his great stories in several tempos that literally have you wanted to take this journey with him. "Rendezvous in Rio" starts with Café's percussive whistle and the rhythmic flow of Romero Lubambo's guitar. Chris Hunter's sax and flute solos also heighten the imagery of Franks' sexy vocals. "The Cool School" starts with the beautiful guitar accompaniment of Chuck Loeb and continues under Franks' vocals with a hushed flow of cool/smooth riffs that make this song one of the best on the CD. With the artistry of such respected contemporary jazz artists as Jeff Lorber, Jimmy Haslip, Chuck Loeb, and Alex Al and the lilt of the carnival whistle, Michael Franks has conspired to entertain you, and has succeeded. You're sure to enjoy this very special Rendezvous in Rio. Recommended. ~ Paula Edelstein https://www.allmusic.com/album/rendezvous-in-rio-mw0000442477

Personnel: Michael Franks (vocals); Robbie Dupree (vocals, background vocals); Carmen Cuesta-Loeb, Larry Hoppen, Pamela Driggs (vocals); Chuck Loeb (guitar, piano, keyboards, programming); Dwight Sills, Marc Shulman, Mike DeMicco, Romero Lubambo (guitar); Gary Meek (flute, saxophone, tenor saxophone); Chris Hunter (flute, saxophone); Andy Suzuki (woodwinds); Roger Burn (piano, keyboards, vibraphone); Jeff Lorber (keyboards, programming, drum programming, percussion programming); Charles Blenzig (keyboards, programming); Scott Petito (keyboards); Jimmy Haslip (electric bass); Jerry Marotta (drums, percussion); Michael White , Michael White , Wolfgang Haffner, Brian Dunne, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Café (percussion); Leslie Ritter, Veronica Nunn, Beth Reineke (background vocals); Eric Marienthal (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Sancious (piano, keyboards).

Rendezvous in Rio

---

Carmen Cuesta-Loeb - Toda una vida

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:43
Size: 119,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. Voy a Apagar la Luz
(3:50)  2. Quizás, Quizás, Quizás
(4:23)  3. Contigo Aprendí
(4:40)  4. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
(4:02)  5. El Reloj
(4:57)  6. La Puerta
(4:40)  7. El Día Que Me Quieras
(4:52)  8. No Te Confundas
(4:09)  9. Dos Gardenias
(4:16) 10. Como Fue
(3:16) 11. Bésame Mucho
(3:46) 12. Toda una Vida

“Toda Una Vida” is not your typical Boleros album even though it has mostly Bolero standards. Spaniard singer Carmen Cuesta gives a nice jazzy spin to classic Boleros in her CD with the help of jazz guitarist and husband Chuck Loeb. “Most singers at one point in their career will want to do a Boleros album…” Carmen told me in an interview with Latino Music Café. “There are so many good Bolero albums out there, that I wanted to give mine something different. I wanted to combine the American influence of Jazz with the Latin essence of the Bolero” said the singer raised in Madrid.To be able to achieve this beautiful differentiation in “Toda Una Vida”, it helps to work (and be married ) with legendary guitarist Chuck Loeb, who played in Stan Getz´s band. 

“Collaborating with Chuck allowed me to take (the songs) into a slightly different dimension, a new approach” says Carmen in her press release for “Toda Una Vida” (released January 2014). In our conversation, Carmen said that they wanted to change the tempo of the typical Bolero, but still keeping the essence of the message and feeling of each song. This extraordinary mix of beautiful Bolero standards with a slightly different musical approach was achieved thanks to Chuck Loeb’s musical mastery as well as the participation of Madrid-based renown musicians. “Toda Una Vida” was co-produced by popular Spanish music producer Paco Ortega and was recorded in Ortega’s Musicgrama recording studio in Madrid.¨ For her 6th album, Carmen Cuesta selected a combination of songs that include renown Bolero standards, a few less known Boleros, and then added one song of her own authorship. “My first thought was to record less known but beautiful Boleros that people might not be familiar with; but then decided that I also wanted to record some Bolero standards that I really love. To round up the album I thought, ‘why not add one of my own compositions?’, and added “No Te Confundas”. http://www.latinomusiccafe.com/2014/02/16/carmen-cuestas-jazzy-boleros-in-toda-una-vida/

Personnel: Carmen Cuesta: vocals; Chuck Loeb: guitars, additional keyboards; José San Martín: drums, shakers; Antonio “Toño” Miguel: acoustic bass; Moisés P. Sánchez: piano, electric piano; Yuvisney Aguilar: percussion; Antonio Serrano: harmonica (3); Kike Perdomo: flute (2); Oli Rockberger: piano (12).

Toda una vida

---

Etienne Charles - Culture Shock

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:14
Size: 98,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:58)  1. Culture Shock
(4:52)  2. Sunday
(8:29)  3. Prayer for Lynette
(5:34)  4. Ruth
(5:33)  5. Lost in the Bronx
(5:02)  6. Embraceable You
(4:43)  7. Old School

There is no use in trying to pigeonhole 2006 National Trumpet Competition winner Etienne Charles. One listen to his debut album Culture Shock shows the depth and breadth of his varied musical heritage. From the Calypso and Caribbean steel pan grooves of his native Trinidad, to sophisticated swing firmly rooted in the jazz tradition, Charles deftly incorporates a multitude of styles while maintaining continuity, freshness, and maturity in his sound that is often lacking in other players of his generation. Twenty-three year old Etienne Charles comes from a rich legacy of musical tradition. His grandfather was seldom seen without his cuatro or guitar. His father Francis was a member of Phase II Pan Groove, one of the world's top steel bands and one that Etienne would later join himself. Music surrounded Charles as a child, emanating from his father's record collection, and the sounds of calypso, steel pan, and African shango and tassa drumming. These formative years inform Charles's playing and are evident in his sound today.  Already Charles is a celebrated award-winning trumpeter. 

At Fatima College in Trinidad, Charles was the first three-time winner of the coveted Provincial Cup, and was also the youngest person to ever receive the award at age 13. In 2002 he began his studies at Florida State University and in 2006 he graduated as Brautlecht Scholar of the College of Music, where he studied jazz with legendary pianist Marcus Roberts. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Jazz Studies at the Julliard School. Charles has been awarded the IAJE Award for Outstanding Service to Jazz Education and a Special Citation for Outstanding Musicianship. Charles is also an alumnus of the prestigious Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles where in 2006 he recorded on the album Elevation featuring Eddie Daniels and Tom Scott which received two Grammy award nominations. He has shared the stage with Grammy Award winners Roberta Flack and Ralph MacDonald, jazz piano great Marcus Roberts, Maria Schneider, Johnny Mandel, Rene Marie, Gerald Wilson, and a host of others.  For his first album, Culture Shock, Charles assembled an outstanding and seasoned band of veteran musicians to help him bring his vision of jazz fused with Afro-Caribbean rhythms to fruition. The aforementioned pianist extraordinaire Marcus Roberts is featured, with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Vincent Gardner, Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, Ralph MacDonald, vocalist Pam Laws, saxophonist Dayve Stewart, and the hard swinging and solid rhythm section of Rodney Jordan and Leon Anderson on bass and drums respectively. This all-star cast brings together Charles's diverse influences and creates a unified, fresh, and urgent musical presentation on par with the best jazz being made today. Etienne Charles is a talented, creative soul with a vision and the will to bring it to the world. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/etiennecharles

Culture Shock

---

Mike Longo - Step on It

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:18
Size: 131,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:54)  1. Impressions
(6:31)  2. Poinciana
(3:35)  3. Step on It
(7:14)  4. Nefertiti
(5:25)  5. Ana Maria
(5:22)  6. Cantaloupe Island
(5:36)  7. Black Narcissis
(4:55)  8. Black Nile
(5:26)  9. My Ship
(3:04) 10. Blue 'n Boogie
(4:13) 11. Tico Tico

If you want to hear what pianist Mike Longo enjoys, and how he thinks, you listen to his big band The New York State Of The Art Jazz Ensemble which is featured on Live From New York! (Consolidate Artists Productions, 2013); if you just want to hear Mike Longo, you listen to this trio. Step On It is the third go-round for this group, following Sting Like A Bee (Consolidated Artists Productions, 2009) and the trio-plus-guests To My Surprise (Consolidated Artists Productions, 2011). Both of those albums contain plenty of familiar songs, as does this standards-heavy date, so some might wonder what can really be said here that hasn't been said before. The answer comes through the music and with an analogy that Longo makes: The veteran pianist shrewdly notes that "jazz is like a baseball game." Nothing is really new, yet things are different every single time the ball is in play. Participants in both scenarios react to different stimuli, creating something unique every time they get together play. Longo and his well-seasoned teammates bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Lewis Nash immediately make it clear that they're looking to do their own thing with many of these songs. They start the album with a slower-than-usual swing-funk take on John Coltrane's "Impressions" and a version of "Poinciana" that has no Vernell Fournier beat beneath it. As things continue, Longo and company continue to play with expectations, striking close to the norm on some tunes and taking a divergent path on others. The band waltzes its way through Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus," delivers a from-the-mold take on Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island," and visits the work of Longo's erstwhile employer with a driving take on trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's "Blue N' Boogie." While plenty of greats are referenced during this program, saxophonist Wayne Shorter's work gets the most attention. His enigmatic-yet-universal tunes prove to be great choices for this group, as Longo and company deliver a mellow "Nefertiti," an elegant, Brazilian-laced "Ana Maria," and a buoyant-and-lively "Black Nile." Nobody knows exactly what will happen when players like Longo, Cranshaw and Nash get together, but it's easy to ballpark it and safe to say that some sparks will fly. That they do during Step On It. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/step-on-it-mike-longo-consolidated-artists-productions-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Mike Longo: piano; Bob Cranshaw: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Step on It

---

Van Morrison & Joey DeFrancesco - You're Driving Me Crazy

Styles: Vocal, Saxophone Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:45
Size: 166,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Miss Otis Regrets
(4:09)  2. Hold It Right There
(3:05)  3. All Saints Day
(4:13)  4. The Way Young Lovers Do
(5:55)  5. The Things I Used to Do
(4:18)  6. Travelin' Light
(4:45)  7. Close Enough for Jazz
(7:05)  8. Goldfish Bowl
(3:21)  9. Evening Shadows
(5:13) 10. Magic Time
(4:46) 11. You're Driving Me Crazy
(5:38) 12. Everyday I Have the Blues
(4:52) 13. Have I Told You Lately?
(2:46) 14. Sticks and Stones
(5:15) 15. Celtic Swing

Van Morrison's late career tear continues with You're Driving Me Crazy, his third album in seven months. Following the formula of 2017's Roll with the Punches and Versatile each offered jazz, blues and R&B standards and redone originals this set offers eight tracks from Morrison's catalog and seven standards. it stands on its own, however, as a collaborative encounter with jazz organist and trumpeter Joey DeFrancesco's hip quartet. They all holed up in a Sausalito studio and completed the recording in only two days, capturing everything in a take or two.The loose feel is deceptive as the playing is anchored deep in the pocket; it crackles with live-wire intensity. Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets" is framed by a gentle swing, with DeFrancesco's organ and Troy Roberts' smoky tenor saxophone introducing Morrison. Though he sings in a lower register now, his voice has lost none of its suppleness. He hovers, glides, and swoops through the lyrics; his vocal is akin to another horn, thus making DeFrancesco's trumpet solo a virtual duet. The jump swing of "All Saints Day" sounds like Jimmy McGriff jamming with Louis Jordan and James Moody. The new version of "The Way Young Lovers Do," from Astral Weeks, offers a lilting, Coltrane-esque soprano saxophone, modal changes, souled-out scatting, and minor swing, revealing just how prescient and timeless the song remains. Johnny Mercer's "Travelin' Light" is a sweet, sultry blues with muted trumpet, shimmering chords, and Morrison's improvisations on the changes. 

The band stretches out on "Goldfish Bowl." Morrison's fingerpopping delivery touches on everyone from Ray Charles to Jimmy Witherspoon; what's more, he adds his alto horn for a twin saxophone attack as DeFrancesco's tight B-3 solo is appended by guitarist Dan Wilson's stinging, fleet-fingered break. No tune here signifies the collective musical mind meld like the title track by Walter Donaldson. It finds Morrison laughing with delight during the instrumental breaks and outro as the band swings and struts. "Everyday I Have the Blues," with twinned saxes, bassline-heavy B-3, and popping snares becomes the perfect jump jam. The uptempo read of "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" marks the latter (and best) of two duets between Morrison and daughter Shana (the other is Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's hard bopping "Hold It Right There"). Its three-saxophone head and sumptuous, soul-drenched organ fills surround the pair's empathic singing. The funky Titus Turner-penned "Sticks and Stones" offers dazzling electric piano pumping from DeFrancesco, bell-like cymbals from Wilson, and Morrison straddling of the worlds of R&B, jazz, and blues. Closer "Celtic Swing" is the lone instrumental, a stellar showcase for Morrison's own alto playing and Wilson's arpeggio-rich soloing with DeFrancesco keeping the breezy groove even when he embellishes it during his solo. You're Driving Me Crazy is as energetic as any live show. Of the three successive recordings done in this way, this one stands head and shoulders above for its inspired performances and choices of material. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/youre-driving-me-crazy-mw0003157654    

Personnel:  Van Morrison – vocals, saxophone;  Joey DeFrancesco - Hammond organ, trumpet;  Dan Wilson - guitar;  Michael Ode - drums;  Troy Roberts - saxophone

You're Driving Me Crazy

---

David Newman - House Of David

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:05
Size: 87.2 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1967/2005
Art: Front

[6:06] 1. I Wish You Love
[1:35] 2. One Room Paradise
[8:18] 3. Little Sister
[2:26] 4. Miss Minnie
[4:32] 5. Just Like A Woman
[3:45] 6. House Of David
[3:58] 7. Blue New
[7:21] 8. The Holy Land

Drums – Milt Turner; Guitar – Ted Dunbar; Organ – Kossie Gardner; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – David Newman.

The House of David was David "Fathead" Newman's comeback album of sorts, marking his first release after the end of his association with Ray Charles and a few years spent with his family in his hometown of Dallas. Organist Kossie Gardner, guitarist Ted Dunbar, and drummer Milt Turner support Newman's gritty "Texas tenor" sound, which captures the straightforwardness of R&B pop and the improvisational elements of jazz. Newman plays the flute on the spunky "Miss Minnie," but one of the most interesting songs on the album is the untypical rendition of a Bob Dylan tune, "Just Like a Woman." the artist's warm tenor lifts this song to angelic heights, and it's fathomed that he had only heard the song a few times before laying down this recording. Other standouts on the album include the Cedar Walton penned closer, "The Holy Land," and the original blues numbers such as the title track and "New Blues." This album boils with inventive hooks and the soulful combination of organ and guitar that would become more pop-oriented on subsequent Newman recordings. ~Jeff Schwachter

House Of David mc
House Of David zippy

---

The Cleftones - The Best Of The Cleftones

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:53
Size: 105.1 MB
Styles: R&B, Doo-wop
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. You Baby You
[3:12] 2. Little Girl Of Mine
[3:05] 3. You're Driving Me Mad
[2:56] 4. Can't We Be Sweethearts
[2:25] 5. Neki-Hokey
[2:54] 6. Happy Memories
[2:47] 7. String Around My Heart
[2:03] 8. Why You Do Me Like You Do
[2:36] 9. I Like Your Style Of Making Love
[2:32] 10. See You Next Year
[2:51] 11. Lover Boy
[2:13] 12. Beginners At Love
[2:20] 13. She's So Fine
[1:53] 14. Heart And Soul
[2:00] 15. How Do You Feel
[2:29] 16. Please Say You Want Me
[2:36] 17. For Sentimental Reasons
[2:07] 18. Lover Come Back To Me

Beginning their career as The Silvertones while high school students at New York City's Jamaica High School, lead Herbie Cox, first tenor (and guitarist) Charlie James, second tenor and sometimes lead Berman Patterson, baritone William McClain and bass Warren Corbin had changed their name to The Cleftones by the time of their first single for George Goldner's Gee Records, then functioning as a subsidiary of Roulette Records. With the backing of the Jimmy Wright orchestra, You Baby You edged into the Billboard Pop Top 100 at # 78 in February 1956 b/w I Was Dreaming, but made no impact whatsoever in the national R&B market. The label number, Gee 1000, marked a new numbering system for Gee after numbers 1 to 12, a ploy used by many small record companies at the time to give the "illusion" of having been around longer. The follow-up Little Girl Of Mine which, again with Wright backing, rose to # 8 R&B and did much better than their debut hit on the Pop charts, reaching # 57 in May/June on Gee 1011 b/w You're Driving Me Mad. Of these four sides, only I Was Dreaming is omitted in this Collectables volume.

There then followed a string of releases that, even though presenting what is now regarded as classic Doo-Wop, failed to make any mark on any national charts, right into 1958 (those in this release are receded by an asterisk (*):*Can't We Be Sweethearts?/*Niki-Hoeky ( Gee 1016) and *String Around My Heart/*Happy Memories (Gee 1025), both in 1956; *Why Do You Do Me Like You Do?/*I Like Your Style Of Making Love (Gee 1031), *See You Next Year/Ten Pairs Of Shoes (Gee 1038), and Hey Babe/What Did I Do That Was Wrong? (Gee 1041), all in 1957; and in early 1958 (by which time McClain had quit), *Lover Boy/*Beginners At Love (Gee 1048). Nor did a switch to the parent Roulette label help with *She's So Fine/Trudy in July 1958 on Roulette 4094, Cuzin Casanova/Mish Mash Baby on Roulette 4161 in June 1959 and, with Patterson departed and newcomers Gene Pearson and female vocalist Georgianna "Pat" Spann added, She's Gone/Shadows In The Very Last Row on Roulette 4302 in September 1960. In May 1961, Vacation In The Mountains/Leave My Woman Along came out on another of Goldner's labels, Rama, credited only to Herb Cox, although the entire group took part (Rama 233). By now Cox was sharing he lead from time to time with Pearson and Spann.

With Gee having been resurrected by Roulette as an active label in 1959, their next single was released there, with their cover of the old 1938 Larry Clinton & His Orchestra # 1 Heart And Soul becoming their best hit ever at # 10 R&B and # 18 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in June/July 1961 b/w How Do You Feel on Gee 1064 (both sides here). Since that worked they tried next with another cover, this time of the 1946 # 1 for Nat "King" Cole, (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons which topped out at # 60 Hot 100 in September 1961 b/w another oldie, Deed I Do (which is omitted here) on Gee 1067. The next two, however, both failed, the first a cover of the 1954 smash by The Penguins, Earth Angel b/w the old standard, Blues In The Night (Gee 1074), and Again/Do You? (Gee 1077) later in 1961 (none of the four sides are here). It was also in 1961 that Roulette released their two albums on the Gee label, the first "Heart And Soul" (Gee GLP-705) appearing in June with these tracks: 1. Heart And Soul; 2. How Do You Feel?; 3. 100 Pounds Of Clay; 4. Please Say You Want Me; 5. Can't We Be Sweethearts?; 6. Time Is Running Out On Our Love; 7. Little Girl Of Mine; 8. Heavenly Father; 9. The Glory Of Love; 10, You And I Can Climb; 11. You, Baby, You; 12. String Around My Heart. Tracks 15 and 16 in this release are from that LP. The other, issued in December, was "For Sentimental Reasons" (Gee GLP-707) containing: 1. For Sentimental Reasons; 2. Blues In The Night; 3. Red Sails In The Sunset; 4. She's Gone; 5. Vacation In The Mountains; 6. My Babe; 7. She's A Rollin' Stone; 8. Earth Angel; 9. Deed I Do; 10. Shadows In The Very Last Row; 11. What Did I Do That Was Wrong?; 12. Hey Babe; 13. Leave My Woman Alone. None of the sides not already mentioned above and included in this LP were included in this CD.

Their final Gee release, coming in 1962, was another old standard, How Deep Is The Ocean? b/w Some Kinda Blue (Gee 1080) but it failed. In 1964 Roulette released He's Forgotten You/Right From The Git Go on another of their subsidiaries, Ware 6001 with the same result. None of the four sides is here. If what you want are their 5 national charters, all are in this release which has excellent sound reproduction and informative liner notes written by Michael Redmond. However, as noted, just two B-sides are here and if you want those as well you will have to scour the other CDs covering the group. ~George O'Leary

The Best Of The Cleftones mc
The Best Of The Cleftones zippy

---

Radha Botofasina - Songs Of The Urbane Ancestors

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:41
Size: 125.2 MB
Styles: Avant garde jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 4:44] 1. God Bless The Child
[ 5:18] 2. Lush Life
[ 4:10] 3. Naima
[ 7:00] 4. Little Sunflower
[10:49] 5. Estate
[ 4:02] 6. Night In Tunisia
[ 1:46] 7. Trinkle Tinkle
[ 6:01] 8. Sidewinder
[ 4:44] 9. Mis Suenos
[ 6:03] 10. Urbane Ancestors

A native of the New York metropolitan area, Radha made her mark early in her career in music as the co-leader of a jazz group, the Spirits of Rhythm.

During a trip to London, Radha's interest in world music began. She was encouraged to develop her talents in this direction by the West African band Osibisa and former Fleetwood Mac founding member Peter Green. Over the years, her love of the indigenous music of many cultures has grown through her extensive travel to Eastern Europe, India, South America, Africa, the Philippines, Australian outback,Cuba and the Caribbean. As an ardent seeker of Truth, Radha has combined world music and devotion, singing in English, Sanskrit and—reflective of her Cuban heritage in Spanish. During her two decade long association with Alice Coltrane, her spiritual and musical mentor, Radha has learned how to sing beyond what her "mind" allows and to go vocally where her "heart" takes her.

Songs Of The Urbane Ancestors mc
Songs Of The Urbane Ancestors zippy

---

John Pizzarelli - Double Exposure

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:00
Size: 123.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:49] 1. I Feel Fine/Sidewinder
[5:15] 2. Harvest Moon
[3:27] 3. Traffic Jam/The Kicker
[4:51] 4. Ruby Baby
[3:54] 5. Alison
[4:00] 6. Rosalinda's Eyes
[4:16] 7. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed
[4:25] 8. Drunk On The Moon/Lush Life
[5:08] 9. Walk Between The Raindrops
[4:09] 10. Free Man In Paris
[3:58] 11. Take A Lot Of Pictures
[2:44] 12. I Can Let Go Now
[3:59] 13. Diamond Girl

On this album, jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli pays simultaneous tribute to the pop music of his adolescence (Steely Dan, Billy Joel, the Allman Brothers, Elvis Costello) and the jazz tradition in which he, as a member of the celebrated Pizzarelli dynasty, was steeped from his earliest years. The album title refers to the fact that the program takes classic pop songs and puts them in jazz settings: thus you'll hear a cool bossa nova arrangement of Joni Mitchell's "Free Man in Paris," a completely natural lounge-lizard setting of Tom Waits' "Drunk on the Moon," and a hard-swinging, boppish version of James Taylor's "Traffic Jam" that sounds like it was written for the Manhattan Transfer and incorporates the Joe Henderson composition "The Kicker." There's nothing particularly revolutionary about this idea: the line separating pop music and jazz has always been fuzzy anyway, and many jazz standards are actually show tunes. But Pizzarelli is an unusually gifted arranger as well as a drop-dead wonderful guitarist, and on several of these arrangements he suggests entirely new ways of thinking about these familiar songs. Consider, for example, his subtly elegant use of organ and violin on Neil Young's "Harvest Moon," or the way he sneaks material from Wes Montgomery's "Four on Six" into a snappy rendition of the Allman Brothers' instrumental "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed." It's also true that Pizzarelli is not gifted with a conventionally beautiful voice. He is, however, an excellent singer: listen the how he makes the most of what he's got on his voice-and-guitar bossa nova setting of Billy Joel's "Rosalinda's Eyes." What's charming about this album, beyond the sheer quality of the songs and the arrangements, is Pizzarelli's obvious and genuine love for this really broad gamut of material, and his insight into the varied qualities that make them all great songs. ~Rick Anderson

Double Exposure mc
Double Exposure zippy

---

The Eddie Daniels Quartet - Mean What You Say

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:25
Size: 156.6 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Clarinet jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:24] 1. Mean What You Say
[7:12] 2. It Had To Be You
[6:15] 3. Passion Flower
[2:49] 4. Nagasaki
[7:23] 5. My One And Only Love
[3:01] 6. Why You...
[6:56] 7. Azure
[6:09] 8. The Touch Of Your Lips
[5:27] 9. You And The Night And The Music
[6:46] 10. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[4:07] 11. My Little Suede Shoes
[5:51] 12. How Deep Is The Ocean

Eddie Daniels: clarinet, tenor saxophone; Hank Jones: piano; Richard Davis: bass; Kenny Washington: drums.

The presence of Hank Jones permeates this recording so much that the Eddie Daniels Quartet may be better titled the Hank Jones-Eddie Daniels Quartet on Mean What You Say. In fact, the whole quartet, rounded out with bassist Richard Davis and drummer Kenny Washington, is top-drawer, which goes a long way in making Mean What You Say one of the finest mainstream jazz recordings of the year. Covering the Swing Era and bebop, Mean What You Say is no mere blowing session. The performances are precise and houghtful.

Eddie Daniels is considered foremost among performing clarinetists. He also plays a pretty mean tenor saxophone. Daniels opens the recording with Thad Jones's "Mean What You Say, allowing Jones' elder brother Hank an extended introduction. The piece provides a microcosm of the rest of the recording. Daniels plays tenor with a tightly focused, cylindrically dense tone. He navigates the head and solo fluidly. Jones's piano contains the history of jazz, from Lil Hardin Armstrong and Earl Hines to Junior Mance and Gene Harris. The piece sports traded eights among everyone, with a nuclear swing.

That was just the beginning. Daniels plays clarinet on the lion's share of the disc, beginning with a beautifully nostalgic "It Had to be You. Jones bounces with stride accents while Washington's ride cymbal dictates the swing time. Billy Strayhorn's "Passion Flower is delicately supported by Washington's supple brushwork and Richard Davis's fat bass notes. "Why You...," based on a simple blues motif, is an original penned by Daniels and Jones that allows the principals to stretch out. The eights traded in this piece are thrilling. The two also attack bebop on the Charlie Parker vehicle "My Little Suede Shoes. Mean What You Say is a superb recording which deserves consideration as one of the best of the year. ~C. Michael Bailey

Mean What You Say mc
Mean What You Say zippy

---

Beth Orton - Kidsticks

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:35
Size: 86,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Snow
(4:02)  2. Moon
(3:58)  3. Petals
(2:53)  4. 1973
(3:16)  5. Wave
(4:47)  6. Dawnstar
(4:22)  7. Falling
(3:01)  8. Corduroy Legs
(5:43)  9. Flesh and Blood
(1:16) 10. Kidsticks

Back in the 1990s, Beth Orton gained a rep as the comedown queen: her folksy music boasted an electronic edge and her involvement with Heavenly’s dance crew she collaborated with the Chemical Brothers ensured that her music could serve as a gentle passage back to reality. Since that heyday she has pursued more traditional singer-songwriter territory, but Kidsticks is a real reinvention: not so much a return to her electronic roots as a bold exploration of fresh territory. A collaboration with Fuck Buttons’ Andrew Hung, this sixth solo album embraces inventive rhythm patterns, tsunamis of synth and, on 1973, the metronomic influence of Kraftwerk. Dawnstar is particularly dreamy, a giant cloud of a song to lose yourself in. Such a radical redesign should be imposing, yet Orton’s vocals plaintive and soulful as ever still take centre stage.....More...https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/26/beth-orton-kidsticks-review-radical-reinvention-is-as-dreamy-as-ever

Kidsticks

---

Wes Montgomery - Complete Live In Paris 1965

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 103:02
Size: 236,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:26)  1. Four On Six
(13:35)  2. Twisted Blues
(10:05)  3. Impressions
(11:04)  4. To When
(12:32)  5. Jingles
( 6:46)  6. The Girl Next Door
( 8:29)  7. Here's That Rainy Day
( 9:30)  8. Round About Midnight
(10:59)  9. Full House
(13:32) 10. Blue And Boogie/West Coast Blues

Wes Montgomery’s 1965 concert at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris is one of the greatest live dates ever recorded from the decade. Here, Montgomery, pianist Harold Mabern, drummer Jimmy Lovelace, bassist Arthur Harper, and saxophonist Johnny Griffin who guested on three selections at the end of the gig tore the City of Light apart with an elegant yet raw and immediate jazz of incomparable musicianship and communication. Montgomery was literally on fire and Mabern has never, ever been heard better on record. From the opening bars of “Four on Six,” Montgomery is playing full-on, doing a long solo entirely based on chord voicings that is as stellar as any plectrum solo he ever recorded. Mabern’s ostinato and legato phrasing is not only blinding in speed, but completely gorgeous in its melodic counterpoint. And while the bop and hard bop phrasing here is in abundance, Montgomery does not leave the funk behind. It’s as if he never played with George Shearing, so aggressive is his playing here. Nowhere is this more evident than in the tonal inquiry that goes on in the band’s read of John Coltrane’s “Impressions,” in which the entire harmonic palette is required by Montgomery’s series of staggered intervals and architectural peaks in the restructuring of the head. Likewise, in Griffin Montgomery finds a worthy foil on “‘Round Midnight” and the medley of “Blue and Boogie/West Coast Blues.” Montgomery assumes the contrapuntal role as Mabern floods the bottom with rich, bright chords and killer vamps in the choruses. Highly recommended. ~ Thom Jurek

Personnel:  Wes Montgomery (guitar); Harold Mabern (piano);  Arthur Harper  (contrabass);  Jimmy Lovelace (drums).

Complete Live In Paris 1965

---

Claude Williamson - 'Round Midnight

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:29
Size: 94,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Stella By Starlight
(3:06)  2. Somebody Loves Me
(3:21)  3. I'll Know
(2:53)  4. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(3:05)  5. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(3:04)  6. Hippy
(3:20)  7. Tea For Two
(3:30)  8. Stompin' At The Savoy
(3:53)  9. 'round Midnight
(3:00) 10. Just One Of Those Things
(3:00) 11. Love Is Here To Stay
(2:09) 12. The Song Is You

Claude Williamson was one of the better bebop-oriented pianists to be active during the 1950s. This trio set with bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Mel Lewis has been reissued on CD. With the exception of four-minute renditions of "Stella by Starlight" and Horace Silver's "Hippy," all of the numbers clock in around the three-minute mark. The repertoire (which includes such tunes as "Somebody Loves Me," "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "Just One of Those Things" and "The Song Is You") is typical for the time period and Williamson brings to the music his own approach to playing bop. The set is quite enjoyable and, even if the program (which is around 39 minute) is a bit brief, it should appeal to straightahead jazz fans. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/round-midnight-mw0000100034

Personnel: Claude Williamson (piano); Red Mitchell (bass); Mel Lewis (drums).

'Round Midnight

---

Chick Corea - Piano Improvisations, Vol. 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:51
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. Noon Song
(3:49)  2. Song For Sally
(2:30)  3. Ballad For Anna
(3:15)  4. Song Of The Wind
(8:27)  5. Sometime Ago
(4:55)  6. Where Are You Now? Picture 1
(2:06)  7. Where Are You Now? Picture 2
(2:34)  8. Where Are You Now? Picture 3
(2:47)  9. Where Are You Now? Picture 4
(0:36) 10. Where Are You Now? Picture 5
(3:56) 11. Where Are You Now? Picture 6
(2:02) 12. Where Are You Now? Picture 7
(1:36) 13. Where Are You Now? Picture 8

After spending a year with the avant-garde quartet Circle, Chick Corea's desire to communicate to a wider audience led to him deciding to break up the unit. His first post-Circle recordings were two LPs of piano solos. Vol. 1 features six of his originals including the eight sketches of "Where Are You Now?," and the debut of the future standard "Sometime Ago." These performances are sometimes a bit precious, but they succeed in being acccessible and serve as a transition between Circle and Return to Forever. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/piano-improvisations-vol-1-mw0000191662

Solo performer: Chick Corea (piano)

Piano Improvisations, Vol. 1

---

Halie Loren - From The Wild Sky

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:26
Size: 104,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. Roots
(3:15)  2. How To Dismantle A Life
(4:14)  3. Wild Birds
(4:04)  4. Paper Man
(4:21)  5. I Can't Land
(3:07)  6. Well-loved Woman
(4:36)  7. Painter's Song.
(4:15)  8. August Moon
(3:32)  9. Noah
(4:06) 10. Wisdom
(3:50) 11. A Mi Manera

The album features 10 of Loren’s original songs, as well as a stunning rendition of Roberto Livi’s ‘A Mi Manera’. “From the Wild Sky” puts the spotlight on Loren’s songwriter side, exploring themes of letting go, flight, finding the heart’s “True North”, and seeing beauty within the chaos of life. It is both her most personal and creatively dynamic release to-date, and the project that has pulled from the farthest reaches of the music world: The album was recorded and mixed in London and New York, and produced by acclaimed British producer Troy Miller (Gregory Porter, Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum). Fun fact: many of the songs were inspired by travel, and written in hotel rooms, trains, and planes while Loren was on tour across the globe in 2016/2017. The album was funded by pledges from Halie’s fans around the world through her successful Kickstarter campaign last fall. http://halieloren.com/

The recording features performances from an international group of all-star musicians: Troy Miller (drums), Femi Temowo (guitars), Michael Olatuja (bass), Ben Williams (bass), Becca Stevens (guest artist), and Nathan Schram and  Andrew Yee (viola and cello – 1/2 of the Attacca String Quartet)

From The Wild Sky

---

Caesar Frazier - Hail Ceasar! / '75

Size: 155,3 MB
Time: 66:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999/2018
Styles: Jazz, Soul, Funk
Art: Front & Back

01. Hicky Burr (8:05)
02. Ellie's Love Theme (5:02)
03. See-F (4:44)
04. Hail Caesar! (6:25)
05. Make It With You (4:03)
06. Runnin' Away (4:56)
07. Mighty Mouse (5:18)
08. Summer Breeze (5:37)
09. Sweet Children (5:45)
10. Funk It Down (5:04)
11. Living For The City (6:17)
12. Walking On The Side (5:00)

Personnel:
Organ – Caesar Frazier
Guitar – Melvin Sparks
Bass [Fender] – Gordon Edwards
Congas – Buddy Caldwell
Drums – Idris Muhammad
Tenor Saxophone – Houston Person
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater

Hail Caesar! Originally released as Eastbound 9002, 1972
'75 Originally released as Westbound 206, 1975

Hailing from Indianapolis, Ceasar Frazier was a funky soul-jazz organist who recorded several albums for the Eastbound/Westbound label family during the '70s. First making his mark in 1972 with one of saxman Lou Donaldson's funkier bands, Frazier cut his first album Hail Ceasar! later that year, which featured musicians commonly associated with the Prestige label's jazz-funk outings -- Melvin Sparks (guitar), Houston Person (tenor), and Idris Muhammad (drums). The follow-up, Ceasar Frazier '75, featured the likes of guitarist Cornell Dupree and drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie; the album's key track, "Funk It Down," was later sampled by jazz-obsessed hip-hoppers Gang Starr for their "Ex-Girl to the Next Girl." In 1978, Frazier resurfaced as a smooth soul/disco vocalist with the LP Another Life, and while he showed some affinity for the idiom, it failed to reinvent him as a commercial force outside the jazz-funk marketplace. In addition to recording on his own, Frazier also played keyboards in Marvin Gaye's backing band. Thanks to the rare-groove revival, his rare original LPs now fetch generous sums on the collectors' market. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Hail Ceasar! / '75

---

Natascha & The Spy Boys - ...That's the Hardest Part

Size: 129,1 MB
Time: 55:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. Write A Song (3:34)
02. Bad Girl (3:37)
03. That Man (5:12)
04. It's Raining Again (4:11)
05. Somebody Fix Me (4:14)
06. Wasting My Love (4:08)
07. Remember Me (3:45)
08. Crazy About You (4:37)
09. Treme (3:40)
10. I Want A Little Sugar (4:33)
11. Fumblin' With The Blues (4:36)
12. I Want You (3:57)
13. Maybe (5:06)

Natascha & The Spy Boys play an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, soul, swing & pop.

Natascha, from Berlin, Germany, has a unique, soulful voice that covers a wide range of styles -- from sultry jazz ballads & snappy swing songs to belting out straight-up, full-on blues & soul tunes.

John "JT Blues" Thompson, award-winning piano player who's been playing for decades -- solo as well as in a number of local bands (Triple A, Maxwell Strait), Body and Soul) and national acts. He supplies the boogie, the woogie, and all other important KEY elements.

Robert Gardner is a bassist, conductor and composer who teaches at the Penn State School of Music. As a bassist, Robert has performed with many talented musicians (including Bobby McFerrin, DEVO, and members of WAR), and he has recorded original music in several genres. He joined the Spy Boys in the spring of 2016.

Doug McMinn has enjoyed a long career as both bandleader and sideman, starting with the Killer Bees Swing Band in 1980. He has played a dizzying array of musical styles ranging from reggae to modern jazz, but he always returns to the blues. Doug has jammed onstage with blues luminaries ranging from EG Kight to Lonnie Shields, and was privileged to play a set with Chicago blues master Bob Margolin. He backed up pianist Dave Keyes at the Billtown Blues Festival (one of 11 appearances at the BBF), and has appeared on 8 CDS, including EG Kight’s “Sugar” and his own “Doug McMinn Blues Band Live.” Most recently, he led a band to support upcoming blues star Vanessa Collier. He has been playing reeds since 1964, has amassed a thick songbook of compositions, and is a fine, shouting blues singer.

Last, but certainly not least is our very own drum machine, Mr. Stubby Stubbs, who never misses a beat.

...That's the Hardest Part

---

Nick Colionne - Just Being Me

Size: 109,4 MB
Time: 47:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Just Being Me (3:53)
02. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (3:37)
03. Is This Love I'm Feeling (4:49)
04. Be Urself (4:10)
05. Spend The Night (3:46)
06. Latin Lover (4:24)
07. Nite Train (3:47)
08. Still Connected (4:45)
09. Go Nico Go (4:49)
10. Spend The Night (Extended Vocals) (3:45)
11. Back Down Evergreen (5:12)

Arguably one of the brightest stars in the Trippin N Rhythm constellation, Nick Colionne, (that most engaging of live performers and without doubt the best dressed man in smooth jazz) is back on the scene with ‘Just Being Me’, which will hit the streets April 27. With ten choice tunes and input from the likes of Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis and the consistently superb James Lloyd it is a scintillating example of top notch contemporary jazz and already destined to be one of the best albums of the year.

There is a lovely symmetry about ‘Just Being Me’ that is created by the way compositions by Davis and Lloyd (plus one eye catching cover) are skillfully book-ended by two of Nick’s own songs. The first, the magically easy grooving title cut is textbook Colionne and later he closes out the collection with another of his own numbers, ‘Back Down Evergreen’. In doing so he connects back to his 2016 CD ‘The Journey’ that featured the spine tingling ‘East Evergreen Revisited’ a track that originally appeared on Nick’s 1994 debut recording ‘It’s My Turn’.

Elsewhere Nick takes a relaxed yet jazzy approach to Marvin Gaye’s seminal ‘How Sweet It Is’ while that ‘one man hit machine’ Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis contributes four outstanding numbers. The first is the ultra urgent ‘Be Urself’ that, with Colionne’s wonderful playing and Davis’ imperious production, is a real gem and much the same can be said of the radio ready ‘Nite Train’ that might well get in your head and not go away. When the tempo eases a little the result is the delicious ‘Latin Lover’ for which the title says it all but arguably the best of the Chris Davis songs is the old school inclined ‘Spend The Nite’. Presented predominately as an instrumental then again with extended vocals courtesy of Buff Burnette, this soulfully sultry cut is a real winner.

That said, and in terms of personal favorites, the warmly inviting ‘Still Connected’ is right up there with the best that ‘Just Being Me’ has to offer. Penned by James Lloyd, who predictably comes up big on keys, it is in the good company of the decidedly chilled ‘Is This Love I’m Feeling’ that has a real Pieces Of A Dream vibe running right through it.

Lloyd also writes ‘Go Nico Go’ that proves to be a horn infused foot tapper of the highest order and entirely indicative of the chemistry that pulses between these two fine artists.

All things considered, the overwhelming impression of ‘Just Being Me’ is of an artist who, twenty-five years into a glittering career, just keeps on getting better.

Highly recommended ~Smooth Jazz Therapy

Just Being Me

---

Sandy Patton - The Saga of Reflective Perspectives

Size: 97,2 MB
Time: 41:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Fantaise Impromptu - I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (4:53)
02. My Reverie (7:59)
03. Apres Un Reve (5:08)
04. The Libertango (5:40)
05. Etude In E Major, Op. 10 - Tristesse - No Other Love (5:26)
06. Somewhere (4:34)
07. Pavane - The Lamp Is Low (6:08)
08. Danny Boy (2:01)

'The Saga of Reflective Perspectives' is a musical voyage through the 19th and 20th centuries reflecting on the evolution of popular music from classical music by composers such as Chopin, Ravel, Fauré, Debussy, Rachmaninov and Bernstein. Featured in the project are some of Switzerland's multicultural musical talents, savvy in both classical and jazz genres: Sandy Patton, Thomas Durst, Slawomir Plizga and The Amigern String Quartet.

On the album, Sandy Patton explores Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu, Faure's Aprés Un Rêve, Piazolla's Libertango, Chopin's Etude in E Major Op. 10 Tristesse, Ravel's Pavane and Bernstein's 'Somewhere' from West Side Story.

Sandy Patton is the former Jazz Vocal Professor for the Jazz Department of the Hochschule der Künst in Bern, Switzerland. She studied voice at Howard University in Washington, D.C. and University of Miami, also touring with the University of Miami's Jazz Orchestra. Sandy performs worldwide and her discography reflects her experiences.

The Saga of Reflective Perspectives

---

Karen Sharp - The Sun, The Moon And You

Size: 150,8 MB
Time: 65:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Get Out Of Town (6:37)
02. The Sun, The Moon And You (6:03)
03. Pannonica (8:33)
04. The Ford (6:39)
05. Little Waltz (8:05)
06. All Of You (6:35)
07. Iris (5:06)
08. Quiet Now (5:53)
09. Night And Day (6:41)
10. Terminus (5:10)

Saxophonist Karen Sharp returns with a long awaited second album on Trio Records featuring her now well established British Jazz Award "All Winners" quartet of Dave Green (bass), Niki Iles (piano), and Steve Brown (drums) - a stella line-up indeed.

Since releasing their debut recording back in 2011 - 'Spirit', the quartet have been busy touring clubs and festivals across the UK, delighting audiences with their unique sound, group interplay and shared passion for strong, melodic material and the jazz tradition. The band's repertoire has evolved naturally over time and this album features familiar and lesser-known standards together with original pieces written by Karen and Nikki.

Highlights include a great version of Monk's "Pannonica" as well as the little heard, deceptively simple tune by bassist Ron Carter, "Little Waltz" but everyone will find their own delights within this album.

Far from being a horn with accompanying trio, Karen's quartet features each voice to its fullest without ever undermining the integrity of the group, with fine contributions by all.

The Sun, The Moon And You

---