Andy Bey - Tuesdays In Chinatown

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:01
Size: 130.5 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[6:52] 1. Tuesdays In Chinatown
[4:51] 2. Fragile
[4:59] 3. Bridges
[5:32] 4. Saidas E. Bandeiras
[7:04] 5. In A Mist
[5:32] 6. I'll Remember April
[7:00] 7. Invitation
[6:14] 8. Little Girl Blue
[2:36] 9. Just Friends
[6:17] 10. Feelin' Lowdown

Vocalist/pianist Andy Bey is in fine form on Tuesdays in Chinatown, the third installment in a comeback series that began in 1995 with Ballads, Blues & Bey and continued with 1998's Shades of Bey. Here Bey continues to explore fairly eclectic repertoire. His jazz roots are well represented with standards such as "I'll Remember April," "Invitation," "Little Girl Blue," and "Just Friends." There are also two beautiful songs by Milton Nascimento, "Bridges" and "Saidas e Bandeiras" (the latter sung in Portuguese), as well as a (so-so) cover of Sting's "Fragile." Bey's vocal is entirely wordless on the Bix Beiderbecke composition "In a Mist," one of the disc's more ambitious undertakings. The best cuts, however, are the first and the last: first, the lush and mellow title track, featuring John Sneider on flügelhorn; last, Big Bill Broonzy's "Feelin' Lowdown," a self-accompanied slow blues that showcases Bey's gift to full effect. Bey is backed mainly by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Victor Lewis, with guitarist Paul Meyers playing a major role on four tracks. Appearing as guests are Ron Carter, Marty Ehrlich, Steve Turre, Earl Gardner, Mino Cinelu, and more. Geri Allen crafted the horn arrangements; one only wishes there were more of them. ~David R. Adler

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Bob McHugh - American Classics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:26
Size: 140.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Blue Monk
[3:24] 2. Here's That Rainy Day
[3:53] 3. Big Bill
[4:34] 4. That Sunday That Summer
[4:12] 5. Up Jumped Swing
[5:28] 6. In A Sentimental Mood
[3:59] 7. California Here I Come
[4:01] 8. Skylark
[3:45] 9. The Duke
[4:39] 10. Memories Of You
[4:08] 11. Some Time Ago
[5:14] 12. Sophisticated Lady
[3:01] 13. Sunny Side Of The Street
[3:17] 14. Stella By Starlight
[3:52] 15. My One And Only Love

Bob McHugh has been playing jazz clubs, festivals, halls, private parties, and restaurants in the NY metro area for over fifty years. Be it solo,duo,trio or big band Bob has done it. His styles include, but are not limited to jazz,, blues, pop and fusion. Bob has recorded three albums for Outstanding Records,and has also recorded on Alliance, Perception and Lunge Music. Some of the people he has recorded with are Ray Mantilla, Rich Austin, Raul Paonessa, Ron Naspo, Earl Sauls, Kevin McCarthy, Vinnie Cutro, Tony Signa, Tommy La Bella, Jackie Jones, MNB, Medoosa, David Humm Trio, and Jon Kline, Johnny Guitar & The Pick Ups, The World Concave and has worked with Joe Morello, Bill Crow, Muzzy Napodano, Andrew Cyrille, Norman Edge, Eliot Zigmond, Lou Grassi, Bob DeVos, Cornucopia Big Band, Max Weinberg and many more.

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Wardell Gray - One For Prez

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1946
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:01
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:55)  1. Dell's Bells
(3:12)  2. One For Prez
(3:04)  3. The Man I Love
(3:00)  4. Easy Swing
(4:47)  5. The Great Lie
(3:00)  6. Dell's Bells
(3:15)  7. One For Prez
(3:23)  8. The Man I Love
(3:07)  9. Easy Swing
(3:09) 10. Dell's Bells
(1:39) 11. Dell's Bells
(3:06) 12. Dell's Bells
(3:33) 13. The Man I Love
(3:05) 14. One For Prez
(2:54) 15. One For Prez
(2:45) 16. One For Prez

Wardell Gray's admitted direct and huge influence is Lester Young, and as a tenor saxophonist growing up in the passing lane between swing to bop, it would be difficult for anyone to ignore the so called President of Jazz. Gray's time in Los Angeles with Dexter Gordon further refined his sound, but these recordings, his first as a leader, define the greatness of Gray. Originally recorded on 78s for Vogue Records, and an LP for the Fontana label, this collection is essentially a complete session, done November 23, 1946 in Hollywood, CA, with several alternate takes included. Drummer Harold "Doc" West and bassist Red Callender are the cream of the crop West Coast rhythm section at the time, and cook up a storm when asked to up the tempo. Alongside pianist Dodo Marmarosa, Gray is inspired to play unison lines with him on several occasions, especially in the introductions and melody lines of these pieces, as they mesh brilliantly into a stunning display of teamwork and compatibility. Five versions of "Dell's Bells" display the shared values between Gray and Marmarosa, as they scoot along in perfect tandem lines that seem telepathic, while also displaying the fluid dynamics of the tenor man. "One for Prez" falls along the same lines, basing this jam on the theme of "How High the Moon." Five versions of this one three at the end of the CD are shorter with a more edited introduction. Settling into a more cozy mood, three renditions of the ballad "The Man I Love" have Marmarosa in more of a support role, offering chiming chords and comping that is clearly interactive. 

Two takes of "Easy Swing" are just that, an original based on a simple theme adding big doses of the blues and an off-minor mode à la Thelonious Monk, a big influence on Marmarosa. Drummer Chuck Thompson replaces West for a sole take of "The Great Lie," an out-and-out furious bopper, all Gray, with Marmarosa and the ever brilliant Callender pumping up the rhythm to maximum levels. If you are fond of saxophonists like Don Byas, Chu Berry, Herschel Evans, and Lester Young, please include Gray and this wonderful introduction to him as a leader, backed by a bulletproof all-star combo, all deserving high.~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/one-for-prez-mw0000202924

Personnel: Wardell Gray (tenor saxophone); Dodo Marmarosa (piano); Red Callender (bass); Harold "Doc" West, Chuck Thompson (drums).

One For Prez

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Diane Blue - Blues in My Soul

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:12
Size: 127,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. That's What They Call The Blues
(4:05)  2. Do I Move You
(3:49)  3. Nothing You Can Do
(5:48)  4. In The Dark
(3:41)  5. I Love Your Lovin' Ways
(5:23)  6. Someday Soon
(2:20)  7. Soulville
(5:07)  8. Today I Sing The Blues
(3:02)  9. Day And Night
(6:32) 10. I Can't Shake You
(3:09) 11. Man About Town
(4:07) 12. Cry Daddy
(4:44) 13. Jump For Joy

Diane Blue's debut album on Regina Royale Records features blues royalty: The masterful blues guitarist, Ronnie Earl, and Boston's Queen of the Blues, Ms. Toni Lynn Washington singing along with Ms. Blue on a few tracks. Ms. Blue performs vocals and harmonica in this soulful collection of original and cover tunes, paying homage to Nina Simone, Koko Taylor, Dinah Washington, and Aretha Franklin. Her ensemble includes drummer Lorne Entress and pianist/Hammond B3 organist Dave Limina (both of Ronnie Earl's "Broadcasters"), along with Boston's Bobby Gus on guitar, Johnny "Blue Horn" Moriconi on trumpet. Scott Shetler does double duty on saxophone and horn arrangements.https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/dianeblue2

Blues in My Soul

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Roy Haynes - Love Letters

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:38
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:48)  1. The Best Thing For You
(6:28)  2. That Old Feeling
(7:15)  3. Afro Blue
(7:31)  4. Que Pasa?
(6:33)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(7:42)  6. Love Letters
(5:46)  7. My Shining Hour
(7:13)  8. Stompin' At The Savoy
(4:18)  9. Shades Of Senegal 2

At 77, Roy Haynes is agile, active and still draws a stellar cast of musicians. Those represented on this recording span a generation, and each one endows the music with his own vivid imprint. The division between the players as partners in the adventure of music draws on their strengths and their pliability within the working environ. The chemistry gets going, bonds are forged and a song is given a whole new dynamic. The end result is a veritable feast for the senses. Guitarist John Scofield settles comfortably in the mainstream as he gets into "That Old Feeling," his notes falling in gentle beauty before Dave Holland come in speaking his own language and turning down the tempo slightly. Scofield comes back, picking up the sway with straight ahead explorations before handing things over to Kikoski. Here is a pianist who is completely focused, his playing without fuss yet chockfull of endearing ideas. Haynes, Holland and Scofield etch quite a different picture on "Afro Blue." Scofield spins rhythmic complexities that are invigorated by Holland. The momentum builds and when the tune has been fully essayed, the experience is riveting. Kenny Barron is an elegant and eloquent pianist. He is perfectly cast in the mould, scintillating in the denouement of "The Best Thing For You," with Redman essaying a liquid tenor study in shaded dynamics. The trade-offs between the two on "My Shining Hour" are something to yearn for; McBride, who opens in harmonic closeness on the arco with Redman, gets his say with a lyrical essay in the synthesis of time. Haynes has it all to himself on the last track. His use of timbre, his shading, the accents forge his vision. His control, now as ever, is absolute.~ Jerry D'Souza https://www.allaboutjazz.com/love-letters-roy-haynes-eighty-eights-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php

Personnel: Roy Haynes: drums; Kenny Barron: piano (1, 4, 5, 7); Dave Holland: bass (2, 3, 6, 8); Dave Kikoski: piano (2, 8); Christian McBride: bass (1, 4, 5, 7); Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (1, 4, 7); John Scofield: guitar (2, 3, 6, 8).

Love Letters

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Philip Catherine - Summer Night

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:40
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Tiger Groove
(4:47)  2. Letter from My Mother
(2:41)  3. Summer Night
(4:53)  4. Francis' Delight
(3:44)  5. Birth of Janet
(7:45)  6. Janet
(3:06)  7. Time After Time
(4:18)  8. Laura
(3:44)  9. If I Should Lose You
(4:37) 10. 'Round About Midnight
(3:06) 11. All Through the Day
(3:21) 12. Le Jardin de Madi
(4:32) 13. Gilles et Mirona

Philip Catherine has a guitar tone like that of the shine of hot mercury pouring from a stainless steel cylinder. His latest recording, Summer Night is replete with such a tone on both fusionesque pieces and more mainstream standard fare. Catherine deftly employs electric effects, always tastefully, to make his playing more fluid. "Tiger Groove" so totally rocks with Bert Jorvis’ brass that it grabs the listeners’ attention and sucks him or her into this wonderful melee of rhythm and harmony. Catherine takes on the standard ("Time After Time," "’Round About Midnight"), the fusion ("Tiger Groove") and the Space Guitar ("Birth of Janet") with equal enthusiasm. This is simply as fine a jazz guitar recording as one could hope for, as there is something for all listeners. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/summer-night-philip-catherine-dreyfus-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Philip Catherine (guitar); Bert Joris (trumpet, flugelhorn); Philips Aerts (bass); Joost Van Schaik (drums)

Summer Night

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Fred Hersch Trio - Live In Europe

Styles: Piano Jazz 

Year: 2018

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:56

Size: 151,3 MB

Art: Front

(5:51)  1. We See

(7:12)  2. Snape Maltings

(2:50)  3. Scuttlers

(4:48)  4. Skipping

(8:25)  5. Bristol Fog (For John Taylor)

(8:40)  6. Newklypso (For Sonny Rollins)

(6:56)  7. The Big Easy (For Tom Piazza)

(7:10)  8. Miyako

(6:43)  9. Black Nile

(5:16) 10. Solo Encore-Bluemonk

Fred Hersch's 2009 recording, Whirl (Palmetto Records), was where pure magic first occurred in the pianist's extensive and consistently superb discography. That particular outing introduced his now long-standing trio with bassist John Hebert and drummer Eric McPherson. Alive At the Vanguard (2012), Floating (2014), and Sunday Night At The Vanguard (2016) by the group followed, all on Palmetto Records. For those who lauded Hersch's solo outing, Open Book (Palmetto Records, 2017) as his finest, most incisive and finely focused outing, the pianist offers up Live In Europe, featuring his Hebert/McPherson team, to garner votes for that "Hersch's Best" slot. Performed at Flagey Studio 4, in Brussels's former National Institute for Radio Broadcasting, Hersch was initially unaware that the set which he regarded as one of his best trio performances ever had been recorded. Upon finding out that it had been and upon hearing the tape and having his belief in its extraordinary quality confirmed he decided to release the music. Spinning through Hersch's previous outings with this nine years and running trio says that they bring the "A" game every time. On Live In Europe it's an "A+" game. The players are as flexibly synchronized and adept at presenting their three-way improvisational and emotional expressionism as they could be, on a set that begins with a jittery take on Thelonious Monk's "We See."

The group follows with six Hersch originals, including tributes to British pianist John Taylor and a calypso-esque nod to saxophone legend Sonny Rollins, before slipping into the Herbie Hancock songbook with the achingly beautiful "Miyako," that gives way to an effervescent take on a second Shorter tune, "Black Nile." It's a set where Hersch sounds freer, more open to possibilities, employing the same exploratory approach he presented on the epic "Though The Forest" on his Open Book outing. And the sound must be addressed. It doesn't get any better a big plus, especially on piano trio outings. The piano is crisp, like a winter sunrise. Every nuance of McPherson's intricate and energetic drumming has crystal clarity, and Hebert's empathic and emphatic bass lines come through with a clean-cut lucidity. The show wraps it up with a solo encore of "Blue Monk," a sober and contemplative return to Monk-land, a place to which Hersch often travels.~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-in-europe-fred-hersch-palmetto-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Fred Hersch: piano; John Hebert: bass; Eric McPherson: drums.

Live In Europe

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Ahmad Jamal - Jazz Cafe Presents Ahmad Jamal

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:39
Size: 88.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[6:22] 1. Waltz For Debby
[5:40] 2. Folks Who Live On The Hill
[5:24] 3. People
[8:31] 4. Baia
[4:39] 5. The Good Life
[5:16] 6. Autumn In New York
[2:44] 7. I've Never Been In Love Before

The Jazz Cafe is an award winning live venue with a live music rota that leans towards the jazz & eclectic side of things. Some very fresh and upfront music across a variety of genres - from the coolest things in live electronic to soulful jazzy beats.

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jamal began playing Piano at a young age and his talents were acknowledged fast within the community. He has been described as one of the “Zen masters of jazz piano” and one of the greatest innovators of the genre. He came at a time where improvisation and speed were core to the success of jazz, however true to his personality he took steps in an opposing direction and formed what he later coined as “cool jazz”, this was an attempt to bring jazz out of the underground and further into the public domain.

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Vic Juris - Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:12
Size: 147.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:18] 1. Lonely Woman
[5:00] 2. What's Goin' On
[5:49] 3. Ugly Beauty
[6:20] 4. Tereza My Love
[7:43] 5. The Wrong Blues
[7:27] 6. All The Things You Are
[7:07] 7. Slow Hot Wind
[5:45] 8. Blue
[6:37] 9. I Wish I Knew
[6:00] 10. Remembering The Rain

VIC JURIS guitar; JAY ANDERSON bass; ADAM NUSSBAUM drums.

Vic Juris’ new album “Blue” is heavily focused on ballads, which Vic’s signature fluid sound backed up by his mature artistry fits perfectly. One of today’s premier jazz guitarists Vic Juris has been active on the scene for over four decades amassing an impressive discography.

“Vic Juris is a versatile and impressively accomplished guitarist. His playing exudes warmth, intelligence and respect for the tradition. Perhaps best of all, he seems to understand that the foregoing positives also apply to a legion of contemporary guitarists, and he looks for ways to set his work apart, in terms of sound, approach, or material. “ ~Duck Baker/JazzTimes

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Maxine Brown - Out Of Sight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:20
Size: 76.3 MB
Styles: Pop/Soul
Year: 1968/2005
Art: Front

[2:25] 1. Sugar Dumplin'
[2:03] 2. Plum Outa Sight
[2:39] 3. Sunny
[2:48] 4. I Wish It Would Rain
[2:19] 5. I'm In Love
[2:34] 6. In My Entire Life
[2:48] 7. Don't Leave Me Baby
[2:14] 8. Just Give Me One Good Reason
[2:24] 9. Stop
[2:59] 10. Seems You've Forsaken My Love
[2:36] 11. When A Man Loves A Woman
[2:33] 12. Love In Them There Hills
[2:51] 13. From Loving You

Although she never had many hits, Maxine Brown was one of the most underrated soul and R&B vocalists of the '60s. During the '60s she released a series of singles for Nomar and Wand, with only a couple of songs -- "All in My Mind," "Funny," "Something You Got," "Oh No Not My Baby" -- managing to become either pop or R&B hits. Despite her lack of hits, Brown is acknowledged as one of the finest R&B vocalists of her time, capable of delivering soul, jazz, and pop with equal aplomb.

Born in Kingstree, SC, Brown began singing as child, singing with two New York-based gospel groups when she was a teenager. In 1960, she signed with the small Nomar label, who released the smooth soul ballad "All in My Mind" late in the year. The single became a hit, climbing to number two on the R&B charts (number 19 pop), and it was quickly followed by "Funny," which peaked at number three. Brown was poised to become a star, and she moved to ABC-Paramount in 1962, but she left the label within a year without scoring any hits. She signed to the New York-based, uptown soul label Wand in 1963.

Brown recorded her best work at Wand, having a string of moderate hits for the label over the next three years. Among these were Carole King/Gerry Goffin song "Oh No Not My Baby," which reached number 24 on the pop charts; "It's Gonna Be Alright"; and the Chuck Jackson duets "Something You Got," "Hold On I'm Coming," and "Daddy's Home." Part of the reason Brown didn't receive much exposure is that the label focused much of their attention on Dionne Warwick, leaving Maxine Brown to toil in semi-obscurity. In 1969, she left Wand and signed with Commonwealth United, where she had the minor hits "We'll Cry Together" and "I Can't Get Along Without You." In 1971, she moved to Avco Records, but all of her recordings for the label went ignored and she faded away over the course of the decade. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra - Without A Trace

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:33
Size: 118.0 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[6:47] 1. Speak Low
[7:34] 2. Without A Trace
[7:18] 3. All Or Nothing At All
[6:48] 4. Incandescence
[8:01] 5. Juju
[8:25] 6. Shapeshifter
[6:37] 7. Something For Tadd

Scott Reeves: trombone, alto flugelhorn; Steve Wilson: soprano saxophone, flute; Vito Chiavuzzo: alto saxophone, flute; Rob Middleton: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Tim Armacost: tenor saxophone; Terry Goss: baritone saxophone; Jay Brandford: baritone saxophone; Seneca Black: trumpet; Nathan Eklund: trumpet; Chris Rogers: trumpet; Bill Mobley: trumpet; Andy Gravish: trumpet; Tim Sessions: trombone; Matt McDonald: trombone; Matt Haviland: trombone; Max Siegel: bass trombone; Jim Ridi: piano; Dave Ellson: vibraphone; Todd Coolman: bass; Andy Watson: drums; Carolyn Leonhart: vocals.

The Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra follows up the highly successful debut album Portraits and Places (Origin, 2016), with another masterpiece recording on Without A Trace offering new and exciting arrangements of three standards and four creative Reeves originals that all together, pack quite a powerful musical punch. A full-tenured professor at The City University of New York (CUNY), composer, trombonist and flugelhornist Reeves, takes this twenty-piece ensemble to a higher level in fashioning a riveting musical statement that is sure to resonate with lovers of the big band sound.

Comprising some of the finest musicians from the New York jazz scene, Reeves spices the cast by including such luminaries as saxophonists Steve Wilson and Tim Armacost, along with pianist Jim Ridi and vocalist Carolyn Leonhart among the world-class personnel. Penned with an Afro-Cuban rhythm in mind, the time-honored Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash composition "Speak Low," takes on a new life with solo moments from Wilson, trumpeter Chris Rogers and drummer Andy Watson. Pianist Ridi and tenor saxophonist Armacost provide the lead solos on the Reeves title track ("Without a Trace") that features Leonhart lending her lush vocals in a tune characterized by unconventional harmonies that work quite well here. The Altman/Lawrence standard "All or Nothing at All," highlights Reeves on a blazing trombone solo as the band turns brassy and bold on this interpretation of the classic with alto saxophonist Vito Chiavuzzo providing a pleasant spark.

From Wayne Shorter's 1965 release of "JuJu," Reeves provides the most recent arrangement from bassist John Patitucci on this large orchestration of the familiar piece while "Shape Shifter," delivers a much more intricate sound from a slow intro to a fast-paced swinging ¾ section, a solo by the leader on alto flugelhorn as well as a shift in tempo and mood. Ending in high-octane fashion, the band lets it all hang out on a tribute for the great Thad Jones on "Something for Thad," featuring sparkling solos from trumpeter Andy Gravish and trombonist Matt Haviland capping a vibrant and powerful session of big band jazz from the Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra, kudos to Reeves and the band. ~Edward Blanco

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Bill Harris -S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:37
Size: 70.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[1:32] 1. Cherokee
[2:33] 2. Moonglow
[3:01] 3. Out Of Nowhere
[2:44] 4. Ethyl
[2:46] 5. Possessed
[2:39] 6. Perdido
[1:49] 7. I Can't Get Started
[2:35] 8. Dreaming
[2:18] 9. K.C. Shuffle
[2:09] 10. Ivanhoe
[2:20] 11. Stompin' At The Savoy
[2:22] 12. Lover
[1:42] 13. Spring

A guitarist who spent at least two decades on the road with rhythm & blues vocal group the Clovers, Bill "Willie" Harris had a thick background in bebop and swing guitar as well as gospel. The latter style was at his fingertips even before he discovered guitarists such as Oscar Moore on records and radio, since Harris' father was a preacher who was in the position to turn the church organist job over to his offspring. Meanwhile, Harris' mother was drumming in basic harmony and an uncle had chipped in with a guitar, apparently to be the beauty move. The Army supplied a bugle that temporarily halted progress with strings attached, so to speak. Harris was discharged in the mid-'40s and promptly began studying guitar in Washington, D.C., becoming fairly good with both jazz and classical pieces. Harris was encouraged particularly in the classics by high-up staff at the Columbia School of Music, yet seems to have picked the Clovers due to a perceived scent of economic security. The choice, interestingly enough, still wound up leading to expanded musical horizons when fellow rhythm & blues and session guitarist Mickey Baker eavesdropped on a Harris dressing-room practice session and began pulling strings for what would be a series of releases under Harris' own name, such as the 1960 Great Guitar Sounds. The previous EmArcy Solo Guitar from 1956 is considered to be the first album of solo jazz guitar ever released. During the '70s, Harris operated Pigfoot, a Washington, D.C., restaurant, nightclub, and art gallery. ~bio by Eugene Chadbourne

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Chet Baker & Art Pepper Sextet - Playboys

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:21
Size: 157,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. For Minors Only
(6:44)  2. Minor Yours
(5:42)  3. Resonant Emotions
(5:32)  4. Tynan Time
(6:45)  5. Picture Of Heath
(6:26)  6. For Miles And Miles
(5:14)  7. C.T.A.
(6:19)  8. Tynan Time
(4:17)  9. Little Girl
(7:14) 10. Minor Yours
(3:57) 11. Sonny Boy
(5:04) 12. The Route

These 1956 Pacific Jazz sides appeared in 1961 under the title Playboys. Myth and rumor persist that, under legal advice from the publisher of a similarly named magazine, the collection would have to be retitled. It was renamed Picture of Heath, as more than half of the tracks are Jimmy Heath compositions. Regardless, the music is the absolute same. These are the third sessions to feature the dynamic duo of Art Pepper (alto sax) and Chet Baker (trumpet). Their other two meetings had produced unequivocal successes. The first was during a brief July 1956 session at the Forum Theater in L.A. Baker joined forces with Pepper's sextet, ultimately netting material for the Route LP. Exactly three months to the day later, Pepper and Baker reconvened to record tracks for the Chet Baker Big Band album. The quartet supporting Baker and Pepper on Playboys includes Curtis Counce (bass), Phil Urso (tenor sax), Carl Perkins (piano), and Larance Marable (drums). Baker and Pepper have an instinctual rapport that yields outstanding interplay. The harmony constant throughout the practically inseparable lines that Baker weaves with Pepper drives the bop throughout the slinky "For Minors Only." The soloists take subtle cues directly from each other, with considerable contributions from Perkins, Counce, and Marable. With the notorious track record both Baker and Pepper had regarding other decidedly less successful duets, it is unfortunate that more recordings do not exist that captured their special bond. These thoroughly enjoyable and often high-energy sides are perfect for bop connoisseurs as well as mainstream jazz listeners.~ Lindsay Planer https://www.allmusic.com/album/playboys-mw0000196883

Personnel:  Chet Baker — trumpet;  Art Pepper — alto saxophone;  Phil Urso — tenor saxophone;  Carl Perkins — piano;  Curtis Counce — bass;  Larance Marable — drums.

Playboys

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Deborah Cox - I Will Always Love You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:37
Size: 85,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. I'm Every Woman
(5:00)  2. I Have Nothing
(3:55)  3. All the Man I Need
(4:52)  4. I Wanna Dance With Somebody
(4:55)  5. Run to You
(4:58)  6. The Greatest Love of All
(3:37)  7. Jesus Loves Me
(4:35)  8. I Will Always Love You

2017 release. Grammy Award-nominated and multi-platinum R&B/pop recording artist and film/TV actress Deborah Cox is currently crossing the country as superstar Rachel Marron in the hit musical The Bodyguard. "I Will Always Love You" is an eight track EP featuring the most requested songs from the smash-hit musical, including such iconic fan favorites as "All the Man that I Need", "I Have Nothing" and "I Will Always Love You." "Deborah Cox, a songstress with a silken, rangy voice, impresses with her energetic and emotive renditions of the songs." ~ The New York Times. "Deborah Cox astonishes!" ~  The Philadelphia Inquirer. https://www.amazon.com/I-Will-Always-Love-You/dp/B06XGDL523

I Will Always Love You

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Denny Zeitlin - Homecoming

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:55
Size: 96,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. First Light
(3:41)  2. Homecoming
(5:10)  3. Waltz for Josephine
(3:13)  4. Morning Touch
(5:07)  5. Hymn
(3:12)  6. Just Passing By
(3:49)  7. Brazilian Street Dance
(6:35)  8. Millpond
(3:46)  9. Mayfly
(3:43) 10. Quiet Now

Paul Winter's Living Music label mostly specialized in new age and meditation music, so this solo jazz piano set from Denny Zeitlin was a bit unusual for the company. Actually, Zeitlin mostly concentrated on quiet ballads during the date, playing ten of his originals (best-known is "Quiet Now") and showing off his lyrical rather than his swinging side. More mood variations would have uplifted the music but the results are pleasing. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/homecoming-mw0000192448  

Personnel:  Denny Zeitlin - Piano

Homecoming

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Charlie Haden with Gonzalo Rubalcaba - Land of the Sun

Styles: Post Bop, Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:14
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:17)  1. Fuiste Tu (It Was You)
(5:08)  2. Sueno Solo COn Tu Amor (I Only Dream of Your Love)
(7:00)  3. Cancion De Cuna a Patricia (Lullaby for Patricia)
(8:06)  4. Solamente Una Vez (You Belong to My Heart))
(5:41)  5. Nostalgia
(7:07)  6. De Siempre (Forever)
(3:21)  7. Anoranza (Longing)
(4:49)  8. Cuando Te Podre Olvidar (When Will I Forget You)
(6:42)  9. Esta Tarde Vi Llover (Yesterday I Heard the Rain)
(8:58) 10. Cancion a Paola (Paola's Song)

It should come as no surprise that Land of the Sun, a collection of Mexican ballads written by three of Mexico's most prominent modern composers, is yet another chapter in Charlie Haden's continually unfolding musical biography. Haden was given a folder of songs by the late and legendary Mexican composer José Sabre Marroquín by his daughter as a thank you for his recording of "Nocturnal." Haden went over the tunes and decided to record some of them; he turned them over to pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba for arranging, employed a stellar band, and Land of the Sun is the end result. What a result. There are eight compositions by Marroquín and one each by Augustín Lara and Armando Manzanero, in their own right prolific and revered songwriters who have been recorded in this country by Presley, Sinatra, and Bennett, to name a few. The band assembled for this project is stellar Joe Lovano, Ignacio Berroa, Rubalcaba, Miguel Zenón, Oriente Lopez, Larry Koonse, Lionel Loueke, Michael Rodriguez, and Juan De La Cruz. Rubalcaba's charts don't transform the songs into jazz tunes, but rather become an entryway for melodic improvisation, rhythmic invention, and group interplay. Rubalcaba's front-line interaction with Lovano, Zenón, and Rodriguez especially on "De Siempre" is emotionally honest and musically inspiring. "Nostalgia," introduced by Spanish guitar, percussion, and piano, is a wonderful springlike bittersweet melody wrapped in a languid rhythm and made poignant first by Rodriguez, and then Zenón, before the guitars waft back in. Lara's "Solamenta una Vez" is arranged for trio here. Rubalcaba's solo, with its shifting ostinati and alternating chordal and single-note runs, is breathtaking. Lovano's lyricism on "Esta Tarde Vi Llover," by Manzanero, is played in his best Ben Webster. With skittering brush work by Berroa, Lovano accents the tune's similarities to "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss" before turning it over to Rubalcaba, who extrapolates the harmony and opens it up against De La Cruz's bongos. Land of the Sun is a deeply romantic album, but it is lush without artificial ornamentation or affectation. Musically, its refinement is such that it begs critical as well as casual listening. Hopefully this won't be the last such exercise from Haden and Rubalcaba, but an introduction.~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/land-of-the-sun-mw0000637062  

Personnel:  Charlie Haden – bass;  Gonzalo Rubalcaba – piano;  Ignacio Berroa – drums;  Joe Lovano – tenor saxophone;  Miguel Zenon – alto saxophone;  Michael Rodriquez – trumpet, flugelhorn;  Oriente Lopez – flute;  Larry Koonse – guitar;  Lionel Loueke – guitar;  Juan De La Cruz – percussion

Land of the Sun

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Kenny Barron - Concentric Circles

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:13
Size: 152,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. DPW
(7:26)  2. Concentric Circles
(5:39)  3. Blue Waters
(5:28)  4. A Short Journey
(8:15)  5. Aquele Frevo Axé
(4:43)  6. Von Hangman
(7:00)  7. In the Dark
(5:16)  8. Baile
(5:54)  9. L's Bop
(6:51) 10. I'm Just Sayin'
(4:44) 11. Reflections

Pianist Kenny Barron celebrates his 75th birthday with his Blue Note debut, 2018's sophisticated quintet album, Concentric Circles. An 11-time Grammy-nominated artist, Barron is a journeyman performer with over five decades of highly regarded work under his belt, including stints with titans like Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Stan Getz, and many others. He brings all of that experience to bear here with a largely original set of swinging, harmonically nuanced compositions. Backing him are his longtime bandmates bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Johnathan Blake, along with added quintet members trumpeter Mike Rodriguez and saxophonist Dayna Stephens. In a sense, Concentric Circles is a continuation of Barron's recent trio albums 2015's Interplay and 2016's Book of Intuition, both of which showcased his lithe improvisational skills, and deft sense of group interplay. Here, he expands that approach, offering up richly arranged melodies and songs that touch upon forward-thinking post-bop ("Concentric Circles"), atmospheric modality ("A Short Journey"), and buoyant Latin rhythms ("Baile"). Having already grabbed attention on albums with artists like Miguel Zenón, Bebo Valdés, and Charlie Haden, trumpeter Rodriguez remains a quietly ascending star-in-the-making here, blessed with a warm, puckered tone and knack for engaging, architectural lines. His bluesy solo on the hard-boppish "Blue Waters," and his tender flügelhorn turn on Caetono Veloso's ballad "Aquele Frevo Axe" are supremely engaging. Similarly, Stephens continues to prove he's one of the most inventive and accomplished players of his generation, offering up spiraling, vocal-like improvisations throughout. Together, they spar on "Baile" and take divergent, yet complementary paths on the roiling, funky "L's Bop." While Barron has never sounded anything short of virtuosic, his skills have only deepened over the years. He commands the album, framing his musicians with richly textured chord voicings one minute, and launching into evocative improvisational asides the next. What's particularly refreshing is how immediate and of-the-moment the album feels. Concentric Circles is the sound of a jazz master continuing to push forward, buoyed by his bandmates and the lessons of the past.

~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/concentric-circles-mw0003167648   

Personnel: Kenny Barron: Piano; Dayna Stephens: Saxophone; Mike Rodriguez: Trumpet; Kiyoshi Kitagawa: Bass; Johnathan Blake: Drums.

Concentric Circles

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Duke Jordan - The Great Session

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:40
Size: 116.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1982/1994
Art: Front

[6:36] 1. All The Things You Are
[7:28] 2. Moonglow
[6:38] 3. Satin Doll
[8:55] 4. Thinking Of You
[9:54] 5. A Night In Tunesia
[6:57] 6. Ladybird
[4:10] 7. Blues In The Closet

Bass – David Friesen; Drums – Philly Joe Jones; Piano – Duke Jordan. Recorded June 30, 1978.

One of many recordings by Duke Jordan for Steeplechase, this trio session pairs the pianist with bassist David Friesen and drummer Philly Joe Jones. There's a bit of hyperbole in the album's title, as the play list is hardly adventurous and the arrangements are average, in spite of the strong personnel. The date opens with a rather perfunctory rendition of "All the Things You Are" that incorporates Dizzy Gillespie's famous introductory vamp, and a spacious "Moonglow" followed by Duke Ellington's overly recorded "Satin Doll," a piece even many Ellington fans are tired of hearing. Jones sets up "A Night in Tunisia" with an extended fiery solo, with Jordan and Friesen firing on all cylinders in a romp through this bop standard. Friesen's delicious walking bass is the highlight of "Blues in the Closet." The CD edition adds a previously unissued track, Jordan's warm, low-key ballad "Thinking of You." ~Ken Dryden

The Great Session mc
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Andreas Varady - The Quest

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:56
Size: 146.4 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[ 1:11] 1. Lost Memories
[ 8:49] 2. Radio Joint
[11:05] 3. Follow Me
[ 7:26] 4. The Time Is Now
[ 1:14] 5. Patience
[ 7:16] 6. The Quest
[ 7:34] 7. Story
[ 8:28] 8. Her Dream
[ 8:56] 9. Radiska
[ 1:54] 10. Outro

Andreas Varady: guitar, bass, vocals; Adrian Varady: drums; Bandi Varady: aoustic bass; Benito Gonzalez: piano; Radovan Tariška: saxophone.

Early-career hype can be a peculiar mix of blessing and curse. Andreas Varady certainly deserves some praise, and one could hardly ask for a more generous mentor and endorser than Quincy Jones ("It's not every day that you see a 15-year-old kid playing like George Benson!"). Pre-teen virtuosity and study of influences, however, inevitably have to give way to developing one's own voice. Old and new listeners alike should have no worries on that score. With his third recording coming as he approaches 21, Varady makes a promisingly bold leap towards coming into his own.

The titular quest doesn't refer to a goal but an intent to explore—"seeking cool things, playing cool music in cool places, enjoying it all and having fun doing what you wanna do," in the guitarist's words. Despite that prominent adjective, though, cool takes an easy second place behind hot on The Quest. The playing sizzles, the writing flies over the stylistic map with abandon, and the players' chemistry has the distinct brashness of youngsters freshly starting out and bursting with ambition.

The opening pair and brisk mid-album title track could almost make a listener wonder if they'd cued up a Pat Metheny Group recording by mistake. Benson, Wes Montgomery and Kurt Rosenwinkel make obvious touchstones as well, but more exciting is the way Varady spins his musical loves together. The leader shreds like a madman, yet never without purpose and smart deliberation. "Radiska" burns up the joint with some wild hard-bop piano and sax; the mid-tempo "The Time Is Now" and "Her Dream" coast with a warm mid-tempo ballad feel both classic and timeless. Each piece also boasts enough different sections and dynamics to leave those descriptions only a semi-accurate shorthand.

The time is indeed now for Andreas Varady. He's done his homework so much that the process sounds effortless. He's gone from reflecting influences to absorbing and reworking them. It just remains for the rest of us to excitedly watch where else this crazy talent will take him—all indications say it should be a remarkable journey. ~Geno Thackara

The Quest mc
The Quest zippy

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Chick Corea - My Spanish Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:41
Size: 155.0 MB
Styles: Fusion
Year: 1976/2016
Art: Front

[4:46] 1. Love Castle
[3:12] 2. The Gardens
[4:27] 3. Day Danse
[1:38] 4. My Spanish Heart
[6:00] 5. Night Streets
[6:15] 6. The Hilltop
[5:00] 7. Wind Danse
[5:17] 8. Armando's Rhumba
[1:34] 9. Prelude To El Bozo
[2:53] 10. El Bozo, Part I
[2:03] 11. El Bozo (Part 2)
[4:58] 12. El Bozo (Part 3)
[6:06] 13. Spanish Fantasy (Part 1)
[5:15] 14. Spanish Fantasy (Part 2)
[3:06] 15. Spanish Fantasy (Part 3)
[5:04] 16. Spanish Fantasy (Part 4)

This 1976 release features Chick Corea in what was then, and remains, a unique musical setting. While it is truly an electric jazz fusion record, it is also the only solo recording of Corea's on which he attempted to truly explore the Latin side of his musical heritage. My Spanish Heart marks a full-scale, yet thoroughly modern, exploration in the musical lineage Corea sprang from. Making full use of synthesizer technology, a string section, and synth-linked choruses -- of two voices, his own and that of Gayle Moran -- as well as percussionist Don Alias, drummer Steve Gadd, a full brass section, and the sparse use of Jean Luc Ponty ("Armando's Rumba") and bassist Stanley Clark, Corea largely succeeded in creating a Spanish/Latin tapestry of sounds, textures, impressions, and even two suites -- "Spanish Fantasy" and "El Bozo." The string quartet performs its intricate and gorgeously elegant arrangements with verve and grace on "Day Danse" and on the suites, with Corea's contrapuntal pianism creating a sharp yet warm contrast to the shifting tempos, wild interval leaps, and shimmering timbral balances that occur. The only pieces that sound dated on this double-album-length set are the fusion pieces, which are, with their production and knotty stop-and-start modulations and key signature equations -- complete with aggressive arpeggios and scalar linguistics -- destined to be limited in expression by the voice of their use of technology. Thus, "Love Castles," "The Gardens," and "Night Streets" suffer from their rather cheesy production despite their tastefully done double fusion semantics (jazz to rock to Latin music). There is no doubt that Corea's musicianship was up to any task he chose at this point in time. Simply put, he was compositionally and intellectually at the top of his game, and this record, despite the many of his that haven't aged well, still surprises despite its production shortcomings. ~Thom Jurek

My Spanish Heart

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