Jonathan Butler - 7th Avenue

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:08
Size: 101,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:23)  1. 7th Avenue
(4:48)  2. I'll Never Part From You
(3:12)  3. Ponte
(4:21)  4. Stoneman
(3:04)  5. Do the Boogie
(5:15)  6. Just Too Much
(5:57)  7. Felicia
(4:22)  8. It's Been A Long Time
(4:08)  9. Put My Love Away
(3:34) 10. You and I

South African expatriate Jonathan Butler isn't really a jazz artist, but his laid-back, slightly jazz-tinged approach to R&B/pop has earned the singer/guitarist/songwriter/producer a lot of supporters in the urban contemporary, adult contemporary, quiet storm, and smooth jazz/NAC markets. Butler has enjoyed a following since the late '70s, although he reached his commercial peak in the late '80s, and he continues to tour and record in the 21st century. Born in Cape Town, South Africa in October 1961, Butler was only a child when he started singing and playing acoustic guitar. Butler, who was the youngest of about 12 children, absorbed a variety of music when he was a kid. He was an admirer of South African stars like singer Miriam Makeba, but he was also hip to the American soul and jazz artists who lived thousands of miles away in the United States. Stevie Wonder became a major influence, and so did former-hard bop-guitarist-turned-R&B/pop-singer George Benson.  Sadly, Butler learned about the horrors of South Africa's racist apartheid laws at an early age; when he was growing up, South Africa had an oppressive system of racial segregation that was quite comparable to the Jim Crow laws that plagued the southern U.S. until the early '60s. Apartheid (which has since been abolished) was the subject of some of Butler's '80s recordings. Although he was never a hardcore protest singer à la Gil Scott-Heron, Peter Tosh, or Bob Marley, he wrote some anti-apartheid songs here and there. Butler, who spoke Afrikaans before becoming fluent in English, was a teenager when British producer Clive Calder signed him to the London-based Jive Records in 1977; Introducing Jonathan Butler, his largely instrumental debut album, was released that year and employed Bob Cranshaw (who is best known for his long association with Sonny Rollins) on bass. At the time, Butler was often compared to Benson, a man who, like Butler, has been praised for both his singing and his guitar playing. It wasn't long before the teenage Butler won a Sarie Award, which is the South African equivalent of an American Grammy or a Canadian Juno Award. 

But Butler didn't remain in South Africa much longer; in the early '80s, he escaped from apartheid and moved to England (where Jive's main office was located, and where Butler remained for 17 years). Butler maintained a loyal following in the '80s and '90s, not only in his native South Africa, but also, in the U.S. and Europe. One of his biggest releases came in 1987, when Jive released a self-titled album that contained a hit cover of the Staple Singers' "If You're Ready (Come With Me)" (which found him performing a duet with British urban contemporary singer Ruby Turner). And Butler's next Jive album, 1988's More Than Friends, was also a big seller; that CD gave us the major hits "Lies" (which was nominated for a Grammy) and "Sarah, Sarah." Butler continued to record for Jive in the early '90s; then, in the late '90s and early 2000s, he provided three albums for N-Coded Music: 1997's Do You Love Me?, 1999's Story of Life, and 2000's The Source. After that, Butler (who turned 40 in October 2001) left N-Coded and moved to Warner Bros., which released Surrender in June 2002.  With the release of 2004's Worship Project, Butler (a life-long Christian) began to find more ways to express his faith alongside his smooth jazz and R&B stylings. Even when he grooved, spirituality was at the center of such albums as Jonathan (2005), Brand New Day (2007), So Strong (2010), and Grace and Mercy (2012). Butler's first-ever holiday album, Merry Christmas to You, appeared in 2013. The following year, he was joined by bassist Marcus Miller, saxophonist Elan Trotman, and others for Living My Dream, and in 2015, he delivered the gospel-infused Free.~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jonathan-butler-mn0000218709/biography

7th Avenue

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Tiny Grimes - Some Groovy Fours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:17
Size: 128.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1974/2002
Art: Front

[4:48] 1. Tiny's Boogie Woogie
[8:07] 2. Tee-Nine-Sy
[4:24] 3. Swinging Mama
[5:17] 4. I Found A New Baby
[4:54] 5. Lester Leaps In
[4:56] 6. Body And Soul
[5:06] 7. Blues For Hugues
[2:53] 8. He'll Never Sweat
[6:27] 9. Frankie And Johnny Boogie
[9:21] 10. Morgantini With Mime No. 2

Double Bass [Contrabajo] – Roland Lobligeois; Drums [Batería] – Panama Francis; Guitar – Tiny Grimes; Piano – Lloyd Glenn. Grabación efectuada el 13 de mayo de 1974. Una selección del Hot Club de Barcelona.

With the exception of a Sonet album from 1977, this was guitarist Tiny Grimes' last recording as a leader. Grimes is surprisingly still in peak form and is well showcased in a quartet with pianist Lloyd Glenn, bassist Roland Lobligeois and drummer Panama Francis. Although there are some blues, as usual, Grimes also gets to stretch out "Lester Leaps In" and "I Found a New Baby," which show how strong a swing-based improviser he could be. This music was last available in the U.S. on a Classic Jazz LP, although it has been reissued on CD in France. ~Scott Yanow

Some Groovy Fours mc
Some Groovy Fours zippy

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The Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra, Jim McNeely - Play Bill Evans

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:30
Size: 156.8 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2002/2012
Art: Front

[ 8:18] 1. Very Early
[ 9:42] 2. Show-Type Tune (Tune For A Lyric)
[ 7:07] 3. Blue In Green
[10:03] 4. T.T.T.T.T.T.T
[ 7:02] 5. Theme For Debby
[10:43] 6. Theme For Scotty Gloria's Step
[ 8:51] 7. Re Person I Knew
[ 6:40] 8. Turn Out The Stars

Bass – Thomas Ovesen; Drums – Søren Frost; Guitar – Anders "Chico" Lindvall; Percussion – Ethan Weisgard; Piano – Jim McNeely (tracks: 8), Nikolaj Bentzon (tracks: 1 to 7); Reeds – Flemming Madsen, Michael Hove, Nicolai Schultz, Tomas Franck, Uffe Markussen; Trombone – Alf Vestergaard, Axel Windfeld, Steen Hansen, Vincent Nilsson; Trumpet – Benny Rosenfeld, Henrik Bolberg Pedersen, Lars Lindgren, Thomas Fryland, Thomas Kjærgaard. Recorded March 20-24, 2000 at studio 3, Broadcast House Copenhagen.

Bill Evans' compositions have been interpreted in countless ways through the years, but not so often by big bands. Who better than Jim McNeely, a fine pianist and one of jazz's most imaginative arrangers, to glean fresh insights from Evans' music? Leading the fine players of the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra, McNeely sets his sights on some of Evans' strongest melodies, and he consistently finds new angles. The latent dissonance of "Very Early" is fully apparent when the interval-leaping line is placed over a pedal point, or the final B major 7th chord, for instance. There are other surprising touches, like the half-time tag that breaks up "Waltz for Debby"; the climactic shout choruses (and orchestrated Bill Evans solo) in "Show-Type Tune"; the medley-style juxtaposition of "Twelve-Tone Tune" and "Twelve-Tone Tune Two"; and the jarring burst of a chord that ends "Turn Out the Stars," gradually fading to close out the album. Lead trombonist Vincent Nilsson arranged the one piece not composed by Bill Evans: "Theme for Scotty/Gloria's Step" combines Clare Fischer's requiem for Scott LaFaro with a stormy reading of LaFaro's most famous tune, which remained in Evans' repertoire long after the bassist's untimely death. Tenor saxophonist Tomas Franck, one of the album's more prominent soloists, gives "Blue in Green" an unusually turbulent, quasi-"out" arrangement. Other outstanding performers include bassist Thomas Ovesen and flügelhornist Henrik Bolberg Pedersen. ~David R. Adler

Play Bill Evans mc
Play Bill Evans zippy

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Gerry & The Pacemakers - The Very Best Of Gerry & The Pacemakers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:48
Size: 148.4 MB
Styles: Oldies, British Invasion
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[1:52] 1. How Do You Do It
[2:17] 2. I Like It
[2:23] 3. It's Gonna Be Alright
[3:11] 4. I'll Be There
[2:04] 5. Girl On A Swing
[2:39] 6. Come Back To Me
[2:18] 7. When Oh When
[2:34] 8. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
[2:38] 9. You'll Never Walk Alone
[2:15] 10. I'm The One
[2:25] 11. Walk Hand In Hand
[2:35] 12. La La La
[2:00] 13. It's All Right
[2:34] 14. Give All Your Love To Me
[2:44] 15. Hallelujah I Love Her So
[2:25] 16. Ferry Cross The Mersey
[2:24] 17. Pretend
[2:35] 18. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)
[2:20] 19. You're The Reason
[2:31] 20. Summertime
[2:10] 21. Away From You
[2:06] 22. You've Got What I Like
[2:04] 23. You You You
[2:32] 24. Baby You're So Good To Me
[2:55] 25. Without You
[2:22] 26. Dreams
[1:43] 27. Think About Love

This CD brings together all the 'A' sidesfrom Gerry's EMI singles from 1963 to 1966plus a selection of other recordings from the mid-Sixties and seven titles that showcaseGerry Marsden's talents as a songwriter. It's an infectious, good-humoured sound, a fitting reminder of one of Liverpool'sfinest talents and greatest bands.

The Very Best Of Gerry & The Pacemakers mc
The Very Best Of Gerry & The Pacemakers zippy

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Mildred Anderson - No More In Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:50
Size: 82.1 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz vocals
Year: 1961/1995
Art: Front

[5:34] 1. Everybody's Got Somebody But Me
[3:01] 2. I Ain't Mad At You
[4:13] 3. Hard Times
[2:41] 4. No More In Life
[3:16] 5. Roll 'em Pete
[2:41] 6. What More Can A Woman Do
[3:45] 7. That Ole Devil Called Love
[6:00] 8. Mistreater
[4:35] 9. I'm Lost

Bass – Leonard Gaskin; Drums – Bobby Donaldson; Guitar – Chauncey Westbrook; Organ – Robert Banks; Tenor Saxophone – Al Sears; Vocals – Mildred Anderson.

A fine singer who came over from the R&B/blues field to record two jazz-oriented albums in 1960, Mildred Anderson is joined on this CD reissue by tenor-saxophonist Al Sears, organist Robert Banks, guitarist Lord Westbrook, bassist Leonard Gaskin and drummer Bobby Donaldson. The repertoire ranges from originals to "I Ain't Mad at You," "Roll 'Em Pete" and "That Ole Devil Called Love." Considering how well she sings on this set, it is strange that Mildred Anderson would have no further opportunities to lead her own albums. ~Scott Yanow

No More In Life mc
No More In Life zippy

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Various - Legends & Lions: Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:17
Size: 133.4 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[6:09] 1. Terry Gibbs - St. Louis Blues
[5:37] 2. Sean Jones - Blues For Matt B
[6:48] 3. The Gerald Wilson Orchestra - Equinox
[6:20] 4. Cedar Walton - Willow Weep For Me
[2:58] 5. Oscar Brown, Jr. - But I Was Cool
[6:08] 6. Kenny Burrell - River's Invitation
[4:55] 7. Ilona Knopfler - Unchain My Heart
[4:51] 8. Terry Gibbs - Jumping With Symphony Sid
[5:39] 9. Eugene Maslov - Groove Merchant
[8:46] 10. The Gerald Wilson Orchestra - Blues For Manhattan

Legends & Lions: Blues is a series assembled by Detroit's Mack Avenue label that pairs its roster's veteran artists with its up-and-coming personas thematically. The first two volumes in the series -- Swingin' and Swoonin' -- were successful in their way. The Blues volume is another attempt at the formula and it meets with very mixed results. First off, one wonders how the label defines the word blues. The version of John Coltrane's "Equinox" here, by the brilliant Gerald Wilson Orchestra, brings out the blues in its soloist's parts, but the band underscores the changes and stretches them until the blues all but disappears. Far more successful is their second number "Blues for Manhattan (The Diminished Triangle)" where the blues are out, front and center, and it's a killer track to close with Too bad everything here isn't that good. Ilona Knopfler's reading of "Unchain My Heart," is, for this performer, typically daring and uses a polyrythmic approach to the blues. The cut feels more like Santana playing the blues with a female vocalist, until the strings kick in. It works beautifully. Terry Gibbs' version of "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid" is strident but stiff, as is the version of "St. Louis Blues" that's so laid-back it's almost unrecognizable. It should be mentioned that some of the sidemen on these sessions are very prominent names in jazz -- Eddie Gómez, Ralph Moore, Jon Faddis, Renee Rosnes, Cedar Walton, Jimmy Heath, and Oscar Brown, Jr. (whose "But I Was Cool," is one of the real high points here) just to name a few. Interesting but forgettable, Legends & Lions: Blues doesn't quite measure up to Mack Avenue's previous compilations. ~Thom Jurek

Legends & Lions= Blues mc
Legends & Lions= Blues zippy

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Red Mitchell, Joakim Milder, Roger Kellaway - Live In Stockholm

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:23
Size: 154.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Cool
Year: 1994/2002
Art: Front

[ 9:52] 1. Doxy
[10:56] 2. Sophisticated Lady
[10:06] 3. Life’s A Take
[ 6:24] 4. I’ll Never Be The Same
[ 9:54] 5. I’m Getting Sentimental Over You
[ 9:45] 6. All The Things You Are
[10:24] 7. I Love You

Bass, Vocals – Red Mitchell; Piano – Roger Kellaway; Tenor Saxophone – Joakim Milder.

This is another delightful recording from Red Mitchell's long tenure in Sweden, recorded at the Fasching club in Stockholm. Pianist Roger Kellaway, an old friend and frequent musical partner, is on hand, as is tenor saxophonist Joakim Milder, whose chops have grown since the taping of Mitchell's CD Evolution (Dragon 191) a year and a half earlier. Kellaway threatens to steal the show with his percussive licks in "Doxy," while Mitchell's ever-present humor is featured in his lively blues "Life's a Take," which sadly served as his swan song as well, because he died from a stroke a little over a year after this performance. ~Ken Dryden

Live In Stockholm  

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Chuck Mangione - Land of Make Believe

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:04
Size: 91,1 MB
Art: Front

( 7:38)  1. Legend Of The One-Eyed Sailor
( 3:37)  2. Lullaby For Nancy Carol
( 7:23)  3. El Gato Triste
( 4:07)  4. The Gloria From The Mass Of St. Bernard
( 3:52)  5. As Long As We're Together
(12:24)  6. Land Of Make Believe

Though much less expansive than Mangione's other Mercury concerts (only 37 minutes on a single CD or LP), Land of Make Believe is the most successful of the lot, a winning combination of attractive tunes, big-thinking orchestrations, just enough jazz content, and a genuinely felt sense of idealism. Here there is no dead weight; all of the material is very engaging and the combined forces of Mangione's quartet and the Hamilton (Ontario) Philharmonic are on fire. The performance of Mangione's "Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor" still exerts a ferocious jolt of life-affirming energy, "El Gato Triste" is an attractive Latin number, and the buoyant "Gloria" from The Mass of St. Bernard with the Horsehead Chamber Singers makes one want to hear more. The childlike title tune has both a touching sense of naïveté and a lot of drive in key spots credit expert drummer Joe LaBarbera with the latter and Esther Satterfield's clear-eyed Nancy Wilson-like vocals made her famous for a time. This would be Mangione's most irresistible attempt at embracing the whole world of music and for awhile, it was possible to believe that he would become a major unifying figure in American music. Alas, thus far this would be the last full flowering of that promise. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/land-of-make-believe-mw0000192140

Personnel:  Chuck Mangione - Flugelhorn, Mixing, Orchestration, Conductor, Arranger;  Joseph C. Crupi - Conductor, Director;  Marta Hidy - Concert Master, Violin;  Gap Mangione - Electric Piano, Toy Instruments;  Cello: Edgar Hayes, Zdenek Konicek;  Flute: Ned Corman, Ron Davis, Paula Elliott, Gordon Johnson, Gerry Niewood, Ray Ricker, Joe Romano, Jeff Tkazyik,;  Tuba: Charles Daellenbach;  Trombone: Eugene Watts, Bill Reichenbach Jr., Janice Robinson, Art Linser III,;  French Horn: Robert Hansen, Gregory Hustis, Graeme Page, Brad Warnaar;  Trumpet: Jon Faddis, Jeff Tyzik, Fred Mills, Ronald Romm;  Viola: Barbara Hustis, Jaroslav Karlovský, Ann Armin;  Violin: David Hung, Rudolph Kalup, Christine Haarvig, Beth Gorevic, Natalie Mysko, Margaret Neufeld, Kathryn Wunder, Michel Zaitzeff;  Tenor Sax: Ron Davis, Ray Ricker, Joe Romano;  Tenor Vocals: Ron Berger, Scott Bump, Jeff Bowlby, Steve Russell;  Alto Vocals: Kathleen Collins, Barbara Hendricks, Terry Lodge;  Soprano Vocals: Jan Walp,;  Bass Vocals: Russ Cembrinski, Michael Cleveland, Jim Smith, Jeff Wilber, Jim Wilber;  Electric Bass: Al Johnson;  Drums: Joe LaBarbera;  Bassoon: Tom Elliot, John Courtney;  String Bass: David Young, Jack McFadden;  Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Piano (Electric), Unknown Contributor Role: Don Potter

Land of Make Believe

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Swing Out Sister - Private View

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:55
Size: 96,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Incomplete Without You
(3:49)  2. You On My MInd
(2:36)  3. It May Not Be Enough (Interlude)
(4:26)  4. La La Means I Love You
(2:24)  5. And The Flowers Will Grow (Interlude)
(5:40)  6. Am I The SAme Girl?
(6:37)  7. Notgonnachange
(3:15)  8. Breakout (Fabulous Party Mix)
(4:39)  9. Mama Didn't Raise No Fool
(3:32) 10. Now You're Not Here (Taj Calder Instrumental)

Private View is an aural celebration of Swing Out Sister's 25th anniversary, and features completely rearranged versions of some of the best known tunes in its catalog. Lots of acts try this; more often than not the result is a mixed bag at best and an utter failure at worst. 

Not this time. Vocalist and composer Corrine Drewery and keyboardist/arranger/composer Andy Connell (the two remaining members of the original group) appear here with a backing quintet that includes Tim Cansfield on guitar, Gina Foster on backing and duet vocals, Jody Linscott on percussion, Dan Swana on upright bass, and Noel Langley on flügelhorn, to completely revision these tracks in what amounts to a brand new next step worthy of being called the band's first new studio offering since 2008's brilliant Beautiful Mess. While it's obvious that Private View will appeal largely to SOS' devoted fan base, it shouldn't be limited to it. Some of these versions, in particular "Notgonnachange," "Incomplete Without You," and "Mama Didn't Raise No Fool," are all jazz-based pop gems with elegant, breezy arrangements; Drewery's voice is so singular and original in its phrasing, and classy and soulful in its delivery, it remains undiminished by time. The gorgeous late-night club cover of Thom Bell's and Bobby Hart's soul classic "La La Means I Love You" intro'ed and outro'ed by languid, sexy groove-based themes -- is worth the album's purchase price by itself. The new version of SOS' first smash "Breakout" is subtitled "(Fabulous Party Mix)," and is a deliberate attempt at humor. Rather than the celebratory dancefloor pop of the original, this one is a midtempo ballad full of lilting strings, shimmering keyboards, and shuffling percussion that is more tempered, sure, but also more emotionally resonant. While Private View may be an atypical introduction to Swing Out Sister, it's still a fine one for beginners. For fans, it's an absolutely essential addition to the catalog.~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/private-view-mw0002405459

Private View

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Geof Bradfield - Birdhoused

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:34
Size: 132,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:14)  1. The Other Side of Town
(7:10)  2. Constellation
(3:32)  3. Sonatina
(7:50)  4. Nephila
(6:14)  5. Solid Jackson
(1:46)  6. Bass Solo
(9:46)  7. Fearful Symmetry
(5:53)  8. Birdhoused
(8:05)  9. Laconia

A horn-fest? That was the initial impression of saxophonist Geof Bradfield's Birdhoused, a set featuring a quintet with no chording instrument and  four horn front line in a live set at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge. While Bradfield's Melba (Origin Records, 2013) paid tribute to the under-sung trombonist/composer/arranger Melba Liston; and his Roots (Origin Records, 2015) explored the sounds of Leadbelly, Blind Willie Johnson and the Georgia Sea Island Singers, Birdhoused expands the horizons, delving into the disparate sounds of Chicago soul songster Curtis Mayfield,  bop pioneer Charlie Parker,  and classical Hungarian composer Gyorgi Ligeti, along with five Bradfield originals, with one tune from the quintet's bassist, Clark Sommers, shuffled in.  So: tenor sax,alto sax, trombone and  trumpet makes for a horn fest; except that would be shortchanging the drive train, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall, who provide a high horsepower propulsion both instruments just bit up in the mix, which is a good thing. Opening with Curtis Mayfield's "The Other Side Of Town," the group proves itself a freewheeling, loose limbed outfit, full of spontaneity and intricate interplay, with solos often torrid all around, bringing another Bird to mind: Little Bird, Ornette Coleman, around the time of Science Fiction (Columbia Records, 1971), when the free jazz alto sax man used in his bands multiple hornmen of the adventurous variety. "Constellation," an elastic take on Charlie Parker's tune, rides in the same vein with a spirited sound, while Ligeti's "Sonatina" mellows things down to solemn mood. 

After the covers, the set settles into what could be called the Bradfield Suite. Compositionally, the rest of the album comes from the leader with a brief bass solo tune from Sommers slipped in. Starting with Bradfield's pensive "Nephila,"  rumbling through a turbulent "Solid Jackson," slinking along on "Fearful Symmetry," strutting through "Birdhoused," and wrapping things up with "Laconia," a bright-hued nod to Bradfield's fellow Chicago-an, saxophonist Clifford Jordan, whose middle name happened to be "Laconia." ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/birdhoused-geof-bradfield-cellar-live-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Geof Bradfield: tenor saxophone; Marquis Hill: trumpet; Joel Adams: trombone; Nick Mazzarrella: alto saxophone; Clark Sommers: acoustic bass; Dana Hall: drums, percussion.

Birdhoused

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David Binney - Welcome To Life

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:40
Size: 119,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:41)  1. Soldifolier
( 7:27)  2. Welcome To Life
( 7:37)  3. Lisleil
(11:21)  4. Frez
( 4:16)  5. Our Time Together
( 7:33)  6. Sintra
( 4:44)  7. Enchantress
( 2:57)  8. Ici

Chris Potter, Brian Blade, Scott Colley, Craig Taborn, Adam Rogers, David Binney ultra-contemporary modern jazz composers, the latest winners in the Downbeat players poll, or jazzers deserving of a modicum of the hype swirling around the plus band of the moment? All of these, but also the list of participants on Binney's outstanding new Welcome to Life, issued on his own Mythology imprint. These all-stars have been at it for some time now, so this effort potentially marks their full transition in the minds of fans and critics alike from the "emerging" to the "established" category. In fact, all should be classified in the elite of the current vanguard, especially Binney, who released his first recording as a leader some fifteen years ago. Appearing on more than fifty recordings and gigging with everyone from Aretha to Zorn implies the wide-ranging skill set that Binney has perfected to deal with his modern jazz muse. "Welcome to Life" propels us into the moment with unison piano and bass, conveying the tenor and alto horn section forward. Stating strongly together initially, the horns then alternate leading and following, leaning out over a sparser rhythm section breakdown, adding tension before releasing back to the gallop. This technique also introduces Adam Rogers' angular electric guitar solo, brimming with his almost-futuristic phraseology, amalgamating without appropriating the electric guitar's history of influence. Craig Taborn's done much the same on piano, drawing freely on his choruses here from Powell, Monk, Hancock, Tyner, Corea, and Jarrett, while settling in on none. As players, all have that quality, drawing on the influences and inspiration of the greats to the point where lineage is broken and to the artistic place where chops become such a given they cease to matter. So much so, for instance, you won't be distracted by Rogers' expertise on acoustic slide or Binney's frightening facility on alto as notes blur into one, but rather become enraptured in the embrace of "Lisliel." Romance continues in the spiraling spell of the "Enchantress," spurred forward by Taborn's sequenced progression and lush voicings, abetting Rogers' bopped-out Martin steel and Colley's velvety turn. Binney's compositional acumen knows no stylistic bounds and leaves no loose ends, like "Frez," which seamlessly links M-BASE rhythmic explorations to ECM's pastoral lyricism. A sobering indication of the current state of jazz affairs is included on the jacket: "Please visit davidbinney.com , mythologyrecords.com and artistshare.com . Tell your friends, as this is our future as musicians and listeners. We are on our own, as individual artists to bring music to the world. Please support us if you like what you hear"-Welcome to Life indeed! Invigorating that someone like Binney can so openly articulate and confront where we're at. On a release of this caliber, this statement confirms what we should acknowledge things are going to get worse in the jazz marketplace before they get better. But with new standard-bearers like Binney and company firmly holding and boldly reinventing the mantle, things are bound to get better a whole lot faster.~ Phil DiPietro https://www.allaboutjazz.com/welcome-to-life-david-binney-mythology-records-review-by-phil-dipietro.php

Personnel: David Binney-alto, Chris Potter-tenor sax, Brian Blade-drums, Scott Colley-bass, Craig Taborn-piano, Adam Rogers-guitar

Welcome To Life

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Bill Doggett & His Combo - Fingertips

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:19
Size: 69.4 MB
Styles: Jazz/Soul/Funk
Year: 1963/2012
Art: Front

[2:20] 1. Fingertips
[2:26] 2. Soul Zone
[3:29] 3. Without Love
[3:23] 4. The Love Of My Man
[2:03] 5. Memphis
[2:01] 6. The Worm
[2:40] 7. One Fine Day
[1:58] 8. Monkey
[2:21] 9. Soul City
[2:46] 10. If You Need Me
[2:34] 11. D'lo
[2:12] 12. Hot Fudge

This lp is very mid 60s instrumentally poppish, likely the most commercial of Doggett's Columbia lps. He does instrumental versions of a lot of "hits" of the day, plays them fairly straight and without a lot of blowing. For the sidemen (not named)it's probably pretty much like doing the original date - just another R&B session. This isn't really a "jazz" date. At least not imho. Bill's organ sound is different here. No vibrato or leslie for the most part. Unusual for him.

So for me it's far from the greatest Bill Doggett, but on the other hand it's likely not to be reissued and when all is said and done I'm glad I have it. I don't listen to it often, but it is a very accurate picure of the times in which it was recorded. ~Harold Z

Fingertips mc
Fingertips zippy

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Royce Campbell, Gene Bertoncini - A Tribute To Charlie Byrd

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:41
Size: 136.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[6:21] 1. Shiny Stockings
[4:48] 2. Meditation
[5:50] 3. The Days Of Wine And Roses
[3:26] 4. Mood Indigo
[5:52] 5. How Insensitive
[5:09] 6. Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart
[4:49] 7. Desafinado
[7:08] 8. In A Mellow Tone
[4:26] 9. Prelude To A Kiss
[5:11] 10. One Note Samba
[6:35] 11. Blues For Charlie

Royce Campbell, electric guitar, Gene Bertoncini, acoustic guitar, Chuck Redd, drums, Keter Betts, bass.

Sharing a rare commitment to the mastery of their instrument, jazz guitarists have a strong bond to an axe which – despite huge popularity in other genres – has by and large, seemed to elude jazz throughout the music’s history. When thinking of true non-crossover jazz guitarists, only a handful come to mind: Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Freddie Green (only in terms of longevity, not originality), and Grant Green. George Benson’s roots were in straight-ahead but he eventually sold out to the tasteless modern aesthetic of smooth jazz. And then there was Charlie Byrd. In terms of legends, that’s really it!

In a century when guitar became the most widely heard and played instrument in the world, namely in non-jazz settings, jazz guitarists’ dedication to their trade is admirable since they represent a handful of instrumentalists that dared to delve head-on into the jazz idiom. If you think about it, the aforementioned can only truly be called jazz legends, compared to the throngs of saxophonists, trumpeters, pianists, bassists, and drummers out there credited for great contributions to the music’s development.

Germany's Jardis label prides itself on producing the finest in today’s jazz guitar. Following his critically acclaimed Trioing with drummer Bill Goodwin and fellow DC native bassist Paul Langosch (long a collaborator with crooner Tony Bennett), the mostly unknown guitarist Royce Campbell released his second effort for Jardis, A Tribute to Charlie Byrd. Campbell’s professional connection to Byrd originated in 1998, when the two and veteran Gene Bertoncini, another regional name, collaborated for a tribute to another six string master, Joe Pass. When asked to do the tribute album, Campbell thought it fitting that Bertoncini be on the project. Having worked closely with the man who had greatly influenced the introduction and acceptance of the Brazilian bossa nova and samba within the jazz world, Campbell appropriately chose to do mostly bossa nova works by Jobim and songs out of the Duke Ellington songbook: tunes that had been close to Byrd’s heart.

While the session is highly predictable and laid back, the solo work is magnificent and the overall artistry of the musicians is masterful. Filling out the quartet is a “who’s who” of DC’s thriving jazz scene. Drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd (also of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra) displays tasteful stick and brushwork, very reminiscent of the Charlie Byrd “feel” – not surprising since Redd had been Byrd’s own drummer for 19 years. And finally, one of DC’s living jazz legends, Keter Betts fills in on bass. You might recognize Betts’ name from several years as bassist for both Byrd and “First Lady of Song” Ella Fitzgerald. Highly recommended. ~Matt Merewitz

A Tribute To Charlie Byrd mc
A Tribute To Charlie Byrd zippy

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Jane Ira Bloom - Early Americans

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:00
Size: 119.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:54] 1. Song Patrol
[4:19] 2. Dangerous Times
[1:46] 3. Nearly
[5:32] 4. Hips & Sticks
[5:20] 5. Singing The Triangle
[3:05] 6. Other Eyes
[3:22] 7. Rhyme Or Rhythm
[5:25] 8. Mind Gray River
[3:29] 9. Cornets Of Paradise
[4:02] 10. Say More
[5:46] 11. Gateway To Progress
[4:20] 12. Big Bill
[2:33] 13. Somewhere

Jane Ira Bloom: soprano saxophone; Mark Helias: bass; Bobby Previte: drums.

Saxophonist/composer Jane Ira Bloom is one of the few jazz players to concentrate solely on the soprano saxophone. In 35 years she has recorded sixteen albums as a leader, most often in a quartet with piano. This is her first trio album, in the company of longtime playing partners bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bobby Previte. Their high level of communication is evident on a tune like "Singing the Triangle," which features a recurring theme that is clearly stated by all three instruments in unison (with Previte using his toms melodically). Both the head and the band's approach recall the late Steve Lacy, another soprano saxophone specialist and experimentalist. The start-and-stop "Gateway to Progress" has a similar feel (it also demonstrates how hard this band can swing). Bloom definitely has her own sound, but Lacy is the closest comparison that comes to mind. ~Mark Sullivan

Early Americans 

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John Wright - The Last Amen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:18
Size: 90.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1965/2000
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Les I Can't
[5:57] 2. Be My Love
[2:50] 3. The Last Amen
[4:24] 4. Stella By Starlight
[5:28] 5. But Beautiful
[4:07] 6. 'deed I Do (Do I Love You)
[4:18] 7. More Than You Know
[8:30] 8. Sheba

Bass – Gene Taylor; Drums – Walter McCants; Piano – John Wright. Recorded Englewood Cliffs, N.J., December 19, 1961.

Maybe the most obscure album in that excellent 60s run that Chicago pianist John Wright cut for Prestige Records – and the last one too! Features Eugene Taylor on bass and Walter McCants on drums – on titles that include "Sheba", "Les I Can't", "The Last Amen", and "Stella By Starlight".

The Last Amen mc
The Last Amen zippy

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Andrew Litton - A Tribute To Oscar Peterson

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:00
Size: 123.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:13] 1. Lulu's Back In Town
[6:31] 2. 'round Midnight
[5:37] 3. Body And Soul
[3:09] 4. A Child Is Born
[6:26] 5. Jumbo Little Girl Blue
[2:50] 6. Take The A Train
[4:41] 7. Basin Street Blues
[6:05] 8. Rosalie How Long Has This Been Going On
[3:26] 9. The Nearness Of You
[2:34] 10. Over The Rainbow
[3:04] 11. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[7:17] 12. Perdido

Andrew Litton plays transcriptions of improvisations by the much-loved jazz pianist Oscar Peterson; The Bad Plus perform what is termed ‘an arrangement’ of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Litton is a classical conductor who regularly directs Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue from the piano; The Bad Plus are a contemporary piano-bass-drums jazz trio, of the type popularised by Peterson, who have become renowned for their punky, rambunctious remakes of pop songs.

Litton interprets music that was originally improvised while The Bad Plus, improvisers by instinct, interpret a score. And somewhere in the back of Oscar Peterson’s mind as he was improvising on Thelonious Monk’s ‘Round midnight’, Billy Strayhorn’s ‘Take the “A” train’ and Juan Tizol’s ‘Perdido’ was an idea about the original source. Strayhorn’s composition became Duke Ellington’s signature theme tune and Peterson’s recasting was packed with a lifetime’s worth of thoughts and associations, the jittery momentum of his improvisation derived partly from needing to contain so much activity within a three-minute duration – finger-busting Harlem stride piano slamming into windows of impressionistic repose.~Phillip Clark

A Tribute To Oscar Peterson mc
A Tribute To Oscar Peterson zippy

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The Great Jazz Trio - Autumn Leaves

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:57
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. Autumn Leaves
(6:36)  2. Yesterdays
(4:13)  3. Rhythm-A-Ning
(4:44)  4. Blue Bossa
(6:22)  5. Take The 'A' Train
(5:53)  6. Summertime
(6:20)  7. Caravan
(4:43)  8. Six And Four
(5:00)  9. My Funny Valentine
(5:34) 10. Bye Bye Blackbird

The Great Jazz Trio was a working cooperative working with various lineups led by Hank Jones in during the 1970s and 1980s, but the revival of this defunct group finds Jones joined by two newcomers to the group, seasoned veterans Richard Davis on bass and the leader's brother, Elvin Jones, on drums. Oddly enough, the two brothers have recorded together very infrequently during their long careers, so this opportunity must have been special to them. The opening track signals a different direction for the group, with Elvin's explosive solo stealing the show in "Autumn Leaves." The pianist's imaginative arrangement of "Yesterdays" begins as a stunning solo before Davis' sparse bass and Elvin's brushes join him. The buoyant treatment of Kenny Dorham's "Blue Bossa" finds Hank in a humorous mood, inserting several brief quotes from well-known works such as "Hot House" and "Blue Skies." The trio is clearly cooking by the time it recorded the percolating take of Oliver Nelson's "Six and Four." Hopefully, this delightful date by the Great Jazz Trio will result in a follow-up recording session. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/autumn-leaves-mw0000318396

Personnel:  Hank Jones - Piano; Richard Davis -  Bass ; Elvin Jones - Drums.

Autumn Leaves

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Bill O'Connell - Signature

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:30
Size: 111,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. Main Street
(4:42)  2. Hit Or Miss
(4:02)  3. Dina
(5:38)  4. Tell Me Again
(4:08)  5. Alfalfa Sez
(5:36)  6. Angels At Play
(3:44)  7. Jazz Eyes
(4:44)  8. St. Croix
(5:01)  9. Cyclone
(5:54) 10. Sammy's Song

Pianist Bill O'Connell is not exactly a household name but his CD is quite memorable. The quality of the originals (seven by O'Connell, three from bassist Charles Fambrough and one from soprano saxophonist Howard Alston) is strong, the melodies are often catchy, Grover Washington, Jr., has two good outings on soprano and O'Connell's work on piano and electric keyboards does a very effective job of combining together aspects of both so-called contemporary jazz and hard bop. This is accessible jazz that is also creative.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/signature-featuring-bill-oconnell-mw0000095608

Personnel:  Bill O'Connell (Keyboards, Piano);  Howard Alston Sax (Soprano);  Pablo Batista (Bongos, Conga, Percussion);  Charles Fambrough (Bass, Bass Acoustic);  Rick Sebastian (Drums);  Grover Washington Jr. Sax (Soprano).

Signature

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Mark Soskin - Rhythm Vision

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:16
Size: 88,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Colossus
(4:47)  2. Mambo Mio
(8:26)  3. Walk Tall
(5:29)  4. Caribbean Party Stomp
(4:27)  5. That's What Friends Are For
(5:08)  6. The Opening
(4:00)  7. Bolinas

Mark Soskin was born July 12, 1953 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Soskin has recorded and performed with such diverse musicians as Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Randy Brecker, Billy Cobham, Buster Williams, Eddie Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Cornell Dupree, Herbie Mann, John Abercrombie, Claudio Roditi, Sheila Jordan, Gato Barbieri, Joe Locke, David"Fathead"Newman, Mark Murphy, Slide Hampton, Pete and Sheila Escovedo, Bobby Watson, Miroslav Vitous, The NY Voices and others.   Soskin attended Colorado State University where he pursued classical studies, but at this time his interests in jazz music were growing. In 1973 he enrolled in The Berklee College of Music, studying composition as well as arranging. In Boston he began to work professionally until moving to San Francisco, eventually going on to work with some of the west coast's finest players.   Shortly after arriving in San Francisco, Soskin was introduced to the Latin music legend, Pete Escovedo. Along with Pete's daughter, percussionist Sheila. E, they toured and recorded as Azteca, a group in which Soskin's keyboard, writing, and arranging talents were showcased. Eventually, the group, which now included Tom Harrell on trumpet, went on to record two discs for Fantasy Records, produced by drum ace Billy Cobham. Soskin was enlisted in Cobham's band, a stint that lasted for two years and which produced two recordings for Columbia. Between tours for Cobham, Soskin did a tour and live recording for the CBS All Stars with Tom Scott, Alphonso Johnson, Steve Khan, and Billy Cobham. At this time Soskin was very active as a session player at Fantasy studios in Berkeley, California and veteran jazz music producer Orrin Keepnews took notice.   Soskin signed his first recording contract with Prestige (a subsidiary of Fantasy) produced by Keepnews, entitled "Rhythm Vision." This featured the likes of Benny Maupin and Harvey Mason with the album eventually making it into Billboard's top ten Jazz Chart.

 Keepnews introduced Soskin to Sonny Rollins, which started a long, fruitful collaboration (14 years). Besides the extensive touring throughout the world, Soskin can be heard on a number of critically acclaimed recordings with the tenor sax master, including a video,"Saxophone Collosus”.   Since 1981 Soskin has resided in New York City, remaining active as sideman and as a leader. He has ten of his own recordings to date and three as co-leader, one which features Harvie Swartz and Joe LaBarbera with Sheila Jordan called "Spirits", one under the name "Contempo Trio" with Danny Gottlieb and Chip Jackson featuring Ravi Coltrane and another Contempo Trio recording named"The Secret of Life" featuring Carolyn Leonhart. His recording, "17" on TCB, highlights Soskin in a quintet setting featuring mainly original compositions.  He continues to maintain a busy tour schedule as well as giving master classes and workshops. Television performance credits include the HBO hit series, "Sex And The City." Examples of arranging projects have been writing for Slide Hampton's "World Of Trombones" and his writing and playing on Steve Smith's DVD,"Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat". Soskin has been featured in solo piano concerts throughout the world such as the Ottawa Jazz Festival. He has performed the premier of contemporary classical music composer John Adams' opera, "Ceiling/Sky" at Lincoln Center. Soskin is currently on the faculty of The Manhattan School Of Music and has been written up in numerous music publications, including Ira Gitler and Leonard Feather's Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz and The Jazz Book by Joachim E. Berendt. Mark Soskin is featured in the film documenting latin jazz artists entitled "Calle 54”. He signed with the Kind of Blue label and produced three recordings for the company, all critically acclaimed. The first is entitled,“One Hopeful Day ”, which features Chris Potter, Bill Stewart and Jay Anderson.  The second released in October 2009 is “Man Behind the Curtain” with Ravi Coltrane, Bill Stewart and Jay Anderson. The third,released in 2012, is “Mark Soskin Solo Piano- The Music of Nino Rota”. His newest recording is “ Live at Small’s, Mark Soskin Quartett(2015)”, featuring Rich Perry, Jay Anderson and Anthony Pinciotti.  Mark Soskin teaches privately and is available for master classes and workshops.

Personnel:  Mark Soskin-keyboards;  Bennie Maupin-tenor and soprano saxes,flutes ;  Oscar Brashear, Snooky Young-trumpet, flugel horn;  George Bohanon-bass trombone;  Mel Martin-alto flute,alto sax;  Ray Obiedo-guitars;  Paul Socolow-electric bass;  Harvey Mason-drums;  Sammy Figueroa-congas, percussion.

Rhythm Vision

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Tessarollo, Fassi, Dalla Porta, Nussbaum - Bemsha

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:04
Size: 149,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:45)  1. One for Bill
(7:02)  2. Blitz
(8:29)  3. Dede
(6:33)  4. Algoritmo
(6:04)  5. Stati d'animo
(6:24)  6. This is for Adam
(7:25)  7. La chioma di Emilia
(4:47)  8. For Butch
(5:56)  9. Gentle walk
(3:35) 10. Bemsha swing

Splasc(h) Records has documented the vibrantly diverse Italian jazz scene with hundreds of releases. This recording features four of its key performers, who co-lead a tight, well-played set of original pieces very much in the mainstream tradition. (The only tune not written by a member of the group is Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha Swing," after whom the quartet is named.) Luigi Tessarolla's guitar takes the place of a horn, his light, graceful, lissome lines floating above the backdrop of fine rhythmical support provided by co-leaders Riccardo Fassi, Paolino Dalla Porta, and Adam Nussbaum. While the performances are professional and more than competent, few of the melodies are memorable, and there is little here to distinguish this recording from hosts of others. The players are most comfortable at medium and slow tempos. The piano and guitar effectively double on some of the melodic lines; otherwise, they alternate the lead. Much of it is very pretty, and the influence of Bill Evans is partially evident. Paolo Dalla Porta's acoustic string bass is filled with rich sonorities, and journeyman Adam Nussbaum provides the accurate and sensitive timekeeping skills for which he is known.~ Steve Loewy Splasc(h) Records has documented the vibrantly diverse Italian jazz scene with hundreds of releases. This recording features four of its key performers, who co-lead a tight, well-played set of original pieces very much in the mainstream tradition. (The only tune not written by a member of the group is Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha Swing," after whom the quartet is named.) Luigi Tessarolla's guitar takes the place of a horn, his light, graceful, lissome lines floating above the backdrop of fine rhythmical support provided by co-leaders Riccardo Fassi, Paolino Dalla Porta, and Adam Nussbaum. While the performances are professional and more than competent, few of the melodies are memorable, and there is little here to distinguish this recording from hosts of others. The players are most comfortable at medium and slow tempos. The piano and guitar effectively double on some of the melodic lines; otherwise, they alternate the lead. Much of it is very pretty, and the influence of Bill Evans is partially evident. Paolo Dalla Porta's acoustic string bass is filled with rich sonorities, and journeyman Adam Nussbaum provides the accurate and sensitive timekeeping skills for which he is known.

Bemsha

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