Beverley Beirne - Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun

Size: 104,5 MB
Time: 44:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Come On Feel The Noise (3:26)
02. Prince Charming (2:39)
03. Bette Davis Eyes (4:09)
04. Ghost Town (3:26)
05. Deeply Dippy (3:10)
06. When Smokey Sings (6:57)
07. Cruel Summer (3:02)
08. Pop Muzik (4:48)
09. Too Shy (2:35)
10. Hot In The City (2:55)
11. Waiting For A Man Like You (4:53)
12. Girls Just Want To Have Fun (2:27)

Beverley Beirne is an experienced and respected voice on the UK jazz scene. She is a self-confessed lover of experimentation and has always been drawn to reinterpreting songs from other genres. Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun is the culmination of her interests and abilities, with its confident reimagining of cult classics. The record rollicks, lilts and swings 12 pop songs into jazz territory. The choices may appear daring at first sight, with tracks ranging from Cindy Lauper to Adam & The Ants, but Beverly’s intelligent composition and bravado carries these songs effortlessly. Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun has been co-composed by Sam Watts and features bassist Flo Moore, percussionist Ben Brown, saxophonist and flautist Rob Hughes with guitarists Romero Lubambo and Dean Brown. This energetic group gives the album real depth and sophistication.

This album may be fun-centric but it takes its work seriously, with ingenious instrumentation and composition. Each track brings obvious inventiveness and thoughtfulness. The opening track, Come on Feel the Noize, bridges the gap between pop and jazz beautifully, with classic jazz techniques giving the well-known lyrics a new depth of meaning. Similarly, Beverley’s version of Bette Davis Eyes is an example of this album’s potential. Bette Davis Eyes includes an exceptional saxophone solo by Rob Hughes, restructuring the song and adding new textural layers. Bassist Flo Moore shines throughout Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun, her driving rhythms and tight pizzicato giving these pop tunes integrity in their new found genre. Too Shy is another ambitious composition, with Beverly effortlessly mastering the fast paced tempo. The effect of these interpretations on the song’s lyrics is worth noting. The change of tempo and tone sheds a different light to well-known but often skimmed over lyrics. For example, in Deeply Dippy, as Beverly sings, ‘deeply mad, mad for the fun we had’, this phrase is given a refreshed sensuality and soul which was never there in the original by Right Said Fred.

Beverley Beirne’s honeyed voice appears powerful and impeccably crafted throughout Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun. Her skilful use of scat, such as in Ghost Town, complements the compositions well. Hers is a classic jazz voice, richest in her lower range. Her stylistic capabilities are well flaunted through the record. While her technical abilities are evident, it is her manner which gives Beirne’s voice real strength in this record – she sings with passion and vitality.

Each track on Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun is impeccably mastered, fresh and bursting with energy. Pop Muzik with its swinging melody, scat and excellent saxophone solos, is a highlight on the record. The paraphrased title track, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, does the original justice – bringing real groove to this sing-along classic. The album holds together well as a whole, telling the story of this musically diverse decade in history. High-quality production and an exceptionally talented band make Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun a great listen.

Beverley’s zeal is obvious in this new project. She set out to create something original and fun, goals obviously accomplished in Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun. The perfect balance of boisterous and restrained, this record hits the ground running. Whether you’re an '80s pop tragic, a jazz die-hard or a bit of both, this record is unmissable. ~Brianna McClean

Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun

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Chris Beck - The Journey

Size: 126,6 MB
Time: 54:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Mahjong (5:10)
02. Ode To Mother Young (5:33)
03. Teona (6:37)
04. Byrdlike (3:40)
05. Hodge-Podge (2:54)
06. Yeshua (His Love) (7:30)
07. Quintessence (5:45)
08. Waiting For Aiden (6:41)
09. Tears In Heaven (4:38)
10. My Inner Circle (5:47)

With the upcoming release of his debut album, The Journey, Chris Beck is making a name for himself on the New York scene as a hard-swinging, powerhouse drummer and composer. Beck’s refreshing and soulful vision as an artist is on full display, as is his unique ability to pay homage to the classic straight-ahead style of jazz while infusing elements of his African roots and Gospel upbringing.

Born into a musical family, Chris Beck, a native of Philadelphia, PA, has been exposed to music from a young age. Initially starting on the trombone, he quickly moved to the drums where he felt a natural fit. Continuing in the music legacies of his grandfather, the late Elder Charles Beck, and his father, gospel producer Tony Beck, and encouraged by his high school music teacher, Beck eventually pursued a music career at Temple University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music. Before completing his degree, he recorded two records with Temple University ensembles: Mean What You Say and Room 323, the title track of which is his original composition; later, in an All About Jazz article, it was compared to a Thelonious Monk tune.

After graduating in 2004, Beck became the “first call” drummer on the Philly jazz scene, working with the legendary Robert “Bootsie” Barnes, Sid Simmons, Larry Mckenna, and the late Stanley Wilson, Terell Stafford, and Tim Warfield, Jr. It was while playing with these amazing musicians that Beck solidified his dedication to preserving the rich history of straight-ahead jazz while still infusing his own unique sound.

In 2006, Beck moved to New York City in order to establish himself on the jazz scene. After settling in New York, Beck began studying with the highly esteemed master drum teacher, Michael Carvin. In 2010, Beck graduated with a Master’s in Music from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, where he also studied with Victor Lewis.

Chris Beck currently performs with talented musicians such as Cyrus Chestnut, Oliver Lake, and Grammy nominated Rufus Reid. He has also been blessed to share the stage with renowned musicians such as McCoy Tyner, legendary Motown recording artist Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, James “Blood” Ulmer, The Mingus Big Band, David Murray, Billy Harper, Curtis Fuller, James Spaulding, Harold Mabern, Charles Fambrough, Mulgrew Miller, Wynton Marsalis, Terell Stafford, Tim Warfield Jr., Nicholas Payton, Roy Hargrove, Wycliffe Gordon, Orrin Evans, Bruce Barth, Nicole Henry, Jennifer Holiday, Macy Gray, Mark Whitfield, Derrick Hodge, Ralph Bowen, Joanna Pascale, Joe Locke, Duane Eubanks, Eric Lewis, and many others around the world.

The Journey

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Sarah Eyden & Denis King - Love Is In The Room

Size: 101,7 MB
Time: 43:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Here And Now (2:25)
02. The Joke's On Me (2:36)
03. By The Way (2:57)
04. That's The Crazy Part (3:14)
05. Who Would Have Dreamed (3:19)
06. Something You Learn To Live With (2:58)
07. Love Is In The Room (3:25)
08. I'm Nobody's April Fool (2:25)
09. How About (3:17)
10. Never Feel The Same Again (3:26)
11. The World Was Changed This Morning (3:43)
12. The Lady's Still Around (3:08)
13. Two Of A Kind (3:04)
14. Love Is In The Room (French Version) (3:19)

Denis King & Sarah Eyden have come together to create a brand new project ‘Love Is In The Room’. It is a collection of original songs taken from an archive of material written by Denis from his bottom drawer and the world of Television and Theatre.

Denis King:
Denis’ musical career began aged 6 as a banjolele-playing singer at children’s matinees and at 13, with his two older brothers, he had formed one of the most successful pop groups of the 50s and 60s, THE KING BROTHERS – Britain’s first ever Boy Band and the youngest Variety act ever to play the London Palladium.

His career has encompassed every aspect of show business - singing, performing, producing and composing and the artists he has worked alongside read like a who’s who of British and American stage and screen: Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, Howard Keel, Sammy Cahn, Albert Finney, Dame Edna Everage, Maureen Lipman, Elaine Stritch, Julia McKenzie, Dudley Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Ronnie Corbett, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland - many of whom feature in his popular memoir Key Changes.

He studied orchestration at the Guildhall School of Music in London, got his break in television writing the theme for THE ADVENTURES OF BLACK BEAUTY, (Ivor Novello Award) and to date has composed the music for over 200 television series.

He has collaborated with theatre legends – Alan Ayckbourn among them – to co-write over 25 stage musicals including PRIVATES ON PARADE (Ivor Novello Award for Best Musical), WORZEL GUMMIDGE, A SAINT SHE AIN’T and the musical version of STEPPING OUT, all for the West End.

Of working with Sarah Eyden he says: “I am so enjoying collaborating with the fantastic Sarah Eyden. Her instinctive musicality coupled with her amazing vocal range makes working together even more a joy. And she swings! (In the nicest possible way.) Can it be better for a composer?”

Sarah Eyden:
Sarah is a well-known concert and recording artist who has sung on over 200 Hollywood movie soundtracks including LORD OF THE RINGS, SHREK II and most recently JURASSIC WORLD which is set to be this summer’s Blockbuster! As a former member of the internationally renowned a cappella group THE SWINGLE SINGERS, she performed at Carnegie Hall, New York, La Scala, Milan and countless halls and theatres worldwide with some of the world’s greatest Orchestras and Conductors.

She has performed music by Steve Reich, John Adams and Luciano Berio at some of the world’s most prestigious venues including The Barbican, Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Royal Festival Hall and The Royal Albert Hall, Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, The Lincoln Centre, The Brooklyn Opera House, New York and Carnegie Hall.
Of working with Denis King she says: “I am thrilled to be working with the composer Denis King. He is steeped in the world of jazz and theatre, and has a knack of creating such wonderful timeless melodies that would work in any setting. And the fact he is a singer and understands how it feels to sing them, makes the whole process so relaxing and enjoyable. We have had a great time working out new ways to present his work and he generously gave me huge amounts of input. He’s also one of the funniest men I know!”

Love Is In The Room

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Joe Farrell, Paul Horn - Jazz Cafe Presents

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:10
Size: 94.3 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 2008/2017
Art: Front

[ 9:34] 1. Imprompture, Samba De Orfeu
[ 3:54] 2. Nature Boy
[ 6:27] 3. Work Song
[ 8:48] 4. Here's That Rainy Day
[12:26] 5. Billie's Bounce

Joe Farrell's CTI albums of 1970-1976, which combined together his hard bop style with some pop and fusion elements, made him briefly popular among listeners not familiar with his earlier work. Farrell began playing clarinet when he was 11 and, after graduating from the University of Illinois in 1959, he moved to New York where he worked with the Maynard Ferguson Big Band (1960-1961) and Slide Hampton (1962), and recorded with Charles Mingus, Dizzy Reece, and a notable series with Jaki Byard (1965). A member of both the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1966-1969) and Elvin Jones' combo (1967-1970), Farrell's distinctive sound on tenor and general versatility were assets. A member of the original version of Return to Forever (1971-1972), Farrell was fairly prosperous during the 1970s when his solo CTI records sold well, but a drug problem gradually caught up with him. After performing with Mingus Dynasty in the late '70s and recording with Louis Hayes in 1983, he moved to Los Angeles where he scuffled during his last couple of years. Farrell died from bone cancer in 1986 at age 48. In addition to CTI, Farrell recorded as a leader for Warner Bros., Xanadu, Contemporary, RealTime, Timeless, and (with Airto and Flora Purim) Reference. ~ Scott Yanow

Jazz Cafe Presents mc
Jazz Cafe Presents zippy

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Morgana King - Miss Morgana King

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:49
Size: 77.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Easy listening
Year: 1965/2018
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Try To Remember
[3:45] 2. All Blues
[2:58] 3. Cuore Di Mama
[3:20] 4. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
[2:40] 5. Bluesette
[4:37] 6. I'll Follow You
[3:46] 7. Meditation
[3:35] 8. Easy Living
[3:18] 9. Who Can I Turn To
[3:02] 10. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes

Bass – Milt Hinton, Richard Davis; Drums – Mel Lewis; Guitar – Gene Bertoncini; Harp – Gloria Agostini; Percussion – George Bevens, Phil Kraus; Piano, Celesta – Benny Aronov.

Morgana King recorded two vocal masterpieces on Mainstream Records in the mid-sixties, first being well known vocal tour de force classic "A Taste Of Honey", next came equally magnificent "Miss Morgana King", arranged to perfection by the late arranging master Torrie Zito, doing the ultimate with a huge studio orchestra surrounding the glorious vocalizations of Morgana King, legendary "singer's singer" known by true connoisseurs of great singers as one of the all time greatest! Why this vocal treasure has gone unreleased for decades is a mystery, every great performance of each classic standard is definitive, never has "Try To Remember" been sung with such depth and exquisite vocal beauty, Miles Davis "All Blues" becomes a stunning jazz anthem that defies description. Would be great to have this timeless masterpiece be given proper release on Compact Disc, for now anyone who wants enjoy the finest in the world of sublime musical sounds, start downloading and enjoy the most unique singer on the planet in her finest hour...Bravo Morgana King! ~Bradley Briggs

Miss Morgana King

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Wolfgang Maiwald Trio - Two Faces

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:53
Size: 141.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:22] 1. The Riddle
[4:42] 2. Two Faces
[6:38] 3. Midnight Lounge
[5:23] 4. Doorways
[6:13] 5. Chan's Song
[6:20] 6. Conduction
[6:55] 7. A Call From The Zoo
[5:16] 8. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[7:53] 9. Secrets Of The Bridge
[7:05] 10. Summer Night

Wolfgang Maiwal - piano, compositions; Guus Bakker - double bass; Joost Kesselaar - drums.

Two Faces illustrates the two worlds of a pianist whose roots lie in the rock and pop music of the seventies and eighties, and who later became inspired by pianists like Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett. Wolfgang Maiwald, a cum laude conservatory graduate in piano jazz studies, offers on this cd his vision on music of these two worlds. Two Faces is an album that is not inundated with ‘show-off’ pianistic virtuosity. Rather, Wolfgang Maiwald gives all the space necessary to allow his fellow musicians to contribute and add color to his compositions. Technical brilliance occurs only where it is a natural process in improvisation. Two Faces is jazz music with nuance, currently, a rare find. The seven melodies of composer Maiwald, roam from pop to jazz. From the most pop influenced The Riddle, to the purest jazz influenced Conduction. Midnight Lounge, a very relaxed and groovy tune, shines in its subdued playing and gentle crescendo. The beautiful interpretations of the jazz classic I Fall In Love Too Easily and Herbie Hancock’s Chan’s Song demonstrate Maiwald’s ability to put his own stamp on a jazz standard.

In Summary: a lovely, honest jazz album of three musicians who’s musical and rhythmic freedom and space complement each other perfectly. Melodically, rhythmically, and harmonically fine music: recommended for the connoisseur and lover of the Jazz piano trio genre.

Two Faces mc
Two Faces zippy

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Bob Florence - Another Side

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:48
Size: 123.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[2:01] 1. Take The A Train
[3:37] 2. All The Things You Are
[4:11] 3. Groupies
[4:00] 4. Chelsea Bridge
[3:48] 5. How Deep Is The Ocean
[5:55] 6. My Friend, John
[5:21] 7. You Must Believe In Spring
[5:23] 8. Enchanting Screen Ladies
[5:04] 9. Sentiments
[6:15] 10. Some Waltzes
[8:08] 11. Saying Goodbye

Bob Florence, piano. Recorded on Oct 18 and Nov 1, 2000 at David L. Abell Fine Pianos, Studio "A".

As a follow–up to his Grammy Award–winning big–band album, Serendipity 18, Bob Florence has chosen to record a solo piano album, and one’s response to it will depend largely on his / her musical preferences. This is no whim; it’s something Florence has wanted to do for a long time. He’s been studying and playing piano since he was four years old and gave his first classical recital at age seven. Florence’s big–band compositions and arrangements always lean heavily on the piano for inspiration, and in most cases the piano is his. He has been leading big bands for more than forty years, and made a spectacular recording debut with Name Band 1959, following that with the first of his fourteen Grammy–nominated efforts, Here and Now. And now here he is, alone at the piano again, showing the marvelous technique and flawless perception that have served him so well for so many years. The music is lovely and tasteful but mellow to a fault. Florence has decelerated every number, even Billy Strayhorn’s normally hurried “‘A’ Train,” to a crawl, lowering the heat but never the warmth. While Florence’s love for the music is apparent in every note he plays, this is definitely an album for those who like their music soft and dreamy. Florence has chosen some beautiful melodies, and brings out the best in each of them, from Jerome Kern’s “All the Things You Are” to Irving Berlin’s “How Deep Is the Ocean,” Strayhorn’s “Chelsea Bridge” and Michel Legrand’s “You Must Believe in Spring.” Seventeen of the twenty–two songs are grouped into half a dozen medleys including one dedicated to “My Friend John [Mandel]” (“Theme from M*A*S*H,” “The Shining Sea,” “You Are There”). The others include Enchanting Screen Ladies (“Laura,” “Stella by Starlight,” “Emily”), Sentiments (“I’m Getting Sentimental Over You,” “Sentimental Journey”), Groupies, Some Waltzes and Saying Goodbye, the last of which closes with an unhurried reading of “Auld Lang Syne.” As we suggested, long on beauty but short on fireworks. If you appreciate a well–played ballad, you’ll take great pleasure in hearing Another Side of Bob Florence. ~Jack Bowers

Another Side

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Hank Crawford, Calvin Newborne - Centerpiece

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:56
Size: 89.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul-jazz
Year: 1980/2007
Art: Front

[5:11] 1. Centerpiece
[9:36] 2. Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You
[3:55] 3. Breezin’
[5:40] 4. I Had A Dream
[7:23] 5. I Can’t Stand It
[7:08] 6. Frame For The Blues

Bass [Electric] – Charles "Flip" Greene; Drums – Billy Kaye; Electric Piano [Rhodes], Saxophone [Alto] – Hank Crawford; Guitar [Electric] – Calvin Newborne; Percussion – Errol "Crusher" Bennett; Saxophone [Baritone] – Howard Johnson; Saxophone [Tenor] – Alex Foster; Trombone – Janice Robinson; Trumpet – Joseph J. Shepley, Michael Lawrence; Vibraphone – Warren Chiasson.

This little-known Hank Crawford LP was a transitional record between his long associations with Kudu and Milestone. More straightahead than his Kudu dates, the program is highlighted by the Harry "Sweets" Edison blues "Centerpiece," "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You" and Slide Hampton's "Frame for the Blues." In addition to Crawford (who splits his time between his soulful alto and a Fender Rhodes electric piano), guitarist Calvin Newborne (the brother of pianist Phineas) has plenty of solo space. Crawford provided the arrangements for a five-piece horn section and the results are soulful and pleasing. ~Scott Yanow

Centerpiece mc
Centerpiece zippy

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Patti LuPone - The Lady With The Torch

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:29
Size: 111,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:32)  1. The Man I Love
(2:37)  2. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
(4:08)  3. Something Cool
(3:29)  4. A Cottage For Sale
(4:02)  5. I'll Wind
(3:15)  6. I Wanna Be Around
(4:08)  7. The Other Woman
(4:00)  8. Do It Again
(3:26)  9. Early Autumn
(4:03) 10. I'm Through With Love
(3:18) 11. So In Love
(2:30) 12. My Buddy
(4:08) 13. Body And Soul
(2:47) 14. Don't Like Goodbyes

Musical theater star Patti LuPone rarely releases solo albums, and when she does, they often serve as the audio equivalents of the nightclub acts she assembles for the periods when she isn't appearing in a musical. The Lady with the Torch is one of those musical souvenirs, based on a concert she developed with Scott Wittman gathering together a series of torch songs drawn from the Great American Songbook of Harold Arlen, George and Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn, and others. Frank Sinatra perfected this sort of concept album in the 1950s with such LPs as Only the Lonely, and LuPone follows the formula well in a distaff manner, giving voice to female characters who long for idealized love, cry over love lost, vow revenge, or decide to quit the whole sorry mess. Jonathan Tunick provides punchy, supportive orchestrations for a small jazz band, and LuPone sings with her usual fervor. The victimization and self-pity in many of the lyrics don't actually suit her, however; she is at her best getting her own back, notably in "I Wanna Be Around," and she deliberately throws in a few songs that don't exactly fit the mold, such as the sexy "Do It Again" and "So in Love." Still, it's easy to imagine her putting this set across effectively in a concert hall or nightclub. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-lady-with-the-torch-mw0000762228

The Lady With The Torch

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Eric Reed - Musicale

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:10
Size: 149,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:29)  1. Black, as in Buhaina
( 4:27)  2. Longhair's Rumba
( 5:59)  3. Cosa Nostra (Our Thing)
( 5:20)  4. Frog's Legs
( 1:13)  5. Scandal I
( 4:14)  6. Pete and Repeat
( 3:38)  7. A Love Divine
( 3:44)  8. Baby Sis
( 1:06)  9. Scandal II
( 7:17) 10. Shug
( 4:06) 11. Upper Wess Side
( 1:56) 12. Scandal III
( 3:07) 13. No Sadness, No Pain
(11:28) 14. Blues to Come

It is easy to be fooled initially by pianist Eric Reed's latest recording. He starts off the set with an effective tribute to Art Blakey and sometimes takes solos that are influenced by McCoy Tyner's chord voicings, but the music on a whole is actually fresh and fairly original, rather than just a copy of the Blue Note years. Except for the final two numbers (pieces by James Leary and Wessell Anderson), all of the music was composed by Reed, and these range from somber ballads and solid swing to the upbeat church feel of "Baby Sis" (which has a heated wah-wah solo from guest trombonist Wycliffe Gordon). Half of the selections are trio numbers for Reed with bassist Ben Wolfe and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, while the remainder of the set has a two-horn quintet (except for altoist Wessell Anderson's ballad feature on "Upper Wess Side"). Anderson and trumpeter Nicholas Payton (who sounds more like Freddie Hubbard every day) make for a potent team, particularly when they solo together on "Pete and Repete." Although the three "Scandal" pieces, which are brief fragments of the same number, are a bit frivolous and certainly inconclusive, the remainder of the program serves as a strong example of modern mainstream jazz. Eric Reed continues to grow as an improviser and composer with each recording. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/musicale-mw0000612195

Personnel: Piano – Eric Reed; Bass – Ben Wolfe, Ron Carter;  Drums – Gregory Hutchinson, Karriem Riggins;  Saxophone [Alto] – Wessell Anderson;  Trombone – Wycliffe Gordon;  Trumpet – Nicholas Payton        

Musicale

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Leon Bridges - Good Thing

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:51
Size: 80,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Bet Ain't Worth The Hand
(3:27)  2. Bad Bad News
(3:14)  3. Shy
(4:00)  4. Beyond
(3:41)  5. Forgive You
(3:02)  6. Lions
(3:14)  7. If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)
(2:52)  8. You Don't Know
(4:02)  9. Mrs.
(4:09) 10. Georgia To Texas

In sound and look, the Grammy-nominated Coming Home replicated one style from a bygone era with such perfectionist accuracy that Leon Bridges risked being typecast as a malt-shop soul man. Some of Bridges' subsequent featured appearances fulfilled that role, but others indicated that he was primed to break out and loosen up a bit. The singer and songwriter's second album similarly displays different approaches that skillfully build off and depart from the previous release. Austin Jenkins and Joshua Block, two-thirds of the Niles City Sound team with which Bridges made his debut, are involved with the majority of these songs, and are credited as executive producers beside multi-instrumentalist Ricky Reed, who has had platinum success with the squarely pop likes of Jason Derulo, Fifth Harmony, and Meghan Trainor. Nate Mercereau is another new addition present on much of the material. Altogether, they flit across several decades with most of the songs cast in a light comparatively less dust-filled than that of the debut. Bridges displays some hard-fought assurance on the call-and-response soul-jazz groove "Bad Bad News," where he asserts "I hit 'em with the style and grace, and watch their ankles break." "Shy," a mellow number with appealingly awry likenesses to Al Green and the Isley Brothers, quickly pulls Bridges back to his modest, chivalrous self. Bridges later clearly aims to reach a broader audience, though he only briefly approaches Bruno Mars territory with a little uptown funk laced through "If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)," the effervescent bounce of which is rooted in the Whispers' "It's a Love Thing," and "You Don't Know," a second slice of sophisticated, feel-good post-disco. All these deviations, including the one that sounds like it was written for an early-'70s Rod Stewart album, seem natural for Bridges, who evidently had much more to explore and express than what was shown on Coming Home. What's more, there is no pandering. Most suggestive of the singer's bright future is album closer "Georgia to Texas," a stunning and ultimately affecting tribute to his mother delivered in front of an acoustic jazz quartet. ~ Andy Kellman https://www.allmusic.com/album/good-thing-mw0003161400     

Good Thing

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Mike LeDonne - From the Heart

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:43
Size: 130,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. Someday
(8:22)  2. From the Heart feat Mike Clark
(6:58)  3. You ll Never Know What You Mean To Me
(7:34)  4. Here Comes The Doctor Feat Mike Clark
(9:04)  5. Come Back Baby
(6:29)  6. Fun Day
(6:06)  7. You Send Me
(6:24)  8. then came you

Pianist and composer Mike LeDonne was born in Bridgeport, CT, in 1956. LeDonne was practically raised at his parents' music store and by the age of ten, his father, a jazz guitarist, was hiring him out on gigs. After graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, LeDonne moved to New York, where he started working at Jimmy Ryan's (at the time, one of New York's oldest jazz clubs). Here LeDonne met and played with some of the great historical figures of jazz, including Roy Eldridge, Papa Jo Jones, and Vic Dickenson, among others. In 1988, LeDonne joined the Milt Jackson Quartet, frequently writing compositions for the group. Jackson eventually recorded several of these compositions and LeDonne became the band's musical director after Jackson's death in 1999. LeDonne began recording in 1988, debuting with the post-bop album Bout Time, which was released on the Criss Cross label. LeDonne recorded several more albums for Criss Cross throughout the early and mid-'90s, peaking with the sextet album Soulmates, a straight-ahead recording which featured soloists such as alto saxophonist Jon Gordon, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, and trumpeter Ryan Kysor. LeDonne switched to the Double Time label in 1998, recording Waltz for an Urbanite and, most recently, the quintet album Then and Now, which features the exceptional playing of tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. LeDonne remains among the best (if at times underrated) pianists on the New York jazz scene today and has been praised by such jazz luminaries as Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, and Benny Golson. ~ Alex Arcone https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/from-the-heart/1374963885

From the Heart

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Suzzy & Maggie Roche - Why The Long Face

Size: 92,4 MB
Time: 39:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Folk
Art: Front & Back

01. I Don't Have You (2:51)
02. Broken Places (4:15)
03. Who Cares (2:18)
04. The Warwick Flog (3:51)
05. La Vie C'est La Vie (3:00)
06. Don't Be Afraid (3:47)
07. One Season (5:03)
08. The Long Lonely Road To Nowhere (4:03)
09. For Those Whose Work Is Invisible (3:16)
10. Training Wheels (3:07)
11. A Day In The Life Of A Tree (3:39)

Two-thirds of the fabulous folk combo the Roches, these two sisters grew up in Park Ridge, NJ. Over the course of 20 years, Suzzy and Maggie, along with sister Terre Roche, performed around the world, releasing ten albums over the course of a 20-year period. In 2001, the duo became involved in a Cambridge, MA, program called the Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue, a program where people of different religions, ethnicities, and backgrounds meet to discuss various ideas and issues. The group had originally schedule to release an album, Zero Church, on September 11, 2001, but the events of that day pushed the album back. The album, named after the location where the meetings of this socially conscious group took place, was released in January 2002 on Red House Records. The band has performed across the United States and has garnered praise for their renditions of gospel hymns and songs about current issues. The duo returned in 2004 with the album Why the Long Face. ~by Jason MacNeil

Why The Long Face

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Buster Williams - Audacity

Size: 155,1 MB
Time: 66:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Where Giants Dwell ( 6:42)
02. Song Of The Outcasts (10:32)
03. Sisko ( 6:37)
04. Ariana Anai ( 4:56)
05. Lost On 4th Avenue ( 8:35)
06. Stumblin' ( 4:07)
07. Triumph ( 8:15)
08. Briana (10:11)
09. Audacity ( 6:46)

Recorded live at New York City's Sear Sound Studio C.

The first new recording led by legendary jazz bassist Buster Williams since 2004, the 2018 album, "Audacity", was conceived as Buster celebrated the milestone of his 75th birthday. The result is a mission statement for an artist turning a new corner with the experience of three-quarters of a century behind him.

"Audacity" also features Buster’s long-running, all-star quartet Something More with saxophonist Steve Wilson, pianist George Colligan, and drummer Lenny White. There are few jazz groups working today with the creative skill and brilliance of Something More and Audacity captures all four musicians at their very best. They cover a lot of ground musically with six new compositions from Buster and one each from Steve, George and Lenny.

Audacity

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Gayelynn McKinney - McKinFolk: The New Beginning

Size: 165,7 MB
Time: 71:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Ode To Africa (Intro) (2:44)
02. Ode To Africa (9:37)
03. Juba (4:49)
04. Conjure Man (6:03)
05. Nostalgia (5:56)
06. Wide And Blue (8:35)
07. Heavenease (8:12)
08. After The Sunset (5:02)
09. Freedom Jazz Dance (5:34)
10. Night Blues (8:09)
11. Cornerstone (6:45)

As a child, GayeLynn McKinney woke every morning to the sound of her parents making music. As her father played piano, her mother’s operatic-trained voice filled the room. Afterwards, GayeLynn and her father would sit down at a cassette recorder for their daily “philosophical discussions.” During one ofthese conversations, 9-year- old GayeLynn delivered a fantastic tale that started out about a boy who liked her and quickly spun into a story about the boy being a spy. When her father pressed her on its truth, she sang in defense, “This is truuue, this is truuue, this is truue…”“My father gave me a lesson on truth that day,” GayeLynn remembers with a laugh as big and warm as a deep pocket. She couldn’t have imagined, all those years ago, that the recording would someday be seamlessly woven into one of her father’s compositions, and their interaction would become the opening piece to her most personal musical project to date.

Detroit Music Factory’s release of GayeLynn’s newest record, McKinFolk: The New Beginning, is an ode to her father’s musical legacy. GayeLynn’s father, the late Harold McKinney, was a world renowned-pianist and pioneering music educator. He played with such giants as John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Sarah Vaughn and too many others to name. His influence as a Detroit jazz icon can be witnessed among his many protégés, some of whom have gone on to become Detroit’s most esteemed jazz musicians. Among those talents, his daughter GayeLynn has carved her own musical identity as an accomplished drummer, composer and arranger. From co-founding Straight Ahead, the all-female, Grammy-nominated jazz ensemble that was signed to Atlantic Records in the 90s, to her more recent work with world-class stars such as Aretha Franklin, GayeLynn’s presence as an artist is strongly rooted in Detroit’s historical jazz community and impacts a worldwide audience. McKinFolk: The New Beginning, which was made possible in part by a Kresge Fellowship Award in 2014 and generous Kickstarter and Indiegogo donations, takes its name from Harold’s ever-morphing musical“family” group. “The thing about McKinFolk is that it's made up of movable parts,” said GayeLynn in a Metro Times interview leading up to her performance at the 2017 Detroit Jazz Festival. Like her father’s project, McKinFolk the album is much more than a gathering of the many talented musicians of the McKinney clan, it’s a celebration of the close bond between a community of musicians that spans beyond generations and bloodlines. At her Jazz Fest performance, the “family” included Dwight Adams, Marcus Elliot, Vincent Chandler, Marion Hayden, Glenn Tucker, Michelle McKinney and Regina Carter. “Next time you see the group,” said GayeLynn, “it may be a different set of people.” All but one of the cuts on McKinFolk are her father’s original compositions, but the producing is distinctly GayeLynn. Some of the songs bring life to compositions that have never been recorded before now. The one exception is Eddie Harris’ Freedom Jazz Dance, which featured vocals by her father and her mother, the late Gwendolyn McKinney, when it was recorded for Harold’s 1974 Tribe release Voices and Rhythms of the Creative Profile. On McKinFolk, GayeLynn’s ensemble charges into Freedom Jazz Dance with as much fearless exploration as her father’s group did on the 70s release. It features GayeLynn delivering the vocals on the verses and hook, and a scat solo by Kevin Mahogany.

The pieces are often beautifully melodic, like Buddy Budson’s arrangement on Nostalgia, which was originally released as a piano piece when Harold recorded it on the album Root Classics. On McKinFolk however, the cut features lyrics written and sung by Michelle McKinney (or “Mama Jarah,” as GayeLynn affectionately refers to her stepmom). But of all the remarkable musical snapshots that make up the album, it’s the West African rhythms of Ode to Africa, which opens the record with the childhood exchange between father and daughter, that most joyfully delivers a musical candor that is as moving as it is exciting. At its heart, McKinFolk is a family album with inspired, bold portraits. It’s an accomplished work that reflects the tender lessons with which her father blessed her—lessons which she so clearly learned well. “This is truuue, this is truuue, this is truue…”

McKinFolk: The New Beginning

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Elkano Browning Cream - Bor Bor

Size: 112,8 MB
Time: 48:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Bethany (3:47)
02. Ping Pong Jon (7:41)
03. Trains Speeding (8:03)
04. Bor Bor (9:05)
05. Kaiju (7:17)
06. Wah T (6:42)
07. Egan Jam (5:35)

Since releasing their first eponymous album in 2007, Elkano Browning Cream's career has been characterized by a multi-angular approach to music, resulting in records that are rich in nuances, containing thorough melodies with a strong rhythmic component. Coordinated by pianist and organist from San Sebastian, Mikel Azpiroz, the band is completed by the Parisian drum player Franck Mantegari, and the British guitarist who lives in Barcelona, Dave Wilkinson. The three members provide their interesting parallel careers, including collaborations with artists such as: Alpha Blondi, Saint Germain, Brian Jackson, and Jabier Muguruza, among others, and all this background combined with the bands international nature results in jazz with a personality of its own, eclectic and exotic. They edited album “2” in 2010, following the footsteps of their first work, and in 2012 they released “Bohemia”, a small jewel of gypsy sounds, a tribute to street musicians. “UH EH” (2014) is a clear manifestation of the groups maturity and interpretive strength. “Bor Bor” (2018) is the band’s most powerful and jammin’ album up to this day. The band's multiculturality also results in a nomadic character; since their early days in the USA (where they met), the band has performed in several festivals and venues in Europe, America, Asia and Oceania: San Sebastian Jazz Festival, Woodford Folk Festival (Australia), Cotton Club of Shanghai (China), Jazz Festival of Quito (Ecuador), Jazz Festival of Delhi (India), Madrids Veranos de la Villa, Cultura Inquieta de Getafe, etc.

Bor Bor

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Carla - Here’s To Life

Size: 124,4 MB
Time: 53:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Autumn In New York (5:13)
02. Witchcraft (3:51)
03. My Funny Valentine (3:41)
04. Here’s To Life (3:58)
05. Corcovado (4:44)
06. Nature Boy (3:40)
07. Hushaby Mountain (2:33)
08. Windmills Of Your Mind (4:26)
09. Love (4:05)
10. Smile (3:14)
11. Senza Fine (3:19)
12. Skylark (4:12)
13. Like A Lover (3:38)
14. Wiegelied Eiland (2:31)

Any info will be welcome.

Here’s To Life

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JD Allen - Love Stone

Size: 104,7 MB

Time: 44:54

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2018

Styles: Jazz

Art: Front

01. Stranger In Paradise (6:06)

02. Until The Real Thing Comes Along (5:05)

03. Why Was I Born (5:26)

04. You're My Thrill (5:07)

05. Come All Ye Fair And Tender Ladies (4:35)

06. Put On A Happy Face (4:58)

07. Prisoner Of Love (4:39)

08. Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) (3:59)

09. Gone With The Wind (4:55)

Personnel:
JD Allen: tenor saxophone
Liberty Ellman: guitar
Gregg August: bass
Rudy Royston: drums

Tenor saxophonist JD Allen's output on Savant Records has been steady since his 2012 album The Matador and the Bull, and this beautiful and intensely interesting ballads album is an assured milestone in his career to date. There are patented JD-isms: that almost operatic-like swoon and smear of tone; deconstructed themes full of non-linearity and melodic asides arriving unforeseen. As in all of Allen's recordings, there is also a spare Chopin-like quality, with a shadowy, crepuscular character to much of the material. An album made up entirely of ballads requires a first-rate harmonic foundation and guitarist Liberty Ellman once again proves himself to be the most sensitive of accompanists, alternating between full harmonic richness and skittering, almost pointillistic lines which merely hint at the harmonies. The depth of Allen's timbre and phrasing is such that the absence of a keyboard is not really felt, and his quartet proves again that it is one of the most highly accomplished small groups in contemporary jazz.

Love Stone  

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Benny Carter - Jazz Giant (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:09
Size: 89.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Swing, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1957/1987
Art: Front

[7:50] 1. Old Fashioned Love
[5:48] 2. I'm Coming Virginia
[6:00] 3. A Walkin' Thing
[4:58] 4. Blue Lou
[3:40] 5. Ain't She Sweet
[6:13] 6. How Can You Lose
[4:38] 7. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me

Alto Saxophone – Benny Carter (tracks: 1, 3 to 7); Bass – Leroy Vinnegar; Drums – Shelly Manne; Guitar – Barney Kessel; Piano – André Previn (tracks: 1, 4 to 7), Jimmy Rowles (tracks: 2, 3); Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster (tracks: 1 to 4, 6); Trombone – Frank Rosolino (tracks: 1 to 4, 6); Trumpet – Benny Carter (tracks: 2, 6). Recorded at Contemporary's Studio in Los Angeles; June 11 (#1, 4), July 22 (#2, 3), October 7, 1957 (#6) and April 21, 1958 (#5, 7).

Benny Carter was one of the top-admired original major alto saxophonists and perhaps one of the top world class jazz ensemble leaders up until the late-1950’s, where he was undoubtfully, as the title of this album suggests, a “Jazz Giant”, but this time this landmark project sounds even better in it’s own digitally-remastered complete format. Released in 1958 to critical success, Jazz Giant presents an all star session where it gradually showcase a lyrical and original form of fresh music that is unpretentious: bright, relaxed and buoyant placed along with a full dash of of infectious swing as each musician on the album get a chance to show off there worthy solos while Carter played with characteristic lyricism, technical faculty and a bounty of sounds on alto and- and on two tracks- flawlessly on trumpet, his first love. The track set proceed with exclusive style on other memorable reinditions of classic standards including Old-Fashioned Love, Blue Lou, A Walkin’ Thing, How Could You Lose?, Ain’t She Sweet, for whom Carter and the all-stars performs quintessential style and exquisite integrity. The last two tracks even comes to life in a fortuitous manner where Carter had been set out on the session, but became ill towards the last minute, and with noted jazz guitarist Barney Kessel taking over the musicians had decided to use some of there congenial informal playing where included some of the finest work recorded in the saxophone section. Remastered in its proud complete edition, what made Jazz Giant a time-honoured success can be owed to the band members who gratefully participated where they consisted of Kessel on the guitar, tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, both Andre Previn or Jimmy Knowles at the piano, session trombonist Frank Roselino and Shelly Manne at the drums, who help made this one of Carter’s finest and most beloved masterpieces. ~RH

Jazz Giant (Remastered) mc
Jazz Giant (Remastered) zippy

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Phil Dwyer, Alan Jones, Rodney Whitaker - Let Me Tell You About My Day

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:50
Size: 159.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:07] 1. Afternoon In Paris
[4:54] 2. Narcolypso
[4:59] 3. The Black Beer
[5:57] 4. Refuge
[7:58] 5. I Can't Believe That Your're In Love With Me
[7:33] 6. Two White Heads
[6:29] 7. Thangs
[6:53] 8. Camp Whitaker
[5:06] 9. Airegin
[4:59] 10. Winter Moon
[4:22] 11. For Garrison
[4:28] 12. Let Me Tell You About My Day

Canadian saxophonist Phil Dwyer and American drummer Alan Jones join forces with veteran bassist Rodney Whitaker to uncork a series of warm and powerful readings of originals and standards on this album, which was nominated for thie 2006 JUNO awards (the Canadian Grammys).

Let Me Tell You About My Day mc
Let Me Tell You About My Day zippy

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