McCoy Tyner - McCoy Tyner And The Latin All-Stars

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:52
Size: 143,3 MB
Art: Front

(11:02)  1. Festival In Bahia
( 6:59)  2. Poinciana
(12:23)  3. Afro Blue
(10:34)  4. A Song For Love
( 8:36)  5. La Habana Sol
( 5:24)  6. We Are Our Father's Sons
( 6:51)  7. Blue Bossa

McCoy Tyner's percussive piano style has always worked well within an Afro-Cuban groove, and this recording provides an excellent setting for him and his all-star lineup to work in. Mixing genre classics like "Afro Blue" and "Poinciana" with original material, Tyner's first release for the Telarc label provides a completely satisfying, highly rhythmic experience. Regular bassist Avery Sharpe combines with a three-man percussion section to propel the group's extended explorations. Besides the leader's instantly recognizable pianistic flurries and fat, two-handed chords, the front-line foursome of flute whiz Dave Valentin, saxophonist Gary Bartz, trumpeter Claudio Roditi and bone-and-shell man Steve Turre is superb, both in ensemble passages and individual solo spots. In the course of his long career, McCoy Tyner has recorded in nearly every conceivable setting. Though many of his solo, trio and quartet dates are superb, his expansive style has often been most enjoyably showcased in the company of multiple horns. From the rollicking opener "Festival in Bahia," to the beautiful "A Song for Love," to the straightforward timbale-driven Latin groove of "We Are Our Father's Sons," McCoy Tyner & the Latin All-Stars makes a potent case for inclusion in the upper tier of Tyner's catalog. ~ Jim Newsom https://www.allmusic.com/album/mccoy-tyner-the-latin-all-stars-mw0000235460

Personnel: McCoy Tyner: piano;  Gary Bartz: saxophones; Claudio Roditi: trumpet, flugelhorn; Steve Turre: trombone; Dave Valentin: flute; Avery Sharpe: bass; Ignacio Berroa: drums;  Johnny Almendra: timbales;  Giovanni Hidalgo: percussion

McCoy Tyner And The Latin All-Stars

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Roberta Gambarini - The Shadow Of Your Smile - Homage To Japan

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:58
Size: 154,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:07)  1. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(5:01)  2. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:58)  3. Someone To Watch Over Me
(5:15)  4. Embraceable You
(2:20)  5. Nobody Else But Me
(4:40)  6. Rainy Days And Mondays
(5:43)  7. Moanin
(4:12)  8. Poor Butterfly
(3:58)  9. My Shining Hour
(4:05) 10. Whisper Not
(5:29) 11. I Remember Clifford
(5:29) 12. Satin Doll
(4:40) 13. Close To You
(5:01) 14. My One And Only Love

Between 2006 and 2009, Italian émigré Roberta Gambarini delivered a trio of albums that earned her widespread plaudits as the heir apparent to Ella or Sarah or both. Then … a deafening silence. A trickle of fresh Gambarini material did appear last year with her four-track appearance on the Pratt Brothers Big Band’s terrific 16 Men & a Chick Singer Swingin’. Now, at last, Gambarini has released a new (if slightly difficult to obtain) disc. The album was recorded in New Jersey earlier this year with an ace quartet of saxophonist/flutist Justin Robinson, pianist George Cables, bassist John Webber and drummer Victor Lewis. But you won’t find it at your local CD outlet. Like the majority of her vocalist peers, Gambarini has an enormous following in Japan. The affection is mutual, and The Shadow of Your Smile is her exclusive billet-doux to them. (It is even subtitled Hommage [sic] to Japan.) And fortunate the Japanese are, for this is Gambarini’s finest outing to date, her plush, round notes and pearlescent tone shown to superb advantage. The mood is generally mellow, with lithe readings of “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Embraceable You,” “Poor Butterfly,” “My One and Only Love” and the haunting title track plus a double-dip into the Carpenters’ songbook for “Close to You” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.” But she also gives her chops a healthy workout on a down-‘n’-dirty “Moanin’,” a scat-infused “Satin Doll” and a breezy “Fly Me to the Moon” that’s at once Sassy-warm and Sinatra-cool. https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/roberta-gambarini-the-shadow-of-your-smile/

Personnel:   Roberta Gambarini (vo);  George Cables (p);  John Webber (b);  Victor Lewis (ds);  Justin Robinson (as)

The Shadow Of Your Smile - Homage To Japan

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Jazz Crusaders - Freedom Sound

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:00
Size: 76,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. The Geek
(5:56)  2. M.J.S. Funk
(4:46)  3. That's It
(8:26)  4. Freedom Sound
(3:49)  5. Theme From Exodus
(4:22)  6. Coon

The first album by the Jazz Crusaders (which started an extensive series for Pacific Jazz) introduced the colorful quintet. With trombonist Wayne Henderson and tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder giving the ensembles a unique sound, the group (also featuring regular members pianist Joe Sample and drummer Stix Hooper along with guests Jimmy Bond on bass and guitarist Roy Gaines) managed to strike a balance between creative hard bop and accessible soul-jazz. In addition to their version of "Theme From Exodus" (hoping to jump on the bandwagon created by Eddie Harris' hit rendition), the Jazz Crusaders perform originals by Felder, Henderson, and Sample ("Freedom Sound"). ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/freedom-sound-mw0000677988

Personnel:  Wayne Henderson - trombone;  Wilton Felder - tenor saxophone;  Joe Sample - piano;  Roy Gaines - guitar (tracks 1 & 4);  Jimmy Bond - bass;  Stix Hooper - drums

Freedom Sound

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Franck Avitabile - Just Play

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:48
Size: 143,8 MB
Art: Front

( 4:01)  1. Resonance
( 3:42)  2. Lettre A Loïse
( 5:07)  3. My Romance
(11:15)  4. August In Paris
( 3:56)  5. Memories
( 3:25)  6. Magic Mirror
( 3:48)  7. Smile
( 2:39)  8. Moddy Piano
( 4:22)  9. Morning Star
( 3:01) 10. Dreamland
( 5:13) 11. Isopod
( 4:32) 12. Real Addict
( 2:59) 13. Corps & Ames
( 4:40) 14. Nature Boy

Franck Avitabile (born 24 November 1971) is a jazz pianist who also has a master's degree in Discrete mathematics from the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon.  Avitabile was born in Lyon, France. At nine, he began to study music at the Lyon Conservatoire, including Bach, Mozart and Debussy. At seventeen, he became interested in jazz, particularly Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. Later, he became the only musician for whom Michel Petrucciani produced a record. Both are synesthesia[1] composer and performer. He is also the composer of 60 published compositions.[2] In 2016, Franck Avitabile became record producer of Michel Petrucciani with the album Both Worlds Live North Sea Jazz Festival (1998), including a LIve with The Hague Philharmonic (1997) and a duet with Steve Gadd at Montreux Jazz Festival (1998). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franck_Avitabile

Just Play

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Ulf Wakenius - Eternity: Solo Acoustic Guitar

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:10
Size: 99,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. Mash
(4:50)  2. Two For The Road
(3:26)  3. Once Upon A Time In America
(2:30)  4. When You Wish Upon A Star
(3:14)  5. Summertime
(4:37)  6. Alfie
(4:31)  7. Cheek To Cheek
(6:10)  8. Danny Boy
(5:28)  9. Ain't Misbehavin
(3:38) 10. There Is No Business Like Show Business

Born: April 16t, 1958 in Halmstad, Sweden. Ulf Wakenius. A jazz guitarist extraordinaire acclaimed and celebrated all over the world. Between 1997 and 2007 Ulf held what may have been the most prestigious spot in jazz for a guitarist: a chair in the Oscar Peterson Quartet.This was the coronation of a career which included many record-breaking moments.Wakenius guitar duo Guitars Unlimited rocked Scandinavia in the early 80s, culminating in the 1985 Melody Grand Prix, which was seen by 600 million viewers, probably the largest audience a jazz guitar duo ever had. Shortly after that Wakenius started a extremely successful and long-lasting collaboration with the legendary bass player Niels-Henning Örsted Pedersen.( NHOP), and both of his duo albums with bass icon Ray Brown, topped the US Jazz Charts.The last few years he's been touriing the world with the amazing Korean singer Youn Sun Nah. Oscar Peterson has publicly described Ulf as one of the greatest guitarists alive in the world today and many of today’s most acclaimed jazz guitarists are among Ulf’s fans, including Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, John Scofield and Mike Stern. Great Rhythmic feel combines with a extraordinary lyrical touch- his emphasis is always on melodies and groove. He has been filmed by Clint Eastwood. His next release on ACT will be Ulf Wakenius-Solo "Momento Magico" http://www.ulfwakenius.net/

The guitar solo album of this time declared "I'm dedicating to Joe Pass", but there you can see what kind of mind can afford. That's because Wolf has thought that this time he painted his own music world, whereas the previous solo album showed the performance under the influence of the pass. This time I feel strongly about the same era sex. 

And you can listen to the highly artistic musical expressions that let him know about his Verschuzo. Based on jazz, musicality such as bossa nova and classic is also reflected, not music for music, jazz for jazz, thought for the scene of the heart of one musician named Wolf Waschenius and beautiful things It is a spelled work. https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://spiceoflife.shop-pro.jp/%3Fmode%3Dcate%26cbid%3D909895%26csid%3D3%26sort%3Dn%26page%3D2&prev=search

Eternity: Solo Acoustic Guitar

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Cat Anderson - Americans Swinging In Paris

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:07
Size: 131,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:59)  1. A "Chat" With Cat
(5:05)  2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(2:50)  3. Muskat Ramble
(3:55)  4. A Gathering In A Clearing
(5:13)  5. C Jam Blues
(4:15)  6. Confessin'
(3:28)  7. For Jammers Only
(5:18)  8. Concerto For Cootie
(5:48)  9. Black And Tan Fantasy
(3:55) 10. Blues For Laurence
(6:18) 11. Ain't Misbehavin
(2:58) 12. You're The Cream In My Coffee

Cat Anderson was arguably the greatest high-note trumpeter of all time. His solo on "Satin Doll" from Duke Ellington's 70th Birthday Concert is a perfectly coherent chorus consisting of notes that are so high that it is doubtful if another trumpeter from all of jazz history could hit more than one or two. He first learned trumpet while at the Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston and toured with the Carolina Cotton Pickers, a group in which he made his recording debut. During 1935-1944, Anderson played with many groups including those of Claude Hopkins, Lucky Millinder, Erskine Hawkins, and Lionel Hampton. Hampton loved his high-note mastery, although Hawkins reportedly fired Anderson out of jealousy. In 1944, Cat Anderson was first hired by Duke Ellington and it ended up being the perfect setting for him. Ellington enjoyed writing impossible parts for Cat to play, and Anderson received publicity and a steady income. He was more than just a high-note player, being a master with mutes and having a fine tone in lower registers, but no one could really challenge him in the stratosphere (although Maynard Ferguson, Jon Faddis, and Arturo Sandoval have come close). Anderson was with Ellington during 1944-1947, 1950-1959, and off and on during 1961-1971. Occasionally he would go out to lead his own bands but he always came back. After Ellington's death, Cat Anderson settled on the West Coast where he often played with local big bands, including an exciting one led by Bill Berry. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/american-swinging-in-paris/696362646

Americans Swinging In Paris

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Illinois Jacquet & Lester Young - Battle Of The Saxes

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 21:45
Size: 51,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. Flying Home
(2:42)  2. Blow Illinois Blow
(2:21)  3. Goofin' Off
(2:28)  4. Illinois Blows The Blues
(2:52)  5. D.B. Blues
(2:25)  6. Lester Blows Again
(2:57)  7. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(3:11)  8. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid

Illinois Jacquet (Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet, October 31, 1922 - July 22, 2004) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The brother of the trumpeter Russell Jacquet and the drummer Linton Jacquet.

Illinois began to perform in 1939 in the orchestra of Milton Larkin. In 1942 he participated in the recording of the hit "Flying Home" with the orchestra Lionel Hampton. In 1993 he played the song "C-Jam Blues", on the lawn near the White House, together with President Bill Clinton at the inauguration of the latter. Collaborated with Arnett Cobb, Dexter Gordon, Cab Calloway, Charles Mingus, Lester Young, Count Basie and many others. Lester Young (27.08.1909 - 15.03.1959) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. His virtuosic improvisations, which were remarkably smoothly phrased, influenced many saxophonists of the second half of the 20th century.

Personnel:  Illinois Jacquet (saxophone), Lester Young (saxophone)

Battle Of The Saxes

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Robbie Williams - The Heavy Entertainment Show

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:13
Size: 143,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. The Heavy Entertainment Show
(3:02)  2. Party Like a Russian
(3:58)  3. Mixed Signals
(3:28)  4. Love My Life
(4:17)  5. Motherfucker
(3:13)  6. Bruce Lee
(3:16)  7. Sensitive
(4:14)  8. David's Song
(2:55)  9. Pretty Woman
(4:25) 10. Hotel Crazy (with Rufus Wainwright)
(3:47) 11. Sensational
(4:20) 12. When You Know
(4:51) 13. Time On Earth
(4:19) 14. I Don't Want to Hurt You (with John Grant)
(3:44) 15. Best Intentions
(3:53) 16. Marry Me

The Heavy Entertainment Show is the eleventh studio album by English recording artist Robbie Williams. It was released on 4 November 2016 through Columbia Records. In May 2016, it was announced that Robbie Williams had signed a recording contract with Sony Music. Robbie Williams said in statement: "They're [Sony Music] inspired, I'm inspired. I'm more ready than I ever have been and I'm totally convinced I'm in the right place. I look forward to working on this album, which is an album I'm immensely proud of, in this exciting new partnership with Sony Music." The track "Mixed Signals" features all four members of the American alternative rock band the Killers performing all the instruments, as well as writing the song. The album was announced on 25 September 2016, and the same day the album's title track "Heavy Entertainment Show" was released on Spotify and as an "instant grat" through iTunes Store. The album's first official single, "Party Like a Russian", was released on 30 September 2016. The second single, "Love My Life", was released on 20 October 2016. 

On 7 November, Williams announced a concert tour titled The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour to promote the album. It began on 2 June 2017 in Manchester, England and is set to end in November 2018 in Mexico City. The Heavy Entertainment Show received a Metacritic score of 59 based on 9 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic was highly positive in his 4-star review, saying "Aptly titled, Williams is entertaining as ever, a consummate showman until the end. The album is a grab bag of ideas, darting here and there in its pursuit of a hit. However, this isn't too much of a distraction, Mr Entertainment and his bombast do not disappoint. The Heavy Entertainment Show is his most invigorated album in years, a truer return to the pop realm than Take the Crown. Here, Williams dresses up his antics in expert production with plenty of cheekiness to spare." Kitty Empire from The Observer gave a mixed three-star review stating, "Cheek, swagger and schmaltz, the tunes that could only come from Williams make this record entertaining, if a little groan worthy. The could-be-anybody songs just don’t stick in the memory." Tim Jonze from The Guardian gave a negative two-star review and said, "A lurching mess of styles, it lurches from one thing to the next, be that MOR balladry, glam rock or orchestral show tunes." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heavy_Entertainment_Show

The Heavy Entertainment Show (Deluxe)

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Will Boulware - Take Five

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 147,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Take Five
(3:18)  2. Very Early
(3:09)  3. You Are Too Beautiful
(5:41)  4. Be Ready
(6:38)  5. Body And Soul
(4:02)  6. Jingle
(3:53)  7. Wonder
(5:06)  8. How Deep Is The Ocean
(4:42)  9. Invitation
(7:39) 10. My Foolish Heart

The Boulware family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina then Atlanta, Georgia where Will started playing the piano at age five. Wills father played the guitar and sang cowboy songs along with his mother, Alberta Boulware Connelly, who still sings quite well. At age 10, Will bought a set of drums and formed his first group "Wee Willy & The Winks" in which he played drums doing surf music until 13 when he traded in the drums for his first electric keyboard and started to listen to Jimmy Smith and his father's Erroll Garner and Dave Brubeck records. When he was fourteen, he was already in an R&B group performing. He also played the organ in a trio he formed called the Booger Band  and started performing his own compositions. By 1972, his songs were recorded by B.B. King. At 21 Will moved to New York City where he mainly worked doing recording sessions in commercial field. In the 1980s, Boulware lived in California doing some solo piano gigs and working with guitarists such as Scott Henderson, Phil Upchurch and Ron Eschete. By 1990, Boulware moved back to NYC where he started working with the late Phyllis Hyman. He also started in 1993 a 10-year organ stint with saxophonist Maceo Parker and touring with The Blues Brothers (1998), John Scofield (1999) and Carla Bley (2000). He also performed on Rodney Jones recordings and others. ~ From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Personnel:  Will Boulware (Piano);  Lonnie Plaxico (Bass); Richard Bona (Bass Electric); Billy Kilson (Drums).

Take Five

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Maggie Herron - A Ton of Trouble

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:50
Size: 111,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. A Ton of Trouble
(4:12)  2. Perfect Specimen
(4:48)  3. Scheherazade
(3:04)  4. Salty Wine
(4:18)  5. Dance Me to the End of Love
(3:19)  6. Red Hot Jazz
(3:34)  7. Small Stuff
(4:17)  8. There Is Love
(4:57)  9. Changing Winds
(3:17) 10. Monkishness
(4:12) 11. The Dove & the Bourbon
(3:55) 12. In My Life

Nominated for the 2018 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Single of the Year, Maggie Herron's rendition of “In My Life” (Lennon/McCartney) features Larry Koonse-Guitar and Dean Taba-Bass with Maggie On vocals. Maggie Herron’s CD, ‘Between the Music and the Moon’ is the winner of the 2017 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Jazz Album of the Year. Nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, the CD features 12 original songs with engineering and mastering by Paul Tavenner. The title track features guitarist, Grant Geissman. With 10 original and 2 cover songs, Maggie delivers her rich,contralto vocals over horn driven, guitar laden original bluesy and New Orleans style songs. Contemplative and storytelling songs feature Maggie at piano along with 2 guest jazz piano greats on several tracks: Bill Cunliffe and Geoffrey Keezer. The making of A Ton Of Trouble “was born during a year of flu, a broken arm and the natural lowering of my vocal range,” Herron explains. However, Herron has successfully managed to turn her troubles into lyrical creative fodder, including elements of humor, fun, contemplation and storytelling. Herron relied on some longtime collaborators to help with the album’s eleven other jazz pieces. Bill Cunliffe arranged six of the albums songs as well as accompanies Herron on piano for those tracks. Bassist,Dean Taba, who also regularly performs live with Herron at Lewer’s Lounge in Waikiki, plays on all but one of the album’s tracks. Her daughter, Dawn Herron, co-wrote lyrics for five of the albums original songs. The album was engineered by Paul Tavenner at Big City Recording Studios. Maggie can be seen weekly, performing at Honolulu's premier jazz club, Lewers Lounge.  https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/maggieherron7

A Ton of Trouble

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Woody Herman - Keeper Of The Flame

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:21
Size: 137,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. That's Right
(2:52)  2. Lemon Drop
(3:14)  3. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(3:07)  4. I Ain't Gettin' Any Younger
(3:12)  5. Early Autumn
(3:05)  6. More Than You Know
(3:03)  7. Keeper Of The Flame
(3:14)  8. The Crickets
(3:13)  9. More Moon
(3:11) 10. Detour Ahead
(3:12) 11. Jamaica Rhumba
(2:53) 12. Not Really The Blues
(2:57) 13. Tenderly
(2:42) 14. Lollipop
(2:37) 15. I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You
(3:13) 16. You've Got A Date with The Blues
(3:10) 17. Rhapsody In wood
(2:57) 18. The Great Lie
(3:14) 19. In The Beginning

Subtitled The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Four Brothers Band, this CD contains 19 selections from Herman's Second Herd, including three songs never before released. Top-heavy with major soloists (including trumpeters Red Rodney and Shorty Rogers; trombonist Bill Harris; tenors Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, and Gene Ammons; and vibraphonist Terry Gibbs; not to mention Herman himself), this boppish band may have cost the leader a small fortune but they created timeless music. Highlights include "Early Autumn" (a ballad performance that made Stan Getz a star), the riotous "Lemon Drop," and Gene Ammons' strong solo on "More Moon." 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/keeper-of-the-flame-the-complete-capitol-recordings-mw0000075785

Personnel:  Clarinet – Woody Herman;  Alto Saxophone – Sam Marowitz, Woody Herman;  Baritone Saxophone – Serge Chaloff;  Bass – Chubby Jackson (tracks: 1 to 7), Joe Mondragon (tracks: 13 to 19), Oscar Pettiford (tracks: 8 to 12);  Drums – Don Lamond (tracks: 1 to 7), Shelly Manne (tracks: 8 to 19);  Piano – Lou Levy;  Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn (tracks: 1 to 7), Buddy Savitt (tracks: 8 to 19), Gene Ammons (tracks: 8 to 19), Jimmy Giuffre (tracks: 8 to 19), Stan Getz (tracks: 1 to 7), Zoot Sims (tracks: 1 to 7);  Trombone – Bart Varsalona (tracks: 8 to 19), Bill Harris, Bob Swift (tracks: 1 to 7), Earl Swope, Ollie Wilson ; Trumpet – Al Porcino (tracks: 8 to 19), Bernie Glow (tracks: 1 to 7), Charlie Walp (tracks: 8 to 19), Ernie Royal, Red Rodney (tracks: 1 to 7), Shorty Rogers, Stan Fishelson;  Vibraphone – Terry Gibbs (tracks: 1 to 7, 10 to 19);  Vocals – Mary Ann McCall (tracks: 1 to 9), Woody Herman

Keeper Of The Flame

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Ron Jefferson, Tricky Lofton & Carmell Jones - Love Lifted Me & Brass Bag

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:24
Size: 182,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:52)  1. Ivy League Blues (Newborn)
( 4:42)  2. Love Lifted Me (Trad.)
(10:26)  3. For Carl Perkins (Vinnegar)
( 5:31)  4. Little One (Jefferson)
( 5:57)  5. Flamingo (Grouya-Anderson)
( 6:53)  6. Georges Dilemma (Powell)
( 5:27)  7. Moten Swing (Moten-Moten)
( 5:21)  8. Mood Indigo (Ellington-Bigard-Mills)
( 4:13)  9. Angel Eyes (Dennis-Brent)
( 5:22) 10. Celery Stacks at Midnight (Bradley-Harris)
( 3:48) 11. Brass Bag (Wilson)
( 6:51) 12. Ow! (Gillespie)
( 3:17) 13. Bluer Than That (Wilson)
( 5:39) 14. Canadian Sunset (Heywood-Gimbel)

Ron Jefferson, the sensitive jazz drummer, was something of a paradox: a jazzman who, for several years, labored just below the level of general public recognition in the East, only to find, as a founding member of pianist Les McCanns successful trio, an enthusiastic audience and wholehearted recognition of his talents on the West Coast jazz scene. And with his album Love Lifted Me he also shone as the fine leader of a persuasively swinging and remarkably consistent quintet in which Bobby Hutcherson plays with a joie de vivre that harks back to a young Milt Jackson. Aside from the driving lines of Wilbur Browns tenor, the most provocative soloist is Tricky Lofton, whose blithe, lusty trombone is a refreshing updating of the earthy style of an earlier jazz day. Tricky is also co-leader, with trumpeter Carmell Jones, of the second album here, Brass Bag, on half of which he features with some fullbodied, four-trombone ensemble support, and in the other half shares solos with Lou Blackburn. Jones adds his consistent and lyrical solo voice, and Frank Strazzeris piano contributions are bright and lively, while Gerald Wilsons deft arrangements make effective use of the trombone choirs rich, dark ensemble sound. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/ron-jefferson-lawrence-tricky-lofton-albums/5829-love-lifted-me-brass-bag-2-lps-on-1-cd.html

Personnel:  Carmell Jones (tp), Lawrence 'Tricky' Lofton, Bob Edmondson, Wayne Henderson, Frank Strong, Lou Blackburn (tb), Wilbur Brown (ts), Bobby Hutcherson (vib), Frank Strazzeri (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Ron Jefferson (d), Gerald Wilson (arr)

Love Lifted Me & Brass Bag

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Franck Avitabile - Short Stories

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:57
Size: 135,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. Arabesque
(4:09)  2. Chilhood Memory
(2:53)  3. Reverso
(2:41)  4. Twisted Nerve
(2:06)  5. Cat Tale
(2:46)  6. The Third Eye
(3:22)  7. French Song
(4:32)  8. Medley
(2:23)  9. Little Monkey
(3:28) 10. Rhapsody
(3:46) 11. Inside Out
(1:28) 12. Rolling
(4:01) 13. There Is No Greater Love
(3:34) 14. Musings
(2:07) 15. Shortly, After Midnight
(2:30) 16. The Twilight Hours
(3:13) 17. On Walking
(5:26) 18. Over the Rainbow

Throughout the 90's, Franck Avitabile garnered numerous awards, honors and prizes at competitions, effectively establishing himself as one of the most promising young pianists in Europe. In 1998, Michel Petrucciani became aware of this incredible young talent and fixed him up with a deal on Dreyfus Jazz. Petrucciani produced the first Franck Avitabile disc for Dreyfus, "In Tradition" (1998, Europe only) which received critical acclaim and impressive sales. On "Short Stories," the well-seasoned Avitabile performs mostly original tunes with delicacy and power, showcasing his unique approach to piano jazz. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Short-Stories-Franck-Avitabile/dp/B000I2IQMY

Short Stories

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Dave Bennett - Blood Moon

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:04
Size: 117,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Blood Moon
(5:37)  2. A Long Goodbye
(4:38)  3. Falling Sky
(5:01)  4. Hallelujah
(5:46)  5. Wichita Lineman
(3:55)  6. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
(3:17)  7. 13 Fingers
(5:27)  8. Down In Honky Tonk Town
(4:24)  9. The Good The Bad And The Ugly
(4:17) 10. In My Life
(3:38) 11. Heavy Heart

Clarinetist Dave Bennett’s Mack Avenue debut, 2013’s Don’t Be That Way, showcased an artist capably tackling and updating music associated with Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman and Pete Fountain. In essence, it positioned him as a next-gen swing king with a penchant for taking playful strolls. This follow-up, while retaining that image and ideal in select places, is something of a toned-down story. Five of the album’s 11 tracks are Bennett originals, written collaboratively with pianist Shelly Berger, and most present with muted lyricism. Half of the covers that make up the balance fall in line with those gentle numbers, furthering the aesthetic of the ruminating artist. The introductory triptych “Blood Moon,” “A Long Goodbye” and “Falling Sky” typifies Bennett’s newfound wistfulness, as do the appropriately sedate takes on Leonard Cohen’s  “Hallelujah” and Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman” that immediately follow. It’s not until the midpoint a swing and bop-friendly ride through “(Back Home Again In) Indiana” that the Bennett of old comes out to play. From that point on he diversifies his portfolio. The Goodman-esque “13 Fingers” and the swampy “Down in Honky Tonk Town” provide a much-needed double-shot of excitement while easily differentiating themselves; a polished take on “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” buffs out the rough edges in Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti-western sound; and a relatively direct “In My Life” honors the truth and sincerity endemic to the Lennon-McCartney partnership. Then the album arrives at its end by coming full circle with “Heavy Heart,” a mournful beauty emphasizing Bennett’s purity of tone and spirit. Blood Moon doesn’t blot out the light that previously emanated from Bennett, but it certainly invites darker shadows and deeper shades of thought into the frame with him. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/dave-bennett-blood-moon/

Blood Moon

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Simone Kopmajer - Spotlight on Jazz

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:41
Size: 149,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. Spotlights
(5:08)  2. Pennies from Heaven
(3:26)  3. You Don't Call Me
(4:15)  4. Mighty Tender Love
(6:46)  5. Poinciana
(3:58)  6. Dig That Riff
(6:58)  7. Remember Jeannie
(4:07)  8. Struttin' with Some Barbecue
(4:40)  9. Exactly Like You
(4:37) 10. A Gift from Buddy
(4:20) 11. Stompin' at the Savoy
(4:28) 12. We're Goin' In
(4:01) 13. Mood Indigo
(3:02) 14. Dig That Riff (Remix)

A cool-toned Austrian jazz vocalist, Simone Kopmajer sings in flawless English. She had classical piano lessons starting at the age of eight and at 12 began playing saxophone. She performed in a youth big band and sang regularly in her father's band as a teenager. At 17 she studied with Sheila Jordan, who encouraged her. Kopmajer also studied with Mark Murphy, Jay Clayton, and Michele Hendricks. Since earning a Masters from the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria, Kopmajer has toured the Netherlands twice with the Euro Big Band, appeared at European jazz festivals, and recorded three CDs: Moonlight Serenade (for the Japanese Venus label), her best-known set Romance (for Zoho), and her privately released Taking a Chance on Love. Each CD emphasizes her own fresh versions of standards. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/simone-kopmajer-mn0001897290/biography

Spotlight on Jazz

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Dave Liebman Trio - Monk's Mood

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:07
Size: 134,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Monk's Mood
(4:39)  2. Teo
(5:40)  3. Pannonica
(7:48)  4. Nutty
(5:14)  5. Reflections
(8:08)  6. Gallop's Gallop
(6:00)  7. Ugly Beauty
(5:46)  8. Monk's Dream
(5:19)  9. Introspection
(4:36) 10. Skippy
(2:18) 11. Monk's Mood II

It’s nice to hear Dave Liebman undo a few buttons and dig in with a trio session. Of late the sax icon has taken to larger ensembles and concept albums. The only concept here is Monk, and Liebman’s only guests are Eddie Gomez on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums. Seldom played gems such as "Teo," "Gallop’s Gallop," "Introspection," and "Skippy" make this not just another Monk tribute. However, bookending the program with "Monk’s Mood" is not original Danilo Perez did the same on his 1996 Impulse release, Panamonk.  Liebman divides his time between tenor and soprano, playing the larger horn on five of the disc’s eleven tracks. His tenor work on "Nutty" and "Monk’s Dream" is especially hot. Listen for echoes of Sonny Rollins’s 1958 trio with Wilbur Ware and Elvin Jones. "Reflections," another tenor track, is played as a very slow ballad and finds Lieb sounding a bit like Joe Henderson. Nussbaum is at his most subtle on "Pannonica," and gives "Ugly Beauty," "Introspection," and "Teo" an interesting, almost funky twist. The best track award goes to "Skippy." Gomez and Liebman nail the boppish melody together and then Gomez is off and running. Liebman’s soprano foray is pointed and aggressive. When the melody returns, Gomez vocalizes along in his trademark fashion, which somehow turns the excitement up a notch. The disc closes on a mellower note, with Liebman playing not-half-bad piano on "Monk’s Mood" while Gomez handles the melody. In his liner notes Liebman candidly writes about seeing Monk live in the 60s. "I will admit," he says, "that the sameness of presentation, personnel, tempos and repertoire sometimes bored me." It was only later in life that Liebman fully began to appreciate Monk’s music. There’s something quite refreshing about Liebman’s ability to tell it to us straight. Tribute records can come across as impersonal exercises in obligatory reverence. Liebman instead lets us in on his aesthetic experience. He involves his audience in his own musical maturation process. And many of us will no doubt identify. We bullshit ourselves and others by claiming that we emerged from the musical womb already digging Duke and Coltrane and Dolphy and the rest. Much jazz is and should be an acquired taste. Liebman’s love for Monk came with time and effort, and the music on this disc is stronger for it. ~ David Adler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/monks-mood-dave-liebman-double-time-jazz-review-by-david-adler.php

Personnel:   Dave Liebman - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, arranger, producer, mixing, mastering;   Eddie Gómez - bass;  Adam Nussbaum - drums

Monk's Mood

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Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer - Not Dark Yet

Styles: Vocal, Guitar
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:18
Size: 86,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. My List
(2:23)  2. Every Time You Leave
(4:19)  3. Not Dark Yet
(2:57)  4. I'm Looking For Blue Eyes
(2:54)  5. Lungs
(4:03)  6. The Color Of A Cloudy Day
(2:34)  7. Silver Wings
(4:47)  8. Into My Arms
(5:38)  9. Lithium
(4:46) 10. Is It Too Much

Despite singing together since they were old enough to talk, it took a lifetime for sisters Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer to record together. United by blood, growing up in the backwoods of Alabama and sharing an unspeakable tragedy they witnessed their father take their mother's life and then his own their coming together on Not Dark Yet was perhaps inevitable, but it wasn't easy. The pair did a celebrated tour together in 2010 and tried to write a collective album afterwards. They ended up abandoning that project, but not the desire to collaborate. With empathic producer Teddy Thompson and a cannily chosen cast of studio aces among them guitarist Doug Pettibone, keyboardist Benmont Tench, and steel guitar player Ben Peeler  they deliver nine cover songs chosen from the canons of rock, country, Americana, and pop before closing with a lone original.  Commencing with the Killers' "My List," they deliver a love song as if facing one another, using the blood ties of sibling union as a hymn of commitment. Tench's piano and the twinned guitars of Pettibone and Val McCallum add a lonesome gospel feel to the languid, steely longing in the lyric. Jessi Colter's "I'm Looking for Blue Eyes" and Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings" are delivered with an intimate familiarity, as if the emotional truth these songs carry were part of their shared DNA. Bob Dylan's title track, penned as a metaphorical elegy to humanity, is underscored here. When Lynne follows her sister's lead, the mournful lyric is stretched toward ghost land where mercurial notions of loss and grief wrap around one another and bleed hard truths. 

Townes Van Zandt's "Lungs" is as steely as the original, but is articulated here through the clear lenses of country gospel and blues extending its reach out of death. Nick Cave's "Into My Arms" is a rootsy paean to enduring, committed love, while Nirvana's "Lithium" is not altogether successful because it's delivered with too much reverence. The album's lone original, "Is It Too Much," emerges as a whisper from the ether. Its lyric question addresses the unspeakable plainly, but it's sung as if the sisters are squarely facing one another, each completing the other's thoughts and sentences. They cover each other's grief with grief, and offer shelter and respite from the outside world that cannot hope to understand with the grain in their voices. They acknowledge a pain that can never be assuaged, just accepted as a shared transformative burden as they embrace it and one another. These two walk and stumble through that dark night, leaning together as the lyrics pour down like a river of tears. The song's question may never be answered, but its utterance is enough to guarantee another step for each. Not Dark Yet is a beacon, a glimmer of the possible. It's a stark, beautiful recording that hopefully proves something to both Lynne and Moorer: That what's here is a new beginning and that there is much more to explore. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/not-dark-yet-mw0003066831

Personnel:   Allison Moorer – lead vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, piano;  Shelby Lynne – lead vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar;  Erik Deutsch – organ, piano;  Don Heffington – drums, percussion;  Michael Jerome – drums, percussion;  Val McCallum – acoustic guitar, electric guitar;   Ben Peeler – electric guitar, pedal steel guitar;   Doug Pettibone – acoustic guitar, electric guitar;  Taras Prodaniuk – bass;  Benmont Tench – keyboard, organ, piano, wurlitzer;  Teddy Thompson – producer, bass, drums, acoustic guitar, background vocals

Not Dark Yet

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Curtis Mayfield - Love Is The Place

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:17
Size: 84,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. She Don't Let Nobody (But Me)
(4:09)  2. Toot An'toot An'toot
(5:32)  3. Babydoll
(5:04)  4. Love Is The Place
(4:28)  5. Just Ease My Mind
(4:50)  6. You Mean Everything To Me
(3:38)  7. You Get All My Love
(4:16)  8. Come Free Your People

A CD reissue of an old Mayfield platter that didn't garner as much interest as some of his other solo releases, and for good reason: Mayfield was experimenting with his sound. After the first three songs nothing else really works until the last cut: "Come Free Your People," one of Mayfield's best albeit little-known message songs. The most engaging of the eight tunes are the reggae-influenced "She Don't Love Nobody Else," "Toot an' Toot an' Toot," and the lilting "Baby Doll."~ Andrew Hamilton https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-is-the-place-mw0000608697

Personnel:  Curtis Mayfield - vocals, guitar;  Fred Tackett, Michael Sembello - guitar;  Dennis Belfield - bass;  David Loeb - keyboards;  Paulinho Da Costa - percussion;  Carlos Vega - drums;  Efrain Toro - marimba, vibraphone;  Sam Small - Theremin;  Julia Tillman Waters, Luther Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Oren Waters, Dino Fekaris - backing vocals;  Gene Page - string and horn arrangements

Love Is The Place

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Dave Valentin - Tropic Heat

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:54
Size: 111,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. My Favorite Things
(6:12)  2. Sweet Lips
(5:05)  3. Don Q
(6:10)  4. Danzon For My Father
(4:55)  5. Mr. Evil
(4:45)  6. Bello Amanecer
(6:15)  7. Sam's Groove
(4:01)  8. Tasty Mango
(5:48)  9. Sangria

Flutist Dave Valentin's 16th album for GRP is one of his best. His regular group (a quartet with pianist Bill O'Connell, bassist Lincoln Goines, and drummer Robbie Ameen) is augmented by two percussionists and an excellent seven-member horn section that consists of the reeds of Dick Oatts, Mario Rivera, and David Sanchez; trombonist Angel "Papo" Vasquez; and three trumpeters, including Charlie Sepulveda. All of the horns get their opportunities to solo and the result is a particularly strong Latin jazz session. Valentin continues to grow as a player and he cuts loose on several of these tracks. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/tropic-heat-mw0000625229

Personnel: Dave Valentin - flute; Bill O'Connell - piano; Milton Cardona - congas, percussion; Mario Rivera - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, vocals; Piro Rodriguez - trumpet;  Bernd Schoenhart - acoustic guitar;  David Sanchez - tenor saxophone;  Robby Ameen - drums;  Dick Oatts - alto & tenor saxophones

Tropic Heat

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Steve Turre - The Very Thought Of You

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:51
Size: 137,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. The Very Thought Of You
(6:15)  2. September In The Rain
(4:31)  3. No Regrets
(6:23)  4. Carolyn (In The Morning)
(6:05)  5. Never Let Me Go
(6:17)  6. Sachiko
(4:13)  7. Freedom Park, Sa
(3:29)  8. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(5:27)  9. Time Will Tell
(6:56) 10. Yardbird Suite
(3:51) 11. Danny Boy

The trombone is not always heard out in front of an ensemble. But in the hands of East Coast player (and longtime Saturday Night Live band member Steve Turre, with his caramel tone and rhythmic assurance, it’s the perfect vehicle for a set of ballads like The Very Thought of You. With a quartet including master pianist Kenny Barron, Turre doesn’t stay in one place stylistically. Some tempos inch upward, like “September in the Rain” and the Charlie Parker classic “Yardbird Suite” (the latter featuring tenor sax great George Coleman), while four tracks have full string accompaniment arranged by Marty Sheller. Turre’s originals include stark duets with guitarist Russell Malone (“No Regrets”) and drummer Willie Jones III (“Freedom Park, SA”). “Carolyn (In the Morning),” by trombone forebear J.J. Johnson, is another inspired choice, and the traditional “Danny Boy” makes for an ideal closer, with Turre’s plunger mute evoking wistful moods. ~ Editors' Notes https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-very-thought-of-you/1401033512

The Very Thought Of You

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