Ben Markley Big Band - Clockwise: The Music Of Cedar Walton

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:34
Size: 173.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[ 5:53] 1. Cedar's Blues
[ 7:30] 2. Clockwise
[ 7:35] 3. Fiesta Espanol
[ 9:27] 4. Hindsight
[ 6:40] 5. I'll Let You Know
[ 7:31] 6. I'm Not So Sure
[10:01] 7. Holy Land
[ 6:06] 8. Bolivia
[ 5:53] 9. Martha's Prize
[ 8:55] 10. Black

Cedar Walton, whose long and illustrious career ended with his passing in August 2013, was not only one of his era's most celebrated jazz pianists but a musician whose impressive talents as a composer were often beclouded by his remarkable success as a performer. One of those whose admiration for Walton the composer is as earnest as it is for Walton the pianist is Ben Markley, himself a pianist and director of Jazz Studies at the University of Wyoming. To give voice to that esteem, Markley assembled a big band and entrusted the whole of its debut recording to Walton's singular compositions, several of which have become jazz standards.

Even though disparate in style and substance, Walton's themes have one thing in common: they swing heartily from a blues-based axis that serves as a durable foundation for his harmonic and rhythmic forays. Markley takes that to heart, and his arrangements echo Walton's infallible penchant for swinging in any and all contexts. Markley's ensemble, comprised of fellow UW faculty and a troupe of the Denver area's leading sidemen, is with him every step of the way, bringing Walton's compositions vividly to life in a format whose expansive boundaries lend them fresh gravity and allure.

Leaving nothing to chance, Markley has added a "wild card" to the deck in the person of guest trumpeter Terell Stafford whose burnished ad-libs enliven "Cedar's Blues," "Hindsight," "Holy Land" and "Black," while Markley's radiant piano shines brightly on "Fiesta Espanol," "Hindsight," "I'll Let You Know," "Bolivia" and "Martha's Prize." Other soloists of note are trumpeters Greg Gisbert and John Lake, alto Wil Swindler, tenors Peter Sommer and Serafin Sanchez, trombonist Paul McKee, guitarist Steve Kovalcheck and bassist Ken Walker. The rhythm section, anchored by drummer Chris Smith, is hard-working and intensely focused.

As for Walton's themes, they are invariably resourceful and engaging, from the loose-limbed "Cedar's Blues" to the formidable "Black," on which Stafford, Sommer and Gisbert torch the landscape. Stafford and Swindler are superb on "Cedar's Blues," as are Walker, Lake and Kovalcheck on the title song, and Markley, McKee and Gisbert on the rhythmically enchanting "Fiesta Espanol." That's only a foretaste of what's to come, as Markley and the ensemble transform Walton's music into a luxurious feast for the ears. One of the year's more captivating and persuasive big-band albums. ~Jack Bowers

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Sadao Watanabe Sextet - Bossa Nova '67

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:43
Size: 79.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2007/2013
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. The Girl From Ipanema
[2:44] 2. Meditation
[3:20] 3. Black Orpheus
[2:54] 4. O Grande Amour
[2:12] 5. Bonita
[3:58] 6. Dindi
[2:20] 7. Mas Que Nada
[3:04] 8. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[2:15] 9. Fly Me To The Moon
[2:47] 10. A Man And A Woman
[3:31] 11. So Danco Samba
[2:59] 12. She's A Carioca

Sadao Watanabe is not only Japan's best known alto/soprano saxophonist and flutist, he has also made a name for himself in American jazz scene. In 1962, he came to the USofA to study music at Berklee School of Music in Boston. In 1995, he received an Honorary Degree from the same college for his notable contributions to music. He has been recording since 1961 as a leader and a prolific sideman along with talented musicians such as Hank Jones, George Benson, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, Chick Corea, Ron Carter, Hubert Laws, Christian McBride, Romero Lubambo, Cyrus Chestnut and many others.

"Bossa Nova '67" by Sadao Watanabe Sextet is like a canvas painted artistically in colorful hues of blue as in "Meditation," red as in "Fly Me To The Moon," pink as in "A Man And A Woman," black as in "Black Orpheus" and purple as in "The Shadow of Your Smile." They are relaxing, smooth, lovely Bossa Nova music. The musicianship is unflawed. The sonic is super! There's no reason to whine about it. The all-Japanese skilled musicians who are responsible for the beauty of this recording are Sadao Watanabe (sax/flute), Masabumi Kikuchi (piano), Sadanori Nakamure (guitar), Isao Suzuki (bass), Masahiko Togashi (drums), and a String Section to complete the line-up.

Greatly influenced by Charlie Parker's style, Mr. Watanabe's most remarkable recordings have been featured in these compilation CDs: Most Romantic Jazz in the Universe and More of Most Romantic Jazz Music in Universe with some of the greatest jazzers like Kenny Burrell, Sonny Stitt, Marian McPartland, Toots Thielemans, Bobby Hutcherson, Cannonball Adderley, Eliane Elias, Houston Person and others. ~Rebecca 'rhapsodyinblue'.

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Don Latarski - D'trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:53
Size: 98.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. Pepperoo
[7:40] 2. Clakker's Revenge
[5:08] 3. Alpinista Azul
[4:50] 4. More Than Memories
[5:22] 5. Feral Logic
[5:05] 6. Up In The Air
[4:46] 7. Palavras Perdidas
[4:24] 8. Funkity

This trio has been performing for close to 20 yrs. and we've always had a magical rapport on the band stand. The music is original, instrumental and highly interactive. We go for creativity and surprise when we perform and the intent and goal is to explore and have a good time along the way. The new cd, D'Trio, is a collection of newer tunes that have strong melodic and rhythmic elements. This is not traditional or swing style jazz, but it does borrow from the jazz tradition harmonically. Most of the tunes on this disc are funk style, but there are two ballads and two bossa influenced songs. All of the music was written by Latarski.

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Lou Donaldson - Hot Dog

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:08
Size: 89.6 MB
Styles: Soul/Jazz/Funk
Year: 1969/2015
Art: Front

[ 6:43] 1. Who's Making Love
[ 7:52] 2. Turtle Walk
[ 4:53] 3. Bonnie
[10:41] 4. Hot Dog
[ 8:57] 5. It's Your Thing

Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson; Drums – Leo Morris; Guitar – Melvin Sparks; Organ – Charles Earland; Trumpet – Ed Williams. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on April 25, 1969.

The soul-jazz format provides a most satisfying canvas for Donaldson’s distinctive soaring, blues-inflected runs. Eagle-eyed readers will note in the pictures Lou has an effects box strapped to his chest – so he can add reverb or whatever on the fly to his electronic alto. 1969. Electronic instruments were beginning to take hold.

Earland eschews JS fireworks for rhythmic propulsion, with only occasional assaults on the upper register. When he stretches out, long ascending and descending arpeggios which wouldn’t be out of place in any late ’60s prog-rock band, Jon Lord, Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman, music of its time. Melvyn Sparks neat linear guitar runs serve up a Grant Green tribute act, perfect in context. Together, the ensemble delivers a cracking ten minute floor filler, or, on specialist orthopaedic advice, sit out for a finger-poppin’ session on the sofa. ~https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com

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Phil Woods - Floresta Canto

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:10
Size: 110,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. Canto De Ossanha (Let Go)
(4:01)  2. Let Me
(4:23)  3. O Morro
(8:57)  4. Chaldean Prayer
(3:57)  5. Sails
(4:25)  6. Roses
(4:17)  7. Without You
(5:08)  8. Portrait Of Julia
(4:16)  9. Jesse
(2:44) 10. Menino Das Laranjas

At first glance, this LP by Phil Woods might appear to be a rather easily dismissed commercial affair, but just eyeballing a record jacket can be deceiving. Woods' conception of a large orchestra performing bossa novas was realized through his collaboration with Chris Gunning and his orchestra during a trip to England in 1976; what is surprising is that this recording, sometimes with strings and backing vocals, was done completely without any overdubs. Gunning and Woods both contributed arrangements and orchestrations. Another treat is hearing Woods on soprano sax, an instrument he has used sporadically on recordings, on both the opening track, "Canto de Ossanha (Let Go)," and Gunning's "Chaldean Prayer." Woods is also in top form on his main instrument, alto sax, which he plays on most of the rest of the tracks. Keyboardist Gordon Beck (who had previously worked with Phil Woods & His European Rhythm Machine), trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, and saxophonist Tony Coe are among the most notable names in the musicians present. Although both the strings and the backing vocals grow tiresome over time, the effort put into the production of this LP is still rather impressive. Not a likely candidate for reissue, but this long out of print record should still be relatively easy to find.~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/floresta-canto-mw0000885153

Personnel:  Phil Woods - Arranger, Clarinet, Composer, Orchestration, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano);  Chris Gunning - Arranger, Conductor, Orchestration;  Gordon Beck - Keyboards;  Alf Bigden - Drums;  Tony Carr - Marimba, Timbales;  Tony Coe - Sax (Tenor), Saxophone;  Bob Efford - Sax (Baritone), Saxophone;  Tony Fisher - Trumpet;  Louis Jardim - Percussion;  Robin Jones - Percussion;  Chris Karan - Chimes, Clavichord, Drums;  Dave Markee - Bass, Bass (Electric);  Nat Peck - Trombone;  Chris Pyne - Trombone;  Jack Rothstein - Concert Master, Violin;  Darryl Runswick - Bass, Bass (Electric);  Stan Sulzmann - Saxophone;  Tony Uter - Congas, Percussion;  Kenny Wheeler - Trumpet;  Roy Wilox - Flute.

Floresta Canto

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Gene Bertoncini - Body and Soul

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:55
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. The Shadow of Your Smile
(3:26)  2. My Funny Valentine
(4:15)  3. How Are Things in Glocca Morra
(4:20)  4. Body and Soul
(2:20)  5. Edelweiss
(3:31)  6. 'Round Midnight
(3:03)  7. Stardust
(2:03)  8. But Beautiful
(3:17)  9. I Remember You
(4:16) 10. Greensleeves
(2:54) 11. Cavatina
(3:17) 12. Sophisitcated Lady
(1:42) 13. Snowfall

There aren't a great many exponents of nylon-string acoustic jazz guitar, but Gene Bertoncini, one of the true masters, belongs near the top of the list. On this exquisite solo album, the veteran guitarist is recorded via a technology called Direct Stream Digital. Without going into cumbersome details, what this means is unparalleled sound quality, giving a glass-like sheen to Bertoncini's musical thoughts. It must be said, however, that Bertoncini would sound great recorded in far less ideal circumstances. His arrangements combine the unlimited possibilities of jazz reharmonization with the rigors of legit classical guitar technique, resulting in highly individual reworkings of great standards. The title track becomes a landscape of dark clusters and dissonance, while in parts of "My Funny Valentine" and "Greensleeves," the melody occurs in the low register, framed by high-register chords and patterns  not something you're likely to hear from even the best electric jazz guitarist. Bertoncini even makes lesser showtunes like "Edelweiss" and "How Are Things in Glocca Morra" sound like mini-symphonies.~ David R.Adler https://www.allmusic.com/album/body-and-soul-mw0000007411

Body and Soul

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Gilson Peranzzetta - Tributo a Oscar Peterson

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:40
Size: 114,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Somewhere
(2:58)  2. I Feel Pretty
(7:06)  3. Garota de Ipanema
(3:27)  4. The Days of Wine and Roses
(6:51)  5. Con Alma
(5:38)  6. Tico Tico no Fuba
(5:24)  7. Easy to Love
(3:43)  8. It's All Right with Me
(4:33)  9. I've Got You Under My Skin
(2:43) 10. It's De-Lovely
(4:00) 11. Just One of Those Things

One of the most requested contemporary arrangers and pianists of MPB, Gilson Peranzzetta has had classical training since he was a child, also being heavily influenced by jazz and Brazilian instrumental music. As a composer, he has had his songs recorded by Djavan, Edu Lobo, Leny Andrade, Sarah Vaughan, George Benson, Dianne Schurr, Quincy Jones, Toots Thielemans, Shirley Horn, and other artists. He has been touring extensively through the U.S., Europe, and Japan. His classical compositions include the suites "Miragem" (for piano and orchestra) and "Metamorfose" (for piano and string quartet). In the '60s, Peranzzetta was a member of the group Samba Jazz, also playing with Taiguara. He toured Europe with the group Central do Brasil, and became Ivan Lins' arranger and pianist for several years. His longtime affinity for guitarist Sebastião Tapajós yielded the most interesting album in duo with him, Afinidades. ~ Alvaro Neder https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tributo-a-oscar-peterson/1367546609

Tributo a Oscar Peterson

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Jill Barber - Metaphora

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:16
Size: 69,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:43)  1. The Woman
(3:07)  2. Girl's Gotta Do
(2:47)  3. I Hooked Your Heart
(2:39)  4. Bigger Than You
(3:47)  5. Mercy
(3:04)  6. Clumsy Heart
(3:45)  7. Cage Without a Key
(3:16)  8. Love Is
(4:04)  9. Hold On

A bold entre into the world of contemporary pop music, resulting in a Jill Barber we've never heard before. Metaphora showcases her power and vulnerability as both an artist and a woman. Evolving over the course of many albums from folk to jazz, R & B and pop, Jill's success is defined not by genre, but by her undeniable songwriting chops and distinctive voice. Metaphora is a continuation of Barber's musical story that confidently tackles everything from issues of empowerment, sexual politics, the complications of love, and depression. It's introspective and personal. It's also a dance party. Mutual friendships and living on the same street led Jill to sit down with Ryan Guldemond, the enigmatic lead singer of Mother Mother, for inspiration and creativity. Ryan's commitment to Jill and unwavering enthusiasm garnered co-writing credits on four of the nine songs on Metaphora, including the instantly catchy lead single, Girl's Gotta Do, a hook-filled and very timely call to arms that aims to challenge the patriarchal status quo, as we usher in a new era of equality says Barber. Writing with Ryan was a big departure for me, and very exciting. He's extremely creative and not afraid to push my creative boundaries recalls Barber. The sessions became part songwriting and part therapy because I was writing about things that felt pretty raw; politics, sexism, being a mother. I started to realize that this was going to be a very different kind of album for me. I had more that I needed to say and Ryan helped bring that out with his uncanny knack for melody and song structure.~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Metaphora-Jill-Barber/dp/B07BZC5K9D

Metaphora

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Boots Randolph - Yakety Sax!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:18
Size: 71.7 MB
Styles: Country-jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1963/2008
Art: Front

[2:02] 1. Yakety Sax
[2:16] 2. Walk Right In
[2:03] 3. If You've Got The Money
[2:21] 4. Cotton Fields
[2:30] 5. Charlie Brown
[1:57] 6. Cacklin' Sax
[3:15] 7. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[3:03] 8. I Can't Stop Loving You
[2:28] 9. Lonely Street
[2:23] 10. It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'
[2:33] 11. I Fall To Pieces
[4:22] 12. I Really Don't Want To Know

Boots Randolph's signature tune, "Yakety Sax," was inspired by the sax solo in the Coasters' "Yakety Yak," and is much better known than its modest chart placement might suggest. Randolph had recorded "Yakety Sax" for RCA several years earlier without success, but his Monument recording clicked in 1963 and the accompanying gold-selling album spent nearly a year on the charts. Randolph's unique status as the man who popularized the saxophone in Nashville is reflected in half an album's worth of country songs like "I Fall to Pieces" and "If You've Got the Money." Randolph acknowledges the Coasters again on a version of "Charlie Brown," and gives the commercial folk craze the nod with renditions of "Cotton Fields" and "Walk Right In." "Cacklin' Sax" is a novelty number on which Randolph imitates the sound of a chicken with his versatile horn. The album is split into two halves, with the slow songs grouped on the second side, and the first half is the clear winner of the two. ~Greg Adams

Yakety Sax!

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Bebel Gilberto - All In One

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:52
Size: 98.2 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Cancao De Amor
[3:55] 2. Sun Is Shining
[2:42] 3. Bim Bom
[3:24] 4. Nossa Senhora
[4:30] 5. The Real Thing
[3:17] 6. Ela (On My Way)
[3:19] 7. Far From The Sea
[4:20] 8. All In One
[2:29] 9. Forever
[3:42] 10. Secret (Segredo)
[3:00] 11. Chica Chica Boom Chic
[3:46] 12. Port Antonio

2009 release, the vocalist's debut album from the Verve Records label. Known worldwide for her ability to connect modern sounds with the heart and soul of Brazilian music, the New York-born Gilberto focuses on the rhythms of her native country, devising a cosmopolitan yet classic sound with the help of a diverse group of collaborators, including Carlinhos Brown (Caetano Veloso), Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls), Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse), Daniel Jobim (grandson of Antonio Carlos Jobim) and John King (the Dust Brothers). All In One perfectly expresses Gilberto's interest in making music that feels romantic and fluid. In particular, Most of the record is sung in Portuguese, Bebel's native language, and was conceived, developed and recorded in her home studio.

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Lee Konitz, Antonio Zambrini Trio - Comencini

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:04
Size: 135.2 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:18] 1. Substitutions
[7:24] 2. Small Ballad
[5:44] 3. Bluesness
[3:00] 4. Giovedì
[5:12] 5. Minor Sequence
[7:06] 6. Arrivederci
[7:31] 7. Melampo
[4:56] 8. Antonia
[5:56] 9. Ritorno
[2:34] 10. Comencini Intro
[4:17] 11. Bluesness (Duo Version)

Jazz pianist and composer from Milan, Zambrini has drawn attention of critics and musicians especially with his “songs”, published his several trio and quartet recordings, as well as reprised and played by various musicians in the jazz area. Mr. Lee Konitz himself recorded a series of Zambrini’s tunes in a sequence of three cds they realized together for label “Phillogy” in 2008

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Greg Murphy - Summer Breeze

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:20
Size: 167.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:02] 1. Solar
[6:51] 2. Sophisticated Lady
[6:36] 3. No One In Particular
[5:12] 4. A Reason To Smile
[8:45] 5. Cedar Salad
[5:05] 6. Fall
[5:55] 7. Expectations
[4:49] 8. Summer Breeze
[6:44] 9. Solid
[4:49] 10. Leo's Lullaby
[5:45] 11. Tsk
[7:40] 12. Suspended Time

Greg Murphy is a seasoned pianist and composer who has assembled a great team for this, his fourth CD as leader. It’s a mix of jazz compositions by outstanding artists as well as Murphy’s own well-honed compositions. Trio work includes bassist Eric Wheeler and drummer Kush Abadey. Wheeler has recorded with vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and jazz musicians, among whom are, Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller and Russell Malone. Drummer Abadey is in his early 20s but his resume is outstanding. He has recorded with Wallace Roney, attended Berklee School of Music and had recorded with Terrance Blanchard, Barry Harris and others.

Trumpeter Josh Evans joins the ensemble on most tunes and does an outstanding job. Corey Wilson joins on a Murphy composition, A Reason To Smile. Vocalist Malou Beauvoir is featured on A Reason to Smile, Ellington’s Sophisticated Lady and the Seals and Crofts composition, Summer Breeze. Besides those listed tunes, composition other than Murphy’s are Miles Davis’ Solar, Wayne Shorter’s Fall, Sonny Rollins’ Solid and Leo’s Lullaby by Scott Robert Avedon. The other six tunes, completing the dozen on the album, are Greg Murphy compositions.

To this reviewer, the smooth and tuneful execution and rhythmic piano suggest influence of George Shearing and Dave Brubeck. Well done, Greg Murphy. We look for your next output. ~F. Norman Vickers

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Larry Carlton - Room 335 (2 parts)

Before he transitioned completely to a solo career, Carlton became one of the most in-demand studio musicians of the past three decades. Carlton’s catalog of work includes film soundtracks, television themes and work on more than 100 gold albums. Ultimately, Carlton began scaling back his session work substantially, while continuing to perform and record with the Crusaders. He shifted his emphasis to the challenges of arranging and producing, and built his own studio-Room 335-in his home. During this period he arranged and produced projects for Barbra Streisand, Joan Baez and Larry Gatlin, as well as producing and co-writing the theme for the hit sitcom Who’s The Boss and co-writing (with Michel Columbier) and arranging the acclaimed movie soundtrack for Against All Odds.

As his association with the Crusaders began to draw to a close, Carlton signed with Warner Bros. Records in 1977. Between ’78 and ’84, Larry recorded six solo albums for Warner Bros. Records: Mr. 335: Live In Japan, Friends; Eight Times Up; Sleep Walk; Strikes Twice; Larry Carlton. The latter self-titled album was released hot on the heels of his debut session with rock supergroup Steely Dan. Rolling Stone magazine lists Carlton’s tasty ascent on Steely Dan’s Kid Charlemagne as one of the three best guitar licks in rock music.

With more than 3000 studio sessions under his belt by the early 1980s, Carlton had picked up four Grammy nominations. In addition to winning a Grammy (`81) for the theme to "Hill Street Blues" (a collaboration with Mike Post), he also was voted NARAS’s "Most Valuable Player" for three consecutive years. NARAS then named him "Player Emeritus" and retired him from eligibility.

Album: Room 335 (Part 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 85:42
Size: 196.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2018

[5:37] 1. Room 335 (Long Version)
[4:33] 2. Sleepwalk
[5:04] 3. 10 00 P.M
[4:56] 4. You Gotta Get It While You Can
[4:55] 5. Fingerprints
[3:46] 6. Song For Katie
[5:20] 7. Nite Crawler
[5:18] 8. Last Night
[4:29] 9. Blues Bird
[4:56] 10. Point It Up
[4:34] 11. (It Was) Only Yesterday
[5:28] 12. Chicks With Kickstands
[4:56] 13. All Thru The Night
[4:19] 14. Deep Into It
[6:09] 15. Gracias
[4:13] 16. Put It Where You Want It
[7:00] 17. Rio Samba

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Album: Room 335 (Part 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 85:36
Size: 196.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Iit's A Groove Thang
[3:46] 2. Closer To Home
[4:46] 3. Silky Smooth
[5:42] 4. Lazy Susan
[7:03] 5. Crying Hands
[7:31] 6. Upper Kern
[6:02] 7. Don't Give It Up
[4:32] 8. Frenchman's Flat
[4:24] 9. I Can't Tell You Why
[5:09] 10. Like Butta'
[4:51] 11. Slave Song
[3:59] 12. Don't Break My Heart
[4:15] 13. Morning Magic
[6:45] 14. The Storyteller
[4:15] 15. 'til I Hurt You
[4:15] 16. I Apologize
[3:28] 17. Where Did You Come From

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Hubert Laws, Earl Klugh - How To Beat The High Cost Of Living

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:30
Size: 72.1 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz
Year: 1980/2017
Art: Front

[2:20] 1. Down River
[5:22] 2. Night Moves
[4:27] 3. Piccolo Boogie
[3:35] 4. Dream Something
[4:04] 5. It's So Easy Loving You
[2:15] 6. The Edge
[2:27] 7. The Caper
[1:35] 8. Ready To Run
[2:13] 9. The Scuffle
[3:07] 10. Song For A Pretty Girl

After a series of low-quality commercial releases for Columbia, Hubert Laws came up with this surprisingly worthwhile album. Featured along with acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh, the flutist performed Patrick Williams' music for the film How to Beat the High Cost of Living, which starred Susan Saint James, Jane Curtin, and Jessica Lange. While the light comedy has been long forgotten and none of these ten selections caught on, the music is largely straight-ahead, with some strong melodies, and finds Laws and Klugh playing very well. They are backed by a six-piece rhythm section including keyboardist Michael Lang and both Tim May and Mitch Holder on guitars. This out of print LP (which probably will not get reissued on CD anytime soon) is well worth acquiring. ~Scott Yanow

How To Beat The High Cost Of Living

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Bud Shank - Magical Mystery

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:54
Size: 84,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. Blue Jay Way
(2:54)  2. I Am The Walrus
(3:41)  3. The Fool On The Hill
(4:01)  4. Flying
(3:23)  5. Hello Goodbye
(2:46)  6. Your Mother Should Know
(2:59)  7. Paper Cup
(2:53)  8. Windy
(2:56)  9. Never My Love
(2:19) 10. I Wanna Be Free
(3:25) 11. I Say A Little Prayer

By late 1966, Chet’s playing was in such poor shape he asked Dick Bock to pay for him to have dentures fitted. He struggled to play for several months, and eventually emerged one year later, appearing on a handful of songs on Bud Shank’s ‘Magical Mystery’ album. Chet’s playing still sounds extremely tentative at times the first few bars of his playing on ‘Hello Goodbye’ find him struggling to hold a note and it is probably for this reason that a second recording session was arranged with a new band, this time featuring Gary Barone on flugelhorn. The arrangements, still by Bob Florence, are slightly more interesting than on Bud Shank’s previous ‘pop’ albums, suggesting a move away from the ‘easy listening’ market to a more current,‘psychedelic’ sound.http://www.funnyvalentine.org/funnyvalentine.org/Magical_Mystery.html

Personnel: Bud Shank (as, fl), Chet Baker (flh),Gary Barone (flh), Dennis Budimir (g), Herb Ellis (g), Robert West (b), John Guerin (b), Victor Feldman (perc).

Magical Mystery

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Patrice Rushen - Anything But Ordinary

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:00
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:28)  1. I Do
(4:47)  2. Tell Me
(5:34)  3. Whatcha Gonna Do
(4:19)  4. I Only Think Of You
(5:24)  5. My Heart, Your Heart
(5:59)  6. Anything But Ordinary
(4:57)  7. Top Of The Line
(5:44)  8. State Of Mind
(5:11)  9. Caravan
(5:34) 10. Be With You

In the late 1970s and early to mid-'80s, Patrice Rushen was red hot. Anyone who was seriously into R&B at the time remembers hits like "Haven't You Heard," "Forget-Me-Nots" and "Never Gonna Give You Up." But by the end of the 1980s, the jazz pianist turned R&B singer was in trouble commercially. Switching from Elektra to Arista with 1987's Watch Out! proved to be a mistake, and it wasn't until 1994's Anything But Ordinary on the small Sin-Drome label that Rushen recorded again under her own name. Though this CD isn't in a class with Pizzazz or Posh, sleek R&B/pop tunes like "I Do," "My Heart, Your Heart" and "Tell Me" showed that the L.A. native could still hold her own as a singer, composer and producer. Rushen experiments with hip-hop influences on a few selections, but on the whole, the disc is quite similar to her Elektra output. While Anything didn't return Rushen to the top of the R&B charts, her more devoted fans were glad to see her back in the studio.~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/anything-but-ordinary-mw0000122797

Anything But Ordinary

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Stefano Bollani & Luigi Tessarollo - Homage To Bill Evans & Jim Hall

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:17
Size: 134,4 MB
Art: Front

( 5:56)  1. I've Got You Under My Skin
( 4:01)  2. My Funny Valentine
( 4:58)  3. Darn That Dream
( 6:03)  4. My Man Has Gone How
(10:37)  5. Il Mondo Di Fabio
( 5:24)  6. Romaine
( 5:00)  7. Border Line
( 6:36)  8. Turn Out The Stars
( 6:39)  9. Il Barbone Di Siviglia
( 2:57) 10. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

"Stefano Bollani, one of the young stars of Italian jazz-piano, and Luigi Tessarollo, one of the most important guitarists of the Italian scene, take on the repertoire associated with the historic duets of Bill Evans and Jim Hall...An exemplary conversation in music, in which the partnership between the two protagonists recalls the historic sessions of the two American masters..."

Personnel:  Luigi Tessarollo ( Guitar);  Stefano Bollani ( Piano )

Homage To Bill Evans & Jim Hall

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Charlie Byrd - The Great Byrd

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:19
Size: 85,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Wichita Lineman
(2:41)  2. For Once In My Life
(3:01)  3. Those Were The Days
(2:48)  4. Scarborough Fair / Canticle
(3:16)  5. Happy Together
(3:05)  6. Hey Jude
(4:02)  7. Abraham, Martin And John
(3:13)  8. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
(4:28)  9. Lullaby From Rosemary's Baby
(3:12) 10. I Don't Have To Take It
(2:40) 11. Who Is Gonna Love Me

Tasteful, low-key, and ingratiatingly melodic, Charlie Byrd had two notable accomplishments to his credit applying acoustic classical guitar techniques to jazz and popular music and helping to introduce Brazilian music to mass North American audiences. Born into a musical family, Byrd experienced his first brush with greatness while a teenager in France during World War II, playing with his idol Django Reinhardt. After some postwar gigs with Sol Yaged, Joe Marsala and Freddie Slack, Byrd temporarily abandoned jazz to study classical guitar with Sophocles Papas in 1950 and Andrés Segovia in 1954. However he re-emerged later in the decade gigging around the Washington D.C. area in jazz settings, often splitting his sets into distinct jazz and classical segments. He started recording for Savoy as a leader in 1957, and also recorded with the Woody Herman Band in 1958-59. A tour of South America under the aegis of the U.S. State Department in 1961, proved to be a revelation, for it was in Brazil that Byrd discovered the emerging bossa nova movement. Once back in D.C., he played some bossa nova tapes to Stan Getz, who then convinced Verve's Creed Taylor to record an album of Brazilian music with himself and Byrd. That album, Jazz Samba, became a pop hit in 1962 on the strength of the single "Desafinado" and launched the bossa nova wave in North America. Thanks to the bossa nova, several albums for Riverside followed, including the defining Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros, and he was able to land a major contract with Columbia, though the records from that association often consisted of watered-down easy listening pop. In 1973, he formed the group Great Guitars with Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel and also that year, wrote an instruction manual for the guitar that has become widely used. From 1974 onward, Byrd recorded for the Concord Jazz label in a variety of settings, including sessions with Laurindo Almeida and Bud Shank. He died December 2, 1999 after a long bout with cancer.~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-byrd-mn0000204968/biography

Personnel: Charlie Byrd - guitar;  Mario Darpino - flute;  Bernard Purdie - drums;  Vinnie Bell - electric guitar

The Great Byrd

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Hank Crawford - Mr. Blues Plays Lady Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:46
Size: 84.2 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Soul
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:37] 1. Groovin'
[3:34] 2. I Can't See Myself Leaving You
[3:26] 3. Never Let Me Go
[3:38] 4. Baby, I Love You
[3:11] 5. Lady Soul
[3:32] 6. Soul Serenade
[3:54] 7. Ain't No Way
[2:13] 8. Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)
[3:12] 9. Take A Look
[7:24] 10. Going Down Slow

Alto Saxophone – Frank Wess, Hank Crawford; Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Bass – Charles Rainey, Jerry Jemmott; , Ron Carter; Drums – Bernard Purdie; Guitar – Eric Gale; Organ, Piano – Paul Griffin; Tenor Saxophone – Seldon Powell; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – David Newman; Trombone – Benny Powell, Jimmy Cleveland; Trumpet – Bernie Glow, Ernie Royal, Snookie Young, Joe Newman.

With an unmistakable blues wail, full of emotion and poignancy, altoist Hank Crawford bridges the gap between that tradition and that of jazz more completely than any other living horn player. Born in Memphis, Crawford was steeped in the blues tradition from an early age. He began playing piano but switched to alto when his father brought one home from the army. He claims his early influences as Louis Jordan, Earl Bostic, and Johnny Hodges. Crawford hung out with Phineas Newborn, Jr., Booker Little, and George Coleman in high school. Upon graduating, Crawford played in bands fronted by Ike Turner, B.B. King, Junior Parker, and Bobby "Blue" Bland at Memphis' Palace Theater and Club Paradise. In 1958 Crawford went to college in Nashville where he met Ray Charles. Charles hired Crawford originally as a baritone saxophonist. Crawford switched to alto in 1959 and remained with Charles' band -- becoming its musical director -- until 1963. The phrasing and voicings he learned there proved invaluable to him as the hallmark of his own sound. He also wrote and arranged a tune for Charles. The cut, "Sherry," his first for the band, was put on the Live at Newport album. Crawford cut a slew solo albums for Atlantic while with the band, and when he formed his group, he remained with the label until 1970. He signed with Creed Taylor's Kudu in 1971 and cut a series of fusion-y groove jazz dates through 1982. In 1983 he moved to Milestone and returned to form as a premier arranger, soloist, and composer, writing for small bands -- that included guitarist Melvin Sparks, organist Jimmy McGriff, and Dr. John -- as well as large. Crawford has been constantly active since then, as a leader and sideman, recording the best music of his long career. ~ Thom Jurek

Mr. Blues Plays Lady Soul mc
Mr. Blues Plays Lady Soul zippy

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Brubeck Brothers Quartet - Timeline

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:58
Size: 160.2 MB
Styles: Cool Jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[7:28] 1. Blue Rondo A La Turk
[6:52] 2. Far More Blue
[6:11] 3. Easy As You Go
[5:41] 4. Since Love Had Its Way
[6:30] 5. Boundward Home
[7:43] 6. Tritonis
[4:35] 7. The Golden Horn
[6:29] 8. 3 Wise Men
[4:32] 9. North Coast
[7:00] 10. Prime Directive
[6:51] 11. Thank You (Dziekuje)

Chris Brubeck: electric bass, bass trombone; Dan Brubeck: drums, hand drums, percussion; Mike DeMicco: guitar; Chuck Lamb: piano.

This album by the Brubeck Brothers—led by Chris and Dan Brubeck, sons of legendary pianist Dave Brubeck—commemorates the 60th anniversary of "President Eisenhower's Special International Program for Cultural Presentations," the 1958 State department tour in which prominent jazz musicians traveled to 14 countries to give 80 concerts in 90 days. This grueling schedule was endured by such luminaries as Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, and the Dave Brubeck. For Brubeck, the inspiration was mutual, reflected in compositions that incorporated the local musical traditions he was hearing. Several of these are included on this record. Probably the most well-known is "Blue Rondo a la Turk," in which Dave melds the 9/8 rhythms of Istanbul's street musicians with American jazz and blues, creating a unique and indelible composition that has been covered by everyone from Al Jarreau to The Canadian Brass. Here, this beloved tune is freshened by master trombonist/bassist Chris Brubeck's arrangement, which begins with dazzling drummer Dan Brubeck's electric hand drumming and moves through sections that are separated just enough to highlight their different origins. This twist provides a new perspective on music that is so often played, reminding the listener of the global influences that were merged during that historic trip.

Apart from its historic value—enhanced by the intriguing factoids in the liner notes—this is an exciting and varied outing, recorded crisply and with great warmth. The "Timeline" it reflects is not just in years, but also in a legacy which—lucky for all of us—continues its powerful forward movement today. ~Dr. Judy Schlesinger

Timeline mc
Timeline zippy

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