Various - Best Of The Soul Jazz From The Groove Merchant Vault Vol. 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:21
Size: 156.5 MB
Styles: Soul jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:48] 1. B. Baker Chocolate Company - Snowblower
[5:01] 2. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Dreamer
[5:40] 3. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Carousel
[6:38] 4. Joe Thomas - Plato's Retreat
[5:47] 5. Joe Thomas - Masada
[4:38] 6. Joe Thomas - Poinciana
[4:44] 7. Joe Thomas - Gemini Flyin' High
[2:32] 8. O'Donel Levy - Where Is The Love
[4:40] 9. O'Donel Levy - People Make The World Go Round
[3:42] 10. O'Donel Levy - I Want To Make It With You
[6:04] 11. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Keep On Lovin
[6:07] 12. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Sweet Honey Wine
[5:54] 13. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Journey To Within

Soul-Jazz, which was the most popular jazz style of the 1960s, differs from bebop and hard bop (from which it originally developed) in that the emphasis is on the rhythmic groove. Although soloists follow the chords as in bop, the basslines (often played by an organist if not a string bassist) dance rather than stick strictly to a four-to-the bar walking pattern. The musicians build their accompaniment around the bassline and, although there are often strong melodies, it is the catchiness of the groove and the amount of heat generated by the soloists that determine whether the performance is successful. Soul-jazz's roots trace back to pianist Horace Silver, whose funky style infused bop with the influence of church and gospel music, along with the blues. Other pianists who followed and used similar approaches were Bobby Timmons, Junior Mance, Les McCann, Gene Harris (with his Three Sounds), and Ramsey Lewis. With the emergence of organist Jimmy Smith in 1956 (who has dominated his instrument ever since), soul-jazz organ combos (usually also including a tenor, guitarist, drummer, and an occasional bassist) caught on, and soulful players became stars, including Brother Jack McDuff, Shirley Scott, Jimmy McGriff, Charles Earland, and Richard "Groove" Holmes, along with such other musicians as guitarists Grant Green, George Benson and Kenny Burrell; tenors Stanley Turrentine, Willis "Gator" Jackson, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, David "Fathead" Newman, Gene "Jug" Ammons, Houston Person, Jimmy Forrest, King Curtis, Red Holloway, and Eddie Harris; and altoist Hank Crawford. Despite its eclipse by fusion and synthesizers in the 1970s, soul-jazz has stayed alive and made a healthy comeback in recent years. ~AMG

Best Of The Soul Jazz From The Groove Merchant Vault Vol. 1 mc
Best Of The Soul Jazz From The Groove Merchant Vault Vol. 1 zippy

---

Bob Dorough - Live at the Deer Head Inn

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:13
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(0:18)  1. Announcement by Denny Carrig
(5:58)  2. The Touch of Your Lips
(7:50)  3. Flamingo
(5:45)  4. Learnin' the Blues
(4:47)  5. Casanova's Lament
(5:48)  6. Wily Wily Woman
(2:59)  7. Alfie
(6:28)  8. It's Bound to End in Tears
(8:07)  9. The Sweetest Sounds
(5:38) 10. Summer Solstice
(5:30) 11. Devil May Care

The oldest continuously running jazz club in America isn’t in New York, Chicago or New Orleans but in the Delaware Water Gap of Pennsylvania, where for nearly seven decades the Deer Head Inn has hosted everyone from Stan Getz to Keith Jarrett. If the Deer Head can claim a resident headliner, it is surely Bob Dorough, who, nearing 94, still makes regular appearances. This particular set, featuring trio-mates Steve Berger (guitar) and Pat O’Leary (bass), plus two special guests, was captured on Dec. 12, 2015, Dorough’s 92nd birthday. Dorough’s rank among the sharpest songwriters of his (or any) generation is beyond question, as is his prowess as a pianist. As a singer he is utterly unique, a peerless blend of grit and charm, imps dancing with angels. And Dorough is superb at shaping set lists, as evidenced here with a marvellous intermingling of Richard Rodgers, Bacharach and David, Ray Noble, Jack Teagarden and originals familiar (“Devil May Care”), new (the beautifully contemplative “Summer Solstice”), witty (“Wily Wily Woman”) and sly (“It’s Bound to End in Tears,” co-written with the equally crafty Fran Landesman). Ever the gentleman, Dorough leaves plenty of room for laudable contributions from across the bandstand, including daughter Aralee’s keenly navigated, three-and-a-half-minute flute intro to “Flamingo,” thoughtful solos from O’Leary and Berger on Rodgers’ wishful “The Sweetest Sounds” and, on harmonica, Larry Fink’s bluesy, mischievous propulsion of “Wily Wily Woman.”~ Christopher Loudon https://jazztimes.com/reviews/vox/bob-dorough-live-deer-head/

Personnel:  Bob Dorough - piano, vocals;  Steve Berger - guitar;  Pat O'Leary - bass;  Aralee Dorough - flute;  Larry Fink - harmonica.

Live at the Deer Head Inn

---

Polly Gibbons - Many Faces of Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:04
Size: 152,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:05)  1. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(6:09)  2. Love Me Like A Song
(4:51)  3. So Good
(4:06)  4. Make It Last
(4:49)  5. That's Enough For Me
(6:11)  6. Not Like This
(5:39)  7. City Lights
(4:47)  8. After Hours
(4:43)  9. Since I Fell For You
(5:12) 10. Company
(7:11) 11. I Have the Feeling I've Been Here Before
(6:17) 12. Love Comes and Goes

Polly Gibbons is hardly the first female vocalist to bend an album to the arc of a love affair, but her navigation of an infatuation-to-rebound storyline is among the smartest. Though new to American audiences, the 30-year-old Gibbons, whose dusky style hints at the great Cleo Laine, has deservedly earned hearty kudos in her native England. And she attracts all-star accompanists, including two from the Tierney Sutton Band, drummer Ray Brinker and bassist Kevin Axt; longtime Diana Krall guitarist Anthony Wilson; violinist Christian Howes; and, as leader and sole arranger, pianist Tamir Hendelman. Gibbons is also a gifted songwriter, but here opts for an eclectic assortment of pop, jazz and soul covers. Her romantic loop begins with an Axt-propelled reading of Percy Mayfield’s “Please Send Me Someone to Love,” progressing to the laidback contentment of Al Jarreau’s “So Good” and Bob Haymes’ “Make It Last” and the sensuous fulfillment of Patti Austin’s “That’s Enough for Me.” Breakup ensues, defined by the Jarreau-associated tearjerker “Not Like This” and Dr. John’s drown-your-sorrows “City Lights.” Regret follows, the ebony dejection of “Since I Fell for You” paired with Rickie Lee Jones’ ruminative “Company.” Finally, rounding remorse’s curve, comes the discernment of Roger Kellaway and Alan and Marilyn Bergman’s “I Have the Feeling I’ve Been Here Before” and clear-eyed wisdom of British songwriter Carroll Coates’ “Love Comes and Goes.”~ Christopher Loudon https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/polly-gibbons-many-faces-of-love/

Many Faces of Love

---

Pasadena Roof Orchestra - Breakaway

Styles: Big Band
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:19
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Breakaway
(2:54)  2. Jeepers Creepers
(3:01)  3. Piccolo Pete
(3:32)  4. The Very Thought of You
(3:18)  5. The Continental
(3:27)  6. Temptation Rag
(3:11)  7. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:01)  8. Ain't Misbehavin'
(3:02)  9. Play That Hot Guitar
(3:44) 10. Rockin' Chair
(3:04) 11. That's A Plenty
(2:55) 12. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart
(3:51) 13. Tom Thumb's Drum
(3:09) 14. Love Is Good for Anything That Ails You
(3:21) 15. Stompin' at the Savoy
(3:40) 16. Just One More Chance
(2:38) 17. The Man From the South

The Pasadena Roof Orchestra was formed in Nov. 1969 by Johnny Arthy, a lover of 1920's jazz who sought to lead a dance-oriented jazz-influenced big band specializing in music from the 1923-37 period. The British band gained its name because Arthy liked the obscure song "Pasadena." The orchestra had its first gig in April 1970 and soon Arthy came across a windfall, 1, 500 original arrangements from the 1920's practically given away by an elderly lady whose father had been musical director of a dance band in the twenties. The P.R.O. started out playing once a week but, after the success of their first album in 1974, they turned professional and began working much more often. A European tour in 1975 added to the group's momentum and since then they have worked constantly and recorded fairly regularly (in the early days for Transatlantic and later on mostly for their own P.R.O. label). No famous soloists are among their alumni since the Pasadena Roof Orchestra is very much a dance band, but the group has long featured colorful ensembles, period vocals and brief individual spots, very much in the early pre-swing style which they treat with great respect. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/breakaway/1190860175

Breakaway

---

Vincent Ingala - Can't Stop Now

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:30
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Can't Stop Now
(4:16)  2. If I Could Fly
(4:22)  3. Read Between the Lines
(4:19)  4. Wish I Was There
(4:05)  5. Kimi Trick (feat. Jonathan Fritzen)
(3:38)  6. This Time Baby
(4:02)  7. Groovin' U (feat. Gregg Karukas)
(4:04)  8. Sexy Mama
(4:24)  9. Just Imagine

Though by the 2010s, the terrestrial smooth jazz radio format was long on the wane and most of the festivals and cruises were headlined by previously established A-listers, a batch of promising younger talents began popping up a new generation of funk-filled "smoothies" who could keep the grooves and melodies hopping, with the potential to attract younger fans. Among the most dynamic of these was Vincent Ingala, whose rise in the genre as an indie artist was probably destined from the time he was 16 and asked to open a show for genre superstar Dave Koz. His second album, Can't Stop Now, is full of infectious melodies, irresistible pocket grooves, and a sense of self-assurance that bodes well for the multi-talented saxophonist to create his own destiny as an artist, no matter the fortunes of the format itself. One of the ways new fans can tell when a young urban jazz artist is going places is his ability to get well-established genre artists to collaborate with him. In this case, he hits the trifecta of keyboardists Jonathan Fritzen (the elegantly soulful, midtempo duet "Kimi Trick") and Gregg Karukas (the soulful, eloquently tropical "Groovin' U"), and saxman/superproducer Darren Rahn, who lends his mixing expertise. Key tracks that dig deep enough to be emotional but are light enough for extensive radio play are the opening title track and the bouncy, danceable "Wish I Was There," both of which feature the extra sizzle of horn doubling on the hook. Another score for Ingala is his unique choice of R&B cover tunes (in a genre where most artists aim for the obvious when they do this). He mines funky jamming gold from the O'Jays' "This Time Baby" and gets gritty yet sexy on a fresh take on the Moments' "Sexy Mama" both of which define an era but could use some fresh appreciation by the likes of a hot young artist like Ingala. The title of the album says it all about the momentum he achieves with this solid set. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/cant-stop-now-mw0002404596

Can't Stop Now

---

Teddy Wilson - Interaction

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:17
Size: 83.1 MB
Styles: Swing, Piano jazz
Year: 1995/2017
Art: Front

[2:03] 1. If Dreams Came True
[3:07] 2. Untitled
[2:52] 3. After You've Gone
[2:25] 4. Sweet Lorraine
[3:06] 5. Red Bank Boogie
[3:02] 6. How High The Moon
[3:12] 7. Tea For Two
[4:19] 8. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:47] 9. Stompin' At The Savoy
[3:19] 10. You're My Favorite Melody
[4:58] 11. The Sheik Of Araby

Bass – Oscar Pettiford; Clarinet – Edmond Hall; Drums – Morey Feld, Big Sid Catlett, Specs Powell; Guitar – Remo Palmieri; Piano – Teddy Wilson; Trombone – Benny Morton; Trumpet – Charlie Shavers, Cootie Williams, Roy Eldridge; Vibraphone – Red Norvo. Recorded June 15 & December 22, 1944, these recording were made for broadcasts.

The tracks on this album were recorded between June 15 and December 22, 1944. Featured in these great sessions are Teddy Wilson on piano; Roy Eldridge, Charlie Shavers and Cootie Williams on trumpet; Benny Morton on trombone; Edmund Hall on clarinet; Red Norvo on vibraphone; Remo Palmieri on guitar; Al Hall, Oscar Pettitford and Slam Stewart on bass; and Big Sid Catlett, Morey Feld and Specs Powell on drums. What all-star swinging lineups.

This is brilliant music. Note that there is actually an untitled Track 2, which is a great tune, bringing the total number of tracks to 11. Highly recommended. ~Jack J. Bieler

Interaction mc
Interaction zippy

---

Lori Carsillo - A Dream Or Two

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:40
Size: 70.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:24] 1. Alone Together
[3:58] 2. Key Largo
[6:31] 3. There's No You
[4:28] 4. Lullaby Of The Leaves
[4:10] 5. Slow, Hot Wind
[3:06] 6. What'll I Do
[4:00] 7. Out Of The Blue

Lori Carsillo vocals; Jeffrey Burr guitar; Eric Markowitz bass; James Gallagher drums; Erik Jekabson trumpet (tracks 3, 5, 7); Brian Kendrick vibes (track 7).

On A Dream or Two, San Francisco Bay Area jazz vocalist Lori Carsillo offers six stunning jazz gems and an original song co-written with guitarist and arranger on the session, Jeffrey Burr. Noted as a singer with “superb phrasing, an impressive range” (Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes), Carsillo emphasizes her deftness for ballads by touching upon several slower-tempo songs in the session.

A Dream Or Two mc
A Dream Or Two zippy

---

Les Baxter - The Soul Of The Drums

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:12
Size: 71.4 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Exotica
Year: 1963/2005
Art: Front

[2:25] 1. The Girl Behind The Bamboo Curtain
[3:57] 2. Lord, What A Morning
[2:15] 3. Coffee Bean Calabash Annie
[2:55] 4. Sunrise At Kowloon
[1:58] 5. Which Doctor
[2:16] 6. Mai Tai
[0:33] 7. Drum Intro From A Day In Rio
[2:53] 8. A Day In Rio
[2:12] 9. River Of Dreams
[1:35] 10. Nina
[3:19] 11. Shadow Of Love The Enchanted Reef
[1:30] 12. Jacaranda
[3:19] 13. Ceremony

The Soul Of The Drums is no more remarkable than any other of Baxter’s albums of one’s choice, but does thankfully emit a strictly uplifting, mirthful aura which is only fugaciously interrupted – or alternatively improved – by mystical heterodynes, otherworldly phantasms and ritualistic drum patterns. It is not as cineastic as his first forerunner and pre-Exotica blueprint Ritual Of The Savage (1951), but this works to its advantage, as the flow or fluxion is uninterrupted. While there are a few pinpointable real-world locations such as Kowloon and Rio on board, this is no dedicated travelog LP rather than a concoction of delight. What role do the drums play? How do the melodies unfold? And why are these things of importance in an Easy Listening work? Someone’s gonna explicate these things below.

This would not be a Les Baxter album if there were no compositions dedicated to adolescent girls and women on this album, and sure enough, the opener The Girl Behind The Bamboo Curtain both glorifies female intuition and beauty; this, however, does not happen via whitewashed strings but in the shape of a rather uplifting upper midtempo Latin base frame. The congas, tonewoods and diffuse maracas create a dense thicket which is lit by polyphonic fairy flutes, warmhearted pianos, short vibraphone additions and many brass instruments. Shuttling between excitement and soothingness, the opener is everything at once, but first and foremost utterly exotic. The odd follow-up Lord, What A Morning by Michael Carlton Clough is a true-spirited Gospel gone wild. Launching with rufescent sunset guitars and yearning strings, the constant bongocalypse nurtures and drives the tempo ever-forward. Mellifluous flutes and distant horn spirals traverse through the percussion placenta, which is later revved up, as are the strings around which a female vocalist orbits. Occasional show tune-resembling protrusions round off a Latinized corker.

The Soul Of The Drums mc
The Soul Of The Drums zippy

---

Jake Mason Trio - The Stranger In The Mirror

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:14
Size: 117.3 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Soul, Organ jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[5:33] 1. The Grain Store
[4:22] 2. The Stranger In The Mirror
[4:46] 3. Rib Eye
[5:08] 4. Please Please Please
[7:07] 5. People Two & One
[5:27] 6. Smile Awhile
[4:35] 7. Butter Melt
[5:07] 8. Sunfall
[4:10] 9. Lemon Twist
[4:54] 10. Candy Smack

Jake Mason is a Melbourne based ARIA-nominated songwriter, producer, educator and touring artist with over twenty years experience in the Australian music industry. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts the multi-instrumentalist and prolific songwriter has released twelve albums; gained platinum sales in Australia; and established his own label and production house. An APRA member since 1997, Jake co-wrote and co-produced the Kungs Vs Cookin’ On 3 Burners chart topper “This Girl”, hitting the #1 spot in 10 countries and reaching the Top 10 in 37 territories. Nominated for ARIA song of the year the track became the most shazammed dance song of 2016 worldwide. Published by Origin Music, Jake is a member of the Australian Guild of Screen Composers with television credits including Underbelly and Kath and Kim. An accomplished live performer he has worked with artists such as Richard Clapton, Clare Bowditch and Hugh Jackman and has co-written with Kate Ceberano, Eric McCusker and Tania Doko to name a few.

Mentor to young songwriters across tertiary and secondary schools, plus a member of Music Victoria’s Artist Advisory Panel, Jake is a passionate advocate for equality and the rights of Australian songwriters and musicians.

The Stranger In The Mirror mc
The Stranger In The Mirror zippy

---

Leslie Pintchik - So Glad To Be Here

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:23
Size: 136.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[6:15] 1. All The Things You Are
[4:37] 2. You Keep Coming Back Like A Song
[5:57] 3. Scamba
[5:42] 4. Hopperesque
[4:43] 5. Let's Get Lucky
[5:11] 6. Happy Dog
[7:17] 7. Mortal
[5:30] 8. Terse Tune
[4:52] 9. Luscious
[5:06] 10. Something Lost
[4:09] 11. We See

Leslie Pintchik (piano), Scott Hardy (bass), Satoshi Takeishi (percussion).

Pianist and composer Leslie Pintchik has played clubs in New York for several years, and it shows in the natural approach that predominates on this her first release. She gives plenty of space to skillful bassist Scott Hardy, who's also her husband, and to drummer Satoshi Takeishi, whose style is imaginative yet unobtrusive. The three players demonstrate their easy rapport on the opening standard "All the Things You Are," taken in a comfortable samba-like groove. Supporting Pintchik's supple line is the active melodic interplay of Hardy and Takeishi, the latter remarkable for his light and high percussion palette that includes colorful oriental cymbals. On Berlin's "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song," Pintchik plays a plain but emotive line with a gorgeous sound. Hardy contributes one composition, "Scamba," a samba tune with some triplets for rhythmic variety. After Pintchik introduces and improvises on the tune, Hardy's solo explores and reveals the core of the piece.

Pintchik's compositions predominate, and her more balladic are particularly notable. Outstanding is "Hopperesque," which evokes and interprets the work of American painter Edward Hopper, with a '50s-style Afro-Cuban beat and interludes in which Takeishi plies his cymbals. Pintchik seems to favor diminished chords, and the major-minor seventh that closes the work suggests film noir-associated pieces like Washington's "Invitation." Pintchik's "Something Lost" is masterful, a work that sounds through-composed and influenced by impressionistic Bill Evans ballads such as "Time Past." Pintchik's "Mortal" is perhaps the most original and emotive work on the disc, lyrical and pensive, a little foreboding but peaceful. Takeishi starts with spooky cymbals and Japanese-sounding melodic drumming, and the drums continue to wash over and converse with Pintchik's melodic line. Gradually the pace picks up as Hardy's bass turns higher-pitched and more active. ~Virgina A. Schaefer

So Glad To Be Here mc
So Glad To Be Here zippy

---

Sammy Price - Sammy Price On Tour

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:15
Size: 119.6 MB
Styles: Boogie woogie, Jump blues
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Sammy Price Boogie Woogie #1
[3:41] 2. Just A Gigolo
[5:46] 3. One Sweet Letter From You
[3:23] 4. New Orleans #1
[5:26] 5. Poor Butterfly
[5:08] 6. Isabelle
[1:33] 7. Sammy Price Boogie Woogie #2
[3:08] 8. New Orleans #2
[4:28] 9. Shakin' That Thing
[6:42] 10. Lover Come Back To Me
[6:43] 11. It's Only A Paper Moon
[3:03] 12. C Jam Blues

GHB's 2013 disc Sammy Price on Tour relies largely on a set boogie-woogie pianist Price recorded in Sydney, Australia on April 25, 1982 with guitarist Lars Edegran, clarinetist Orange Kellin, and trumpeter Geoff Bull, with the final three songs deriving from a 1969 London concert with clarinetist John Defferary, saxophonist Sammy Rimington, drummer Dave Evans, and an unknown bassist. If the London cuts are a little more raucous, they also veer toward straight New Orleans jazz, whereas the 1982 cuts often find Price indulging in gregarious, cheerful New Orleans blues, jazz, and boogie-woogie. Bull was the bandleader on this 1982 tour, so, unsurprisingly, there is plenty of space for the trumpeter to prowl, but it's little wonder this is released under Price's name: it showcases his big-hearted boogie-woogie roll to great effect. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Sammy Price On Tour

---

Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong Sparks, Nevada 1964!

Size: 103,7 MB
Time: 44:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. When It's Sleepy Time Down South (2:59)
02. Back Home In Indiana (4:08)
03. I Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do (2:44)
04. Tiger Rag (1:17)
05. Hello Dolly (7:05)
06. When I Grow Too Old To Dream (3:45)
07. Blue Berry Hill (3:31)
08. How High The Moon (8:02)
09. Lover Come Back (2:33)
10. Have You Heard About Jerry (4:48)
11. When The Some Marchin' In (3:23)

Personnel:
Louis Armstrong: trumpet and vocals
Russell “Big Chief” Moore: trombone
Eddie Shu: clarinet
Billy Kyle: piano
Arvell Shaw: bass
Danny Barcelona: drums
Jewel Brown: vocals

When the Beatles came to America in 1964 and took over the number one spot on the charts for 14 straight weeks, it must have seemed like their reign would last forever. Surely someone would topple them at some point–but who would it be? Few, if any, would have placed their bets on a 62-year-old legendary trumpeter and vocalist from New Orleans but that’s just what happened when “Hello, Dolly!” improbably became the number one record in the country on May 9, 1964.

Armstrong sounds positively energized by the popularity of his hit record on this previously unissued set from the Circus Room of the Nugget Casino in Sparks, Nevada in June 1964. People who discovered Armstrong when “Dolly” became a hit had no idea that Armstrong was such a staggering musical genius, but as this set makes clear, if you went to see him perform during this period, you got a pretty complete picture of the wide array of Armstrong’s talents: the warmth of “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South” and “Blueberry Hill,” the fiery instrumentals of “Indiana” and “Tiger Rag,” the swinging hit show tunes of “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” and “Hello, Dolly!” each one establishing to all the kiddies in the audience that this fun-loving old entertainer was also a ferociously talented musician.

Sparks, Nevada 1964">Louis Armstrong Sparks, Nevada 1964!

---

Carlos Dias - Copacabana Station

Size: 76,4 MB
Time: 32:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Bossa Nova, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Mona Lisa (2:50)
02. Come Fly With Me (3:21)
03. Nature Boy (2:46)
04. Quizas Quizas Quizas (3:37)
05. Samba E Amor (4:05)
06. Straighten Up And Fly Right (2:22)
07. My Funny Valentine (3:44)
08. It Was A Very Good Year (3:52)
09. South Of The Border (2:40)
10. So Nice (Duet) (Feat. Vanessa Falabella) (3:11)

Brazilian-born jazz vocalist Carlos Dias, now based in Manhattan, brings his significant talent to your living room on his recently released ten-song album… song like the fantastic opener, “Mona Lisa“, use backing vocals and superb arrangements in a most professional way to hold you enchanted under his spell… very nicely done.

The heavy-duty percussion intro on “Quizas Quizas Quizas” (Maybe Maybe Maybe) melds right into gentle guitar strains from Wesley Amorimand and a silky-smooth vocal that are totally tasty – one of the best Latin performances I’ve heard (yet) in 2018… in addition to Carlos fine singing, he also has special guest appearances by other very talented players like Gene Perla, Vanessa Falabella, Helio Schiavo, Cesar Garabini, Negah Santos and Clark Gayton… arrangements were done by Carlos and Wesley throughout the album.

Though the release comes with strong (& wonderful) Brazilian flavors, it’s also Carlos’s tribute to two of his jazz heroes, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole… his inspiring rendition of “My Funny Valentine” is among the best I’ve ever heard… laid-back style, yet highly charged with the energy that romance can bring, and full of the joy that LIVING life can bring.

There was no question in my mind what my personal favorite of the ten songs offered up for your aural adventure would be, though… the closer, “So Nice“, is a vocal duet with Vanessa, and they will (easily) wrap you into their magical spell… I predict that this tune will garner a lot of airplay… perfect pacing and full of soul. ~by Dick Metcalf

Copacabana Station

---

Jerry Weldon - Those Were The Days

Size: 132,4 MB
Time: 56:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Love Won't Let Me Wait (6:13)
02. Strangers In The Night (5:54)
03. Sunny V (6:39)
04. Where Is Love (4:31)
05. Rosetta (6:38)
06. Walk On By (5:52)
07. This Is Always (4:03)
08. The Sermon (8:33)
09. Those Were The Days (8:29)

It's no longer certain what music cold be classified as "mainstream" jazz. One can argue that the genre (and all others, for that matter) have atomized to the point of each performance being considered a genre in itself (a desirable outcome to the music anarchists among us). That said, some type of classification remains useful in describing music, if for no other reason than to let a listener know that "this sounds a great deal like that." Which brings us to tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon. Weldon presently serves featured soloist in Harry Connick, Jr.'s long serving big band, who presently provide tafelmusik for Connick's Harry weekday talk show on ABC. The present Those Were the Days is Weldon's debut on Cory Weeds' Cellar Live label. The saxophonist has released seven previous recordings.

The touchstone of Those Were the Days is economy. Everything about this recording smacks of a scrupulous efficiency borne of an extended tenure in a big band like Connick's. This begins with his judicious use of an organ trio format augmented with a percussionist not unlike that employed in the 1950s and '60s Blue Note organ blowing dates. Organist Kyle Koehler is a conservative sort, favoring understated organ stop positions and thoughtful solo excursions. His tone reveals the best of a sepia-tinged style that could have been heard introducing The Edge of Night. Koehler's contribution to this date cannot be understated and is splendidly emotive and orchestral. He is most present introducing the title cut, which closes the recording, framing Weldon's muscular and exacting tenor tone with a soft glow, propelled by the gentle loping rhythm of drummer Colby Inzer.

Weldon favors modern ballads like the full-throated "Strangers in the Night" and the Bacharach/David "Walk on By" played samba style in a breezy and laconic mode. Weldon's own "Sunny V," retaining a bit of samba itself, is bright and inventive. The saxophonist and organist reach a precise critical mass playing Jimmy Smith's "The Sermon," the only blowing blues on the set. Everything comes into relief focus on this tune with all instruments well synced and calibrated. This is an excellent penultimate piece to introduce the closing "Those Were the Days." This could definitely be called "mainstream" jazz, that brand of jazz immediately recognizable, durable and expressive, a joy to behold and listen to. ~C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Jerry Weldon: tenor saxophone; Kyle Koehler: Hammond B3 Organ; Colby Inzer: drums; Daniel Sadownick: percussion.

Those Were The Days

---

Rosey - Be Somebody Blues

Size: 78,4 MB
Time: 33:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. It’s A Ruse (3:27)
02. Who Am I (4:15)
03. Love (3:45)
04. Those Eyes (2:28)
05. Be Somebody Blues (4:02)
06. The Old Fashioned Way (2:32)
07. It’s Easier On Me (4:48)
08. I Remember (4:40)
09. Luckiest Girl (3:25)

Singer/songwriter Rosey has been surrounded by music since her early childhood and credits her big family for keeping the excitement alive. First, it was the Beatles. She found her parents' record collection around age seven and couldn't resist the infectious pop sounds of the Fab Four. By college, she was spinning world music at her college radio station and absorbing the vast selection of urban fusion. And through countless music industry jobs, Rosey found her calling. She packed her bags and left New York for San Francisco in the late '90s. There, she formed a band and molded into a soulful, blues-tinged songstress. Her big break came when her sultry song "Love" appeared in the 2001 film Bridget Jones's Diary. Several months later, "Afterlife" was showcased in the Farrelly Brothers comedy Shallow Hal. In June 2002, Rosey made her debut with the studio full-length Dirty Child. That summer she toured with Meredith Brooks and Melissa Etheridge in support of the album. ~by MacKenzie Wilson

Be Somebody Blues

---

Bob Mintzer Big Band & New York Voices - Meeting Of Minds

Size: 140,8 MB
Time: 60:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Autumn Leaves (Live) (6:44)
02. I Concentrate On You (Live) (5:21)
03. I Want To Be Happy (Live) (6:31)
04. I Get Along Without You Very Well (Live) (4:31)
05. The Way You Look Tonight (Live) (6:23)
06. You Go To My Head (Live) (7:17)
07. Old Devil Moon (Live) (5:22)
08. Weird Blues (Live) (5:56)
09. Speak Low (Live) (6:55)
10. I'll Remember April (Live) (5:28)

Meeting Of Minds plays more like a merger than an encounter. And that, after all, is how all successful collaborations should feel. Hearing Bob Mintzer's big band and New York Voices join forces for a trip through newly-arranged takes on '30s and '40s gems from the Great American Songbook is a reminder that some music can ring timeless and appear pliant all at once when placed in the right hands.

New York Voices has paired up with other large ensembles in the past—the Count Basie Orchestra and the WDR Big Band, to cite two—but this marks the group's first on-record meeting with Mintzer's airtight outfit. And with a shared appreciation for precision swing, expansive and expanded harmonies, and Latin settings, it turns out to be a perfect fit.

The integration of Darmon Meader's vocal writing with Minzter's big band charts is seamless, with one set of hands enhancing the work of the other. In knowing both what to add and, of equal importance, what to leave out, both men prove sympathetic in their contributions. The album opens with a Latin-swing hybrid arrangement of "Autumn Leaves" that finds the band working like a well-oiled machine and the voices in perfect sync. Kim Nazarian and Lauren Kinhan light the way, pianist Phil Markowitz makes the first of his many marks, and alto saxophonist Bob Sheppard steps into the spotlight. A jaunty and warm "I Concentrate On You" with a Peter Eldridge vocal lead and an instrumental take on "I Want To Be Happy" with a smoking trumpet solo from Scott Wendholt follow and help to instantly diversify this portfolio.

With shifting stylistic ground, more than half of the band personnel soloing at one time or another, and each of the vocalists taking center stage at various times, there's never a problem with variety here. What's remarkable, in fact, is how it all ties together into a unified sound. A gorgeously heart-wrenching "I Get Along Without You Very Well" with an Eldridge lead, a slowly funky "Old Devil Moon" with an attractively smoldering Kinhan out front, and a one-off trip to original territory with Mintzer's swinging "Weird Blues" (sans vocals) all feel right at home with each other. The marriage of the Bob Mintzer Big Band and New York Voices is simply a match made in heavenly harmony. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Kim Nazarian: vocals; Lauren Kinhan: vocals; Darmon Meader: vocals; Peter Eldridge: vocals; Bob Mintzer: tenor saxophone, flute; Bob Shappard: alto saxophone, flute; Lawrence Feldman: alto saxophone: flute; Bob Malach: tenor saxophone; Roger Rosenberg: baritone saxophone, clarinet; Bob Millikan: trumpet; Frank Greene: trumpet; Scott Wendhot: trumpet; James Moore: trumpet; Keith O'Quinn: trombone; Jef Bush: trombone; Jay Ashby: trombone, percussion; David Taylor: bass trombone; Phil Markowitz: piano; Marty Ashby: guitar; Jay Anderson: bass; John Riley: drums.

Meeting Of Minds

---

Willie Mitchell - The Many Moods Of Willie Mitchell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:27
Size: 74.3 MB
Styles: Funk, Soul
Year: 1969/2014
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Breaking Point
[3:41] 2. Sometimes I Wonder
[3:42] 3. Black Fox
[3:14] 4. Roadhouse
[3:53] 5. Sack-O-Woe
[2:22] 6. Too Sweet
[2:36] 7. White Silver Sands
[3:00] 8. Midnight Sun
[3:18] 9. Cuddlin' Up
[3:31] 10. Something Nice

The 1970 follow-up to Soul Bag was for the most part a further step away from where Willie Mitchell had been for the past decade. The sound on Many Moods is darker, funkier, greasier, and grittier. It's almost sloppy, which gives the record an immediacy virtually nothing he recorded before or since could claim. From the slippery late-night feel of "Breaking Point," with its gorgeous guitar and organ harmonics, to the endgame of "Something Nice," which is far more sexy than nice with its intricately structured horn and guitar lines weaving in and out of one another, the effect was the same: intoxicating groove science. Other standouts include "Sack-O-Woe," "Roadhouse," and "Black Fox." On these tracks what is central is the stretching of time and space through the backbeat, letting it fall just ahead or behind the rest of the band, as horn lines, Booker T.'s organ, and Steve Cropper's guitar took their places laying out the groove and punching it up with fills and flourishes. There are two quizzical places on this album that makes one wonder if the tracks were brought in from an earlier session just to fill out side two: "White Silver Sands" and "Midnight Sun" are both drenched in that sweet, shimmering sheen that most of Mitchell's earlier records had, marring what would have been a perfect release. But it's of little consequence, since what is strong here -- the vast majority of the album -- is a revelation. ~Thom Jurek

The Many Moods Of Willie Mitchell mc
The Many Moods Of Willie Mitchell zippy

---

Glenn Zottola - Classic Standards With Strings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:28
Size: 92.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man Of Mine
[3:28] 2. Laura
[3:28] 3. What's New
[3:32] 4. Memories Of You
[3:25] 5. Willow Weep For Me
[3:01] 6. Embraceable You
[3:15] 7. Blue Moon
[3:23] 8. Where Or When
[3:00] 9. Yesterdays
[3:29] 10. Portrait Of Jenny
[3:12] 11. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[3:23] 12. Stardust

Jazz Legends Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and Ben Webster are rightfully considered the Swing Era’s Pantheon of the tenor saxophone. It is from that glorious rock-solid foundation of the jazz tree that yet-to-come tenor greats such as Stan Getz, John Coltrane and others blossomed. The influence of the tenor triumvirate on those who followed them was enormous – Hawkins improvisational genius exemplified in the still-examined “Body and Soul,” Young’s suave and silky-smooth cool melodic and improvisational approach and Webster’s sensually breathy balladic and hard-swinging up-tempo interpretations.

With “Classic Standards with Strings – Inspired by Ben Webster,” multi-instrumentalist Glenn Zottola, yet again musically validates his worldwide reputation as both an insightful and highly expressive musical artist. Here he grabs his tenor and brilliantly delivers a dozen of the Great American Songbook’s most melodic and romantic jewels. The result is an aural masterpiece of tone, melodic passion, and lyric sensitivity. Webster was a large man who was nicknamed “Brute.” However, his breathy entrances and tonal sensitivities belied the moniker. Zottola, who shrewdly doesn’t mime Webster’s sound or articulation here and who certainly isn’t brutish in any way – musically or otherwise – renders all of the smoothness and sensitivity that both the esteemed material and his mentor deserve. Working exclusively with the greatest of balladic material (“Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man,” “Laura,” “Embraceable You”) and backed by a lush string orchestra and superior arrangements, the recording is reminiscent of the great Jackie Gleason sides – you know, when music was about elegance, romance and class.
Zottola, first and foremost a melody man, takes this classic material and literally breathes interpretive life into it. His reserved dynamic feel and vocal-tinged vibrato are a case study in lyricism and stellar ballad playing (“Where or When?” “Yesterdays,” and “Stardust”). When he covers the melody, Zottola gives the marvelous illusion of singing via his horn. And, his well-thought out improvisations all gravitate from a melodic core. The entire effort is a rapturous dream.

Ben Webster is still revered worldwide and especially in Denmark where there is a street named after him (as well as a foundation that awards scholarships to young jazzers). However, I’m dead-certain that when the Danes get a hold of this effort from Glenn Zottola, they might consider getting a second street sign ready for another superb tenor man. ~Nick Mondello

Classic Standards With Strings mc
Classic Standards With Strings zippy

---

Janet Planet - Of Thee I Sing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:53
Size: 114.2 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Rhode Island Is Famous For You
[3:48] 2. Manhattan
[5:18] 3. Old Cape Cod
[3:36] 4. Moonlight In Vermont
[3:46] 5. Love On A Greyhound Bus
[3:44] 6. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
[3:51] 7. My Kind Of Town (Chicago Is)
[1:58] 8. Gary, Indiana
[4:08] 9. Song Of Wyoming
[2:40] 10. Chattanooga Choo Choo
[3:32] 11. Home On The Range
[2:10] 12. Deep In The Heart Of Texas
[3:42] 13. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
[4:24] 14. San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)

Forget that the title evokes Kate Smith and the contents include some of the potentially hokiest songs ever written – whether you’re vacationing or staycationing this summer, pack this new recording into your iPod. If any of Janet’s work is going to get major airplay, Of Thee I Sing is it. The basic concept is a winner–14 mostly familiar tunes chosen specifically to celebrate our country, our communities, and the people who live there. But what makes this recording outstanding–in addition to Janet’s customary excellence and the solid musicianship throughout–is the good old American ingenuity of arrangers John Harmon, Tom Washatka, and Tom Theabo, who convert potentially somnolent tunes like “Home on the Range,” “Chattanooga Choo-Choo,” “Gary, Indiana,” and “Old Cape Cod” into high-octane jazz, fueling a very hip trip.

On the jazzical journey, which runs roughly east to west, you’ll make musical stops–some expected, some not–in Rhode Island, Manhattan, Cape Cod, New Orleans, Chicago, Gary, Wyoming, Chattanooga, Texas, and San Francisco. You’ll also fall in love on a Greyhound bus, somewhere along Route 66. Aside from the pitch-perfect Janet, your traveling companions include Harmon on piano, Washatka on sax, Theabo on guitar, John Gibson on bass and Danny Leuck on drums. With drivers this skillful, you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. ~TriTone Jazz

Of Thee I Sing mc
Of Thee I Sing zippy

---

The Kansas Smitty's House Band - Kansas Smitty's House Band Live

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:10
Size: 89.7 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:28] 1. Whiskey Rag
[5:01] 2. Anita
[5:57] 3. This Is Goodbye
[5:17] 4. Here's To Huw
[4:26] 5. Messin' Around No More
[3:12] 6. She's Got Soul
[5:13] 7. North Henry Street
[5:30] 8. Goodnight My Friends

Kansas Smitty’s House Band are back with a second album of original swing music. The disc was recorded live in the heart of London’s Soho and captures the “cult swing band” in full flight. Infamous as the band who are also proprietors of their own bar, this album gives the listener the electric experience of seeing Kansas Smitty’s live, to go.

Performing brand new music composed especially for this headline club show, the tunes are fresh from hours of writing and rehearsals at their East London HQ. Though you wouldn’t know it, the band’s razor sharp delivery is completely without written music which is a high stakes game when recording live. It’s in this space the House Band thrives, striving to craft the sound that they collectively hear and deliver the music with their trademark joy, energy and precision. The eight original tunes selected from the Band’s live show were composed specifically for this performance and had never before been heard in public. The blend of styles covered across the set illustrates how the House Band’s style is evolving. Building upon their reputation as exponents of the swing beat, their music is now transforming into a sound of its own.

While their roots in ‘the tradition’ are proudly on display, a year on from their debut release the band are carving out a niche on the modern genre-bending jazz scene. Tracks like the groovy ‘Whisky Rag’ and Fats Domino-tinged ‘She’s Got Soul’ echo traditional rag forms with a hefty dose of New Orleans street beat. Pianist Joe Webb’s ‘Here’s to Huw’ features a soul theme that segues into a jukebox-worthy boogaloo. The two ballads on the record, the melancholic ‘This Is Goodbye’ and the gospel-tinged ‘Goodnight, My friends’ feature the tender vocals of “Sweet” Pete Horsfall, with special guest bluesman Marcus Bonfanti’s delta-drenched guitar and vocals providing joyful relief with his own composition ‘Messin’ Around No More’.

This live record is a snapshot of an ensemble that is constantly pushing forward. This album was recorded live and mixed by Alex Killpartrick and mastered by Lewis Durham (of Kitty, Daisy, and Lewis) on February 22nd, 2016.

Kansas Smitty's House Band Live mc
Kansas Smitty's House Band Live zippy

---