Lee Konitz & Dan Tepfer - Decade

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:25
Size: 106,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Thrill
(3:49)  2. 9/11 Suite, Part I
(2:39)  3. 9/11 Suite, Part II
(4:26)  4. 9/11 Suite, Part III
(1:34)  5. Pulsing Green
(3:10)  6. Alter Ego
(6:02)  7. Through The Tunnel
(1:08)  8. Egos Alter
(4:25)  9. Rebounds
(2:16) 10. A Place We Know
(1:39) 11. Pulsing Orange
(1:59) 12. Whirlpool
(2:42) 13. Ceaseless
(0:58) 14. Eager Altos
(7:00) 15. Body & Soul

To celebrate a decade of intense musical collaboration and friendship, the masterful 90-year-old altoist Lee Konitz and the resourceful pianist Dan Tepfer, 36, release Decade on Verve Records, an auspicious follow up to Duos With Lee (Sunnyside, 2009). The duo has been performing extensively throughout the years, but their mature sense of impromptu comes bolstered throughout these 15 spontaneous short tunes. In possession of an enviable originality in terms of sound and language, the pair takes the same direction and overcomes any possible generational gap with their modernistic facility. This aspect becomes immediately perceptible on “Thrill”, the illuminated, if enigmatic, opening piece, which shows Tepfer into a fantastic textural work while insisting on a specific note, chromatically bent at regular times. The delicate tension that arrives from it, favors Konitz's cliché-free vocabulary. Comprising three distinct parts, “9/11 Suite” kicks off with introspective piano melodies entering our ears like raindrops on a breezy spring day. The melodic lyricism conducted by the veteran saxophonist frequently takes you to the unexpected. 

If the second part of the suite, marked by scattered call-response actions, points out to an uncertain destiny by carrying a flaring turbulence and an unregulated plasticity typical of the avant-garde genre, then the touching third part is enveloped by a sequence of high-pitched piano swirls whose dreamy tones urge the saxophone to search for a hidden secret with yearning musicality. Three title puns, “Alter Ego”, “Egos Alter”, and “Eager Altos” feature Konitz’ overdubbed sax lines in a merry polyphony, but it’s with “Through the Tunnel”, an overwhelming piece of aurorean transcendence that the duo reaches a subliminal state of unearthly contemplation. If Konitz evokes the melody of “Peacocks” at an early stage and makes use of his unmistakable scat singing by the end, then Tepfer’s improvised lines have prompted responses from a programmed Disklavier piano. The saxophonist repeats the vocalization on Johnny Green’s “Ceaseless”, where circular and arpeggiated movements, typical from classical music, sustain his liberal yet never-misplaced ruminations. There are other moments of extraordinary creativity: “Body and Soul” is completely transformed through a snazzy re-harmonization and entirely fresh melody; “Rebounds” claims a contrapuntal groove that is later expanded into grandiose chords; and “A Place We Know” shapes into a more traditional song format through balladic harmonic progressions flanked by profound saxophone impressions. Wielding a delightfully quirky style, Konitz and Tepfer provide the listener with those truly magical moments that will keep them sigh with pleasure. http://jazztrail.net/blog/2018/7/29/konitz-tepfer-decade-album-review

Personnel:  Lee Konitz - Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Voice;   Dan Tepfer - Piano.

Decade

---

Sonny Criss - I'll Catch The Sun

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:46
Size: 82,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Don't Rain on My Parade
(8:11)  2. Blue Sunset
(4:45)  3. I Thought About You
(6:05)  4. California Screamin'
(5:43)  5. Cry Me a River
(5:33)  6. I'll Catch the Sun

Altoist Sonny Criss made some of his finest recordings for Prestige during the mid- to late '60s; I'll Catch the Sun was the seventh and final. Since this CD reissue is only 35 minutes long, it is overly brief, but the straight-ahead music (featuring Criss with pianist Hampton Hawes, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Shelly Manne) is often excellent as the altoist performs two blues, two standards (including a passionate "Cry Me a River"), and two forgotten pop tunes from the era. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/ill-catch-the-sun-mw0000626431

Personnel:  Sonny Criss - alto saxophone;  Hampton Hawes - piano;  Monty Budwig - bass;  Shelly Manne - drums

I'll Catch The Sun

---

Aretha Franklin - The Queen Of Soul Disc 2 Of 4 Discs

Styles: Vocal Soul
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:00
Size: 181,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:18)  1. Think
(2:28)  2. You Send Me
(3:36)  3. I Say A Little Prayer
(2:21)  4. The House That Jack Built (Mono Version)
(2:18)  5. You're A Sweet Sweet Man
(2:34)  6. I Take What I Want
(2:27)  7. A Change
(2:44)  8. See Saw
(3:33)  9. My Song (Mono Version)
(3:04) 10. I Can't See Myself Leaving You
(3:45) 11. Night Life (Live At The Olympia Theatre, Paris, May 7, 1968)
(3:09) 12. Ramblin'
(4:25) 13. Today I Sing The Blues
(2:40) 14. River's Invitation
(3:04) 15. Pitiful
(3:29) 16. Talk To Me, Talk To Me (Soul '69 Outtake) (Mono Version)
(2:56) 17. Tracks Of My Tears
(2:58) 18. The Weight
(3:21) 19. Share Your Love With Me
(4:13) 20. Pledging My Love / The Clock
(3:23) 21. It Ain't Fair
(3:53) 22. Sit Down And Cry
(3:32) 23. Let It Be
(2:38) 24. Eleanor Rigby
(3:57) 25. Call Me

Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged. Her astonishing run of late-'60s hits with Atlantic Records "Respect," "I Never Loved a Man," "Chain of Fools," "Baby I Love You," "I Say a Little Prayer," "Think," "The House That Jack Built," and several others earned her the title "Lady Soul," which she has worn uncontested ever since. Yet as much of an international institution as she's become, much of her work outside of her recordings for Atlantic in the late '60s and early '70s is erratic and only fitfully inspired, making discretion a necessity when collecting her records.  Franklin's roots in gospel ran extremely deep. With her sisters Carolyn and Erma (both of whom would also have recording careers), she sang at the Detroit church of her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, while growing up in the 1950s. In fact, she made her first recordings as a gospel artist at the age of 14. It has also been reported that Motown was interested in signing Aretha back in the days when it was a tiny start-up. Ultimately, however, Franklin ended up with Columbia, to which she was signed by the renowned talent scout John Hammond.  Franklin would record for Columbia constantly throughout the first half of the '60s, notching occasional R&B hits (and one Top 40 single, "Rock-a-bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody") but never truly breaking out as a star. The Columbia period continues to generate considerable controversy among critics, many of whom feel that Aretha's true aspirations were being blunted by pop-oriented material and production. In fact, there's a reasonable amount of fine items to be found on the Columbia sides, including the occasional song ("Lee Cross," "Soulville") where she belts out soul with real gusto. It's undeniably true, though, that her work at Columbia was considerably tamer than what was to follow, and suffered in general from a lack of direction and an apparent emphasis on trying to develop her as an all-around entertainer, rather than as an R&B/soul singer.  When Franklin left Columbia for Atlantic, producer Jerry Wexler was determined to bring out her most soulful, fiery traits. As part of that plan, he had her record her first single, "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," at Muscle Shoals in Alabama with esteemed Southern R&B musicians. In fact, that was to be her only session actually at Muscle Shoals, but much of the remainder of her '60s work would be recorded with the Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, although the sessions would actually take place in New York City. The combination was one of those magic instances of musical alchemy in pop: the backup musicians provided a much grittier, soulful, and R&B-based accompaniment for Aretha's voice, which soared with a passion and intensity suggesting a spirit that had been allowed to fly loose for the first time. In the late '60s, Franklin became one of the biggest international recording stars in all of pop. Many also saw Franklin as a symbol of black America itself, reflecting the increased confidence and pride of African-Americans in the decade of the civil rights movement and other triumphs for the black community. The chart statistics are impressive in and of themselves: ten Top Ten hits in a roughly 18-month span between early 1967 and late 1968, for instance, and a steady stream of solid mid- to large-size hits for the next five years after that. Her Atlantic albums were also huge sellers, and far more consistent artistically than those of most soul stars of the era. Franklin was able to maintain creative momentum, in part, because of her eclectic choice of material, which encompassed first-class originals and gospel, blues, pop, and rock covers, from the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel to Sam Cooke and the Drifters. 

She was also a fine, forceful, and somewhat underrated keyboardist. Franklin's commercial and artistic success was unabated in the early '70s, during which she landed more huge hits with "Spanish Harlem," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and "Day Dreaming." She also produced two of her most respected, and earthiest, album releases with Live at Fillmore West and Amazing Grace. The latter, a 1972 double LP, was a reinvestigation of her gospel roots, recorded with James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. Remarkably, it made the Top Ten, counting as one of the greatest gospel-pop crossover smashes of all time. Franklin had a few more hits over the next few years "Angel" and the Stevie Wonder cover "Until You Come Back to Me" being the most notable. Her Atlantic contract ended at the end of the 1970s. She signed with the Clive Davis-guided Arista and scored number one R&B hits with "Jump to It," "Get It Right," and "Freeway of Love." Many of her successes were duets, or crafted with the assistance of contemporaries such as Luther Vandross and Narada Michael Walden. In 1986 Franklin released her follow-up to Who's Zoomin' Who?, the self-titled Aretha, which saw the single "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me," a duet with George Michael, hit the top of the charts. There was also another return to gospel in 1987 with One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. Franklin shifted back to pop with 1989's Through the Storm, but it wasn't a commercial success, and neither was 1991's new jack swing-styled What You See Is What You Sweat. Now solidly an iconic figure and acknowledged as one of the best singers of her generation no matter what her record sales were, Franklin contributed songs to several movie soundtracks in the next few years before releasing the R&B-based A Rose Is Still a Rose in 1998. So Damn Happy followed five years later in 2003 and again saw disappointing sales, but it did generate the Grammy-winning song "Wonderful." Franklin left Arista that same year and started her own label, Aretha's Records, two years later. A duets compilation, Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen, was issued in 2007, followed by her first holiday album, 2008's This Christmas. The first release on her own label, A Woman Falling Out of Love, appeared in 2011. She signed to RCA and realigned with Clive Davis, who connected her with the likes of Babyface and OutKast's André 3000 for Sings the Great Diva Classics, for which she covered Gladys Knight, Barbra Streisand, and Adele, among others. ~ Richie Unterberger https://www.allmusic.com/artist/aretha-franklin-mn0000927555/biography

R.I.P.
Born on March 25, 1942
Died on August 16, 2018

The Queen Of Soul Disc 2

---

Ilan Salem & Kenny Werner - Twists & Turns

Styles: Flute And Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:51
Size: 137,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:10)  1. Floating
(6:02)  2. Naivete
(4:29)  3. Hurly-burly
(7:16)  4. Sway
(8:53)  5. Twists and turns
(5:23)  6. Song for anna
(7:18)  7. Heart and soul
(7:14)  8. Longing
(6:01)  9. Bliss

Ilan Salem is an Israeli jazz flautist. His latest solo album, Twists and Turns, was recorded in 2005 and released in 2006 under the Ilan Salem & Eyla label. He graduated from Thelma Yellin, which is one of Israel's most important schools for art. After graduating from Thelma, he went to to the Berklee College of Music, out of which he graduated aswell.

Personnel: Ilan Salem on flute and alto flute;  Kenny Werner on piano;  Eitan Itzcovich on drums;  Johannes Weidenmueller on bass.

Twists & Turns

---

Gonzalo Rubalcaba - Rapsodia

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:41
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:41)  1. Contagio
( 9:46)  2. Circuito II
( 9:08)  3. Tributo
( 4:45)  4. Santo Canto (Holly Chant)
( 6:39)  5. Moose The Mooche
( 7:27)  6. Chancletera
(10:11)  7. Rapsodia Cubana

Pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba has such impressive technique that he has the potential of completely overwhelming any song he plays but Rubalcaba shows admirable restraint throughout much of this quartet date. Influenced to a degree by Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, Rubalcaba still shows a fresh personality when he utilizes an electric keyboard on a few of the selections. His quartet (which includes trumpeter Reynaldo Melian, bassist Felipe Cabrera and drummer Julio Barreto), in addition to fine support, offers a contrasting solo voice in its virtuosic trumpeter. This is a well-rounded set of complex but fairly accessible music.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/rapsodia-mw0000111676

Personnel:  Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Piano);  Felipe Cabrera (Bass);  Julio Barreto (Drums);  Reynaldo Melian (Trumpet)

Rapsodia

---

Karrin Allyson - Some of That Sunshine

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:28
Size: 132,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. Wish You Were Mine
(4:21)  2. Home
(4:31)  3. As Long as I Know You Love Me
(4:56)  4. Some of That Sunshine
(4:17)  5. Shake It Up
(4:32)  6. Just as Well
(4:59)  7. Time Is a Funny Thing
(4:35)  8. One of These Days
(4:03)  9. Nobody Said Love Was Easy
(5:37) 10. Happy Now
(4:30) 11. Right Here Right Now
(3:51) 12. You Don't Care
(3:02) 13. Big Discount

Throughout her fifteen albums, Karrin Allyson, five-time Grammy nominee in the Best Jazz Vocalist category, has demonstrated an uncanny ability to ‘get inside’ a lyric  to take over a song and reshape it into something magical. “Ever since her impressive debut (I Didn’t Know About You, Concord, 1992) Karrin Allyson has successfully pulled material from both the pop and jazz world and it all works well with her voluptuous huskiness and rhythmic sensibility.” ~ Roger Crane, The International Review of Music

Stephen Holden, in a NY TIMES concert review, praised Allyson as “one of the most grounded singers working today,” with an “exceptionally keen eye for the smart, semi-obscure pop or jazz number that speaks directly to the moment.” In his Wall Street Journal preview, writer Will Friedwald buzzed, “she sings with amazing subtlety.” And in his lead Jazztimes Magazine CD review, VOX critic Christopher Loudon said Allyson’s songs “shimmer with tender vibrancy.” Now, in a brand-new album to be released on 3 August 2018, Karrin steps forward commandingly in a new role as songwriter, revealing thirteen new songs in an astonishing range of styles and moods. Teaming up with the remarkable L.A. producer and recording artist Chris Caswell and her very talented current working band  Miro Sprague on piano, Jeff Johnson on bass, Rod Fleeman on guitar and Jerome Jennings on drums and featuring guest artists Regina Carter on violin and the magisterial Houston Person on tenor saxophone, she has produced an album full of unexpected delights, including a guest appearance from mega-bassist Lee Sklar. “It feels like coming home in a way,” says Allyson “As a young musician I was writing songs in a variety of styles, even before I discovered jazz. I loved the singer-songwriters of my youth and I followed their influence. Now, after years of performing all sorts of jazz and Brazilian and French music, I’m coming back to where I started.”

“These songs are quite varied in style very ‘Allyson-like’, I suppose you could say. I’ve always loved to mix things up. Take the title track “Wrap Up Some of that Sunshine” featuring violinist and MacArthur fellow Regina Carter that’s more of a traditional swing- standard. And then there are a few unabashedly romantic ballads like “Just As Well” featuring Houston, “You Don’t Care”, (lyrics by my Dad) and "Time is a Funny Thing”. I drop back more into my pop roots with songs like “As Long as I Know You Love Me”, "One of these Days”, "Happy Now”, and “Home"…and dig into the blues with “Right Here Right Now”, “Wish You Were Mine” and "Nobody Said Love was Easy”. I am acutely aware of the political scene and its challenges and so I penned a couple songs begging for change; "Big Discount" and "Shake it Up”. “Though I take every song I sing very personally, of course, there’s something extremely personal-and scary too, about singing your own stuff... the audience gets to know you even better  And I’m ready for that.” So, if you like soulful, sly, heartfelt, groovy songs with meaningful (and fun) lyrics here they are brand new, welcome and somehow beautifully familiar. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/karrinallyson2

Personnel:  Karrin Allyson, voice and piano, Rhodes;  Chris Caswell, Hammond B-3, accordion;  Miro Sprague;, acoustic piano and Rhodes;  Jeff Johnson, bass;  Jerome Jennings, drums.

Special Guests:  Lee Sklar featured on “One of These Days”;  Regina Carter (Some of That Sunshine, Time is a Funny Thing, Big Discount);  Houston Person (Right Here, Right Now, Just as Well, Nobody Said Love Was Easy).

Some of That Sunshine

---

Shelly Manne and His Men - Yesterdays

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:49
Size: 103,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:38)  1. Cabu
(13:33)  2. Bag's Groove
( 7:48)  3. Poinciana
( 8:28)  4. Straight, No Chaser
( 8:21)  5. Yesterdays

Shelly Manne, who died suddenly of a heart attack on September 26, 1984, left behind an impressive body of recorded work as a leader and sideman. Like Dave Tough, one of his formative influences, Manne was a musician first and drummer second. Evincing an unusually nuanced approach to the trap set, he had no interest in technique for its own sake, instead tailoring his sticking and footwork to the demands of bands of varying sizes and instrumentation sometimes even working without a bassist. Every stroke was true and had a purpose. Moreover, Manne thought and played in melodic as well as rhythmic terms, often adapting accompaniment to a composition’s melody, and singing along with his own solos. An uncommonly versatile performer who was equally at home in a number of jazz styles (from Art Hodes to Ornette Coleman, as he once proudly declared), Manne had an extraordinary talent for getting to the heart of the music, and making an ensemble swing in a natural, unforced manner. Aside from the selfless nature of his musicianship, Manne’s playing is filled with unusual sounds such as drumming with his fingers and hands, dropping a coin on a drumhead, damping drums with a hand in order to bend the pitch of strokes, or simply not playing at all. These were not circus tricks, but rather integral parts of his vocabulary that functioned as part of the music. Consisting of previously unreleased tracks from Jazz At The Philharmonic concerts in Europe during February and March of 1960, Yesterdays is another first-rate addition to Manne’s discography. The antithesis of the crowd-pleasing antics that frequently characterized the JATP tours, his superb quintet shuns excess and radiates a joyful enthusiasm. Firmly lodged in the swing-to-bebop stylistic continuum, the band’s excellent musicianship, attention to detail, and willingness to consistently make changes within certain parameters, make the music lively and interesting. There’s a sense of balance between carefully arranged ensemble passages and solos which are usually kept to 3 to 5 choruses; background riffs are often used for color as well as to spur the soloist; the rhythm section is steadfast, responsive, and always finds ways to add something fresh to the presentation; moreover, the band displays a wide dynamic range. While all of the recording’s three primary soloists develop themes logically, each of them makes an impact in a different way. On the title track, pianist Russ Freeman, a cautious almost polite bebopper, begins his solo unhurriedly; at first playing lines that fit with bassist Monty Budwig’s pulse on beats 1 and 3 of each measure, then gradually becomes more expansive. Expertly riding Manne and Budwig’s foursquare swing, his melodically inventive themes continue to build in strength as the choruses mount; yet, Freeman doesn’t reach for a rousing climax. Instead, he simply yields to tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca.

Not unlike Freeman, Joe Gordon’s five choruses on Milt Jackson’s “Bag’s Groove” are thoughtful and measured; nonetheless he manages to generate considerable heat. Gordon and Freeman bounce variations of triplet figures off one another on the first chorus; then the trumpeter settles in for some impassioned blues playing for the next two, showing off his fine, full tone, and well-ordered phrasing. When the band accents beats 1,2 and 3 in unison for the next 12 bars, Gordon brings down the volume and becomes a little subdued before rising again with some powerful bebop lines, then eases his way to the finish line. There’s something unrelentingly efficient in the way Richie Kamuca keeps on churning out variations of eighth-note lines during his solo on an up-tempo version of the standard “Poinciana.” The tenor saxophonist is in constant motion, sustaining a four-chorus improvisation almost without interruption, and feeding off of everything that’s going on around him. During this incessant, albeit calculated burst of energy, he displays a heightened awareness of where the pulse is, without feeling the need to always begin and end sequences on top of the beat. He flies over a Gordon riff that sounds like an abbreviated version of one of his phrases, and when Freeman lays out for the last two choruses, Kamuca isn’t thrown by Manne’s choppy, ground-shifting hits to the bass and snare drums. In addition to his customary reliable accompaniment, Manne serves as a catalyst for some of the record’s most exciting moments. Toward the end of “Bags' Groove,” he executes a continuous buzz roll over Budwig and Freeman’s laid-back, 12-measure promenade. Beginning at just a whisper and gradually working up to a roar, Manne creates an incredible amount of tension, setting the stage for a shout chorus by the whole band that explodes like a bomb. Manne, the anti-virtuoso, shapes a short, rubato introduction out of portions from the melody of Thelonious Monk’s “Straight, No Chaser.” Interspersing clusters of strokes (particularly the opening five-note phrase) to different combinations of drums (and a partially opened hi-hat cymbal) with brief silences, he brilliantly captures the spirit of the composition, and sounds nothing like a traditional, go for broke drum soloist. Almost before you can grasp the logic of what he’s doing it’s over. The band enters to play the melody in its original, fully recognizable form, and Manne reverts to his normal, crisply swinging ways. ~ David A.Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/shelly-manne-and-his-men-yesterdays-by-david-a-orthmann.php

Personnel: Shelly Manne—drums; Joe Gordon—trumpet; Richie Kamuca—tenor saxophone; Russ Freeman—piano; Monty Budwig—bass

Yesterdays

---

Aretha Franklin - The Queen Of Soul Disc 1 Of 4 Discs

Styles: Vocal Soul
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:23
Size: 178,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) (Mono Version)
(3:15)  2. Do Right Woman - Do Right Man (Mono Version)
(2:26)  3. Respect
(4:06)  4. Drown In My Own Tears (Mono Version)
(2:38)  5. Soul Serenade (Mono Version)
(2:22)  6. Don't Let Me Lose This Dream (Mono Version)
(2:54)  7. Baby, Baby, Baby (Mono Version)
(3:21)  8. Dr. Feelgood [Love Is Serious Business]
(2:09)  9. Good Times (Mono Version)
(2:19) 10. Save Me (Mono Version)
(2:44) 11. Baby, I Love You
(2:40) 12. Satisfaction
(4:21) 13. You Are My Sunshine (Mono Version)
(2:55) 14. Never Let Me Go (Mono Version)
(2:59) 15. Prove It (Mono Version)
(4:24) 16. I Wonder (Mono Version)
(2:37) 17. Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around) (Mono Version)
(3:46) 18. It Was You (Mono Version)
(2:47) 19. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
(2:48) 20. Chain Of Fools
(3:44) 21. People Get Ready
(2:27) 22. Come Back Baby
(3:58) 23. Good To Me As I Am To You
(2:25) 24. Since You've Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)
(4:13) 25. Ain't No Way

Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged. Her astonishing run of late-'60s hits with Atlantic Records "Respect," "I Never Loved a Man," "Chain of Fools," "Baby I Love You," "I Say a Little Prayer," "Think," "The House That Jack Built," and several others earned her the title "Lady Soul," which she has worn uncontested ever since. Yet as much of an international institution as she's become, much of her work outside of her recordings for Atlantic in the late '60s and early '70s is erratic and only fitfully inspired, making discretion a necessity when collecting her records.  Franklin's roots in gospel ran extremely deep. With her sisters Carolyn and Erma (both of whom would also have recording careers), she sang at the Detroit church of her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, while growing up in the 1950s. In fact, she made her first recordings as a gospel artist at the age of 14. It has also been reported that Motown was interested in signing Aretha back in the days when it was a tiny start-up. Ultimately, however, Franklin ended up with Columbia, to which she was signed by the renowned talent scout John Hammond.  Franklin would record for Columbia constantly throughout the first half of the '60s, notching occasional R&B hits (and one Top 40 single, "Rock-a-bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody") but never truly breaking out as a star. 

The Columbia period continues to generate considerable controversy among critics, many of whom feel that Aretha's true aspirations were being blunted by pop-oriented material and production. In fact, there's a reasonable amount of fine items to be found on the Columbia sides, including the occasional song ("Lee Cross," "Soulville") where she belts out soul with real gusto. It's undeniably true, though, that her work at Columbia was considerably tamer than what was to follow, and suffered in general from a lack of direction and an apparent emphasis on trying to develop her as an all-around entertainer, rather than as an R&B/soul singer.  When Franklin left Columbia for Atlantic, producer Jerry Wexler was determined to bring out her most soulful, fiery traits. As part of that plan, he had her record her first single, "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," at Muscle Shoals in Alabama with esteemed Southern R&B musicians. In fact, that was to be her only session actually at Muscle Shoals, but much of the remainder of her '60s work would be recorded with the Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, although the sessions would actually take place in New York City. The combination was one of those magic instances of musical alchemy in pop: the backup musicians provided a much grittier, soulful, and R&B-based accompaniment for Aretha's voice, which soared with a passion and intensity suggesting a spirit that had been allowed to fly loose for the first time. In the late '60s, Franklin became one of the biggest international recording stars in all of pop. Many also saw Franklin as a symbol of black America itself, reflecting the increased confidence and pride of African Americans in the decade of the civil rights movement and other triumphs for the black community. 

The chart statistics are impressive in and of themselves: ten Top Ten hits in a roughly 18-month span between early 1967 and late 1968, for instance, and a steady stream of solid mid to large-size hits for the next five years after that. Her Atlantic albums were also huge sellers, and far more consistent artistically than those of most soul stars of the era. Franklin was able to maintain creative momentum, in part, because of her eclectic choice of material, which encompassed first-class originals and gospel, blues, pop, and rock covers, from the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel to Sam Cooke and the Drifters. She was also a fine, forceful, and somewhat underrated keyboardist. Franklin's commercial and artistic success was unabated in the early '70s, during which she landed more huge hits with "Spanish Harlem," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and "Day Dreaming." She also produced two of her most respected, and earthiest, album releases with Live at Fillmore West and Amazing Grace. The latter, a 1972 double LP, was a reinvestigation of her gospel roots, recorded with James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. Remarkably, it made the Top Ten, counting as one of the greatest gospel-pop crossover smashes of all time. Franklin had a few more hits over the next few years "Angel" and the Stevie Wonder cover "Until You Come Back to Me" being the most notable. Her Atlantic contract ended at the end of the 1970s. She signed with the Clive Davis-guided Arista and scored number one R&B hits with "Jump to It," "Get It Right," and "Freeway of Love." 

Many of her successes were duets, or crafted with the assistance of contemporaries such as Luther Vandross and Narada Michael Walden. In 1986 Franklin released her follow-up to Who's Zoomin' Who?, the self-titled Aretha, which saw the single "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me," a duet with George Michael, hit the top of the charts. There was also another return to gospel in 1987 with One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. Franklin shifted back to pop with 1989's Through the Storm, but it wasn't a commercial success, and neither was 1991's new jack swing-styled What You See Is What You Sweat. Now solidly an iconic figure and acknowledged as one of the best singers of her generation no matter what her record sales were, Franklin contributed songs to several movie soundtracks in the next few years before releasing the R&B-based A Rose Is Still a Rose in 1998. So Damn Happy followed five years later in 2003 and again saw disappointing sales, but it did generate the Grammy-winning song "Wonderful." Franklin left Arista that same year and started her own label, Aretha's Records, two years later. A duets compilation, Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen, was issued in 2007, followed by her first holiday album, 2008's This Christmas. The first release on her own label, A Woman Falling Out of Love, appeared in 2011. She signed to RCA and realigned with Clive Davis, who connected her with the likes of Babyface and OutKast's André 3000 for Sings the Great Diva Classics, for which she covered Gladys Knight, Barbra Streisand, and Adele, among others. 

~ Richie Unterberger https://www.allmusic.com/artist/aretha-franklin-mn0000927555/biography

R.I.P.
Born on March 25, 1942
Died on August 16, 2018

The Queen Of Soul  Disc 1

---

Pharoah Sanders - Rejoice

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:28
Size: 148,3 MB
Art: Front

(12:47)  1. Rejoice
( 7:42)  2. Highlife
(10:02)  3. Nigerian Juju Highlife
( 5:45)  4. Origin
( 6:28)  5. When Lights Are Low
( 5:20)  6. Moments Notice
( 5:47)  7. Central Park West
( 4:06)  8. Ntjilo Ntjilo/Bird Song
( 5:29)  9. Farah

A two-LP set on Theresa, Rejoice features Pharoah Sanders in excellent form in 1981. Sanders sounds much more mellow than he had a decade earlier, often improvising in a style similar to late-'50s John Coltrane, particularly on "When Lights Are Low," "Moments Notice," and "Central Park West." The personnel changes on many of the selections and includes such top players as pianists Joe Bonner and John Hicks, bassist Art Davis, drummers Elvin Jones and Billy Higgins, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, trombonist Steve Turre, trumpeter Danny Moore, a harpist, and (on "Origin" and "Central Park West") five vocalists. The music always holds one's interest, making this one of Sanders' better later recordings. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/rejoice-mw0000196812

Personnel:  Pharoah Sanders - tenor saxophone, bells, vocals;  Danny Moore - trumpet (tracks 4-7);  Steve Turre - trombone (tracks 4-7);  Lois Colin - harp (tracks 7 & 8);  Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone (tracks 1, 4, 6 & 7);  John Hicks - piano (tracks 4-7);  Joe Bonner - piano, vocals (tracks 1-3 8 & 9);  Peter Fujii - guitar, vocals (track 2 & 3);  Art Davis - bass (tracks 1 & 4-7);  Jorge Pomar - bass, vocals (tracks 2 & 3);  Elvin Jones (track 1), Billy Higgins (tracks 4-7) - drums;  Big Black - congas, vocals (tracks 2 & 3);  Babatunde Lea - bells, drums, shekere, vocals (tracks 1-3);  George V. Johnson Jr. - vocals (track 6);  B. Kazuko Ishida - voice (track 1);  Flame Braithwaite, Bobby London, Sakinah Muhammad, Carroll Wilson Scott, Yvette S. Vanterpool - vocals (tracks 4 & 7);  William S. Fischer (vocal arranger (tracks 4 & 7).

Rejoice

---

Thelonious Monk - Always Know

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 88:42
Size: 208,0 MB
Art: Front

( 1:42)  1. This Is My Story, This Is My Song (Take 1)
( 8:11)  2. Criss Cross
(12:51)  3. Light Blue (Live)
( 5:17)  4. Monk's Dream (Take 3)
( 7:35)  5. Played Twice
( 3:41)  6. Darn That Dream
( 5:08)  7. Epistrophy
( 7:34)  8. Coming On The Hudson (Take 3)
(11:06)  9. Bye-Ya
( 2:16) 10. Introspection
( 7:51) 11. Easy Street
( 5:26) 12. Shuffle
( 9:56) 13. Honeysuckle Rose (Live)

Thelonious Monk fans in particular are advised to search for this valuable two-LP set for it contains a variety of unissued material from the pianist/composer's six-year period with Columbia. Monk is heard on three piano solos, with his regular working quartet, heading a trio on "Easy Street" and at his renowned Lincoln Center concert with a nonet on "Light Blue" and "Bye Ya." 

The music on this two-fer is at the same consistent high level as his Columbia recordings of the 1960s and contains some surprising moments. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/always-know-mw0000893343

Personnel:    Thelonious Monk - Piano

Always Know

---

Rolf Kühn - Spotlights

Styles: Clarinet, Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:05
Size: 131,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:00)  1. Conversation One
(3:19)  2. Pinocchio's Dream
(3:18)  3. Pinocchio's Dance
(6:22)  4. Don't Forget
(4:05)  5. Choro Do Portina
(4:02)  6. Broken City
(5:00)  7. Laura
(8:01)  8. Fingerprints
(3:36)  9. A Strange Sunrise
(3:40) 10. X-Ray
(2:01) 11. Flip-Flop
(3:26) 12. Autumn Leaves
(3:11) 13. Dexter's Tune (Bonus track)

Spotlights features nine of Rolf Kühn's own compositions, plus two jazz standards from the 1940s, and "Dexter's Tune" by Randy Newman and "Choro do Portina" by Hamilton de Holanda. The theme running through and joining up the album is of course the unmistakable sound of Rolf Kühn's clarinet. Hamilton de Halonda, the distinguished Brazilian expert on the bandolim, a kind of mandolin, immerses Kühn's clarinet in Latinsounding melancholy. Albrecht Mayer, international classical star and solo oboist with the Berlin Philharmonic, provides a fascinating angle with his highly sensitive playing and the rich facets of his art. Asja Valcic, the outstanding Croatian cellist, contributes her impressive, classical virtuosity and daring improvisation, as she races frantically through the notes with Kühn. Christian Lillinger, the exceptional percussionist with the Rolf Kühn Unit, adds his wild groove to the mix and like Berlin bassist Oliver Potratz  accentuates the tense dynamic mood. 

Ed Motta, heavyweight Brazilian singer and megastar in his homeland, brings out his baritone to sound like a synthesizer suffering voltage fluctuations, breathing and scatting his resounding word scraps into Kühn's compositions. And as if that were not enough, Rolf's famous younger brother, pianist Joachim Kuhn, weighs in with his inimitable style of playing, his rhythmic soul. The special attraction of these 13 Spotlights emanates from the extraordinary combination of instruments and styles, and above all from the fact that a group of virtuoso artists from very different musical backgrounds have come together to participate in a project very close to their hearts. "I have known my little big brother Joachim for over 70 years, have been friends with Albrecht for so long; I only got to know Asja, Ed and Hamilton personally last year and despite the fact that we are all so different, I believe there is nothing more wonderful than making music with old and new soul mates," enthuses the jazz clarinettist.https://www.hbdirect.com/album/3224071-rolf-kuhn-spotlights-digipak.html

Personnel: Rolf Kühn (clarinet, piano);  Hamilton de Holanda (bandolim);  Christian Lillinger (drums);  Asja Valcic (cello);  Albrecht Mayer (oboe);  Ed Motta, Joachim Kühn (piano);  Volker Greve (percussion).

Spotlights

---

Mayte Alguacil - Day by Day

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:42
Size: 111,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart and Throw Away the Key
(4:16)  2. Little Girl Blue
(3:20)  3. Day by Day
(3:51)  4. East of the Sun
(5:48)  5. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
(5:51)  6. September in the Rain
(4:00)  7. The Thrill Is Gone
(4:05)  8. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
(3:49)  9. Sophisticated Lady
(3:38) 10. I Wish You Love
(6:07) 11. The Nearness of You

Mayte Alguacil began as a flute player at 12, and developed a real taste for singing only in the last few years. She started singing in different projects, until she decided to do her first project as a singer, an album devoted to what she loved the most: the Great American Song Book. And so she did an album of standards. The excellent work of the rhythm section allow things to flow in a relaxed and natural way. The sure, driving drums of Jorge Rossy and the strong bass of Pedro Campos along with the melodic, swinging and great comping and soloingof Michael Kanan are the perfect support to Mayte on the mid and up tempo tunes. On the singer-pianist duets, beauty is the word that best defines what they do in each song. 

Her singing comes out as fresh and pure, straight from the heart, with a close love for the melody and full of the sweetest nuances, structured by her own feeling for simplicity. And to embrace simplicity and make it expressive, lovely and moving is one of the most difficult things for any artist to pull off. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Day-Mayte-Alguacil/dp/B015JMT8G0

Personnel:  Mayte Alguacil (vocals), Michael Kanan (piano), Pedro Campos (bass), Jorge Rossy (drums).

Day by Day

---

Illinois Jacquet - Birthday Party

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:57
Size: 89,5 MB
Art: Front

( 4:06)  1. Ebb Tide
(10:37)  2. Birthday Party Blues
( 5:24)  3. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(12:59)  4. On The Beach
( 5:48)  5. Polka Dots & Moon Beams

Recorded to celebrate Jacquet's 50th birthday, this date is an all-star collaboration with some of the greatest names in jazz: Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Joe Newman, Art Farmer, Jimmy Smith (on piano,) Gerry Mulligan, Jack Six, and Roy Haynes. It comes off loose and free, as if no charts were thrown at the musicians and they simply went at these three standards (two being movie-theme ballads), along with two of Jacquet's numbers, completely off the cuff. Moody leads on flute for the sultry bossa "Ebb Tide," with Farmer playing flugelhorn and Jacquet only getting his feet wet later in the bridge; all three counter jab near the end. "The Shadow of Your Smile" is more typical, with Burrell leading, Jacquet's mushy, blues-drenched tenor playing the melody, and Moody's flute filling whatever cracks crop up. The low-down "Birthday Party Blues" ballad is set up by Burrell and Six; Mulligan and Newman traipse through the midsection of this ten-minute jam, while Illinois' woodwind howls and the others chime in a bit. "Polka Dots & Moonbeams" is all Jacquet's, and he takes the baton, although Six goes it alone twice, and Burrell takes the rhythm section on solos. The cover of "On the Beach" is a hard, rip-roaring swinger that runs over 13 minutes, with the birthday boy leading and others to follow. Moody's smoother tenor provides a fine contrast to Jacquet's signature Texas edge; Newman's great muted trumpet with the rhythm trio is only further evidence that he should not continue being an uncrowned king. As short as it is (36 minutes), it's a shame there isn't more material  too bad, for this was an incredible band. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/birthday-party-mw0000667247

Personnel: Illinois Jacquet - tenor saxophone; Joe Newman - trumpet; Art Farmer - flugelhorn; Jimmie Smith - piano; Kenny Burrell - guitar; Jack Six - bass; Roy Haynes - drums;  Gerry Mulligan - baritone saxophone;  James Moody - tenor saxophone, flute.

Birthday Party

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

---