Christopher Hollyday - And I'll Sing Once More

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:20
Size: 141,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Heroes
(4:39)  2. Hate the Roommate
(5:23)  3. The Sound of Music
(4:19)  4. Storm
(9:59)  5. Beyond the Barren Lands
(8:25)  6. Chant
(5:55)  7. Nefertiti
(7:03)  8. Let the Moon Stand Still
(8:51)  9. The Very Thought of You

By the time he recorded his fourth Novus release, alto saxophonist Christopher Hollyday, who often sounded like a particularly abrasive version of his teacher Jackie McLean, was starting to show some individuality. Then 22, Hollyday is heard on this set with a 14-piece group that includes six brass, Scott Robinson on reeds, violinist Mark Feldman and two Indian percussionists. He performs four originals, two by pianist Kenny Werner and three standards, exploring the area between hard bop and post-bop. Shortly after this set, Hollyday was dropped by Novus and began a long hiatus from recording. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/and-ill-sing-once-more-mw0000075218

Personnel:  Christopher Hollyday - alto saxophone;  Scott Robinson - tenor & baritone saxophones, flute, clarinet;  Earl Gardner - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Scott Colley - bass;  Mark Feldman - violin;  Douglas Purviance - bass trombone;  Ed Neumeister - trombone;  Ron Savage - drums;  Joe Mosello - trumpet, flugelhorn;  John Mosca - trombone;  Eric Charry - tanpura;  Janey Haddad - talking drum, caxixi, Indian bells, frame drum;  Kenny Werner - piano

And I'll Sing Once More

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Stevie Wonder - The Jazz Soul Of Little Stevie

Styles: Jazz Soul
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:29
Size: 67,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:56)  1. Fingertips
(2:59)  2. Square
(2:18)  3. Soul Bongo
(3:44)  4. Manhattan At Six
(2:44)  5. Paulsby
(5:07)  6. Some Other Time
(2:49)  7. Wondering
(3:15)  8. Session Number 112
(3:35)  9. Bam

Stevie Wonder's debut album, released when he was 11, is still an amazing musical document, showcasing his skills as a percussionist (drums and bongos), chromatic harmonica player, keyboardist (piano and organ), and composer and he was prodigious in all four categories. All of these skills are highlighted throughout this record, and Wonder's youthful, exuberant voice had a maturity suggesting that greatness was around the corner. Perhaps most surprising to contemporary listeners will be the emphasis on instrumentals, which made this a fairly unusual album by Motown standards to begin with. Apart from a few shouts in the background in some of the more free-form tracks, there's not a vocal to be heard here, yet the sounds are rich and diverse enough that one never misses them. What's more, a lot of what's here is extremely sophisticated instrumental music for its time, and the "jazz" reference in the title is not a matter of optimistic convenience or self-aggrandizement a lot of this is legitimate jazz. ~ Bruce Eder https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jazz-soul-of-little-stevie-mw0000675222

The Jazz Soul Of Little Stevie

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Wallace Roney - Obsession

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:41
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Obsession
(8:01)  2. Scenario One
(8:56)  3. Alone Together
(7:30)  4. Seven
(7:40)  5. Black Moon
(4:22)  6. Donna Lee

In the early days of his career, trumpeter Wallace Roney was tagged as being yet another Miles Davis-influenced player, though a focused hearing of his fourth CD as a leader will demonstrate how much he was developing his own voice on this exciting hard bop session with tenor saxophonist Gary Thomas, pianist Donald Brown (like the leader, an alum of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers), bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Cindy Blackman. Roney's furious "Obsession" crackles with energy, showcasing the trumpeter, Thomas, and Brown. McBride contributed the loping, bluesy "Black Moon," while Blackman's "Scenario One" is full of twists, dominated by her drums. 

The one standard is "Alone Together," with Roney utilizing a mute, inviting the inevitable comparisons to Miles. But the sizzling take of "Donna Lee" finds Roney very much in his own voice. An enjoyable early effort, Obsession unfortunately lapsed from print with the sale of Muse, and it is increasingly difficult to acquire. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/obsession-mw0000078455

Personnel:  Wallace Roney - trumpet;  Gary Thomas - tenor saxophone, flute;  Donald Brown - piano;  Christian McBride - bass;  Cindy Blackman - drums

Obsession

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Cyndi Lauper - At Last

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:59
Size: 114,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:42)  1. At Last
(4:29)  2. Walk On By
(3:15)  3. Stay
(3:35)  4. La Vie En Rose
(4:27)  5. Unchained Melody
(4:27)  6. If You Go Away
(4:40)  7. Until You Come Back To Me
(2:37)  8. My Baby Just Cares For Me
(4:16)  9. Makin Whoopee (Duet with Tony Bennett)
(3:40) 10. Dont Let Me Be Misunderstood
(4:04) 11. You ve Really Got A Hold On Me
(3:33) 12. Hymn To Love
(4:08) 13. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

As the girl who just wants to have fun, Cyndi Lauper became an '80s music icon with her flamboyant style, powerful baby-doll voice, and quirky songs, but as time and tastes moved on, her playful persona wore thin and attempts at becoming a more serious artist failed to regain her dwindling audience. With At Last, Lauper steps even further away from that playful image to become the girl who just wants to sing as she tackles a set of pop standards that showcase her underrated voice. Although occasionally shrill and reckless, Lauper's forceful tones can be quite moving and awe-inspiring when corralled into the proper setting, as with her bluesy take on Etta James' "At Last." With its lazy tempo and minimal arrangement, Lauper is able to relax and convey the lyrics in one of her most mature and affecting performances. Even more low-key is the whisper quiet of "Walk on By," in which she turns Dionne Warwick's midtempo gem into a dark tale of mourning by sadly singing the lyrics over a crawling tempo. Getting a Tori Amos-style ballad treatment is the Animals' "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," which lets Lauper's rock roots rise to the surface with her edgy performance. While some of her song choices work, others fall flat, like "La Vie en Rose," in which her slightly ragged reading is too rough for the delicate song. Also misfiring is her corny duet with Tony Bennett, "Makin' Whoopee," where the voices of these two New Yorkers clash like stripes and plaids. Lauper also has a little too much fun with Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs' "Stay," as she reverts back to her boisterous voice of yesteryear and disrupts the mature tone of the disc. Although the results are mixed, At Last does focus on Cyndi Lauper's best asset her voice and may help to rejuvenate a career in which the personality unfortunately overshadowed the talent. ~ Aarom Latham https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-last-mw0000694563

At Last

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Ilan Salem - Wild

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:19
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. Wild East
(6:18)  2. Ballad of a Stream and the Sea
(4:39)  3. Bad Boy
(3:44)  4. Zameru
(6:03)  5. Neula
(4:31)  6. Blessing
(3:29)  7. Le Troubadour
(3:53)  8. Going Wild
(4:25)  9. Song for Anna
(3:36) 10. Anna Boei
(5:39) 11. Ann's Tune

llan Salem, Israel’s best known and most influential flute player releases his third album Wild (Razdaz Recordz, RD4611). A journey through old and new collected from Israel’s musical heritage and his own modern ideas as a composer. Salem’s playing showcases his ability to give the flute a strong and unrestrained voice that leads the other instruments to flow. Born and raised in Israel, Salem began playing the flute at the age of 11, and discovered jazz during his studies at the prestigious Thelma Yellin School of Arts. He continued his studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston USA, and started to perform and tour with groups in the U.S. and Europe. Ilan returned to Israel and has not only become the flute player in Israeli jazz, but a dedicated and talented educator as well. He currently heads the Jazz department at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and founded the Jazz department at the Tel Aviv School for the Arts. Ilan composed and recorded his first album – Songs from the Big City (NMC, 2002) followed by Twists and Turns (Jazz 972, 2005) with Kenny Werner. Ilan Salem is also the 2011 recipient of the Israel Prime Minister’s Composer’s Prize for Jazz. Salem is accompanied on Wild by Amos Hoffman on oud and guitar, Gilad Abro on contrabass, Nitay Hershkovits on piano and Amir Bresler on drums. Bassist and composer, Avishai Cohen who is also the creator of the label Razdaz Recordz, contributes vocals and contrabass on Anna Boei and his own composition, Ann’s Tune. Percussionists Ilan Katcha and Itamar Doari, along with pianist Shai Maestro make unique guest appearances. https://razdazrecordz.com/ilan-salem/

Personnel:  Alto Flute, Flute – Ilan Salem;  Contrabass – Avishai Cohen, Gilad Abro;  Drums – Amir Bresler;  Electric Piano – Shai Maestro;  Guitar, Oud – Amos Hoffman;  Percussion – Ilan Katchka;  Piano – Nitay Hershkovits;  Piano, Vocals – Avishai Cohen;  Tambourine – Itamar Doari 

Wild

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Bob Berg - Short Stories

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:30
Size: 127,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. Friday Night At Cadillac Club
(7:17)  2. Words
(5:56)  3. Snakes
(8:09)  4. Kalimba
(7:57)  5. The Search
(7:18)  6. Maya
(6:04)  7. That's The Ticket
(7:18)  8. Junior

Bob Berg's third release as a leader (released on a Japanese Denon CD) was his first fairly commercial date. Doubling on tenor and soprano but not sounding too distinctive on either, Berg performs eight funky group originals with a sextet also including keyboardist Don Grolnick, guitarist Mike Stern, bassist Will Lee, drummer Peter Erskine and Robby Kilgore on additional keyboards; altoist David Sanborn drops by to add some heat to "Kalimba." 

The R&B-ish music is very much of the period and sounds a bit dated now, but has its moments of interest due to the high musicianship of the players. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/short-stories-mw0000197671

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Bob Berg;  Alto Saxophone – Dave Sanborn;  Bass – Jeff Andrews;  Bass, Percussion – Will Lee;  Drums, Percussion – Peter Erskine;  Guitar – Mike Stern;  Keyboards [Additional] – Robby Kilgore;  Producer, Organ, Synthesizer, Piano [Acoustic] – Don Grolnick

Short Stories

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Brad Mehldau, Kevin Hays - Modern Music

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:48
Size: 109,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:21)  1. Crazy Quilt
(6:25)  2. Unrequited
(5:12)  3. Generatrix
(2:57)  4. Celtic Folk Melody
(5:18)  5. Excerpt From Music For 18 Musicians
(6:27)  6. Lonely Woman
(5:00)  7. Modern Music
(6:19)  8. Elegia
(3:46)  9. Excerpt From String Quartet No. 5

Modern Music, the collaborative recording between longtime colleagues and jazz pianists Brad Mehldau and Kevin Hays, and composer and arranger Patrick Zimmerli (a mutual friend of both) is startling for its deep reliance on modern classical technique and arrangements. Certainly, Mehldau is known for dabbling in all sorts of music, from pop to classical on his recordings and in live performance. Hays, too, has branched out in recent years, from his signature, intelligent, hard swinging post-bop approach to include compositions with modern classical touches, such as those found on Piano Works, Vol. III. Zimmerli, who wrote the charts for this session, played saxophone in his younger years. He composed and chose the lion's share of the material. Three pieces are by Zimmerli, while Mehldau and Hays contribute one each; there are also readings of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman," an excerpt from Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians," and one from Philip Glass' "String Quartet No. 5." Those seeking a jazz recording should look elsewhere; even Coleman's standard is overly formal, with Mehldau (right channel) playing the melody in various voicings as Hays creates pulsing rhythmic and harmonic patterns in the middle and high registers. The latter begins to swing a bit toward the middle of the tune as Mehldau takes the rhythm line, but even here, the counterpoint dialogue Hays creates moves it far from the beautiful, droning center of Coleman's work. The section from Reich's work, which attempts, in its way, to imitate the mallet instruments, isn't nearly as forceful or convincing. Those complaints aside, Zimmerli's compositions, sauch as "Crazy Quilt," "Modern Music," and "Generatrix," with their busy palettes, intricate cross-keyboard dialogues, and contrapuntal studies are all deeply satisfying. His sense of melody is found in rhythmic approaches; his stuttering half-steps and tonal shifts are especially notable for their ability to play off both pianist's technical and melodic gifts, for all their busy-ness. Hays' "Elegia," too, for its seeming moodiness is more pastoral than one would gather by its title. In sum, Modern Music totals what its title promises, it's not a jazz album, but one in which new considerations of harmonic composition and intra-instrument dialogue are readily apparent and delivered upon with discipline as well as verve. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/modern-music-mw0002184441

Personnel:  Brad Mehldau – piano;  Kevin Hays – piano.

Modern Music

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Keith Jarrett - Silence

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:26
Size: 153,1 MB
Art: Front

( 7:22)  1. Byablue
( 8:36)  2. Rainbow
( 9:41)  3. Trieste
( 1:13)  4. Fantasm
( 6:01)  5. Mushi Mushi
( 3:13)  6. Silence
( 6:59)  7. Bop-Be
(10:38)  8. Gotta Get Some Sleep
( 3:39)  9. Blackberry Winter
( 5:19) 10. Pocket Full of Cherry
( 3:39) 11. Byablue (solo piano version)

The Keith Jarrett American Quartet's last recording session combines most of the contents Byablue and Bop-Be, omitting "Yahllah" and "Konya" from the former and "Pyramids Moving" from the latter. The partial sampling of the sessions indicates that the quartet went out on a high note, still exciting and inventive, the old interplay very much in action, unrepentantly acoustic in an electric era. The quartet was soon to be defunct. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/silence-mw0000083094

Personnel:  Keith Jarrett – piano, soprano saxophone (on #10);  Dewey Redman – tenor saxophone;  Charlie Haden – bass;  Paul Motian – drums.

Silence

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Stan Kenton - Adventures In Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:15
Size: 122,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Turtle Talk
(5:50)  2. Stairway To The Stars
(4:29)  3. Limehouse Blues
(4:25)  4. Malaguena
(3:37)  5. Misty
(6:45)  6. Waltz Of The Prophets
(5:20)  7. Body And Soul
(5:17)  8. It Might As Well Be Spring
(6:32)  9. Waltz Of The Prophets (First Version)
(5:24) 10. Body And Soul (First Version)

This is one of the finest albums ever recorded by the remarkable Stan Kenton Orchestra. It features two compositions by the composer/trombonist/drummer Dee Barton, "Turtle Talk" and "Waltz of the Prophets," that are among the best-known works from the Kenton library. Barton later went on to fame (like those other Kenton stalwarts, Pete Rugolo and Lennie Niehaus) as a composer for films such as Clint Eastwood's Play Misty for Me. The CD includes a well-known version of the song "Misty," but the arrangement is by Gene Roland, not Dee Barton. "Misty" showcases the incredible mellophonium work of Ray Starling, undoubtedly the finest soloist who ever mastered that notoriously difficult brass instrument. Another featured soloist is Sam Donahue, a deep-throated tenor player in the Vido Musso tradition, who provides a stratospherically high solo on his own arrangement of "Body and Soul." An alternative version of "Body and Soul" (along with another version of "Waltz of the Prophets") is included as a CD bonus, but it lacks the polish of the take included on the original LP. The composer/arranger Bill Holman is represented by two of his best charts: "Stairway to the Stars," a tour de force arrangement of the standard featuring the alto of Gabe Baltazar; and the big production arrangement of Lecuona's "Malaguena," an arrangement that was a staple of Kenton concerts and clinics in the 1960s and 1970s. Aficionados of Stan Kenton's band won't want to be without this CD. This is Kenton at the peak of his power, leading a dynamite collection of soloists and sidemen during the last glory days of the travelling big bands. ~ William Grim https://www.allaboutjazz.com/adventures-in-jazz-stan-kenton-capitol-records-review-by-william-grim.php

Personnel:  Stan Kenton, piano;  Jim Amlotte, trombone;  Buddy Arnold, tenor sax;  Gabe Baltazar, alto sax;  Norman Baltazar, trumpet;  Dee Barton, trombone;  Bob Behrendt, trumpet;  Allan Beutler, baritone & bass saxes;  Bud Brisbois, trumpet;  Dwight Carver, mellophonium;  Sam Donahue, tenor sax; Wayne Dunstan, bass sax;  Bob Fitzpatrick, trombone; Marvin Holladay, baritone sax;  Joel Kaye, baritone & bass saxes;  Keith LaMotte, mellophonium;  Jerry Lestock McKenzie, drums;  Red Mitchell, bass;  Bud Parker, trombone;  Paul Renzi, tenpr sax;  Bob Rolfe, trumpet;  Carl Saunders, mellophonium;  Pat Senatore, bass;  Dalton Smith, trumpet;  Jack Spurlock, trombone;  Marvin Stamm, trumpet;  Ray Starling, mellophonium;  Dave Wheeler, bass trombone, tuba

Adventures In Jazz

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Bill Frisell - Selected Recordings

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:37
Size: 177,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Mandeville
(3:02)  2. Introduction
(7:25)  3. India
(4:22)  4. Singsong
(4:35)  5. In Line
(5:47)  6. Resistor
(4:49)  7. Music I Heard
(8:04)  8. Tone
(4:40)  9. Lonesome
(6:29) 10. Alien Prints
(2:28) 11. Hangdog
(4:44) 12. Kind Of Gentle
(5:01) 13. Closer
(9:54) 14. Sub Rosa

Whatever the musical context, guitarist Bill Frisell has always been a team player. From the edgy avant-garde of Naked City to the deeply melodic music of the Ginger Baker Trio and several wide-ranging groups of his own, he's proven repeatedly that he has the versatility and perceptiveness to fit into wildly different surroundings. His ECM work has for the most part been of the quiet, melodic sort. Since he last recorded under his own name for the label in 1987, he's forged onward with a more country/blues orientation on his own recordings. Some critics have slapped the term "Americana" on this new material, but Frisell dismisses the label: "People say this has come into my playing in recent years. I think it's been there all along." Perhaps so. Regardless, this set documents a fertile period during the '80s when Frisell was finding his own voice. In his solo recordings, Frisell prizes space and texture. The solo guitar piece "Introduction" (from the Paul Motian band recording Psalm ) has as much silence as sound. "In Line" (from Frisell's record of the same name) explores extremes of timbre and pitch overlaid on a solid, pulsing acoustic foundation. Then there's his work with saxophonist Joe Lovano and drummer Paul Motian. In trio or quintet settings, these players have a very rare kind of cohesion. Surely Lovano has developed his sound substantially since the '80s this material emphasizes his sure grasp of melody, but it lacks the deftness of tone and angularity of phrasing which he acquired in the '90s. But in some sense, the '80s were golden years for these players. They deliver some of their strongest, most memorable playing on these tunes. Frisell's work with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler (documented here on three tunes from 1984's Rambler ) has a sharper edge, more extreme in tone and color than the rest of the collection. Frisell plays here and there with effects to thicken atmospheric backgrounds and sharpen his crispy improvisations. You can hear the roots of his post-ECM music in the soft blues of "Lonesome" and the stretched, gossamer meanderings of "Alien Prints." Just in case you thought you had Frisell pinned down, he tosses out "Hangdog," a punchy, dissonant fragment from the same record, 1987's Lookout for Hope.  The luminaries: Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, Jan Garbarek, Eberhard Weber, Kenny Wheeler, Joey Baron, Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Paul Bley, John Surman. (Definitely in the big leagues.) The big surprise: Frisell on banjo on "Hangdog." He turns the instrument inside out and it works. (Note: this disc represents the fifth volume of :rarum, a series of artist-picked compilations from ECM Records. It comes with brief notes by the artists, an extensive biography, and discographical information.) ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rarum-selected-recordings-of-bill-frisell-bill-frisell-ecm-records-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Bill Frisell: guitars, banjo, guitar synth; Joe Lovano: ts; Billy Drewes: as; Ed Schuller: b; Paul Motian: d; Jan Garbarek: ss; Eberhard Weber: b; Michael DiPasqua: d; Kenny Wheeler: tpt, ct; Bob Stewart: tuba; Jerome Harris: bg; Hank Roberts: cello; Kermit Driscoll: bg; Joe Baron: d; Lee Konitz: as; Dave Holland: b; Paul Bley: p; John Surman: ss; Jamie McCarthy: recorder; Roger Heaton: cl; Alexander Balanescu: v; Martin Allen: vb; John White: p; Gavin Bryars: b.

Selected Recordings

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Beth Rowley - Gota Fria

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:25
Size: 129,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Shut It Down
(4:30)  2. Howl At The Moon
(3:51)  3. Bronze
(5:15)  4. Brave Face
(2:22)  5. Brother
(4:29)  6. Forest Fire
(5:38)  7. Princess
(4:53)  8. Get It Back
(5:59)  9. Only One Cloud
(3:30) 10. Run To The Light
(3:39) 11. Hide From Your Love
(7:48) 12. Gota Fria

Beth Rowley is a singer who employs a healthy crossover feel of vintage rhythm & blues and gospel music welded onto contemporary pop and jazz elements. She was born in Lima, Peru in October of 1981 to British missionary parents who moved when she was two years old. Raised in Bristol, England, her initial influences included Mahalia Jackson, Emmylou Harris, Neil Young, Roy Orbison, and (through her guitar-playing father) Woody Guthrie. Rowley attended St. Mary Redcliffe and Temple schools before being noticed at an open-mike night in London, and she subsequently formed a funk-soul-acid jazz band, the Apogee, when she was 16. After high school, she studied casually at Weston-Super-Mare College, and formally for a year at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. Meeting and conferring with vocalist Carleen Anderson, Rowley was inspired to develop her own sound, but gained initial professional experience as a backup singer with Enrique Iglesias and Ronan Keating. Working more on the underground scene, she teamed up with saxophonist Ben Castle of Jamie Cullum's band in 2000 and began writing her own material, influenced as much by country and bluegrass as soul music. Her EP Violets was followed by the full-length Blue Thumb album Little Dreamer, which included songs co-written with Castle and covers of tunes by Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, and Willie Nelson. With backup from Duke Special, the album was also shaped by Blur producer Steve Power with help from Kevin Bacon and Jonathan Quarmby. Upon release, the album graced the U.K. Top Ten and saw Rowley nominated for Best Female Vocalist at the 2009 Brit Awards. The same year, she appeared onscreen in Lone Scherfig's An Education, while also contributing to the soundtrack of The Edge of Love. In 2010, she parted ways with Universal and continued on her own path, playing live shows across the U.K. and performing with Jools Holland & his R&B Band. 2013 saw the release of the Wretched Body EP, and after a move from London back to Bristol, Rowley took time some time off but still performed when she could. After an eight-year semi-hiatus, she returned to the studio to record new material. The resulting album, Gota Fría (Cold Drop), was released in mid-2018 on the independent label Stoopnik and was preceded by the single "Forest Fire." ~ Michael G. Nastos https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gota-fr%C3%ADa/1369923472

Gota Fria

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Miles Davis - Miles In The Sky

Styles: Trumpet And Cornet Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:12
Size: 117,7 MB
Art: Front

(17:03)  1. Stuff
(12:45)  2. Paraphernalia
( 7:30)  3. Black Comedy
(13:52)  4. Country Son

With the 1968 album Miles in the Sky, Miles Davis explicitly pushed his second great quintet away from conventional jazz, pushing them toward the jazz-rock hybrid that would later become known as fusion. Here, the music is still in its formative stages, and it's a little more earth-bound than you might expect, especially following on the heels of the shape-shifting, elusive Nefertiti. On Miles in the Sky, much of the rhythms are straightforward, picking up on the direct 4/4 beats of rock, and these are illuminated by Herbie Hancock's electric piano one of the very first sounds on the record, as a matter of fact and the guest appearance of guitarist George Benson on "Paraphernalia." All of these additions are tangible and identifiable, and they do result in intriguing music, but the form of the music itself is surprisingly direct, playing as extended grooves. This meanders considerable more than Nefertiti, even if it is significantly less elliptical in its form, because it's primarily four long jams. Intriguing, successful jams in many respects, but even with the notable additions of electric instruments, and with the deliberately noisy "Country Son," this is less visionary than its predecessor and feels like a transitional album and, like many transitional albums, it's intriguing and frustrating in equal measures. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/miles-in-the-sky-mw0000652711

Personnel:  Miles Davis – trumpet, cornet on "Stuff" and "Country Son";  Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone;  Herbie Hancock – piano, electric piano on "Stuff";  Ron Carter – bass, electric bass on "Stuff";  Tony Williams – drums;  George Benson – electric guitar on "Paraphernalia"

Miles In The Sky

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Helen Merrill - Just Friends

Styles: Vocal, Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:51
Size: 106,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:51)  1. Cavatina
(6:16)  2. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:41)  3. Just Friends
(6:04)  4. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(2:53)  5. Baby Ain't I Good To You
(2:57)  6. It's Not Easy Being Green
(4:05)  7. If You Go Away
(6:46)  8. Yesterdays
(5:17)  9. Music Maker

Veteran singer Helen Merrill is greatly assisted on this fine set by the warm tenor of Stan Getz, who was always a perfect choice for accompanying vocalists. With pianist Joachim Kuhn (replaced by Torrie Zito on three of the nine songs), bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-Clark and drummer Daniel Humair completing the group, Merrill sounds quite inspired on such selections as "Just Friends," "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Yesterdays" and even "It's Not Easy Being Green." Virtually all of Helen Merrill's recordings are special events because of the planning and intelligent ideas that go into them; this recommended set is no exception. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/just-friends-mw0000203447

Personnel:  Vocals – Helen Merrill;  Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz;   Bass – Jean-François Jenny-Clark;  Drums – Daniel Humair;  Piano – Joachim Kühn, Torrie Zito 

Just Friends

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The Ellis Marsalis Trio - Twelve's It

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:27
Size: 229,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:16)  1. Twelve's It
( 6:31)  2. Syndrome
( 6:03)  3. Homecoming
( 8:27)  4. Mozartin'
( 5:18)  5. Orchid Blue
( 2:22)  6. Friendships
(11:51)  7. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
( 5:57)  8. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
( 6:00)  9. Tell Me
( 6:42) 10. All Good Intentions
( 7:40) 11. Zee Blues
( 4:14) 12. The Party's Over

The most famous and accomplished family in jazz history is the Marsalis family led by Ellis Marsalis. Ellis, the family's leader, is a highly respected master of piano and composition in the modern Jazz world; his eldest son, Branford Marsalis, is a great saxophone player and film soundtrack; the second child, Wynton Marsalis, is in the music world. Not only did he succumb to the classical and jazz world at the same time, Zhang Zhang’s well-received album made him famous as Miles Davis after the 1980s; although the third child Delfeayo was not as well known as other family members who established the Marsalis dynasty, his skills behind the scenes. It should not be underestimated. The youngest son, Jason, has a deep knowledge of the drums. In addition, as with other members of the Marsalis family, his strength in creation and production is quite impressive. This album, created by Ellis Marsalis and the youngest son, Jason, brings out the outstanding instrumentality of Ellis's knives and the excellent musical talents of the younger son Jason. The album was recorded in the famous Snug Harbor bar in New Orleans, which recorded live performances by Ellis who led his latest lineup of trios, including of course Jason Marsalis. The album name is called "Twelve's It" because the title of the album is originally composed of 12 bars, and the 12 bars are also the basic structure of the blues. The blues are the mother of the jazz. Ellis hopes to use this album to chase this book. Tracing back to the simple spirit of jazz development, the album name was taken as "Twelve's It". In addition, the album has just collected 12 pieces of music, including Ellis' own creations and classics by others. Ellis's keen sense of enthusiasm with strong and lingering emotions, after Jason's rigorous production, shows a sense of incitement. It is hard to imagine such a wonderful multi-level work, which is from the hands of a talented drummer who is only 21 years old. This album, full of vivid rhythm curves, once again proves that the Marsalis family has an unpredictable top position in the jazz scene. http://www.books.com.tw/products/0020043222

Personnel:   Bass – Bill Huntington (tracks: 5, 6, 8, 12), Roland Guerin (tracks: 1 to 4, 7, 9 to 11);  Drums – Jason Marsalis;  Piano – Ellis Marsalis

Twelve's It

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Ty Causey - Mr. Mellow

Styles: Vocal, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:59
Size: 99,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:45)  1. Shake & Dance
(3:53)  2. Uptown Girl
(4:04)  3. Feelin' That Vibe
(3:48)  4. I Can't Let Go
(3:48)  5. Mr. Mellow
(4:19)  6. Don't Stop (Let the Feelin' Flow)
(3:29)  7. Nobody Like You
(4:03)  8. Turn It Up (That's My Jam)
(4:02)  9. Can't Stop (So Emotional)
(3:52) 10. Love Will Always Find a Way
(3:51) 11. I Just Love Ya

Ty Causey's musical style is original and very unique. His smooth style is a Blend of Soulful R&B and Smooth contemporary jazz. His music production is very melodic which compliments his silky smooth vocal delivery. One of the most recognizable voices on the soul music scene today. Ty started his music career back in the late 1990's as a co-writer and featured vocalist for smooth jazz saxophonist Najee. Ty co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Najee's "Morning Tenderness" album. Since that time Causey has released twelve of his own full length Cds on his independent record label "Tyvonn Records". Ty's music has been define by many as "Feel Good Music"! Just put in and let it play!! https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/tycausey111

Mr. Mellow

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Ivo Perelman - Cama De Terra

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:56
Size: 130,5 MB
Art: Front

(0:47)  1. Soundcheck
(2:58)  2. One converse
(4:37)  3. To another
(8:51)  4. Nho quim
(5:37)  5. Spiral
(3:54)  6. Adriana
(4:54)  7. Groundswell Descent
(3:50)  8. Dedos
(2:40)  9. Elephants Have Brains
(9:24) 10. Cama de terra
(6:19) 11. The Dark of Day

In the mid- to late 1990s, Ivo Perelman was recording frequently and freelancing for more than a few independent labels. So many trips to the studio might have been overkill for less interesting players, but Perelman had so much to say musically that it was good to see him being extensively documented. To his credit, he kept things unpredictable by recording in a variety of settings. 

Cama De Terra found the tenor explorer in a drumless trio with bassist William Parker and the Cecil Taylor-influenced pianist Matthew Shipp, both of whom communicate with him splendidly on such absorbing Perelman compositions as the dusky "Elephants Have Brains," the chaotic "Spiral" and the angular "To Another." A very dark and lonely ballad, "Adriana" is one of the most moving songs Perelman has ever written. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/cama-de-terra-mw0000086473

Personnel: Ivo Perelman - tenor sax;  Matthew Shipp - piano;  William Parker - bass

Cama De Terra

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Deborah Cox - The Promise

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:54
Size: 91,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Love Is Not Made In Words
(3:55)  2. You Know Where My Heart Is
(4:37)  3. Did You Ever Love Me
(4:20)  4. Saying Goodbye
(4:10)  5. Beautiful U R
(3:31)  6. The Promise
(3:38)  7. All Over Me
(3:40)  8. All Hearts Aren't Shaped The Same
(4:08)  9. Down 4 U
(3:39) 10. Where Do We Go 2

After a stylistic detour with 2007’s Destination Moon, on which Deborah Cox paid tribute to jazz and classic-pop vocal legend Dinah Washington, the Canadian chanteuse returns to her natural R&B milieu on THE PROMISE. Working with a selection of top-tier collaborators (John Legend, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis), Cox delivers a set of eminently smooth yet impassioned music which alternates between hip-hop-style jams (“Saying Goodbye”) and neo-soul fare (“You Know Where My Heart Is”). On “Did You Ever Love Me,” the singer reveals the benefits of briefly leaving one’s comfort zone, combining modern production with a vocal that recalls Washington’s best torch songs. 

~ Pemberton Roach https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-promise-mw0000800024

The Promise

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Arthur Blythe Trio - Spirits in the Field

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:51
Size: 134,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:33)  1. One Mint Julep
( 7:26)  2. Miss Nancy
(10:59)  3. Odessa
( 9:29)  4. Rambler
( 3:24)  5. Spirits in the Field
( 6:37)  6. Lenox Avenue Breakdown
( 7:23)  7. Ah George, We Hardly Knew You
( 5:55)  8. Break Tune #2

On this live club date, recorded at the Bim Huis in Amsterdam, Blythe and his combo (tubaist Bob Stewart and drummer Cecil Brooks III) perform a nice cross section of his most familiar material. Blythe's husky, virile alto sax has never sounded better, and though the recording quality is a little thin, the music comes roaring through the speakers nonetheless. The good-time swinger "One Mint Julep" kicks things off, and is followed by the rambling bopper "Miss Nancy," which is the leader at perhaps his most quintessential. The showstopper is a reworked, energized "Odessa," on which Brooks uses his mallets to fine effect, Stewart blows a minimal but insistent tuba, and Blythe unfurls more of his startling improvisational legerdemain. A quirky, elusive 9/8 rhythm informs the tuba modality of "Rambler," and the title track sports a sneaky melody and a short but free discourse without drums. The trio digs right in on "Lenox Avenue Breakdown," even dispensing with an intro. The slow waltz "Ah George, We Hardly Knew You" (written by Don Pullen for George Adams) and the funky and fat "Break Tune #2" close this satisfying set. In his insightful liner notes, Francis Davis questions Blythe's diminished cachet among critics. That he's moved back home to San Diego from New York City might be an issue, but it doesn't detract from the fact that Blythe's sound and vision remain as fresh and vital as ever. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/spirits-in-the-field-mw0000605222

Personnel:  Arthur Blythe – alto saxophone;  Bob Stewart – tuba;  Cecil Brooks III – drums.

Spirits in the Field

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Matthew Shipp Quartet - Our Lady of the Flowers

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:09
Size: 157,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:02)  1. Atomic Note
( 5:17)  2. New Tension
( 7:37)  3. A Different Plane
( 8:26)  4. From The Beyond
( 4:23)  5. Silence Blooms
( 6:45)  6. Irrational
(11:02)  7. Our Lady of the Flowers
( 7:40)  8. Gasp
( 8:55)  9. Cosmic Joke

Our Lady Of The Flowers, titled in homage to French writer Jean Genet, constitutes the second disc by Declared Enemy, a familiar foursome convened by pianist Matthew Shipp. That association apart, the participants share a lot of history together. As a result they move like a finely tuned machine with well oiled parts through a program of nine selections credited to the pianist, but which sound like group inventions. And those parts are magnificent. Drummer Gerald Cleaver creates a chattering pulse fashioned from interlocking lines from disparate elements of his kit, while bassist William Parker majors on ferocious momentum, leavened by the occasional melodic serenade. Shipp propounds his utterly distinctive style, with nagging motifs prominent, though he reins in his customary explosions. Rounding out the ensemble on reeds, Sabir Mateen generates a palpable emotional charge through his surging forays into the altissimo registers. In a trope familiar from other sessions, Shipp varies the instrumentation between tracks, resulting in five full quartet numbers, one trio, two duets, and one solo. Parker engages in the knotty "Silence Blooms" unaccompanied. On "New Tension" the dynamic becomes more conversational, as the quicksilver duet between Shipp and Mateen's clarinet is by turns ethereal, querulous and relaxed. But that's not the only game plan in play. 

Elsewhere a slightly different approach manifests, such that in "Irrational," the duet between Shipp and Cleaver resembles a pair of parallel monologues. It's a choice borne out of experience rather than any deficit of communication. And one that makes this a raw yet sophisticated performance in which no-one worries unduly about matching or mirroring. The consequent sense of creative dissonance pervades the album. Even though the quartet pieces tend to be dense everyone proves adept at allowing enough space for each other without compromising their own direction. Listen to Shipp behind Mateen on "Atomic Note." Comping doesn't get anywhere near describing the complexity of what the pianist is doing, let alone considering Cleaver and Parker's contributions. Mateen himself generates an exciting fluent stream of consciousness, into which he sometimes interjects practiced blues inflected licks to relaunch his exhortations, as on the choppy dancing "Gasp." A lovely moment ensues on the ballad like "A Different Plane" when, after his breathy vibrato laden tenor vies in spirited dialogue with Shipp's piano, he enjoys a falsetto passage which finally tumbles down through the treble clef. "From The Beyond" begins as a tête-à-tête between Parker's arco and Mateen's tenor, before the bassist's urgent sawing is picked up first in a drum tattoo, and then by Shipp's pummeling which ignites the saxophonist into a powerful incantation. The piece ends with an extended drum and bass repeat, until finally Parker's bowing sees out the cut alone. It's just one example among many of the potent full on free jazz which characterizes this date. ~ John Sharpe https://www.allaboutjazz.com/our-lady-of-the-flowers-matthew-shipp-rogueart-records-review-by-john-sharpe.php

Personnel: Matthew Shipp: piano; Sabir Mateen: tenor saxophone, clarinet; William Parker: double bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

Our Lady of the Flowers

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Ben Paterson - Live At Van Gelder's

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:28
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. F.S.R.
(6:48)  2. Edda
(8:22)  3. Frame For The Blues
(6:14)  4. Green Jeans
(5:35)  5. Enchantment
(3:58)  6. The Vibrator
(6:34)  7. I Remember Cliffor
(5:14)  8. The Hustler
(6:39)  9. Easy Time
(5:00) 10. Sweatin

Following up his very well-received recordings That Old Feeling (Cellar Live Records, 2018) and For Once in My Life (Origin Records, 2015), Ben Paterson enters the sanctum santorium of jazz recording, Rudy Van Gelder's Studio in Hackensack, NJ. Having collided somewhere with saxophonist/entrepreneur Cory Weeds, the two initiate an idea perfect to the pair's hard bop sensibilities and something we can hope Weeds is considering for future recordings, hopefully a Cellar Live series with much more music like this.  Weeds has fashioned his Cellar Live Label as the equivalent for hard bop as Nagel Heyer and Arbors Jazz are for traditional jazz. Paterson had to have this in mind when selecting his ten songs to play with his organ trio a Van Gelder's Studio March 22 of this year. Paterson addresses soul-jazz organ icons with funky performances of Brother Jack McDuff's "The Vibrator" and Richard "Groove" Holmes' "Sweatin.'" He then branches out to musicians known to frequent organ combos, with Grant Green's "Green Jeans" and Stanley Turrentine's "The Hustler." The remainder are devoted to hard bop proper, with Ray Brown's "F.S.R. (For Sonny Rollins)," Wayne Shorter's by way of Lee Morgan "Edda," and Benny Golson's "I Remember Clifford." Paterson is an exceptional organist, one who avoids every Jimmy Smith cliché to which lesser talents fall prey. Guitarist Ed Cherry plays with a sophisticated, round tone augmented with just a touch of reverb and echo. Drummer Jason Tiemann sounds as if he were born for organ jazz, always knowing where to be loud or not. This is not territory circuit greasy soul-jazz. It is that flavor, cleaned up ever so slightly for the concert stage. How great to hear drinking an ice-cold Vesper on a hot summer day. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-van-gelders-ben-paterson-cellar-live-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Ben Paterson: Hammond B3 Organ; Ed Cherry: Guitar; Jason Tiemann: drums.

Live At Van Gelder's

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