Herb Ellis - Thank You, Charlie Christian

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:17
Size: 100,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Pickley Wickly
(2:55)  2. I told You I Loved You, Now Get You
(4:43)  3. Code One
(4:20)  4. Karin
(2:54)  5. Cherry Kijafa
(7:40)  6. Thank You, Charlie Christian
(2:50)  7. Alexander's Ragtime Band
(2:56)  8. Lemon Twist
(3:38)  9. Everything's Pat
(1:58) 10. Workin' with the Truth

Thank You Charlie Christian pays homage to the legendary jazz guitarist in a manner most appropriate to an innovator of his stature rather than merely imitate that which is inimitable, Herb Ellis channels the imagination and expressiveness of his hero to create a lean, mean sound far more forward-thinking than nostalgic. 

Like Christian, Ellis favors feeling over flash and economy over excess paired here with pianist Frank Strazzari, bassist Chuck Berghofer, cellist Harry Babasin and drummer Kenny Hume, he creates a series of compact and determinedly contemporary bop snapshots in vivid Technicolor, not the black-and-white of a bygone era. A beautiful and heartfelt record that draws from the past but refuses to live in it.~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/thank-you-charlie-christian-mw0000346676

Personnel: Guitar – Herb Ellis;  Bass – Chuck Berghofer;  Cello – Harry Babasin;  Drums – Kenny Hume;  Piano – Frank Strazzeri

Thank You, Charlie Christian

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Jeff Williams - Outlier

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:51
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:35)  1. Outlier
( 5:34)  2. The Interloper
( 6:40)  3. Dream Visitor
( 6:54)  4. Meeting a Stranger
(10:10)  5. New and Old
(10:15)  6. Hermeto
( 5:40)  7. Oddity

Drummer Jeff Williams is an American expatriate now residing in London, England. Following his formal drumming studies commencing in 1968 at Berklee College of Music, Williams became a seasoned veteran of the U.S. jazz scene, accompanying some of the biggest names in the business including Stan Getz, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Richie Beirach, Cedar Walton, Lee Konitz, Bill Evans, John Scofield, and Miroslav Vitous. Outlier is his third album for Whirlwind and he's assembled a great line-up of British jazz musicians for this date. The opening title track maintains a plaintive trance-like modal mood throughout with deft interjections from Phil Robson on guitar, Kit Downes on piano and Josh Arcoleo on tenor saxophone. "The Interloper" is quirkier with a definite Monkish feel and appropriate block piano chords with occasional swirls of sound all underpinning Arcoleo's tenor, followed by solos from Downes and Sam Lasserson on bass. But then the mood changes with a comparatively heavier "Dream Visitor," Phil Robson's guitar work is very much to the fore here, most especially when treated with electronic effects, whilst drums and piano provide a powerful backdrop before the theme is taken over by the tenor. Almost at once the tempo slows dramatically whilst still maintaining the heavy feel with a repeated vamp on guitar and electric bass before returning to the original opening riff.

"Meeting A Stranger" is a relaxed ballad with leader Jeff Williams sensitively encouraging the momentum. Kit Downes and Phil Robson turn in fine solos here too. Downes introduces the breezy, medium tempo "New And Old" with solos from Lasserson, Downes and Arcoleo. "Hermeto," the longest track on the album, is Williams' paean to one of his heroes, Hermeto Pascoal. Whilst not imitating Pascoal's compositional style, it possesses its own unique attractiveness, particularly in its opening themes stated alternately by guitar and tenor. The closer, "Oddity" opening with a brief drum foray, is a breezy fast-paced number featuring some vibrant solos from the entire group. This is a very good album which benefits from Williams' imaginative compositions and the ensemble's excellent musicianship. It's also a grower, so play frequently for a lasting effect.~ Roger Farbey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/outlier-jeff-williams-whirlwind-recordings-ltd-review-by-roger-farbey.php

Personnel: Jeff Williams: drums, percussion, Fender rhodes; Josh Arcoleo: tenor saxophone; Phil Robson: guitar; Kit Downes: piano and Fender Rhodes; Sam Lasserson: double & electric basses.

Outlier

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Charlie Parker - Big Band

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:12
Size: 153.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1953/1999
Art: Front

[3:34] 1. Temptation
[3:28] 2. Autumn In New York
[3:09] 3. Lover
[2:59] 4. Stella By Starlight
[3:16] 5. Dancing In The Dark (With Studio Chatter)
[2:49] 6. Night And Day
[3:10] 7. I Can't Get Started
[2:36] 8. What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:33] 9. Almost Like Being In Love
[3:09] 10. Laura
[3:28] 11. In The Still Of The Night
[3:38] 12. Old Folks
[2:38] 13. If I Love Again
[3:53] 14. In The Still Of The Night
[3:32] 15. In The Still Of The Night
[3:36] 16. In The Still Of The Night
[4:11] 17. Old Folks
[3:37] 18. Old Folks
[3:41] 19. Old Folks
[1:26] 20. In The Still Of The Night
[0:45] 21. In The Still Of The Night
[0:46] 22. Old Folks
[0:39] 23. Old Folks
[0:29] 24. Old Folks

A reissue of the original 1952 Clef recording session, this is one of the few instances in Charlie Parker's later career where he played with something other than a small bebop group. Under contract at the time to Clef's Norman Granz, Parker was encouraged by the label to make recordings that took him out of his familiar settings and put him in with string arrangements, Latin rhythms, and larger band formats. This recording is the result of one of these experiments. Though Joe Lipman's arrangements are stellar, the musicians assembled for the sessions are an odd mix of pop-oriented big-band players and improvisers. The album also suffers from the pop orientation of the songs themselves: solos are kept short, and songs limited to a three-minute length that was both radio-friendly and compatible with the 78-rpm format. But when Parker does solo, it is just as magical as any of his earlier recordings. The songs also have a sweet smoothness to them that makes them eminently enjoyable. This record is not perfect, but it still musters up moments of brilliance. The reissue is even more fascinating than the original, containing 10 bonus tracks which are alternative takes of the top singles on the album. ~Stacia Proefrock

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Bill Sharpe - Famous People Live

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:18
Size: 142.6 MB
Styles: Cool jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[ 4:24] 1. Silhouettes
[ 5:20] 2. Washed Away
[ 5:41] 3. Brazilian Dawn
[ 4:34] 4. Streetwalkin
[ 4:04] 5. Fools In A World Of Fire
[ 3:37] 6. Peace/Bill Blues
[ 4:11] 7. The Shuffle
[ 1:24] 8. Bill Gary Annoucement
[ 7:25] 9. Change Your Mind
[ 4:09] 10. Famous People
[ 4:41] 11. Catching A Train
[12:44] 12. Night Birds

Bill Sharpe - Keyboards; Andy Gangadeen - Drums; Nick Cohen - Bass; Mitch Dalton - Guitar; Derek Nash - Saxes; Jackie Rawe - Vocals (Lead Vocal on ‘Fools in a World of Fire’ and ‘Streetwalkin’); Tessa Niles - Vocals (Lead Vocal on ‘Famous People’);
Gina Foster - Vocals (Lead Vocal on ‘Change Your Mind’).

Shakatak's Bill Sharpe released Famous People in 1985, this is a new live recording and features a couple of Shakatak's songs, including the hit single 'Change Your Mind'. Includes a special announcement by Gary Numan.

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Gypsy Swing Allstars - Les Nouveaux Bohemiens

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:45
Size: 65.8 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Swing
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:18] 1. Rive Gauche
[2:45] 2. St Ouen
[3:00] 3. Quais De La Seine
[2:41] 4. Quartier Latin
[2:40] 5. Les Bateaux Mouches
[2:38] 6. Cafe De Paris
[3:51] 7. Aux Champs Elysees
[2:23] 8. La Bastille
[3:46] 9. Tango Parisien
[2:37] 10. Mr L'inspecteur

Ten tracks of original Hot club de France Gypsy jazz that combine the feel of swing, the energy of rock, and the improvisation of jazz with string elements akin to bluegrass and a virtuosity like that of classical music. A loving tribute to the Quintette du Hot Club de France, the legendary group that popularized Gypsy swing (sometimes called Gypsy jazz), Les Nouveaux Bohemiens was brought to life by longtime Gypsy swing enthusiasts Josquin des Pres and Marti Amado.

Composer, arranger, and producer Marti Amado has created music for LEGOLAND's Pirate Shores Attraction, The Odyssey TV network, The Muppets V-Chip, Warner Brothers Films, Universal Music Publishing, Entertainment Tonight, Chevrolet, Ford, Sears, Qualcomm, and more. She has worked with international artists including Jewel, Kenny Rogers, Rita Coolidge, and Michael Bolton. - John Jorgenson is a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist well known for his guitar work with the Desert Rose Band and The Hellecasters. Winner of the Academy of Country Music's Guitarist of the Year Award for three consecutive years, Jorgenson has recorded or toured with Elton John, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams Jr., Barbra Streisand, and more. - Charlie Bisharat is a Grammy-winning violinist who has extensively toured and / or recorded with numerous artists. Bisharat's work can be heard on more than 200 recordings, and scores of soundtracks.

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Esther Phillips - Esther Phillips Sings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:54
Size: 70.8 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 1966/2005
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. It's All Right With Me
[2:03] 2. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[3:33] 3. Crazy He Calls Me
[2:40] 4. He Touched Me
[2:06] 5. A Taste Of Honey
[2:01] 6. Let There Be Love
[2:33] 7. You Can't Go Home Again
[2:14] 8. Just Say Goodbye
[2:44] 9. I Could Have Told You So
[3:06] 10. Every Time We Say Goodbye
[2:43] 11. As Tears Go By
[2:03] 12. The Party's Over

Though it lacked a big hit (like 1965's And I Love Him!), Esther Phillips Sings featured a better set of songs and better charts for her to sing in front of. With the opener "It's All Right With Me" leading the way, Oliver Nelson's seven arrangements bring out the best in Phillips, giving her plenty of space with light instrumentation but filling any available gaps with his strong, brassy orchestra. "A Taste of Honey" and "Just Say Goodbye" are also very successful, leaving the big-band era for a groovier period of swinging traditional pop. There are a few clunkers, mostly the fault of Ray Ellis' overly commercial arrangements on "The Shadow of Your Smile" and "You Can't Go Home Again," but everywhere else Esther Phillips bridges the world of R&B and jazzy pop with finesse and an easy charm. ~John Bush

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Will Bernard - Just Like Downtown

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:48
Size: 102.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:48] 1. Dime Store Thriller
[5:33] 2. Go West
[5:14] 3. Sweet Spot
[4:41] 4. Dancing Days
[5:18] 5. Little Hand
[5:19] 6. Safety In Numbers
[6:18] 7. Bali Hai
[5:11] 8. Route 46
[2:22] 9. P.M. Gone

Will Bernard: guitar; John Ellis: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Brian Charette: organ; Rudy Royston: drums.

Guitarist Will Bernard has been connected to a number of singular groups and individuals, from the Monk-to-funk outfit known as T.J. Kirk to New Orleans drumming giant Stanton Moore to multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum's boundary-pushing Hieroglyphics Ensemble, but a common denominator exists in his strongest work with each one: Bernard's best is always rooted in the groove. He has a no-fuss way of establishing and/or inhabiting the rhythmic currents of a song and he puts that skill to good use, once again, on Just Like Downtown.

This quartet date finds Bernard fronting a highly capable—and flexible—foursome. Together, they tackle original soul jazz ("Dime Store Thriller"), Led Zeppelin ("Dancing Days") and Richard Rodgers ("Bali Hai"). Some pieces are brisk and driving ("Sweet Spot") and others like to linger for a while ("Little Hand"), as Bernard and company simply let the music float on by. Most of these musical offerings get to the point right away, but a sense of mystery is occasionally in the air as things coalesce ("Bali Hai") or blow slowly in the Frisell-ian breeze ("P.M. Gone").

Bernard's buddies deserve a good deal of credit for bringing his music to life. They sound good when working from the same playbook as the leader ("Dime Store Thriller"), but they sound great when one person's contributions are thrown into sharp relief; John Ellis' swaggering bass clarinet riff, for example, enlivens the jaunty "Go West," and drummer Rudy Royston delivers a tornado of a performance on the choppy "Safety In Numbers," which also features a beast-of-a-solo from Bernard. Organist Brian Charette—the fourth piece of the puzzle—is the one most responsible for adding color to the project. He brings all manner of sound—both earthy and alien—into the picture. Just Like Downtown possesses an immediately likeable, unforced quality. The music simply flows when Will Bernard and company get going. ~Dan Bilawsky

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Michal Urbaniak Jazz Trio - My One And Only Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:29
Size: 165.9 MB
Styles: Fusion
Year: 1981/1996
Art: Front

[10:17] 1. My One And Only Love
[ 9:22] 2. Bells
[10:17] 3. Folky Mazurka
[ 8:47] 4. Apology
[ 7:35] 5. More Michal Moore
[ 9:25] 6. Manha De Carnival
[ 8:34] 7. Summertime
[ 8:10] 8. Just A Little Waltz

Once Poland's most promising import in the jazz-rock 1970s, Michal Urbaniak's chief value in retrospect was as a fellow traveler of Jean-Luc Ponty, a fluid advocate of the electric violin, the lower-pitched Violectra, and the Lyricon (the first popular, if now largely under-utilized wind synthesizer). Like many Eastern European jazzmen, he would incorporate elements of Polish folk music into his jazz pursuits, and his other heroes range from the inevitable Miles Davis to Polish classicist Witold Lutoslawski. His electric violin was often filtered with a gauze of electronic modifying devices, and on occasion, he could come up with an attractively memorable composition like "Satin Lady."

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Tubby Hayes & Ronnie Scott - The Couriers of Jazz!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:38
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Mirage
(7:55)  2. After Tea
(3:49)  3. Stop the World, I Want to Get Off!
(4:04)  4. In Salah
(4:11)  5. Star Eyes
(4:40)  6. The Monk
(6:21)  7. My Funny Valentine
(6:04)  8. Day In - Day Out

Tenor saxophonist Ronnie Scott looms among the towering figures of Britain's postwar jazz scene, exerting equal influence as a performer and as the owner of the world-famous club bearing his name. He was born Ronald Schatt in the east end of London on January 28, 1927 his father, dance band saxophonist Jock Scott, separated from his mother shortly after his birth. After first purchasing a cornet from a local junk shop, Scott then moved to the soprano saxophone, finally settling on the tenor sax during his teens; at a local youth club he began performing with aspiring drummer Tony Crombie, and soon began playing the occasional professional gig. After backing bandleader Carlo Krahmer, Scott toured with trumpeter Johnny Claes in 1945, joining the hugely popular Ted Heath Big Band the following year; however, changing economics made the big bands increasingly unfeasible, and as the nascent bebop sound developing across the Atlantic began making its way to the U.K., he and Crombie traveled to New York City to explore the source firsthand. Scott would regularly return to New York after signing on to play alongside alto saxophonist Johnny Dankworth on the transatlantic ocean liner the Queen Mary. Despite his travels Scott remained a linchpin of the growing London bop scene, and in late 1948 he co-founded Club Eleven, the first U.K. club devoted to modern jazz. During this time he developed the lyrical but harmonically complex style that would remain the hallmark of his career, first backing drummer Jack Parnell before finally forming his own band in 1953. The nine-piece group made its public debut in conjunction with a London appearance by Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic touring revue working from arrangements by trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar, the Scott band's debut proved a landmark moment in the history of British jazz, in many respects heralding the true starting point of the postwar era. Not all of Scott's instincts were sound in 1955, he briefly assembled a full-size big band, to disastrous creative and commercial results but when he officially dissolved the group in 1956, he was a household name throughout Britain. In 1957 he co-founded the Jazz Couriers with fellow tenor saxophonist Tubby Hayes, scaling to even greater heights of fame. The Jazz Couriers amicably split in 1959.     

Around this time Scott began to again entertain the notion of a London-based jazz club in the tradition of the landmarks dotting New York's 52nd Street along with Pete King, a longtime collaborator who'd recently retired from active performing, he borrowed the money necessary to lease the building at 39 Gerrard Street and on October 31, 1959 opened Ronnie Scott's Club for business. Scott himself co-headlined the opening night along with Hayes and Parnell sales were promising, but the venue only began reaching true critical mass in 1961 when it hosted its first American act, Scott favorite Zoot Sims. In the months to follow, Ronnie Scott's was the setting of performances by a who's who of American tenor icons including Dexter Gordon, Roland Kirk, Stan Getz, Sonny Stitt, Ben Webster, and Sonny Rollins. In late 1965 the club moved to its present location on Frith Street, where before the end of the decade it would host everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Albert Ayler, becoming the epicenter of London's jazz community. Although the club consumed much of his time, Scott continued touring with a quartet featuring pianist Stan Tracey during the late 1960s, he also spearheaded an eight-piece group with whom he created the most idiosyncratic and experimental music of his career. At the time of Scott's death on December 23, 1996, his namesake club was perhaps the most famous jazz venue in all of Europe.~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ronnie-scott-mn0000332807/biography                           

Personnel:  Tubby Hayes & Ronnie Scott (tenor sax), Terry Shannon (piano), Jeff Clyne (bass), and Bill Eyden (drums).

The Couriers of Jazz!

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Tommy Flanagan - Sunset And The Mockingbird - The Birthday Concert

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:49
Size: 160,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:16)  1. Birdsong
(10:26)  2. With Malice Toward None
( 7:19)  3. Let's
( 5:27)  4. I Waited For You
(14:34)  5. Tin Tin Deo
( 5:52)  6. Sunset And The Mockingbird
(12:42)  7. The Balanced Scales / The Cupbearers
( 4:09)  8. Goodnight My Love

Recorded at the Village Vanguard on the night of his 67th birthday, Tommy Flanagan celebrated by recording this memorable set. Joined by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash, the brilliant pianist devours two up-tempo bop classics by Thad Jones, "Birdsong" and "Let's," plus a trio of tunes by Tom MacIntosh (a composer who merits wider recognition). His lengthy sojourn through Dizzy Gillespie's "Tin Tin Deo" explores new ground, while the late trumpeter's lesser-known "I Waited for You" is quite enchanting. Flanagan's arrangement of the title track, a rarely performed song from Duke Ellington's "Queen's Suite," matches the elegance of the late composer's recording. His dramatic solo of "Good Night My Love" is dedicated to his wife Diana, who is not only present but heard answering her husband's call to her at the end of the night. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunset-and-the-mockingbird-mw0000040449

Personnel: Tommy Flanagan (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Lewis Nash (drums).

Sunset And The Mockingbird - The Birthday Concert

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Randy Weston - Earth Birth

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:41
Size: 107,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:55)  1. Earth Birth
( 3:48)  2. Pam's Waltz
( 7:48)  3. Little Niles
( 2:58)  4. Babe's Blues
( 5:43)  5. Where
(10:24)  6. Hi-Fly
( 6:49)  7. Portrait of Billie Holiday
( 5:11)  8. Berkshire Blues
( 0:00)  9. Portrait of Vivian

Recorded in Montreal with 24 strings from the Montreal Symphony and two can't-miss jazz cohorts, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Billy Higgins, here we have another reunion between Weston and arranger Melba Liston in a collection of mostly early Weston tunes, some dating back to the early 1950s. The strings sound unearthly, as if they were recorded in a dead studio (the locale is the Ludget-Duvernay Hall of Montreal's Monument National), and even though Liston blends them with the piano in an integral manner, they respond stiffly; it's an uneasy, not terribly imaginative fusion. The most famous Weston tune, "Hi-Fly," is completely retooled into a cocktail-hour ballad it also features quite an intricate string chart and composer Weston enjoys poking around the tune's angles and corners. Coming after his exciting African experiments in the '90s, this CD, despite Weston's sharply etched solos, is a relatively minor nostalgic effort. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/earth-birth-mw0000086449 

Personnel: Randy Weston (piano); Marcelle Mallette, Pascale Frenette, Marc Béliveau, Ariane Bresse, Isabelle Lessard, Daniel Godin, Hung Bang, Sophie Dugas, Nadia Francavilla, Monique Poitras, Denis Béliveau, Jeanne LeBlanc (violin); Suzanne Careau, Christiane Lampron, Andre Roy, Margot Aldrich, Jocelyne Bastien, Francine Lupien, Sylvie Laville, Lorraine Desmarais (viola); Sylvie Lambert, Christine Harvey, Jean-Luc Morin, Christine Giguère (cello); Jacques Beaudoin (double bass); Billy Higgins (drums)

Earth Birth

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Ken Navarro - Dreaming Of Trains

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:20
Size: 118,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Dream So Real
(4:46)  2. Self Propelled
(8:44)  3. True Stories
(8:28)  4. Dreaming Of Trains
(4:36)  5. The Buzz
(5:43)  6. Shared Air
(5:43)  7. Everything Being Is Dancing
(7:24)  8. The Stars, The Snow, The Fire
(3:05)  9. Gymnopedie No. 1

This is Ken Navarro's 19th CD release and is the follow up to his breakthrough release of 2008, The Grace of Summer Light which was named the #1 Contemporary Jazz CD of 2008 by Jazz Times magazine. Featured musicians include Jay Rowe from Special EFX and the Marion Meadows band, Tom Kennedy from the Al Dimeola band and the Mike Stern band and Joel Rosenblatt from Spyro Gyra. These 9 new recordings are built around strong melodic themes which flow perfectly within each composition. 

The reason a group of songs with this level of complexity can be so accessible is because they are beautiful, diverse, and there isn't the dissonance that is often the hallmark of progressive and fusion projects. Complex solos, arrangements and rhythms? Yes. Self serving edginess? No. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Trains-Ken-Navarro/dp/B002ZXZJDI

Dreaming Of Trains

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Kat Edmonson - Old Fashioned Gal

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:07
Size: 86,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. Sparkle and Shine
(2:51)  2. I'd Be a Fool
(4:25)  3. A Voice
(3:08)  4. If
(3:01)  5. Canoe
(3:01)  6. Old Fashioned Gal
(4:44)  7. Please Consider Me
(3:11)  8. How's About It Baby
(2:31)  9. Goodbye Bruce
(3:33) 10. With You
(3:09) 11. Not My Time

Possessing a fleet, light voice and a sly touch, jazz vocalist Kat Edmonson brings both the songs and the sensibility of the Great American Songbook into the 21st century. Her debut 2009 debut album, Take to the Sky, split the difference between Cole Porter and the Cure, and as she continued to record over the course of the 2010s, she started to incorporate original material on her new albums. A native of Houston, Texas, Edmonson began to write songs as a child, and after attending South Carolina's College of Charleston for a time, she relocated to Austin, Texas to pursue a musical career. After an unsuccessful audition for the second season of American Idol, she hunkered down in Austin and developed her idiosyncratic vocal style. In 2009 she independently released her debut, Take to the Sky, which wound up climbing into the Top 20 of the Billboard jazz charts. Three years later she independently released Way Down Low, which made it to number one on Billboard's Heatseekers chart in the wake of positive notices on NPR and in The New York Times. After Way Down Low, Edmonson signed to Sony Masterworks, which released The Big Picture in 2014; the album was produced by Mitchell Froom. An appearance as a singer in Woody Allen's 2016 film Café Society appeared before she started work on her fourth album. Produced by Edmonson, the resulting Old Fashioned Gal was a collection of all originals.~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kat-edmonson-mn0001735756/biography

Old Fashioned Gal

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SWR Big Band - A Fresh Taste Of Thad Jones & Frank Foster

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:19
Size: 151.8 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:12] 1. Counter Block
[5:10] 2. Mean What You Say
[5:14] 3. Ode To Joe Newman
[5:11] 4. Winners
[4:57] 5. Love Handles
[6:03] 6. Basic-Ally Yours
[6:35] 7. Victorious Blues
[6:00] 8. Now That She's Away
[5:08] 9. The Biddle-De-Bop Samba
[7:57] 10. Lady In Lace
[8:46] 11. A Fresh Taste Of The Blues

None of the music on Fresh Taste is actually fresh, having been recorded in 1994-96 when the SWR Big Band was still the SDR, and previously issued on CD—but that doesn't mean it need be any less rewarding to anyone who hasn't yet heard it. To the contrary, those whose antennae are attuned to the straight-ahead grooves espoused by Thad Jones, Frank Foster and the Count Basie Orchestra should find almost everything here immensely invigorating and agreeable.

While he commands top billing, Jones wrote only four of the album's eleven selections, "Counter Block, "Mean What You Say," "Basic-Ally Yours and "The Biddle-De-Bop-Samba. The others are by Foster, and six of them were included on the album A Fresh Taste of the Blues (IRS, 1996), released a decade ago. Jones, who died in 1986, was a member of the Basie trumpet section from 1954-63 and co-led the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra (now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) from 1966-78. He is remembered as a remarkable composer who penned such memorable Jazz standards as "A Child Is Born, "Don't Git Sassy, "Fingers, "Tip Toe, "Little Pixie, "Groove Merchant, "Big Dipper, "Greetings and Salutations, "Kids Are Pretty People and "Mean What You Say, the last included on this album.

Foster's credentials are comparably impressive. The tenor saxophonist joined Basie's orchestra in 1953, remained until 1964, and led the orchestra from 1986-95 (the Count having passed away in 1984). Like Jones a first-rate composer, Foster wrote a number of Basie's most crowd-pleasing charts including "Blues Backstage, "Down for the Count, "Blues in Hoss' Flat and, most notably, "Shiny Stockings. Though sidelined by a stroke in recent years, Foster was still playing when A Fresh Taste was recorded, and he solos strongly on "Counter Block, "Mean What You Say, "Winners (on soprano sax), "Love Handles, "Lady in Lace and (again on soprano) "A Fresh Taste of the Blues.

It always helps, of course, to have a world-class band in one's corner, and that is precisely what the SWR is. The ensemble handles Jones and Foster's Basie-esque charts with ease, while the soloists are consistently persuasive, from trumpeters Karl Farrent and (American expat) Don Rader to soprano Klaus Graf, alto Bernd Rabe, tenors Andi Maile and Peter Weniger, trombonists Ian Cumming and Ludwig Nuss, pianist Klaus Wagenleiter, guitarist Klaus-Peter Schöpfer, bassist Henning Sieverts and drummers Jörg Gebhardt and Keith Copeland. Not exactly a Fresh Taste, but by no means a stale one either. Indeed, a splendid album that is warmly recommended to the many fans of Jones/Foster/Basie. ~Jack Bowers

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Jeremy Tordjman - Sambuka

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:49
Size: 162.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[8:20] 1. Sambuka
[5:59] 2. Worried Time Groove
[7:25] 3. Occitane
[4:26] 4. 70 Boulevard D'ornano
[6:37] 5. Fausses Apparences
[9:03] 6. Mosaique
[6:18] 7. Réminiscences
[5:38] 8. Pensées Nocturnes
[4:36] 9. Allo La Terre
[7:11] 10. Après Les Fetes
[2:21] 11. Miss Mystic
[2:50] 12. In My Heart

A talented musician with different backgrounds, the guitarist Jeremy Tordjman serves up a colourful and vitalized cocktail. The ethereal atmospheres and the spontaneity of Jazz are combined with energy and groove.

Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk and World Music, Jeremy Tordjman has dipped his guitar into all the shades of this musical palette, with pastel or bright tints, to draw and sign his own compositions. These are paintings in which bring together, in a relief landscape, inspired ballads, themes in fusion, energetic melodies, for horizon heat, audacity and enthusiasm supported by the musicians who accompany him. He does not claim to invent a new idiom, nor even to hustle anything. His objective is to move and touch. That’s all.

His music cultivates the contrasts, airy or percussive, colourful or mixed, exceeding the traditional frame of Jazz. An obviousness both for neophytes and music lovers.

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Allan Harris - Love Came: The Songs Of Strayhorn

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:58
Size: 137.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
[5:04] 2. Something To Live For
[3:33] 3. My Little Brown Book
[4:07] 4. Love Came
[5:42] 5. Chelsea Bridge
[4:38] 6. Lush Life
[6:35] 7. Daydream
[4:29] 8. Pretty Girl (The Star Crossed Lovers)
[6:02] 9. Passion Flower
[2:05] 10. Oo (You Make Me Tingle)
[3:07] 11. Your Love Has Faded
[4:26] 12. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
[3:03] 13. Lotus Blossom
[1:44] 14. Love Has Passed Me By Again

Because the lyrics to so many of Billy Strayhorn's compositions reflect love lost or not yet obtained, few vocalists have attempted to record an entire release of his songs. But singer Allan Harris is up to the challenge, mixing very familiar tunes (while avoiding the all too obvious choice of his best-known song, "Take the 'A' Train") with some rarely recorded at all. With a superb cast of supporting musicians, including pianist Eric Reed, tenor saxophonist Don Braden, guitarist Ron Affif, bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, and drummer Cecil Brooks III, Harris' rich voice carries the day with ease. Part of his success is due to the unusual arrangements: "Something to Live For" is at a brisker than normal tempo with a slightly funky feeling, Ron Affif's lively Joe Pass-like guitar removes the stop-and-go melodrama that pervades nearly every other recorded version of "Lush Life," and "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" is recast as a driving samba. But there are treasures also awaiting within the less familiar selections. Harris makes the first recording of the words Strayhorn wrote for "My Little Brown Book," a bittersweet ballad that again benefits from a gently faster and swinging tempo and also has some nice licks by Reed. "Love Came," with lyrics by Ellington and music by Strayhorn, is a powerful bossa nova with soft accompaniment by Affif. "Oo! (You Make Me Tingle)" gives Harris an opportunity to show off his playful side and provides a welcome relief from a steady diet of downcast lyrics. Harris wraps the CD with a powerful a cappella take of the rarely heard "Love Has Passed Me By Again." Allan Harris' brilliant and innovative approach to the works of Billy Strayhorn should make this an essential CD for jazz lovers. ~Ken Dryden

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Laura Taglialatela - The Glow

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:12
Size: 103.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. The Glow
[4:20] 2. Take Me Back
[3:26] 3. Inutil Paisagem
[4:42] 4. Happiness
[2:50] 5. Retrato Em Branco E Preto
[5:39] 6. Silly Girl
[5:47] 7. Nefertiti
[8:22] 8. Frantasy
[4:47] 9. There's That Smile

Laura began performing music in church at the age of 10, an experience which consequently drove her interest towards black music. In 2009 she completed her studies in vocal jazz performance at the Scuola Civica in Capannori, and decided to attend a Bachelor in Literature and Cultural studies at the Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples, while taking music private classes with some of today’s most internationally recognized jazz performers. She graduated in 2014 presenting a thesis entitled "A unifying language: jazz”, a result of her active researches on the field on the impact of the inter-cultural crossover of the jazz scene on the language currently spoken in America by the new generation through the songwriting process, receiving audience acclaim and extra credits.

"The Glow” is the inspiration, the divine entity the artist feeds off and is in constant search of. The idea at the base of this collection of works is to create an embodiment that shows the definition of an artist in the process of self acknowledgment, and self acceptance, through the struggles that come by the confrontation with real life. Each track, therefore, represents a moment of the artist's emotional journey in the controversial relationship with his art: love, devotion, fear, resignation, realization, enthusiasm, despair, joy, all in a space where boundaries between genres and/or between single individuals cease to exist, and the guiding principle is the flow of a spontaneous and fresh interaction.

Taglialatela surrounds herself in this first album by a serious team: Domenico Sanna on piano and rhodes, Matteo Bortone on double bass, Francesco Ciniglio on drums, Dayna Stephens on tenor saxophone and ewi, Logan Richardson, special guest on 4 of the tracks, on alto saxophone. The band includes musicians from different cultural and musical (and geographical!) backgrounds who combine with no inhibitions in a single sound, new, fresh, unanimous and sincere: all improvisations, even when guided by a leader, are collective, and the roles intersect to the point that sometimes vocals become an instrument of accompaniment.

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Mark McLean - Dinner Party

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:25
Size: 131.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:48] 1. Autumn Leaves
[3:42] 2. Whisper Not
[3:50] 3. It Had To Be You
[3:10] 4. Days Of Wine And Roses
[4:40] 5. Bag's Groove
[2:54] 6. It's Only A Paper Moon
[4:48] 7. Darn That Dream
[4:50] 8. Summertime
[4:08] 9. Emily
[4:17] 10. Pennies From Heaven
[4:12] 11. Out Of Nowhere
[3:48] 12. I Love Paris
[4:33] 13. Night Train
[4:41] 14. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)

Kelly Jefferson - Tenor Saxophone; Rob Piltch - Guitar; Robi Botos - Piano; Pat Kilbride - Bass; Mark McLean - Drums, Arranger, Producer.

Mark McLean is a very dynamic and versatile studio and touring musician. If you ask him about his biggest musical influences, the answer is likely to take more time than you have. Even if you ask for just the 'main ones' the list will go on and on. And it is a diverse list; from Johann Sebastian Bach to James Brown (and those are only the 'B's). And for that reason he has been the grooving spark behind many jazz, pop and soul legends whose music and influence span multiple generations. The late legendary producer Phil Ramone, who began hiring him for numerous sessions starting in 2003, called McLean “a tasty, sure handed drummer, a song man’s musician”- but that’s only part of the in-demand musician’s powerful story and evolving artistry. Whether playing a sensitive ballad with Andrea Bocelli, swinging mightily with Jamie Cullum or laying down a funky backbeat for George Michael, Mark McLean is always in his element.

Over the past few years, while maintaining a steady flow of prestigious gigs as a sideman and music director, the Toronto born, New York City based drummer/composer/producer has emerged as a popular band leader, performing numerous gigs with his own group and releasing two acclaimed solo recordings that showcase his expansive musical passions. In an industry that often prefers pigeonholing to expansive creative expression, the multi-talented artist — whose credo is “I don’t want to be seen as a drummer, I want to be known as a musician whose instrument just happens to be drums” — breaks all the rules on his eclectic 11 track sophomore album Feel Alright, sharing his love for everything from old school soul, down and dirty blues/funk and traditional jazz to Southern folk-pop with a zydeco twist, Rat Pack-like swing, edgy pop/rock and New Orleans brass band music. Mark believes that freedom from the burden of musical categorization enables him to fully explore his own voice.

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Jack Costanzo - The Versatile Mr. Bongo Plays Jazz, Afro & Latin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:56
Size: 130.4 MB
Styles: Jazz, Afro, Latin rhythms
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:30] 1. Bottlabud
[4:14] 2. Satin Doll
[4:08] 3. Maggie
[5:55] 4. G And J Blues
[3:24] 5. Mambo Costanzo
[2:49] 6. Yukon Mambo
[3:17] 7. Burley Q Bongo
[2:06] 8. The Continental
[2:41] 9. Equinox
[2:44] 10. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[2:36] 11. Blue Prelude
[2:47] 12. Young Man With A Horn
[2:11] 13. Diga Diga Doo
[2:26] 14. Street Scene
[2:07] 15. El Diablito
[2:30] 16. Man With The Golden Arm
[3:07] 17. Barney Google
[2:15] 18. Row Row Row

Jack Costanzo (bongos, conga), Rolf Ericson (tp), Bill Holman (ts), Gerald Wiggins (p), Joe Comfort (b), Lawrence Marable (d), Eddie Cano (p), Herbie Harper (tb), Jimmy Salko (tp), Tonny Terran (tp), Shelly Manne (d).

The one man most responsible for the growth of the bongo craze in jazz music is "Mister Bongo", Jack Costanzo. He was the first bongo drummer to join a jazz orchestra when in 1947 he became part of the Stan Kenton organization. His musicianship was so unique that Kenton even had 'Bongo Riff' written to feature Costanzo.

This CD contains the most outstanding recordings Mr. Bongo made under his own name. The first 6 tunes were the first Jack recorded as a leader in 1954. On the following 12 tracks, all recorded in summer of 1956, Jack Costanzo sets his unique percussive sound to a setting of swinging brass and it takes all the brilliance of five trumpets to answer the articulate and exciting rhythm patterns Jack lays down.
This CD is full of provocative and stimulating numbers. It is a great introduction to the many facets of The Versatile 'Mr. Bongo'.

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Gene Ammons - The Soulful Saxophone of Gene Ammons

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:03
Size: 69,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. My Foolish Heart
(3:04)  2. Prelude To A Kiss
(3:14)  3. It's You Or No One
(3:08)  4. Can You Explain
(2:48)  5. Goodbye
(2:41)  6. Pennies From Heaven
(2:53)  7. Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe
(3:08)  8. You Go To My Head
(3:16)  9. Once In A While
(2:56) 10. Its The Talk Of The Town

10 tracks that perfectly illustrate all that was great about Gene Ammons in his early days a set of singles and 78s recorded for Chess in the late 40s and early 50s, done in a laidback and soulful style that had a tremendous influence on the work of other tenor players at the time! The recording quality is nice and moody, and the tracks hold up surprisingly well over the years with titles that include "My Foolish Heart", "Goodbye", "Once In A While", "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe", and "It's The Talk Of The Town".© 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/353439/Gene-Ammons:Soulful-Saxophone

Personnel:  Gene Ammons, Tom Archia, tenor sax; Christine Chatman, piano; Leroy Jackson, bass; Wesley Landers, drums.

The Soulful Saxophone of Gene Ammons

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