Jimmy Rowles - Plays Duke Ellington And Billy Strayhorn

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:19
Size: 112,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Mood Indigo
(4:27)  2. Sophisticated Lady
(5:01)  3. Jumpin' Punkins
(4:03)  4. Solitude
(4:20)  5. Lost In Meditation
(6:06)  6. Take The A Train
(4:24)  7. Blood Count
(5:17)  8. Lush Life
(3:48)  9. Isfanan
(4:02) 10. Lotus Blossom
(2:37) 11. Jimmy Rowles Statement

Jazz critic Gary Giddins explored the game of Jimmy Rowles in his book Visions of Jazz: The First Century (1998); "His repertoire is immense and mysterious: original compositions, standards and curiosities, with mastery of the Wayne Shorter repertoire (not the Miles Davis pieces but the Blakeyperiod, such as" The Chess Players "," Running Brook "and "Lester Left Town" [1959/60]) and the Ellington, Strayhorn book. "Giddens notes that Rowles was one of the few who were concerned with their barely noticed compositions such as" Blood Count ", [3]"Black Butterfly", "Lost in Meditation" and "Lotus Blossom" grappled by the orchestral sound moods of the Duke Ellington Orchestra imitated on the piano . This employment culminated in 1980 - after albums such as Grandpaws (1976, with Buster Williams and Billy Hart ) and the solo album Ellington By Rowles (1979) in the album Jimmy Rowles Plays Ellington to Billy Strayhorn , in which he Ellington melodies , harmonies , voicings and solos . The first title of the album, " Mood Indigo " from 1931, is the only title in which Rowles presents "a demonstration of the melodic and harmonic mannerisms of the duke"; " Sophisticated Lady " starts in Rubato and continues at a slow and sweet pace. In "Jumpin 'Punkins" (1942) Rowles shows the boogiw-woogie influence in the rhythmic figures that accompany the theme . " Solitude " (1934) undergoes a warm-hearted reinterpretation; "Lost in Meditation" (1938) is played here deviating from the original in an attractive, swinging tempo. 

Strayhorn's " Take the" A "Train " (1939) begins with a standard introduction and is then translated by Rowles in a dark, abstract first chorus , before paraphrasing the melody in the second chorus . Then Rowles uses the trumpet solo of Ray Nance 's original recording as a texture for the third chorus, alternating here and there. The fourth chorus, in turn, is Rowles' own "single-note drift" and contains allusions to the game of Ben Webster , who was mentor to the pianist. The penultimate chorus uses Rowles back to Ray Nance allusive single notes, before following a rather abstract ending. After "Blood Count", Strayhorn's last composition before his death in 1967, Rowles plays one of Strayhorn's best known titles, " Lush Life " (1938) in a more rhythmically accentuated playground than usual. "Isfahan," a title from the Far East Suite (1964-66), goes through several moods and swings into a sloping melodic phrase . The album ends with "Lotus Blossom" (1947), which was said to be Duke Ellington's favorite Strayhorn composition. In conclusion, Jimmy Rowles makes a 2½-minute statement in which he tells of the tremendous impression the Ellington Orchestra made on him when Ben Webster , Jimmy Blanton , Ray Nance, and Cootie Williams arrived in 1940 for the first time Tacoma could experience live after he had previously known their music only from their records:"One of the things that touched me the most was, in addition to the great arrangements and compositions, the way Ellington led into the next song: he never told his musicians the title, but he played a few lines on it Piano, and the guys knew instantly which piece they would tackle. That knocked me off the stool. Rowles goes on to say that for him, this orchestra was "love at first sight"; He had been profoundly influenced throughout his career by Ellington's orchestrations, arrangements, compositions and various soloists. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Rowles_plays_Duke_Ellington_and_Billy_Strayhorn

Plays Duke Ellington And Billy Strayhorn

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Chick Corea - Piano Improvisations Vol. 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:15
Size: 93,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. After Noon Song
(2:46)  2. Song For Lee Lee
(2:04)  3. Song For Thad
(2:06)  4. Trinkle Tinkle
(5:41)  5. Masqualero
(2:41)  6. Preparation 1
(0:57)  7. Preparation 2
(7:41)  8. Departure From Planet Earth
(0:40)  9. A New Place - Arrival
(5:53) 10. A New Place - Scenery
(1:40) 11. A New Place - Imps Walk
(5:05) 12. A New Place - Rest

This is the second of two LPs recorded by Chick Corea shortly after he broke up the avant-garde quartet Circle, saying that he wanted to communicate to a larger audience. As with the first set, these brief sketches are melodic and a bit precious but contain some strong moments. In addition to seven Corea originals, he interprets Thelonious Monk's "Trinkle Tinkle" and Wayne Shorter's "Masquellero." Not essential but worth acquiring.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/piano-improvisations-vol-2-mw0000196577

Solo performer: Chick Corea (piano).

Piano Improvisations Vol. 2

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Jeff Williams - Another Time

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:31
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. Search Me
(7:49)  2. She Can't Be a Spy
(5:05)  3. Double Life
(8:02)  4. Purple, Blue and Red
(7:20)  5. Fez
(5:29)  6. Under the Radar
(6:42)  7. Go Where You're Watching
(5:38)  8. Another Time

The catch-all term "playing time" is often used as a descriptor for drummers that find a steady, supportive pattern and play it ad infinitum, whether to the benefit or detriment of a band, but that definition has always been limiting. Drummer Jeff Williams, for example, has and plays impeccable time, but he paints around the lines and shifts patterns to accent and highlight what's happening in the music at any given moment. He's the rare drummer who understands and conceptualizes time as something beyond the standard "spang-a-lang" status quo, and this ideal comes to the fore with Another Time. While Williams has been an important voice on the jazz scene for four decades, he's always managed to stay slightly under the radar because his credits have often marked him as a supporting player rather than a leader. Williams secured his place in jazz history as a founding member of the far-reaching band Lookout Farm in the early '70s, and racked up an impressive list of sideman credits in the decades that followed. He has constantly been called upon to provide backing for left-leaning artists-in-the-know, like fellow Lookout Farm members Dave Liebman and Richie Beirach, pianist Richard Sussman, the legendary Lee Konitz, and saxophonist Bill McHenry, but Williams has only stepped out on his own on relatively few occasions over the past two decades. For this, the first record released under his name in the new millennium, Williams brought together a piano-less quartet that occasionally leans on the sound of early Ornette Coleman ("Search Me"), but isn't handcuffed to any single influence. 

Williams penned five of the eight pieces on the album, with each of his band mates contributing one song each to round out the program, and he brings different artistic elements into the mix on each number. "Fez" marries Coleman's ideals with Middle Eastern sounds a la John Zorn's Masada and the title track begins without drums, with some buzzing arco work from bassist John Hébert underscoring the horn lines of trumpeter Duane Eubanks and alto saxophonist John O'Gallagher. Elsewhere, Williams shifts the sands of time from slow and dirge-like to spirited and snappy ("Purple, Blue And Red"), shines a spotlight on Hébert sans band ("She Can't Be A Spy"), and gives plenty of solo space to the fine horn players he employs. While Another Time is another clear indicator of Williams' drumming talents, it also serves as a fine display of his skills as a composer. One can only hope that he doesn't wait so long to release his next disc. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/another-time-jeff-williams-whirlwind-recordings-ltd-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Jeff Williams: drums; Duane Eubanks: trumpet; John O'Gallagher: alto saxophone; John Hébert: bass.

Another Time

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Stan Getz, Al Haig - Prezervation (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:29
Size: 81.2 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1967/1992
Art: Front

[2:42] 1. Prezervation
[2:59] 2. Pinch Bottle
[2:52] 3. Earless Engineering
[3:06] 4. Be Still, Tv
[3:17] 5. Short P, Not LP
[2:39] 6. Stardust
[2:38] 7. Goodnight My Love
[3:19] 8. Intoit
[2:34] 9. Liza
[3:32] 10. Stars Fell On Alabama
[3:28] 11. Stairway To The Stars
[2:18] 12. Opus Caprice

All of these sides were recorded in 1949-50 for Prestige, most of them under pianist Al Haig's name (when the material was first released on LP in 1967, Getz was much better known and more likely to sell records, thus he was given the leadership plug, even though he doesn't even appear on 1/3 of the tunes).

One track with Getz that's especially fine is the title tune, PREZERVATION, which is an alternate take of the famous CRAZY CHORDS, an up-tempo blues that changes keys with every chorus. It's a real beauty. INTOIT is another swinger with good solos by Getz and Haig. Four of the numbers feature just Haig with the rhythm section (Tommy Potter [b] Roy Haynes [d]); OPUS CAPRICE sounds very much like Monk's RHYTHM-A-NING, and Al plays a nice version of LIZA. Two other tunes feature Junior Parker on vocal; STARDUST has Stan playing the verse and then Parker taking over for a rather straight vocal. This CD collects early stuff by these two modern masters when bop was king. Definitely worth checking out. ~Bomojaz

Prezervation (Remastered) mc
Prezervation (Remastered) zippy

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The Four Freshmen - First Affair

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:28
Size: 76.6 MB
Styles: Jazz/pop harmony vocals
Year: 1960/2011
Art: Front

[2:57] 1. Please Be Kind
[2:02] 2. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
[3:02] 3. At Last
[2:38] 4. I Didn't Know About You
[4:04] 5. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
[2:38] 6. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[2:29] 7. Long Ago
[2:54] 8. I've Never Been In Love Before
[2:38] 9. Be Careful It's My Heart
[3:02] 10. It's A New World
[2:17] 11. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[2:42] 12. First Affair

The Four Freshmen were one of the top vocal groups of the 1950s, and formed the bridge between '40s ensembles like the Mel-Tones and harmony-based rock & roll bands such as the Beach Boys as well as groups like Spanky & Our Gang and the Manhattan Transfer. The group's roots go back to the end of the 1940s and a barbershop quartet-influenced outfit called Hal's Harmonizers, organized at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Butler University in Indiana by two brothers, Ross and Don Barbour. Their repertoire centered on standards such as "Moonglow" and "The Christmas Song," and they began to show an unusually free, improvisational approach to their harmony singing. A couple of membership changes brought Bob Flanigan, a cousin, into the fold alongside Hal Kratzsch, and suddenly the Four Freshmen were assembled in all but name, and that fell into place a little later.

First Affair mc
First Affair zippy

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Peter O'Mara - My Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:46
Size: 180.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 7:30] 1. It Never Entered My Mind
[ 6:11] 2. Sizzle
[ 7:18] 3. Waltz For Vivien
[ 6:59] 4. Maratime
[ 7:17] 5. Round Midnight
[ 6:55] 6. Crossing Over
[ 8:36] 7. Dolphin Dance
[12:00] 8. I Concentrate On You
[ 7:58] 9. Last Chance
[ 7:58] 10. Movin On

Guitarist Peter O'Mara's is a soft, round tone that spreads across the jazz mainstream on My Time. This soft ambiance is further buffeted by Tim Collins' vibraphone as harmony instrument. Color is added via the careful cymbal craft of drummer Matthias Gmelin. Bassist Henning Sievert's roll is both tactile and implied, his soloing elegant.

O'Mara is respectful of the standards, as on his lengthy reading of "I Concentrate On You" and the dusky-toned "'Round Midnight." O'Mara's originals are as inventive as they are uncluttered by mean displays of blank virtuosity. O'Mara plays the notes necessary, avoiding a crowded and busy solo space. O'Mara's "Waltz for Vivian" is airy and refined, given ethereal life by Collins' bubbling vibes. My Time is a gentle survey of standards and originals that is readily listenable and enjoyable. ~C. Michael Bailey

My Time mc
My Time zippy

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Kat Webb - An Old Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:04
Size: 121.5 MB
Styles: Soul vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. Come Sunday
[3:28] 2. Fever
[5:31] 3. Lush Life
[3:47] 4. I'm Still In Love With You
[5:02] 5. All Or Nothing At All
[4:39] 6. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
[3:00] 7. Wives & Lovers
[3:51] 8. Blackbird
[4:31] 9. Walk On By
[6:15] 10. Cry Me A River
[8:41] 11. Until You Come Back To Me

Chris Rob: Keys, Strings, Auxiliary Instruments; Solomon Dorsey: Bass; Joe Blaxx: Drums; eZra Brown: Tenor Sax (except "I'm Still in Love With You", "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", & "Until You Come Back to Me"); Maurice Brown: Trumpet; Chelsea Baratz: Tenor Sax ("I'm Still in Love With You", "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", & "Until You Come Back to Me"); Saunders Sermons II: Trombone; Daniel Sadownick: Auxiliary Percussion; Brandee Younger: Harp.

Hi Everyone!! So, I thought I'd take a moment to tell everyone a little bit about what makes me debut album, "An Old Soul", so special, beyond that I think it's pretty incredible musically. ;)

First off, it pays homage to some amazing music greats. Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Mahalia Jackson and others' great works are all on here, not to mention the writing of people like Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Burt Bacharach and John Lennon, among others! Secondly, this album was recorded in analog. "What's analog?", you ask? Well, analog was the precursor to ProTools. Back when computers were nothing but sci-fi fantasy, music was recorded on REAL TAPE. My album was recorded on a 24-track recorder. One real weighs about thirty pounds. First it was recorded using REAL MUSICIANS with REAL CREATIVE IDEAS (not digital samples or loops) in a live room along with myself, as if we were putting on a live concert. Without the ability to do 500 takes of each song (because we're working with real tape, and each is only about 30min long), I had to work with tremendously talented musicians who could make it beautiful, make it unique, and get it right. This type of recording focuses on stellar musicians and inspiration over complete perfection and homogynization. All of this was done to keep it more authentically old school, similar to the classic songs to which I'm honoring. One more fun fact about the studio: It was the same studio in which Wu-Tang Clan recorded at one point! ;)

Third, I mentioned it before but it deserves special attention: this album features AMAZING musicians. The musicians I worked with are ALL doing amazing things on their own as well. To find them, you can check out the artists that I like. Although I LOVE plenty of today's artists and think there's DEFINITELY plenty of real music still out there, I'm saving my "like" section for those that worked with me on the album, that I've performed with, and for places/events that have provided me to perform. I strongly urge you to check all of them out as they're ridiculously talented in their own right.

And fourth and last, this album was recorded independently. That means yours truly worked with these people, booked this studio time, raised these funds, found these graphic designers, got these pictures taken, etc. This is the beauty of independent music. You have complete control and freedom, but it also means a lot of work. I wouldn't change how I did this project for one minute, because I had nothing but amazing respect for the independent music industry before this and I'm in TOTAL AWE now. AND, the way in which it was recorded means you're really getting to know ME, Kat Webb, as an artist and as a person, because everything about this album and project was EXTREMELY person, even if the songs aren't original.

So thank you in advance for your support! I've thanked everyone who worked on this project abundantly but thank YOU all again as well, for making my dream and my first project come true. There's a long road ahead of me but this first step is a sure, firm one, thanks to everyone involved. :) ~Kat.

An Old Soul mc
An Old Soul zippy

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Branislav Bubalo - Closer To Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:21
Size: 133.6 MB
Styles: Orchestral jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[6:34] 1. Mediterranean Nights
[5:59] 2. Estate
[5:46] 3. April In Portugal
[9:33] 4. Shepherd's Ballad
[3:36] 5. Oblivion
[6:16] 6. Golden Earrings
[5:10] 7. Historia De Un Amor
[6:21] 8. Little Sweet
[4:16] 9. Slavonic Dance
[4:46] 10. Nizamski Rastanak

A romantic, exciting fusion of Mediterranean, Tango and Jazz styling. Featuring Branislav Bubalo on accordion, Larry Vuckovich on piano, Vince Delgado on hand percussion, Jeremy Cohen on violin, Daniel Reiter on cello, Buca Necak on bass & Jackie Ryan as vocal. "Simply beautiful music!" mentioned by many. The string section provides intriguing texture with most of the arrangements done by Larry Dunlap, a grammy music awards winner.

Closer To Me mc
Closer To Me zippy

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Yo-Yo Ma - Songs Of Joy & Peace

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 79:41

Size: 182.4 MB

Styles: Classical crossover

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[2:00] 1. Dona Nobis Pacem

[3:29] 2. You Couldn't Be Cuter (Feat. Diana Krall)

[3:43] 3. Joy To The World (Feat. Dave Brubeck)

[2:50] 4. Here Comes The Sun (Feat. James Taylor)

[2:57] 5. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)

[2:37] 6. The Wassail Song All Through The Night

[3:47] 7. A Christmas Jig Mouth Of The Tobique Reel (Feat. Natalie Macmaster)

[4:20] 8. The Wexford Carol (Feat. Alison Krauss)

[3:06] 9. Panxoliña A Galician Carol (Feat. Cristina Pato)

[0:58] 10. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) (Feat. Sergio Assad)

[3:25] 11. Vassourinhas

[2:32] 12. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) (Feat. Paquito D'rivera)

[4:53] 13. Invitación Al Danzón (Feat. Paquito D'rivera)

[4:07] 14. My One And Only Love (Feat. Joshua Redman)

[3:57] 15. Familia

[4:31] 16. Concordia (Feat. Dave Brubeck)

[6:30] 17. My Favorite Things (Feat. Chris Botti)

[4:36] 18. Touch The Hand Of Love (Feat. Renée Fleming)

[3:26] 19. Kuai Le

[5:02] 20. This Little Light Of Mine (Feat. Amelia Zirin-Brown)

[4:46] 21. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Feat. Jake Shimabukuro)

[1:58] 22. Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) Auld Lang Syne (Feat. Chris Botti)

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has long been a giant in the classical world, though he has also made a number of recordings with musicians who play other styles. This holiday disc doesn't exclusively stick to traditional Christmas songs, but covers a wide scope of material in a very ambitious manner. Ma opens with a lovely take of the traditional favorite Dona nobis pacem (Give Us Peace), playing both the melody and counterpoint via overdubbing. Jazz pianist/vocalist Diana Krall is superb in a swinging rendition of Jerome Kern's unjustly obscure "You Couldn't Be Cuter," adding bassist John Clayton. An arrangement of Joy to the World features pianist Dave Brubeck, cellist Matt Brubeck (his son), and clarinetist Paquito d'Rivera in a playful setting that works in The Christmas Song and On the Trail. The senior Brubeck's Concordia is filled with spirit in a lively performance with the two cellists. Chris Botti has never sounded better in the warm arrangement of My Favorite Things, playing both open and muted trumpet, with pianist Billy Childs, bassist Robert Hurst, drummer Billy Kilson, and guitarist Romero Lubambo. Ma has previously collaborated with bassist Edgar Meyer (who is equally at home in jazz and classical music), though this is the cellist's first meeting with mandolinist Chris Thile. Together they make an impressive trio, especially in the enticing medley of The Wassail Song and All Through the Night. Soprano Renée Fleming's rich voice is beautifully complemented by Ma, Meyer, and Thile. Having worked with onetime bluegrass fiddler Mark O'Connor, Ma is very much at home with Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster in the lively medley of A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel. Among the other friends featured on this disc are the Assad Family, Wu Tong & the Silk Road Ensemble, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, plus Alison Krauss with piper Christina Pato. One track doesn't fit in all that well with the rest of this CD. The Beatles' bland "Here Comes the Sun" has a warm vocal by James Taylor, but it is hampered by its weak lyrics. ~Ken Dryden

Songs Of Joy & Peace

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Buddy Montgomery Trio - Here Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:31
Size: 136.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:55] 1. My Ideal
[6:09] 2. 1,000 Rainbows
[5:56] 3. Aki's Blues
[7:23] 4. Invitation
[7:53] 5. That Old Black Magic
[7:39] 6. Blues For David
[7:00] 7. You've Changed
[7:07] 8. Hob Nob With Brother Bob
[5:24] 9. Here Again

Buddy Montgomery, the youngest and sole surviving Montgomery brother, is a musician ripe for rediscovery. Since achieving major success in the 1960s with the Montgomery Brothers band, and (along with brother Monk on bass) backing brother Wes on some of the guitar great's most popular albums, Buddy has been heard from only occasionally. His new trio album on Sharp Nine Records, Here Again, shows him still in fine form both as a composer and gently swinging pianist.

Montgomery is from the generation of piano players between bebop pioneers Monk and Powell and 1960s innovators Tyner, Hancock, and Corea. And he sounds like it: His smooth, bluesy playing fits firmly within the post-bop tradition with a strong Latin influence. He is an extremely quiet, economical player not given to loud flourishes or aggressive physical attacks on the keyboard. Montgomery's instrumental virtuosity doesn't leap out at you. His strengths are more subtle. Indeed, this is one of the quieter, more thoughtful albums of the year. And the type of album that may require several listenings to appreciate fully.

If the album has one weakness, it is the relative sameness of the compositions and tempos. Even the usually up-tempo chestnut "That Old Black Magic" is transformed here into an almost unrecognizable slow ballad. One or two fast numbers, or a straight out blues, might have livened things up a bit. But, with solid backing from bassist Jeff Chambers and drummer Ray Appleton, Montgomery has made a fine album of quiet, soulful piano music. ~Joel Robets

Here Again mc
Here Again zippy

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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