Deborah Lippmann - Vinyl

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:46
Size: 111,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. Satisfaction
(4:40)  2. You Give Love A Bad Name
(4:51)  3. Wicked Game
(3:41)  4. Money
(4:43)  5. Message In A Bottle
(3:48)  6. Need You Tonight / Lowdown
(3:19)  7. Fade To Black
(4:34)  8. Make Me Love You
(3:28)  9. This Must Be Love
(3:00) 10. This One's On Me
(3:26) 11. Beautifully Obvious
(4:24) 12. Get Together

"This combo of classic and modern is what Lippman is all about, and with the release of "Vinyl," she's poised to join the girl group that includes such singers as Norah Jones, Dianne Reeves and Diana Krall. Message in a bottle indeed."~ Lisa Robinson, Vanity Fair https://www.amazon.com/Vinyl-Deborah-Lippmann/dp/B000NJWTO8

Vinyl

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Lee Ritenour - Friendship

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:56
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Sea Dance
(6:46)  2. Crystal Morning
(7:03)  3. Samurai Night Fever
(6:23)  4. Life Is The Song We Sing
(6:03)  5. Woody Creek
(6:21)  6. It's A Natural Thing

The third of three Lee Ritenour sets originally cut for Japanese JVC and in 1991 reissued domestically on CD matches the studio guitarist with what could be called the "Crossover All-Stars": Ernie Watts (on tenor and soprano), both Dave and Don Grusin on keyboards, electric bassist Abraham Laboriel, drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Steve Forman. They perform pleasant but somewhat forgettable originals by Rit, Watts and both Grusins, the kind of lightly funky background music that one would expect from expert studio players.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/friendship-mw0000093718

Personnel: Lee Ritenour (electric & acoustic guitars), Ernie Watts (soprano & tenor saxophones), Don Grusin (electric piano), Dave Grusin (electric & acoustic pianos), Abraham Laboriel (electric bass), Steve Gadd (drums), Steve Forman (percussion). 

Friendship

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Peter O'Mara - Mirage

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:44
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:47)  1. Wang Thang
(5:28)  2. Dark
(7:31)  3. All The Things You Are
(6:57)  4. Mirage
(5:23)  5. For Frank
(6:00)  6. Just One Of Those Things
(6:29)  7. Nowhere Man
(5:27)  8. Another Avenue
(5:39)  9. Countdown
(7:59) 10. Terminal Departure

Born in Sydney, Australia in 1957. Early Studies at Academy of the Guitar under George Golla, Sydney Conservatorium as well as jazz clinics under Aebersold, Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, John Scofield & Hal Galper. Professional work around Australia 1976-81. Prizewinner for Jazz Composition 1980 & 1982, awarded by the NSW Jazz Action Society. First record album "Peter O´Mara" released 1980, receiving widespread critical acclaim. Awarded the "Don Banks Memorial Fellowship" for overseas study. 1981 studies in New York under Liebman, Scofield, Roland Hanna, Jimmy Raney & Attila Zoller. Moved to Munich, Germany in late 1981 and has since worked with many musicians on the European Jazz scene including... Kenny Wheeler, Jon Christensen, Joe Nay, Maria Joao, Uli Beckerhoff, John Marshall,John Taylor, Anders Jormin, Adelhard Roidinger, Randy Brecker, Rainer Brüninghaus, David Friedman, Peter Herbolzheimer, Charlie Mariano, Benny Bailey, Robben Ford, Mike Nock, Albert Manglesdorf, Ack van Rooyen, Herman Breuer, Johnny Griffin.. 1982-90 "Sundial" trio with US bassist Wayne Darling & drummer Billy Elgart, which recorded 3 albums (South German Radio Record of the Week 1987) as well as three tours & CD with Kenny Wheeler as guest. Festival appearances in Cologne, Munich, Vienna, Aachen, Zurich as well as numerous European tours. 1989 CD release on ENJA Records "Avenue U", featuring Joe Lovano, Dave Holland, Adam Nussbaum & Roberto Di Gioia. The French Jazz Magazine called it " a thoroughly passionate recording" and Peter " a glorious player, truly a discovery!" He joined Klaus Doldinger´s "Passport" in 1990 and has toured Europe a number of times with this group, as well as South Africa in 1995. Their 1991 release "Blues Roots" featured Texas Blues singer/guitarist Johnny Copeland The group performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1993 & 1995. In Jan 1991 Peter toured Australia with pianist Mike Nock as well as recording the CD "Kuranda", released in Europe on ITM. This tour was followed up again in 1993. From 1991 on Munich-based quartet "Cross Rhythms" performing at many festivals, clubs & radio recordings. CD released in 1994 on Jazz-4-Ever Records. Widespread critical acclaim for this group. 1992 CD "Stairway" on ENJA records, featuring Russell Ferrante, Anthony Jackson, Tony Lakatos, Alex Acuna & Tom Brechtlein, recorded in Los Angeles at Chick Corea´s Mad Hatter Studio. 3 week European promotion tour with this group.

1995 CD "Symmetry" on GLM Records, featuring Bob Mintzer, Marc Johnson & young German drummer Falk Willis. Tour in March/April with this group to promote the CD. European festival tour with own quartet, performing at Northsea,Munich, Düsseldorf & Wiesen, Austria. , European tour & CD with "Passport". A brief return to Australia end of the year brought him together with Adam Armstrong (bass) & Andrew Gander (drums). This trio was acclaimed by Peter Jordan (SMH) as "scintillating" and O´Mara "one of our less well-known success stories...startling!" 1996-97 formation of quartet with fellow Australian trombonist Adrian Mears (A-STRAIN), a trio with acclaimed bassist Henning Sieverts & Guido May (FIRST FLUSH) as well as various freelance work around Europe. "Passport" Jubilee Tour around Europe in May-July to promote new CD. Passport CD "Move" recorded October 1997. Late 1997 Quintet with Johannes Enders (sax) as well as a new band project PETER O´MARA BAND, which recorded CD now released. This group made it to the finals of the HENNESSY JAZZ SEARCH, 3 groups chosen from 500 entries (German National Jazz Competition for Professional Groups) winning a DM 5,000 prize. January 1999 joined UNITED JAZZ & ROCK ENSEMBLE, contributed 2 arrangements for the legendary group´s new CD. Performed at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Continuing work throughout Europe with Passport and own groups. Workshop with Norma Winstone & John Taylor. European Tour in November with United..(Albert Manglesdorf, Ian Carr, Barbera Thompson, John Hiseman, Ack van Rooyen) Munich Jazz Orchestra tour December featuring KennyWheeler. 2000...continuing work with Passport & own Quintet "Spheres" CD. Workshops in Trier, Bielefeld & Erlangen. "Passport Live" CD released. Concerts in Düsseldorf, Expo 2000 Hannover..

2001 ...continued work with Passport - Montreaux Jazz Festival, Monte Carlo, WDR Bigband, Guest teacher for the "Bujazzo" (German National Youth Bigband) Munich Jazzfest, Workshops in Erlangen, Bielefeld, Trier. Australian tour with own group "Spheres" in November, sponsored by the German Music Council. 2002...Passport continues averaging 5 concerts per month throughout Europe. Workshops in Erlangen, Luzerne, Bielefeld, Dresden,Trier. German tour with the "Skoda Jazz Ensemble". Wangaratta Jazz Festival Australia in November. In December "Peter O´Mara Trio" tour and CD recording featuring drummer Adam Nussbaum and bassist Henning Sieverts. 2003...New CD "Passport to Brasil" and tour of Brasil in February/March. Workshops in Erlangen, Basel, Mannheim, Trier, Bielefeld. CD release "Mirage" featuring Sieverts & Nussbaum on Pirouet Records. Concert tour "Peter O´Mara and Friends" in Germany and Austria. Awarded "Star of the Week" by the Munich "Abendzeitung". German tour with the "Skoda Jazz Ensemble". 2004 to date: continued activities with own ensemble as well as Passport. Guest teacher for the German National Youth Bigband "Bujazzo". Workshops in Erlangen, Trier, Bielefeld, Udine, Jazz Schule Zürich. German tour with the "Skoda Jazz Ensemble". Teaching activities include, among many workshops throughout Europe, a professorship for Jazz Guitar at the Bruckner University in Linz as well as the University of Music & performing Arts in Munich. He is also author of four highly acclaimed books published by internationally renowned Jazz publishers Advance Music. http://australianjazzrealbook.com/artists/peter-omara/

Mirage

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Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley, Steve Swallow - Fly Away Little Bird

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:29
Size: 175.1 MB
Styles: Post bop, Modern Creative
Year: 1992/2003
Art: Front

[ 6:35] 1. Fly Away Little Bird
[ 3:39] 2. Fits
[ 4:49] 3. I Can't Get Started
[ 5:38] 4. Qualude
[ 6:38] 5. Possibilities
[ 6:20] 6. Tumbleweed
[ 6:30] 7. All The Things You Are
[ 3:14] 8. Starts
[ 4:34] 9. Goodbye
[ 0:27] 10. Just Dropped By
[ 5:13] 11. Lover Man
[ 4:51] 12. Postlude
[ 6:26] 13. Sweet And Lovely
[11:26] 14. Bats In The Belfry

Jimmy Giuffre, soprano sax, clarinet, voice; Paul Bley, piano; Steve Swallow, electric bass.

Recorded a year before this trio's final record in ’93, Fly Away Little Bird delivers a more grounded, earthy performance than Conversations With a Goose. Here, Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley, and Steve Swallow explore their blues roots, particularly Giuffre. And, in addition to their trademark spontaneous inventions, they lovingly render five standards and a surprisingly strong composition by Juanita Odjenar Giuffre, Mrs. Jimmy. This was their third album for Owl after a 27-year hiatus.

Giuffre’s credited with the title track, a wistful group piece with Jimmy on clarinet. The three musicians easily revolve in and out of their solos and supporting roles. “Fits” gives Swallow a solo run that carries a vaguely Spanish flavor with classical counterpoint. All three give a heartfelt reading to Vernon Duke’s “Can’t Get Started.” After Jimmy’s mournful turn, Swallow bends his notes bluesy, and Bley takes a theatrical interlude. Bley goes solo on “Qualude,” working a walking bass line through some minor harmonies. The modal inventions that follow are pure Bley, some deceptively simple ideas the build into a complex off-kilter blues. Juanita Giuffre’s “Possibilities” starts with a rubbery throbbing Swallow and Giuffre making short statements on soprano. Bley plays the progression in a clipped style, before blowing it apart. Giuffre goes on one of his amazing solo excursions on “Tumbleweed,” a clarinet workout that includes extended techniques, vocals sounding like Italian operetta, and sweet bluesy musing.

Kern and Hammerstein’s “All the Things You Are” gets a stiff intro from Bley and Giuffre, then Swallow enters in hyper-swing mode, and everyone gets on his bus. Bley manages to tweak his chords enough to keep it from being a totally straight interpretation. “Starts” continues Swallow’s solo exploration, this time less jaunty, less Spanish, but no less contrapuntal. The Gordon Jenkins composition, “Goodbye,” originally showed up on the trio’s second album for Verve, Thesis in 1961. Giuffre’s clarinet sings the sad song, with Swallow and Bley finishing his and each other’s phrases. Swallow’s unique bass approach creates a call and response role with the clarinet. The long group improv “Bats in the Belfry” begins with a few lines from Giuffre on soprano that echo back from Bley and Swallow, and the variations commence. After various changes, Giuffre switches to clarinet, and in one sequence Bley sounds as if he’s playing prepared piano. ~Rex Butters

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Sean Jones - No Need For Words

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:08
Size: 128.5 MB
Styles: Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:10] 1. Look And See
[7:24] 2. Olive Juice
[7:11] 3. Momma
[6:09] 4. Touch And Go
[6:52] 5. No Need For Words
[8:02] 6. Obsession (Cloud Nine)
[5:24] 7. Love's Fury
[7:53] 8. Forgiveness (Release)

Sean Jones: trumpet; Brian Hogans: alto saxophone, strings (7); Orrin Evans: piano, keyboards (7); Obed Calvaire: drums; Luques Curtis: bass; Khalil Kwame Bell: percussion (2, 7, 8); Corey Henry: organ (8); Matt Stevens: guitar (7).

Trumpeter Sean Jones has something to say and he says it in his inimitably bright, clear and soaring voice. This is clearly why he is fast becoming associated with the renaissance of the instrument that was brought about by an early mentor, Wynton Marsalis. Jones is a deeply spiritual player. His impulse to adorn notes with joyous phrases and lines comes from gospel roots. He preaches as he lets his trumpet sing and he urges his ensemble of players the laity, so to speak, to respond to the lofty, majestic homilies that seem to be sparked by mighty psalms, couched in simple songs that roar with righteousness. Or they may be melodies that burn with zeal for greater glory, levitating with burnished splendor as they emerge, set free from the gleaming bell of his trumpet, sounding as if from a flaming pulpit. No matter where Jones positions himself, he is always poised to soar into the stratosphere, only to swoop down as if from a silver cloud to gather his congregation and whip up a frenzied fervor among all who would hear him and his ensemble. At other times his music is like a tender caress, stroked out of his benign horn.

No Need for Words is a tantalizing paradigm. This very vocal music obviates the need for verbiage that would otherwise describe the experience contained in the songs, no matter the urge for lyrical narratives and lofty sermons. No matter that conventional wisdom might suggest some poetry—even in the vocabularies of music—may be necessary to enable melodies to rise above the prosaic. For instance, a title like "Look and See" might seem to be a call to follow a pointed finger, but not in Jones' book. Here is actually a call to share in a visionary perception that pierces the disappearing horizon as Jones and alto saxophonist Brian Hogans, together with pianist Orrin Evans, ruffle the melodic and harmonic road that leads to a wholly new set of vistas where drummer Obed Calvaire redraws the vanishing points of the song with pomp and circumstance. The emotional windup of the album is reached in the taut tessellations of "Obsession (Cloud Nine)."

Along the way, there is plenty of emotion of another kind: the gorgeous, elegiac beauty in the diaphanous beauty of "Momma," especially in the wailing high note that Jones repeats as if to emphasize the depth of his love; and in the edginess and elasticity of "Touch and Go," which stutters and swings around the rattle and swishing of Calvaire's skins and shimmering cymbals before settling down into a tantalizing walking and skipping pace. The gleaming, bronzed beauty of the almost statuesque grace of "No Need for Words" seems almost too much to bear for the trumpeter, as the music is squeezed out of embouchure and bell. The music here seems virtually static at first, only to spin gently around bass and drums. At times breathtaking, No Need for Words is an album of exceeding beauty. ~Raul D'Gama Rose

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Terell Stafford - Brotherlee Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:54
Size: 173.7 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[ 8:06] 1. Hocus Pocus
[ 7:23] 2. Mr. Kenyatta
[ 8:52] 3. Petty Larceny
[ 8:57] 4. Candy
[ 7:28] 5. Yes I Can, No You Can't
[12:26] 6. Favor
[ 6:43] 7. Stop Start
[ 6:14] 8. Carolyn
[ 9:40] 9. Speedball

Terell Stafford: trumpet; Tim Warfield: saxophone; Bruce Barth: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Dana Hall: drums.

Over the past several decades, trumpeter Terell Stafford has built a solid reputation based on the fact that he is a thoroughly accomplished musician who has been heard in the bands of Bobby Watson, Matt Wilson, The Clayton Brothers, and Dana Hall. Although he has digested the complete history of the jazz trumpet cannon, Stafford remains his own man with a style and approach that is squarely his own. This fact is important because in endeavoring to pay tribute to the iconic Lee Morgan, Stafford does not merely copy. He honors Morgan's legacy while speaking in his own voice.

Stafford has assembled a varied and sagacious collection of numbers clearly associated with Morgan. He makes these pieces his own not by grafting on new structures or dramatically altering the forms. Instead, the trumpeter uses the inspiration of these classics to deliver his own stories. From out of the gate, "Hocus Pocus" announces that the fiery personality of Morgan himself is injected in Stafford's own approach to the material.

The original "Mr. Kenyatta" comes on more like a boogaloo than this new version. Stafford puts more of a bossa groove onto the number. Tenor saxophonist Tim Warfield speaks with authority and full-bodied tone, his sinewy closing line then picked up by Stafford to launch his own solo. Bruce Barth barrels along nicely with some two-fisted runs. "Petty Larceny," which Art Blakey fired up to perfection on his own The Freedom Rider LP, also seems more cooled out here, although Stafford worries a six-note phrase in the best Morgan tradition. While Morgan offered "Candy" as a medium tempo swinger on his LP of the same name, Stafford goes for more of a ballad like approach. Drummer Dana Hall sits out on this one, while Peter Washington submits a wonderfully melodic solo. The bassist also updates the funky "Yes I Can, No You Can't" in a way that inspires Barth to one of his best statements on the disc. The lengthiest cut of the set, "Favor" is a waltz time original by Stafford that really shows how the use of dynamics can give added texture and depth to any performance. Often today's music comes across at a single, continuous sound level. The fact that Stafford and crew are thinking about the nuances of live performance as it transfers to a recording are further signs of their maturity.

Rounding out the set, Stafford goes deep for the ballad "Carolyn." Both "Stop Start" and "Speedball" put Warfield in the spotlight, reminding us how much of a hard bop master we have in this tough tenor. Hall gets his say on the former, where his solo is bolstered by some fancy bass drum footwork. Tastefully produced by John Clayton, Brotherlee Love shows how it's done when it comes to assembling a musical homage. ~C. Andrew Hovan

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Paradigm Shift - Shifting Times

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:37
Size: 118.2 MB
Styles: Soul-Jazz-Funk
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:02] 1. Sandu
[5:03] 2. Yesterdays
[4:10] 3. Sanibel Breeze
[5:28] 4. Half A World Away
[6:10] 5. Shifting Times
[6:25] 6. Big Brother
[4:56] 7. First Shift
[3:57] 8. Simplistic Blues
[2:54] 9. Why Not Scrambled
[5:50] 10. Petra's Lament
[2:37] 11. My Foolish Heart

Melvin Henderson (guitar), Gerry Youngman (organ, flugelhorn), Ted Poor (drums), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Joe Locke (vibraphone), Marcus Printup (trumpet), Bill Tiberio (saxophones).

A paradigm shift implies a move into a new framework, and so the organ trio Paradigm Shift is probably misnamed, as there is nothing particularly evolutionary about what it does. Shifting Times is, however, a captivating session of mainly original compositions that owes a great deal to the Blue Note soul jazz of the late '60s. Equal parts Jimmy Smith, Grant Green and Donald Byrd, Paradigm Shift does manage to pay homage without being completely imitative, and that is where the shift may come in; as reverential as Shifting Times is, it succeeds in feeling completely contemporary.

Guitarist Melvin Henderson, organist Gerry Youngman (who also doubles on flugelhorn), and drummer Ted Poor make up Paradigm Shift, but they enlist the assistance of some high profile players to juice up a session that is, quite simply, a load of fun, with sumptuous grooves and solid playing from all. Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon plays hard and heavy on four tracks, growling vigorously on "Sandu." Trumpeter Marcus Printup jabs and parries with Gordon on the same track, plays it lyrical on the Crusaders-informed "Half a World Away," and contributes a piercing muted solo on "First Shift." Vibraphonist Joe Locke pays tribute to Bobby Hutcherson on "Yesterdays" and the slap-happy "Big Brother."

Henderson is a capable player in the Grant Green vein, although there are smatterings of Kenny Burrell, and even Wes Montgomery, in what he does. His tone is clean and warm, and his ideas flow effortlessly, with a spare economy that occasionally lights a fire, as on the up-tempo "Why Not Scrambled." Youngman, an energetic and vivacious organist throughout the set, manages to play his flugelhorn brightly yet tenderly on "My Foolish Heart," which finds him in duet with Henderson. Poor is a groove-centric drummer, equal parts swing and backbeat.

While Paradigm Shift may not break down any musical barriers, these players know how to have a good time, and that is evident throughout Shifting Times. There's a party atmosphere to the record that makes it an entertaining listen. Playful and unassuming, Shifting Times is the perfect music when you're looking for something to engage the body as well as the mind. ~John Kelman

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Cæcilie Norby - First Conversation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:34
Size: 122.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. For Heaven's Sake
[5:06] 2. Leaving Town For The Weekend
[4:28] 3. Never Let Me Go
[4:10] 4. First Conversation
[5:21] 5. Hallelujah
[4:34] 6. Here's To Life
[4:11] 7. Gentle On My Mind
[4:26] 8. Kyrie
[6:06] 9. Midnight Sun
[2:18] 10. You Must Believe In Spring
[6:37] 11. Tea In Sahara
[2:29] 12. Only The Young

Stemme: Asta Norby Danielsson Sang: Cæcilie Norby Klaver: Jesper Nordenström Kontrabas: Lars Danielsson El guitar: Jacob Fischer Tenorsaxofon: Tore Brunborg Trommer: Anders Kjellberg Percussion: Xavier Desandre-Navarre Trommemaskine: Lars Danielsson .

First Conversation is Cécilie Norby's fourth CD on the American label Blue Note. And which one. The former poptose really estimates a mature and seductive blue tone on the seven standards on the album. On their own compositions by the way. And even on her interpretations of - in this context - so strange numbers like Police's Tea In The Sahara and Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Even on them she stays within the tight limits she herself has spelled out, and that makes the album the original work it has become. The foundations of the music are from some of today's greatest jazz musicians in Scandinavia - Lars Danielsson (bass), Carsten Dahl (piano), Per Jørgensen (trumpet) and Jon Christensen (drums). The album is also recorded with that crew. However, as the sound image turned out to be too thin, the producer added strings - from the Radio Entertainment Orchestra. The result is deeply fascinating. Rarely beautiful. And especially songs such as Kyrie, Never Let Me Go and First Conversation must be highlighted for their compositional qualities. (Translated from Danish.)

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Dan Block - Almost Modern: The Swing To Bop Project

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:31
Size: 147.7 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:26] 1. Dexter Rides Again
[6:27] 2. Too Much Of A Good Thing
[3:41] 3. Byas'd Opinion
[5:29] 4. Illinois Goes To Chicago
[5:31] 5. I Waited For You
[3:51] 6. That's Earl's Brother
[3:52] 7. Dizzy Atmosphere
[4:19] 8. Meandering
[5:10] 9. Setting The Pace
[5:25] 10. I Mean You
[4:52] 11. Sportsman's Hop
[3:26] 12. Koko
[6:57] 13. Disorder At The Border

On Almost Modern, which is subtitled "The Swing to Bop Project," tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Dan Block revives music from the period of time when swing was gradually being replaced by bop. Most of the selections on this CD are from 1944-1947. Block's group with trumpeter Jon-Eric Kellso sometimes pays direct tribute to the Coleman Hawkins 1945 Quintet which featured trumpeter Howard McGhee and pianist Sir Charles Thompson. Even the more boppish pieces such as "I Mean You" and "Dizzy Atmosphere" are played with a swing sensibility. Block has a tone somewhere between Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young and a style that perfectly fits these pieces while Kellso slightly modernizes his approach. The rhythm section swings, Larry Ham mixes together Count Basie and Bud Powell, and guitarist Chris Flory (replaced by Jon Hart on "Ko Ko") takes his share of Charlie Christian-inspired solos. The music pays homage to the past but is creative within the older transitional style. Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

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Dave Liebman & Richie Beirach - Double Edge

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:39
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:09)  1. Naima
(9:07)  2. Round Midnight
(6:37)  3. India
(7:03)  4. On Green Dolphin Street
(6:59)  5. Lover Man - Some Other Time
(3:41)  6. Oleo

Originally put out as an LP in 1987 and reissued as a CD a decade later, this set of duets by David Liebman (on soprano and flute) and pianist Richie Beirach finds the longtime associates in prime form. The length of the program (40 minutes) might be in the LP range but the playing is of the highest order. Liebman and Beirach explore seven superior standards including "'Round Midnight," John Coltrane's "India," a heated "Oleo" and a medley of "Lover Man" and "Some Other Time." None of the performances are at all predictable and there is plenty of chance-taking (along with reverence for the melodies) by both masterful improvisers. This lesser-known sleeper is highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/double-edge-mw0000265727

Personnel:  David Liebman (saxophone), Richard Beirach (piano).

Double Edge

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Max Sunyer & Deborah J. Carter - Black Coral

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:47
Size: 123,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:00)  1. I Dream A World
(5:13)  2. Why Should I Cry For You?
(5:13)  3. The City And The Sea
(4:40)  4. Daydream Day
(3:06)  5. Evensong
(3:54)  6. That's Enough For Now
(6:29)  7. Love Is Conquering Me
(4:16)  8. I'll Worry Tomorrow
(3:29)  9. Here You Are
(4:55) 10. Lullaby Baby
(4:23) 11. Eyes
(3:52) 12. Mirrors
(2:09) 13. Of Such I Dream, Ny World!

Vocalist Deborah J. Carter was born in the U.S.A. and grew up in Hawaii and Japan. She travels extensively performing in jazz festivals, jazz clubs, seminars, and radio and TV shows through Europe and Asia with her trio or as a guest with various formations; from solo pianists to large orchestras. While on tour, she has also given master classes, often sponsored by US embassies all over the world. This vocalist / composer / arranger definitely brings her multi - cultural experiences into her music. 

“We are so privileged in this day and age to have an open door to other cultures and perspectives that enrich our own.” And she brings it to light through her style. Described by the Music Maker magazine as “absolutely top-class”, she is one of the most dynamic vocalists in the jazz scene. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/deborahjcarter

Black Coral

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Jean-Luc Ponty - Aurora

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:40
Size: 89,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Is Once Enough?
(5:54)  2. Renaissance
(2:50)  3. Aurora Part I
(6:20)  4. Aurora Part II
(4:23)  5. Passenger Of The Dark
(5:32)  6. Lost Forest
(6:04)  7. Between You And Me
(2:29)  8. Waking Dream

Aurora is full of state-of-the-art (for 1975) high-powered fusion that differs surprisingly little from the music that Jean-Luc Ponty has played throughout the '80s and '90s. The violinist's quintet (which includes guitarist Darryl Stuermer, keyboardist Patrice Rushen, bassist Tom Fowler, and drummer Norman Fearrington) displays impeccable musicianship and lots of energy. The group was often so tight that the violin, keyboards, guitar, and (to a lesser extent) the electric bass had similar tones, sometimes making it difficult to tell who was soloing at a particular moment. Listeners open to the sound of electronics and funky grooves should be very impressed by the spirited music which combines the adventure of jazz with the sound of rock.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/aurora-mw0000309174

Personnel:  Jean-Luc Ponty – violin, autoharp, keyboards, violectra;  Daryl Stuermer – electric and acoustic guitars;  Patrice Rushen – synthesizer, piano, keyboards;  Tom Fowler – electric bass;  Norman Fearrington – drums, percussion

Aurora

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Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Bridges

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:45
Size: 93,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Hello Sunday! Hello Road!
(3:59)  2. Song Of The Wind
(4:16)  3. Racetrack France
(7:43)  4. Vildgolia (Deaf, Dumb & Blind)
(4:03)  5. Under The Hammer
(5:19)  6. We Almost Lost Detroit
(0:35)  7. Tuskeegee #626
(5:48)  8. Delta Man (Where I'm Comin' From)
(4:21)  9. 95 South (All Of The Places We've Been)

Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Jackson, and the Midnight Band take a slightly different approach with their 1977 effort, Bridges. With less of the gaping and world-infused sound prevalent on previous albums, the songs are more concise and Scott-Heron comes into his own as a singer depending less on his spoken word vocal style. The excellent songwriting exposes Scott-Heron at the height of his powers as a literary artist. The social, political, cultural, and historical themes are presented in a tight funk meets jazz meets blues meets rock sound that is buoyed by Jackson's characteristic keyboard playing and the Midnight Band's colorful arrangements. Scott-Heron's ability to make the personal universal is evident from the opening track, "Hello Sunday! Hello Road!," all the way through to the gorgeous "95 South (All of the Places We've Been)." The most popular cut on the album, "We Almost Lost Detroit," which shares its title with the John G Bridges album for sale. Fuller book published in 1975, recounts the story of the nuclear meltdown at the Fermi Atomic Power Plant near Monroe, MI, in 1966 Bridges songs. This song was also contributed to the No Nukes concert and album in 1980 Bridges buy CD music. Along with the two records that would follow in the late 70s, Bridges stands as one of Scott-Heron's most enjoyable and durable albums. ~ Jeff Schwachter https://www.allmusic.com/album/bridges-mw0000864707

Personnel: Gil Scott-Heron (guitar, piano); Fred Payne, Marlo Henderson (guitar); Brian Jackson (flute, keyboards); Bilal Sunni Ali (saxophone); Delbert Tailor (trumpet); Reggie Brubane, Joe Blocker (drums); Tony Duncanson, Barnett Williams (percussion).

Bridges

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Vic Lewis, West Coast All Stars - Shake Down The Stars: The Music Of Jimmy Van Heusen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:20
Size: 177.0 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[ 5:53] 1. Swinging On A Star
[ 6:28] 2. But Beautiful
[ 5:34] 3. Suddenly It's Spring
[ 7:26] 4. I'll Only Miss Her
[ 7:45] 5. Here's That Rainy Day
[10:06] 6. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
[11:04] 7. I Thought About You
[ 7:51] 8. So Would I
[ 8:50] 9. Shake Down The Stars
[ 6:19] 10. Collar

Bass – Joel DiBartolo; Clarinet, Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Bill Perkins; Drums – Paul Kreibich; Piano – Mike Lang; Tenor Saxophone – Bob Cooper; Trombone – Andy Martin. Recorded at Good Times Vibes Studio, Woodland Hills, CA on April 5th, 1992.

Vic Lewis gathered together a remarkable all-star group of top Los Angeles-based musicians for this date and had the great Bill Holman contribute some very complex but swinging arrangements. With strong solos from the likes of trumpeters Conte Candoli and Jack Sheldon, valve trombonist Rob McConnell, altoist Bud Shank, Bob Cooper on tenor, Bill Perkins on various reeds, either Mike Lang or Alan Broadbent on piano, bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton along with guest spots for pianist Dudley Moore, trombonist Andy Martin and altoists Lennie Niehaus and Lanny Morgan, it is not surprising that the music is often quite magical. But even with the major individual voices, it is Holman's writing that consistently takes honors for his charts are full of surprises and unusual twists and turns. Performed in 1989 (except for Ruth Price's more recently re-recorded vocal on "When I Fall in Love"), this set is highly recommended and a particularly strong example of the brilliance of Bill Holman's writing. ~Scott Yanow

Shake Down The Stars mc
Shake Down The Stars zippy

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Ensemble Vivant, Catherine Wilson - Homage To Astor Piazzolla

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:32
Size: 172.9 MB
Styles: Classical jazz, Tango
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[ 4:56] 1. Fuga Y Misterio
[10:58] 2. Adios Nonino
[ 4:28] 3. Tango Del Diablo
[ 6:25] 4. Romance Del Diablo
[ 2:07] 5. Vayamos Al Diablo
[ 5:06] 6. Oblivion
[ 3:38] 7. Lebertango
[ 6:06] 8. Ave Maria
[ 3:36] 9. Undertango
[ 5:14] 10. Introduccion Al Angel
[ 6:11] 11. Milonga Del Angel
[ 3:19] 12. La Muerte Del Angel
[ 6:52] 13. Resurreccion Del Angel
[ 6:30] 14. Milonga For Three

Catherine Wilson, piano and artistic director; Erica Beston, violin; Amy Laing, cello; Sharon Prater, cello; Dave Young, bass; Dave Campion, percussion; Philip Seguin, percussion.

This beautiful recording of music by Argentine tango master Astor Piazzolla was released on the Opening Day Entertainment Group Label in 2011. Ensemble Vivant has received critical acclaim internationally in both the classical and jazz worlds for their passionate, lyrically intense and sensuous interpretations of Piazzolla’s music. The group worked closely with Piazzolla expert Julien Labro, who also wrote all but one of the arrangements for this iconic recording.

Homage To Astor Piazzolla

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Eduardo Blanco - Childhood Memories

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:35
Size: 111.2 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[6:47] 1. Larambebere's Message
[6:35] 2. The Lamp Is Low
[5:56] 3. Antigua
[6:34] 4. For Eternity
[7:02] 5. Childhood Memories
[6:02] 6. Blues For You
[9:36] 7. King Solomon & Princess Isabella

Childhood memories is the first Cd recorded by the Eduardo Blanco International Quartet. Childhood Memories pictures the musical life of Eduardo Blanco in seven tunes consisting of five original compositions by Eduardo and two standards.

Every musician has his dreams. A lot of those dreams are about having all harmonic and instrumental skills or playing with famous musicians that often are our great heroes. When a musician gets matured, a good sound is the thing we dream of and that will get more important through the years. With bringing the International Quartet together Eduardo Blanco makes some of his dreams come through! Says Eduardo: “For me, a good jazz band plays with intensity but without the use of excessive volume, has a proper use of dynamics, shows respect for the rich jazz tradition and performs with a high sense of groove. This quartet has that all and adds a fresh approach on top of that. For me, this is a dream band”.

Childhood Memories mc
Childhood Memories zippy

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Mike LeDonne - Then & Now

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:20
Size: 151.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[6:19] 1. Then And Now
[6:49] 2. The Sorcerer
[9:19] 3. Trane Song
[7:16] 4. Schism
[7:00] 5. Round Midnight
[4:41] 6. Seeds
[9:43] 7. Continuum
[8:35] 8. Insight
[6:34] 9. Little Millies Hat

Pianist Mike LeDonne expands to a quintet and features mostly original material on his second Double-Time release. The players represent the cream of New York's neo-bop rat pack: tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeter Jim Rotondi, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. LeDonne's compositions generally draw upon sounds from decades past. "Trane Song," for instance, is loosely based on Coltrane's "Crescent"; "Insight" is strongly reminiscent of "Seven Steps to Heaven"; "Seeds" and the title track feature the kind of charging, hard bop frontline that Freddie Hubbard used to favor on his '60s Blue Note albums. Interestingly, LeDonne's most original move is his mid-tempo 6/4 arrangement of Herbie Hancock's "Sorceror," a tune usually played in a blistering four. More straightforward but equally virtuosic is LeDonne's trio rendition of "'Round Midnight." ~David R. Adler

Then & Now mc
Then & Now zippy

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Legends & Lions - Swingin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:29
Size: 131.6 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[6:14] 1. Mighty Burner
[5:53] 2. Blues For Hamp
[5:48] 3. I Am Old Fashioned
[4:28] 4. Comment Allez-Vous
[3:40] 5. Seven Steps To Heaven
[6:06] 6. Nancy Jo
[5:39] 7. Blues For Matt B
[7:55] 8. Old Man Jazz
[6:21] 9. Centerpiece
[5:19] 10. The Masquerade Is Over

Legends & Lions: Swingin' is one of a pair of specially priced compilations simultaneously released by Mack Avenue at a special price to showcase their artists. Unlike typical collections, this CD combines previously issued tracks and music from future projects along with one unissued track that evidently will not appear elsewhere. The selections range from the tasty uptempo blues "Mighty Burner," which showcases trumpeter Rashawn Ross extensively before tenor saxophonist and leader Ron Blake makes his entrance; to vocalist Ilona Knopfler's sensual "Comment Allez-Vous" backed by a fine big band; to a bluesy down-home gospel-flavored treatment of "Centerpiece" that features Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Teddy Edwards, Cedar Walton, and Oscar Brashear. The unissued track, a brisk take of "I'm Old Fashioned" featuring alto saxophonist Bud Shank with pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Bob Magnusson, and drummer Joe La Barbera, may have been set aside due to a few reed squeaks in the opening minute. This excellent sampler showcases a label that is not focused exclusively either on veteran artists or rising stars, but one that simply seeks to record valuable jazz. ~Ken Dryden

Swingin' mc
Swingin' zippy

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Mose Allison - The Collection (2-Disc Set)

This two disc set collects several of Mose Allison’s key tracks from the 1950s, with the first disc, which includes the pianist’s classic versions of “Parchman Farm” and “Young Man’s Blues,” functioning as a sort of “greatest hits” while the second disc features his debut LP Back Country Suite from 1957, which was issued by Prestige Records, along with his first record for Columbia Records, 1959’s The Transfiguration of Hiram Brown. It makes for a great introduction to a one-of-a-kind artist. ~Steve Leggett

Album: The Collection (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:18
Size: 117.4 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues, Bop, Piano & vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. The Seventh Son
[1:40] 2. Eyesight To The Blind
[3:09] 3. Do Nothin’ ‘till You Hear From Me
[3:30] 4. Lost Mind
[2:47] 5. I’ve Got A Right To Cry
[3:13] 6. Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand
[3:16] 7. Parchman Farm
[2:28] 8. If You Live
[2:46] 9. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
[2:59] 10. One Room Country Shack
[2:30] 11. I Hadn’t Anyone ‘till You
[1:23] 12. Young Man’s Blues
[2:25] 13. That’s Alright
[2:32] 14. Baby Please Don’t Go
[1:53] 15. ‘deed I Do
[2:21] 16. I Love The Life I Life, I Live The Life I Love
[3:29] 17. Fool’s Paradise
[2:12] 18. You’re A Sweetheart
[2:10] 19. Mad With You
[1:50] 20. I Ain’t Got Nobody

The Collection (Disc 1) mc
The Collection (Disc 1) zippy

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Album: The Collection (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:59
Size: 174.0 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues, Bop, Piano & vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:08] 1. New Ground
[1:50] 2. Train
[1:47] 3. Warm Night
[1:28] 4. Blues
[1:24] 5. Saturday
[2:15] 6. Scamper
[1:38] 7. January
[2:03] 8. Promised Land
[1:23] 9. Spring Song
[1:38] 10. Highway 49
[3:00] 11. Blueberry Hill
[3:46] 12. You Won’t Let Me Go
[3:53] 13. I Thought About You
[3:45] 14. In Salah
[4:08] 15. Somebody Else Is Taking My Place
[3:24] 16. Yardbird Suite
[4:37] 17. Creek Bank
[3:16] 18. Dirt Road
[2:28] 19. City Home
[1:38] 20. Cuttin' Out
[3:21] 21. Gotham Day
[4:26] 22. Gotham Night
[1:07] 23. Echo
[4:07] 24. The River
[0:46] 25. Finale
[3:46] 26. Crepuscular Air
[3:18] 27. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody
[3:24] 28. Am I Blue

The Collection (Disc 2) mc
The Collection (Disc 2) zippy

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Maceo Parker - Dial Maceo

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:48
Size: 126,7 MB
Art: Front

(0:23)  1. Dial MACEO
(5:10)  2. Rabbits In The Pea Patch
(3:23)  3. My Baby Loves You
(4:02)  4. I've Got Work To Do
(5:38)  5. The Greatest Romance Ever Sold
(4:59)  6. Black Widow
(2:55)  7. Coin Toss
(4:30)  8. Simply Tooley
(4:40)  9. Latin Like
(5:30) 10. The Closer I Get To You
(4:05) 11. My Love
(9:28) 12. Home Boy

Undoubtedly one of the best known sax players in the history of funk, predominantly through his work with James Brown ("Play, Maceo!"), Maceo Parker has had a spotty recorded solo career. His eighth album as a band leader finds the horn honker expanding his palette by aiming his instrument at smooth jazz and rap, while inviting fans Ani DiFranco, James Taylor (?!), and Prince to add superstar spice to his soul stew. Although it's refreshing that these folks wanted to lend a hand, none of their contributions help define the album, and, in Prince's case, even waters it down. Certainly Parker doesn't need any assistance as smoking versions of the Isley Brothers' "Work to Do," the album's opening stuttering funk salvo of the self-composed "Rabbits in the Pea Patch," and "Coin Toss" (DiFranco's track) makes clear. The talented Parker, who is only slightly less adept at the flute and piano, rips into scorching solos equally as energetic as anything he did with Brown or George Clinton. Unfortunately, a shift to easy-listening fusion with treackly covers of Robert Flack's "The Closer I Get to You" and especially Paul McCartney's icky "My Love" move him into slick, supper club territory as the disc closes. His horn still sparkles, but without the deep R&B party sounds to work with, the latter part of the album sinks into formula. On the other end of the spectrum is "Black Widow," featuring Parker's son Corey rapping over a slow, sparse backing as dad plays flute in an attempt to push his musical envelope, which never quite gels. Nor does an almost unrecognizable James Taylor singing vocal harmony on "My Baby Loves You," a joyously upbeat track. By trying to touch too many bases, Maceo Parker only dilutes his most stunning attribute the tough, groove machine fury of his sax. That makes this another good, but not great, release from a legendary artist whose flame remains white hot, but whose albums never quite catch fire.~ Hal Horowitz https://www.allmusic.com/album/dial-maceo-mw0000058958

Personnel: Maceo Parker (vocals, alto saxophone, flute, piano); Prince (vocals, various instruments); Ani DiFranco (vocals, guitar); James Taylor, Corey Parker, "Sweet" Charles Sherrell (vocals); Vincent Henry (tenor saxophone); Ron Tooley (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bennie Cowan (trumpet); Greg Boyer (trombone); Sheryl Crow (harmonica, background vocals); Will Boulware (Hammond organ, synthesizer); Bruno Speight (guitar); Rodney "Skeet" Curtis (bass); Jamal Thomas, Michael Bland (drums); Kevin Hupp (percussion); Diann Sorrell, Audrey Martells, Corey Parker, Charles Sherell (background vocals).

Dial Maceo

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