Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Jacqueline Tabor - The Lady In The Gown

Size: 120,0 MB
Time: 50:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. On Green Dolphin Street (4:05)
02. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (2:23)
03. Autumn Leaves (3:02)
04. Misty (4:20)
05. Lady In The Gown (2:56)
06. Caravan (1:36)
07. Tight (3:06)
08. When Lights Are Low (3:46)
09. Dindi (3:30)
10. I Fall In Love Too Easily (2:32)
11. That's All (2:46)
12. Mood Indigo (4:53)
13. It Could Happen To You (4:16)
14. Never Make A Move Too Soon (2:34)
15. Crazy He Calls Me (4:56)

The Lady in the Gown is the third solo outing from Seattle-based cabaret vocalist Jacqueline Tabor. Whether fans like their music with a cup of blues or a few scoops of adult pop, Tabor’s vocalese is palatable for them all. She shows the smoothness of Sarah Vaughan, the spontaneity of Joss Stone, and a catchy rhythmic timing that personalizes her sound. Instinctively, she moves her voice in ways that makes it distinguishable.

Joined by drummer Max Holmberg, bass player Greg Feingold, and guitarist Cole Schuster, Tabor offers a comfy respite with the familiar gusto of jazz vocalist Nancy Wilson, shrouded in a moonlight ambience. “Misty,” most of all, showcases this combination. Kicking the tempo up a couple of notches, the recording moves into the title track. An original number, the tune has all the pumping grooves and finesse of R&B-infused jazz. Tabor’s spontaneity thrives under these conditions.

Her rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” is flavored with exotic tribal beats and a spiritual voicing in her register that’s inviting. Imbued with a joyful swinging tone, Tabor sings every track like each was made for her. From the sparse bongo beats of “When Lights Are Low” to the smoky blues atmospherics of “Never Make a Move Too Soon,” Tabor tailors her voice to the mood.

Tabor’s vocal expressions give the tracks depth and meaning – a talent that consistently makes her able to penetrate audiences. Proving she is more than an artist who covers other writers’ works, Tabor shows a passion and reverence for the music she records that touches the listener.

Her understanding of blues music and its origins comes from studying such subjects at Southern University of Baton Rouge in Louisiana. She honed her talent and confidence by performing in clubs throughout the North Pacific of the U.S. Influenced and impacted by a number of jazz singers before her, Tabor developed a presence, able to influence other vocalists and make an impact on the direction that cabaret jazz is presently taking. For a newcomer to radio listeners, Tabor is a well-versed artist. ~Susan Francesny

The Lady In The Gown

Steve Oliver - Illuminate

Size: 118,8 MB
Time: 50:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Full Tilt (4:00)
02. The Game Is On (3:52)
03. Illuminate (6:01)
04. Visions Of Light (5:40)
05. Vamonos (4:23)
06. Circles (5:12)
07. Raise Up (4:54)
08. Hidden Sun (5:43)
09. Soul Deep (5:16)
10. City Of Lightning (4:03)
11. Illuminate (Reprise) (Solo Guitar) (1:45)

Following in the tradition of his earlier albums POSITIVE ENERGY and RADIANT, Steve Oliver dubs his latest album ILLUMINATE, shining a spotlight on his trademark of vibrant, guitar melodies and sunny wordless vocalese couched in uplifting musical atmospheres. Though the uptempo, road trip ready gems drive the journey, his first set of original contemporary jazz instrumentals in six years includes several intimate ballads that bring a soulful depth to the party. Both live and in the studio, Steve showcases his one-man band mastery by generating his own guitar, bass and keyboard vibes through his unique “sound design.” ILLUMINATE is highlighted with a few top-flight friends including Jimmy Haslip, Joel Taylor and Nelson Rangell. ~Sandy Shore

Illuminate

Steve Watson, Ian Bracchitta, Rick Dilling & Wendy Jones - Reflections

Size: 166,8 MB
Time: 71:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz, Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Broadway (4:57)
02. S'Wonderful (7:52)
03. Unchain My Heart (5:53)
04. The Boy Next Door (5:31)
05. It Could Happen To You (5:48)
06. Reflections (5:48)
07. The Red Blouse (6:40)
08. Tenderly (8:14)
09. Bright Size Life (3:54)
10. Pure Imagination (3:21)
11. All Too Soon (4:01)
12. Wabash III (6:31)
13. Only You (3:13)

Steve Watson graduated from Newberry College with a BA in 1974 and The University of Miami (Coral Gables) with a MM in 1977.
Steve has performed all over the world. He was a member of The University of Miami Concert Jazz Band that toured Switzerland, Cyprus, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Tunisia. From 1978 through1984 Steve was a member of The Bruce Hornsby Band. After moving to Los Angeles, he became a studio guitarist for television, movies and records. His credits include Hill Street Blues, Magnum PI, The A-Team, Hunter, Hardcastle and McCormick, Riptide, Murder She Wrote, LA Law, Big Business, Simon and Simon, Quantum Leap, The Young Riders, Sonny Spoon, The Greatest American Hero, Young Guns, Trains, Planes and Autos, Sixteen Candles, Rhinestone, Dragnet, Dr. Detroit, River Rats, Into the Night and The Dolly Parton variety television show. He has also recorded commercials for Coors, Budweiser, 7-11, Acura, Honda and Toyota. Steve was an adjunct professor at The University of Southern California from 1981-1990 and lecturer at The University of Miami from 1977-1978.

Steve currently lives with his wife, Susan, of 30 years in Greenville, SC. His 26 year old daughter, Mary Neill, is a graduate of The University of South Carolina and is a nurse in Charlotte NC. and married to Colin Irvine. His 32 year old daughter, Anna, is a graduate of The University of Georgia and is an attorney in Richmond, VA. She is married to Robert Clarke Hunter and they have two children Perrin Elizabeth Hunter, and Olivia Crawford Hunter .

Steve is , Director of Jazz Studies at The Fine Arts Center, an art magnet high school in Greenville, and is an adjunct professor at Furman University.

Steve released “Watson’s Riddle” in 2011 on Palmetto Records (Sony) with Paul Riddle and Chuck Leavell. He wrote all of the material for this project. It was in the top 15 in the contemporary jazz charts for 2011 and 2012.

Steve released his self-produced solo project entitled “Heat It Up” in February 2015. It contains ten tracks of original instrumental contemporary jazz. The single "Mary Anna" was co-produced by smooth jazz veteran and University of Southern California professor Richard Smith. The CD reached #12 on the SmoothJazz.com Indie chart.

Steve released his new CD "Playtime" with the first single "Playtime" featuring Chuck Loeb on May 2nd 2016. Chuck produced this track. Jeff Lorber produced and contributed the track "Stones Throw" on the CD. The other tracks were produced by Steve with production help on "Pear Bear" from Greg Alewine and Hazen Bannister.It reached #18 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Chart on July 11th.
As of 2-7-2017 "Pear Bear" was # 6 on the smoothjazz.com Top 50 Chart and #29 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Chart.

In August of 2018 Steve released his first straight ahead jazz CD "Reflections" with Ian Bracchitta on bass, Rick Dilling on drums and Wendy Jones on vocals.

Reflections

Kat Gang - Come Closer

Size: 112,7 MB
Time: 48:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. This Can't Be Love (2:46)
02. The Very Thought Of You (5:27)
03. Darn That Dream (4:27)
04. Sentimental Journey (3:04)
05. Come Closer (4:55)
06. The Sweet Life (2:35)
07. How Insensitive (4:49)
08. I'm Glad There Is You (5:33)
09. Sometimes I'm Happy (2:29)
10. People Will Say We're In Love (2:56)
11. Say It (4:10)
12. Bella Tristeza (4:59)

Kat has a soul steeped in jazz. Born in Boston, she began her music theory training as a teenager at Berklee and then fell in love with the energy of New York City and went on to gain her BFA from NYU. She escaped the Bush administration by seeking asylum in the UK and studying music at the Royal Academy in London. Kat lived and worked singing jazz all over England for seven years. She has performed twice at the GRAMMY Awards with the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, traded fours with Bobby McFerrin at the Blue Note Jazz Festival, and currently is back in New York with a residency at the Plaza Hotel with her quartet. Kat continues to explore the depth of jazz fusion and improvisation with her versatile, extraordinary ear and voice.

Her entire life, Kat has been soul-searching and exploring the world with her ear tuned to music in the air. She has traveled and worked widely – Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Europe, North America and the Atlantic – and continues to seek influences and audiences abroad.

As an actress, Kat is compelling and authentic, visually engaging and emotionally sensitive. With the professional conservatory training received at Tisch’s unique network of studios, she brings depth to characters from Sondheim to Chekov to Rogers and Hart. Kat has a profound understanding of theatrical studies ranging from avant-garde to Broadway; from classical texts to modern American drama.
Kat’s voice, a four octave instrument, comes from a place deep within that touches love, loneliness, longing, and wonder. Revealing the superb vocal finesse and agility for which she is known, Kat can sound vulnerable, omnipotent, saucy, or madly in love. Listen for the intensity in her whispers, the power behind her belts, and her playfulness with words and melodies. Fall in love with her incomparable voice, her vivacious spirit, and her exceptional music.

Come Closer

Aimee Allen - Wings Uncaged

Size: 129,4 MB
Time: 55:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Skylark (5:37)
02. Shooting Star (5:27)
03. Invitation (5:15)
04. In My Web (5:36)
05. Democracy How (Harmony And Dissonance) (5:51)
06. Touch The Sun (5:20)
07. Fotografia (5:42)
08. Night Owl (4:21)
09. Save Your Love For Me (4:41)
10. Autumn Leaves Les Feuilles Mortes (4:12)
11. Midnight Sun (3:32)

Personnel:
Aimée Allen - vocals
François Moutin - bass
Billy Test - piano
Kush Abadey - drums

Aimée Allen’s latest release, Wings Uncaged, is a musical statement of transcendence. With a set of striking originals featuring winged creatures, negotiating the possibilities and limitations of the natural world, the music is a metaphor for surviving perilous conditions in creative ways.

It is no accident that a profound meditation on the current state of democracy, entitled Democracy How (Harmony and Dissonance) is also included. Interspersed with unexpected reworkings of standards as well, Wings Uncaged proclaims that in love, as in life and in nature, we can rise above and transform our circumstances.

Wings Uncaged

Greg Osby - Inner Circle

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:59
Size: 105,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. Entruption
(4:07)  2. Stride Logic
(4:14)  3. Diary of the Same Dream
(4:09)  4. Equalatogram
(6:36)  5. All Neon Like
(4:45)  6. Fragmatic Decoding
(4:41)  7. The Inner Circle Principle
(6:16)  8. Sons of the Confidential
(6:08)  9. Self-Portrait in Three Colors

Jazz fans searching for a quintessential forward-thinking artist should look no further than the musical musings of Mr. Greg Osby. He's an artist who will not be satisfied with the status quo. Distinguished as an alto saxophone stylist, his voice is unique and easily recognizable among the masses. His recordings of the past few years have all been modern exercises in jazz music that are entertaining, cerebral, and illuminating. As any successful visionary, he has surrounded himself with like-minded individuals who continue to push the envelope of jazz; such as piano extraordinaire Jason Moran and vibraphonist Stefon Harris. His previous recording Symbols of Light (A Solution), which implemented a string quartet into his eclectic mix, was one of 2001's top jazz picks.  Inner Circle continues on the same high level that Osby has been operating at throughout his career. His music is progressively expanding into new boundaries on the ubiquitous jazz theme. It swings, grooves and moves with a distinctive style. The recording features Osby originals with covers by Euro-Pop sensation Bjork and famous bassist Charles Mingus. The title Inner Circle could easily refer to one of the tightest set of young musicians paving the jazz path today. The musicians have been featured on recordings by Jason Moran and Stefon Harris. Bassist Taurus Mateen and drummer Eric Harland comprise one of the most dynamic and talented rhythm sections on the scene today. Osby and Moran have formed a unique and wonderful symbiosis over the past few years that allows for freedom and expression with wide possibilities. Stefon Harris' vibe work just keeps getting better. All the compositons are creative with odd patterns and complex arrangements that never leave the listener too far, and will also encourage a deeper appreciation for the art form. The many highlights include the circuitous and hypnotic "Fragment Decoding" and the brilliant "Inner Circle Principle" with its memorable solos expressed by each musician. With Osby at the helm, one can only anticipate the next move in his forward progression. ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/inner-circle-greg-osby-blue-note-records-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Greg Osby: Alto Saxophone; Jason Moran: Piano; Stefon Harris: Vibraphone; Tarus Mateen: Bass; Eric Harland: Drums

Inner Circle

Bryn Roberts - Ludlow

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:25
Size: 122,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:30)  1. Ludlow
(5:48)  2. Indie
(4:33)  3. Fleure
(8:55)  4. Corrigan
(7:55)  5. Reruns
(7:12)  6. Eau De Vie
(4:34)  7. Dancing In The Dark
(5:55)  8. Hagamos Un Trato

Ludlow is a showcase for the considerable gifts of the young Canadian pianist and composer Bryn Roberts. It's a sparkling, varied CD that gets better with each listen. The music is characterized by strong compositional frameworks and flowing improvisation. Pianist Roberts composed all the material on Ludlow except the standard "Dancing In The Dark." His compositions have lengthier expositions than the standards played by earlier generations of jazz musicians. The title tune, for example, is an attractive line, long and flowing, with lyrical chord changes and stop-and-start rhythms that support sinuous improvisations, particularly by the fine young saxophonist Seamus Blake. In fact, it is Blake whose consistent excellence is responsible for the success of this album. His every solo is meticulously constructed, juggling complex ideas effortlessly, played with a warm, clear tone and a rolling swing. The fact that Blake eschews the electronic effects he has used elsewhere only serves to highlight his sound. Roberts, too, is a gifted improviser who isn't afraid to take chances, while his technical command and relaxed swing contribute to the long, lyrical lines that are characteristic of both his improvising and his compositions. Besides the variations in form, Roberts' compositions use other devices characteristic of today's new mainstream. He is fond of odd time signatures, for example. "Indie" sports a 7/4 funk beat, and "Corrigan" is a 7/4 bossa nova. And everybody's at home in good old 4/4, as the up-tempo cooker "Hagamos Un Trato" proves. Kudos also to the excellent rhythm section. Bassist Drew Gress plays with empathy, using imaginative note choices and placements. His lively walking on "Hagamos Un Trato" is also welcome. Mark Ferber is a marvelous young drummer who is most notable for his brilliant use of cymbal shadings and his righteous swing. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ludlow-bryn-roberts-fresh-sound-new-talent-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Bryn Roberts, piano; Seamus Blake, tenor sax; Drew Gress, bass; Mark Ferber, drums.

Ludlow

Philip Clouts Quartet - Umoya

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:25
Size: 118,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. Lila
(7:35)  2. Dreamy Driving
(7:07)  3. Walking in Starlight
(6:49)  4. Meandering
(5:17)  5. Taranto
(6:44)  6. Umoya
(6:11)  7. Amor
(6:02)  8. Direction South

The Philip Clouts Quartet's Umoya, a follow-up to The Hour Of Pearl, (Point Records, 2013) is named for the Zulu word for Life Force. It's a positive title for an album filled with positive sounds. Bass guitarist Alex Keen remains from those The Hour Of Pearl sessions. He's joined by saxophonist Samuel Eagles and drummer Dave Ingamells. Pianist and composer Clouts was born in Cape Town, South Africa and moved to the UK as a young child. African music remains a major influence in his writing and playing, as the eight original tunes on Umoya ably demonstrate, but he's open to a much wider range of influences which all go some way to informing these tunes. It's Keen and Ingamells who make the first statement -opening "Lila" with a simple, repetitive, but irresistible groove (the tune takes inspiration from North African Sufi music). The groove stays in place as Eagles (on soprano) and Clouts trade solos, ensuring that dancers will have no trouble keeping their moves together even as the soloists take their own flowing, melodic, paths. The centrality of the groove is a key element of Clouts' music the nature of the groove may vary, but not its importance. On "Walking In Starlight" it's a reggae-influenced bass and drum rhythm that forms the foundation for Eagles' snaky soprano lines and Clouts' electric piano. "Umoya" shares this reggae rhythm: so, too, does "Direction South" although on this tune reggae takes turns with a gentle shuffle beat. "Meandering" has an unsurprisingly relaxed rhythm: one of the album's most overtly jazz influenced tunes it serves to illustrate Eagles' talent on tenor. Whether the inspiration comes from South Africa, Jamaica, his adopted rural English home or the homelands of jazz, Clouts' compositions are strong and likeable. The quartet's playing is similarly engaging, a feeling of optimism pervading the tunes with a life force of its own. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/umoya-philip-clouts-odradek-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php

Personnel: Philip Clouts: piano, electric piano (3); Samuel Eagles: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Alex Keen: bass guitar; Dave Ingamells: drums.

Umoya

David Benoit & Gregg Bissonette, Brian Bromberg - Great Composers Of Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:54
Size: 120,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Brother Go To Mothers
(4:00)  2. Cute
(6:01)  3. Django
(4:11)  4. Blue Rondo a La Turk
(4:40)  5. Some Other Time
(4:57)  6. Cakewalk
(6:02)  7. Stardust
(4:05)  8. Straight No Chaser
(5:14)  9. I Loves You Porgy
(7:27) 10. Waltz For Debby

The newly formed Vertical Jazz Records debuts with an attractive, six-CD series of straightahead trio, quartet and quintet recordings showcasing top West Coast jazz artists, many of whom had never recorded together before. Because these musicians have leaned toward pop-jazz or pursued unidentified studio work, they may surprise you with their stunning straightahead remakes of standards. These sessions, recorded under direction of executive producer/president Suzanne Severini last spring at Ocean Way Recording Studios in Hollywood, prove the label is off to a strong start. In their scintillating 10-tune tribute to the piano trio tradition of Bill Evans, The Great Composers of Jazz, pianist David Benoit, bassist Bromberg and drummer Bissonette deliver polished versions of warhorse standards. Highlights include a rousing take on Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo La Turk,” a lovely reading of the Modern Jazz Quartet classic, “Django” and a sweeping version of Evans’ most famous composition, “Waltz for Debbie.” Bromberg’s 280-year-old bass adds sonorously to the session, especially when he plays the head on “Straight, No Chaser.” Included are provocative remakes of Oscar Peterson’s “Cakewalk,” Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust,” Neal Hefti’s “Cute” and more. ~ Nancy Ann Lee https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/david-benoitgreg-bissonettebrian-bromberg-the-great-composers-of-jazz/

Personnel:  David Benoit (Piano); Brian Bromberg (Bass); Gregg Bissonette (Drums).

Great Composers Of Jazz

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Herbie Mann - Eastern European Roots

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:12
Size: 148,7 MB
Art: Front

( 1:24)  1. Ayla
( 7:02)  2. Gypsy Jazz
( 6:08)  3. Gelem Gelem
( 8:09)  4. Balalaika Love Song
( 4:05)  5. A Dance At The Rise Of The Moon
(10:31)  6. Jelek
( 5:12)  7. Bucavina
( 5:59)  8. Passing Through
( 1:40)  9. Foreign Village
( 7:40) 10. Magyar Dreams
( 6:19) 11. Sera

The legendary flutist has traversed a lot of unique musical terrain in his lifetime, from Brazilian and Latin to Japanese, jazz, and soul. Yet until now he never explored the deeper roots of his heritage, which his liner notes explain are Eastern European and Jewish. He says that some previous attempts to convey the essence of those beginnings have resulted in dark and heavy "suffering" pieces, but here he finds the joys amidst the pain. He mixes six originals with many traditional songs. "Gypsy Jazz" explores a little mysticism with its steady marching drumbeat, some Middle Eastern percussion elements, and an explosive improvisational conversation between his lively flute and Gil Goldstein's accordion. "Balalaika Love Song" is equally mystical, with the distant mandolin of Geoff Mann echoing a darker flute and acoustic guitar meditation. Geoff Mann composed the lively jig-like "A Dance at the Rise of the Moon," which celebrates life rather than focusing on some of the darker elements of life for the Jews of that region. Essentially, it's a collection of mood swings reflecting various elements that can apply to all cultures. For years, his legacy has been doing that for every culture but his own, and now the journey comes beautifully full circle. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/eastern-european-roots-mw0000660508
 
Personnel:   Herbie Mann - alto flute, c flute, flute;   Bruce Dunlap - guitar;   Alexander Fedoriouk - cimbalom;   Gil Goldstein - accordion;  Geoff Mann - drums, percussion, mandolin;  Paul Socolow - bass

Eastern European Roots

Ralph Towner - City of Eyes

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:29
Size: 163,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Jamaica Stopover
(6:51)  2. Cascades
(6:14)  3. Les Douzilles
(4:14)  4. City of Eyes
(2:36)  5. Sipping the past
(4:26)  6. Far Cry
(3:24)  7. Janet
(5:06)  8. Sustained Release
(4:43)  9. Tundra
(5:36) 10. Blue Gown

Ralph Towner breaks out in more ways than one on City of Eyes. Despite his band Oregon's lagging creative slump and his own obsession with a synthesizer he is only beginning to learn how to "play," Towner cuts some new grooves on this set with an all-star cast. New to Towner's musical universe is drummer/percussionist Jerry Granelli and brass auteur Markus Stockhausen. Even Paul McCandless who has spent the better part of the '80s making new age albums doesn't muck things up this time out. The opener, "Jamaica Stopover," is Towner's freshest solo guitar piece in ages. It's slippery, has a groove, and is actually rooted in both the blues and gypsy swing. The first ensemble piece, "Cascades," sounds a little florid at the outset, but Granelli's percussive ambience is a cure for the rococo melody (it again reeks of Offramp-period Pat Metheny-ism). Towner kicks it into classical gear on "Les Douzilles," before moving into a hot improv duet with Gary Peacock, who believe it plays his bass like a guitarist. The fretwork by Towner and the pizzicato by Peacock are among the most intricate, complex, and purely "musical" duets in recent history between the two instruments. This is where Towner shines, when challenged by a musician equal to, or greater than, his own abilities. The entire ensemble plays together on only three selections, the aforementioned "Cascades," the title track, and "Tundra." On the title track the music shifts modally from one series of chamber jazz timbres to another; mood and tempo relentless move throughout the piece's first five minutes, giving a feeling as if it is a free improv piece one moment and something strictly composed for rhythm and meter the next. Harmonically, Towner pianistically creates intervals that offer shades and colors of ambient-like texture. He extends the musical reach of Peacock's bass role by making it of primary importance to the work's lyrical line and its role in the "free" sections. On "Tundra," the focus is on Towner as musical interloper, connecting each player's lines with his riveting 12-string work. The melody comes from minor, augmented chords. Granelli stays in the pocket, painting over the guitar with bells and chimes, but the others engage Towner separately. Stockhausen's contribution is especially noteworthy, as he punctuates each short guitar line with a long, beautiful phrase that is an extended tonality from that of the guitar. In essence, City of Eyes shows Ralph Towner as a musical explorer again, a composer and instrumentalist who can persuasively create aural travelogues through time, space, and terrain. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/city-of-eyes-mw0000200227

Personnel:  Ralph Towner — twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer;  Markus Stockhausen — trumpet, piccolo trumpet, fluegelhorn;  Paul McCandless — oboe, English horn;  Gary Peacock — bass;  Jerry Granelli — drums, electronic drums

City of Eyes

Roland Hanna - Duke Ellington Piano Solos

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:31
Size: 107,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. In My Solitude
(4:49)  2. Something to Live For
(3:44)  3. In a Sentimental Mood
(2:48)  4. Portrait of Bert Williams
(5:19)  5. Warm Valley
(2:02)  6. Isfahan
(4:41)  7. Single Petal of a Rose
(7:04)  8. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(4:08)  9. Reflections in D
(2:30) 10. Come Sunday
(4:10) 11. Caravan

For lovers of solo jazz piano, this Roland Hanna disc offers one of the most consistently enjoyable 46 minutes of music to be heard. Over the ten Ellington selections here (with the addition of Billy Strayhorn's "Isfahan"), Hanna finely works the subtle phrasing and singing tone he once plied in Mingus' band and perfected on many solo outings during the '70s and '80s. An appropriately introspective version of "In My Solitude" opens the program, setting the tone for this intimate and, at times, meditative consideration of some Ellington's finest pieces. Other ballad highlights include a hushed and melancholic "In a Sentimental Mood," as well as delicate and spacious readings of "Single Petal of a Rose" and "Isfahan." Hanna enlivens the mood a bit on choice, medium-tempo renditions of "Portrait of Bert Williams" and the Ellington/Strayhorn collaboration "Something to Live For," demonstrating his easygoing, stride-piano technique in the process. In somewhat stark contrast to the rest of the set, Hanna also includes an engagingly abstract rendition of "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," rendering the familiar, blues-tinged theme almost unrecognizable. Hanna ends the set in upbeat fashion with a bravura performance of "Caravan." Bolstered by excellent sound, this top-notch set is a must for Hanna enthusiasts and highly recommended to all fans of straight-ahead jazz. ~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/duke-ellington-piano-solos-mw0000262780

Duke Ellington Piano Solos

Monday, September 10, 2018

Les McCann - Les McCann Ltd. In San Francisco

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 144,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Oh, Them Golden Gates
(8:31)  2. Red Sails In The Sunset
(7:05)  3. Big Jim
(5:01)  4. I Am In Love
(6:22)  5. Jeepers Creepers
(6:20)  6. Gone On And Get That Church
(1:26)  7. We'll See Yaw'll After While, Ya Heah
(6:17)  8. Frankie And Johnnie
(7:50)  9. Medley: But Beautiful/It Could Happen To You
(4:26) 10. Taking A Chance On Love
(4:14) 11. Love Letters

Les McCann Ltd. in San Francisco: Recorded Live at the Jazz Workshop was recorded in December of 1960 and released in 1961 on the Pacific Jazz label. Backing his piano were bassist Herbie Flowers and drummer Ron Jefferson. The original LP of this date featured seven selections only about half of the entire gig. This Fresh Sound reissue contains four more tracks, bringing the total to 11. The LP included four McCann compositions, and while the additional tracks are all standards, they do include a very fine arrangement of "Frankie and Johnnie" and a medley of Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen's "But Beautiful" and "It Could Happen to You," as well as "Taking a Chance on Love" and "Love Letters." What's remarkable about these last four standards is just how seamlessly McCann and company weave them into their early hard bop cum soul-jazz style, with blues, gospel, and pop all brought out in equal measure. The performance is wonderful. That said, given that this is a Fresh Sound release, don't expect a pristine remastering job. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/les-mccann-ltd-in-san-francisco-recorded-live-at-the-jazz-workshop-complete-recordings-mw0002325957

Personnel:  Les McCann - piano;  Herbie Lewis - bass;  Ron Jefferson - drums

Les McCann Ltd. In San Francisco

Randy Weston - The Spirits of Our Ancestors Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:21
Size: 101,8 MB
Art: Front

( 3:21)  1. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 1
(10:48)  2. The Healers
(17:16)  3. African Cookbook
( 6:43)  4. La Elaha-Ella Allah/Morad Allah
( 6:12)  5. The Call

Pianist Randy Weston and arranger Melba Liston had a musical reunion on this special double-CD, their first joint project since 1973's Tanjah. Liston's charts for the pianist's ten originals perfectly fit Weston's adventurous style and the twelve-piece group (which includes three percussionists) is filled with highly individual voices including the tenors of Billy Harper and Dewey Redman. With trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and tenor-saxophonist Pharoah Sanders making guest appearances and Randy Weston heard at the peak of his powers, this is a highly recommended set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-spirits-of-our-ancestors-mw0000276414

Personnel:  Randy Weston - piano (not on 4);  Idrees Sulieman - trumpet (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet (on 9);  Benny Powell - trombone (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Talib Kibwe - flute, alt sax (on 2,5,6,7,9);  Billy Harper - tenor sax (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Dewey Redman - tenor sax (on 2,3,5,6,7,9);  Pharoah Sanders - tenor sax, gaita (on 3 >8);  Alex Blake - bass (on 2,3,5,6,7,8,9);  Jamil Nasser - bass (on 2,3,4,5,6,8,9);  Idris Muhammad - drums (on 2,3,5,6,7,8,9);  Azzedin Weston - percussion (on 2,3,4,6,9);  Big Black - percussion (on 3,5,6,7,8,9);  Yassir Chadly - percussion, karkaba, vocal (on 4 >8)


Album: The Spirits of Our Ancestors  Disc 2

File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:11
Size: 142,6 MB

( 8:30)  1. African Village Bedford-Stuyvesant 2
(16:28)  2. The Seventh Queen
(12:01)  3. Blue Moses
(19:54)  4. African Sunrise
( 5:16)  5. A Prayer for Us All

R.I.P.

Born:  April 6, 1926
Died:  September 1, 2018


Will Boulware - A Night in Tunisia

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:59
Size: 119,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. A Night in Tunisia
(6:08)  2. The Breeze and I
(6:45)  3. Yesterdays
(3:42)  4. Cleopatra's Dream
(4:07)  5. If I were a Bell
(5:22)  6. Easy
(6:35)  7. What'd I say
(5:59)  8. Pensive
(5:56)  9. The Fruit
(3:49) 10. Build UP

Will Boulware was born in Bardstown, Kentucky. His father played the guitar and sang cowboy songs and his mother still sings very well. The Boulware family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina then Atlanta, Georgia where Will started playing the piano at age five. 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 and started performing his own compositions. By 1972, his songs were recorded by B.B. King. In 1973, he went to New York where he mainly worked doing recording sessions in commercial field. In the 80’s, Will lived in California doing some solo piano gigs and working with guitarists such as Scott Henderson, Phil Upchurch and Ron Eschete. By 1990, Will moved back to NYC where he started working with the late Phyllis Hyman and still doing some session work before starting 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. http://willboulware.com/bio/

Personnel:    Will Boulware, piano;  Harvey Mason, drums;  Lonnie Plaxico, acoustic bass;  Richard Bona, electric bass

A Night in Tunisia

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Cat Anderson and The Ellington All Stars - Ellingtonia

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:02
Size: 69,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. Between Some Place, Goin' No Place
(4:34)  2. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
(2:43)  3. The Mexican Bandit
(4:17)  4. Lovelinessence
(3:03)  5. Accen'tuate
(4:20)  6. Chelsea Bridge
(3:43)  7. Summertime
(3:41)  8. Like, Dig

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/gb/album/ellingtonia/425573374

Personnel:  Cat Anderson - trumpet;   Butter Jackson - trombone;   Sam Woodyard - drums;   Ray Nance - violin;   Jimmy Woode - bass;   Bud Johnson - flute and tenor saxophone;   Rudy Powell - clarinet and alto saxophone;   Leroy Lovett - Piano

Ellingtonia

Jenny Evans - At Lloyd's

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:40
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(3:30)  2. How High The Moon
(4:52)  3. Stormy Weather
(4:24)  4. Lullaby Of Birdland
(4:12)  5. The Lady Is A Tramp
(3:34)  6. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:06)  7. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(5:50)  8. Take The A-Train
(4:03)  9. Night And Day
(3:29) 10. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:46) 11. Summertime
(5:45) 12. Route 66

Born in London, England, in the outskirts of Beckenham, Jenny Evans is an accomplished entertainer in multiple fields. Most recognized as a jazz singer, she's also worked as an actress and lyricist, and at one time ran her own jazz club, Jenny's Place. She's appeared in films, commercials, German TV series, stage musicals, and plays. Born in 1954, Evans moved to Munich, Germany in 1976 to study music and teaching English as a second language. While working toward her degree, she became the lead singer of a band called Old Socks New Shoes. The ragtime numbers they were performing slowly shifted toward classic jazz. Though her recording repertoire spans original tunes and classics ranging from Gershwin to the Beatles, her sultry voice and supple delivery encourage jazz renditions. In 1988, Evans released her debut album, Whisper Not, with ESM Records and Bell Music. The same labels issued At Lloyd's, featuring the Rudi Martini Quartet, in 1993. Her 1997 LP Shiny Stockings arrived via Enja Records, which also released 1999's swing-era celebration Girl Talk, 2001's Gonna Go Fishin', and 2004's Nuages. Keeping busy between recordings with appearances at clubs, festivals, and on tours through Europe, Germany, Australia, Russia, and Japan, she released Christmas Songs in late 2005. With Evans still collaborating with drummer Rudi Martini, Lunar Tunes followed on Enja in 2008. Evans returned to ESM Records and, working with a backing band that included woodwinds specialist Felix Sapotnik and bassist Sven Faller, released Are You the Man? A New Peter Kreuder Song Book in 2010 and The Four Seasons of Love in 2011. She took on British pop/rock, including hits by the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, and Sting, for 2016's Be What You Want to Be, released by Edition Collage. ~ Marcy Donelson & Charlotte Dillon https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/at-lloyds-live/264518219

Personnel:  Jenny Evans (vocal);  Gerry Friedrich (ts, cl);  Otto Weiss (p);  Branko Pejakovic (b);  Rudi Martini (dr)

At Lloyd's

Richie Beirach & Gregor Huebner - Live At Birdland New York

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:44
Size: 179,3 MB
Art: Front

(10:18)  1. You Don't Know What Love Is
(11:18)  2. Around Bartok Bagatelle #4
(10:27)  3. Siciliana
(13:26)  4. African Heartbeat
(18:41)  5. Elm
(13:31)  6. Transition

With his lyrical, harmonically rich style and warm sense for group interplay, pianist Richie Beirach emerged in the 1970s as a highly respected jazz artist. Schooled in classical and jazz, Beirach spent several early years with Stan Getz before joining saxophonist David Liebman on albums like 1973's Lookout Farm and 1978's Omerta. From there, he also toured and recorded with such luminaries as Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, John Abercrombie, and others. He also issued his own highly regarded albums for ECM, including 1976's Eon and 1979's Elm. His ongoing creative partnership with Liebman also led to the formation of the forward-thinking Quest ensemble, as well as continued pairings on albums like 1991's Chant and 2016's Balladscapes. Born Richard Alan Beirach on May 23, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York, Beirach became interested in music at a young age and first started taking piano lessons at age five. Studying classical music with noted pianist and composer James Palmieri, he developed a strong technique and ear for harmony. However, it wasn't until his teens that he discovered jazz after hearing Red Garland's version of "Billy Boy." By the early '60s, he was splitting his time between classical lessons with Palmieri, working as a longshoreman, and playing in jazz jam sessions alongside artists like Lee Konitz and Freddie Hubbard. Hoping to expand his jazz studies, he enrolled at Boston's Berklee College of Music, where he stayed for a year before transferring to the Manhattan School of Music to study composition with Ludmila Ulehla. After graduating in 1972 with his Master of Music degree, Beirach quickly found work playing with Stan Getz, alongside bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette. From there, he joined saxophonist David Liebman for his landmark 1973 septet fusion album Lookout Farm. Beirach and Liebman formed a creative bond, and went on to collaborate on albums like 1975's Night Scape, 1977's Forgotten Fantasies, and 1978's Omerta. It was also during this period that the pianist made his solo debut with the 1976 trio date Eon with drummer Eliot Zigmund and bassist Frank Tusa on ECM. 

More well-received sessions followed, including 1977's Hubris and 1979's Elm. There were also sessions and tours with Chet Baker, John Scofield, and John Abercrombie. During the '80s, Beirach found himself continuing to balance his own work as a leader with further work alongside Baker, trumpeter John McNeil, and others. In 1981, he paid homage to one of his major influences with Elegy for Bill Evans, with bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster. He also formed the stylistically expansive post-bop outfit Quest with Liebman, bringing on board at various times drummers Foster and Billy Hart and bassists Mraz and Ron McClure. Together they issued a series of adventurous albums including 1986's Quest II, 1988's Natural Selection, and 1990's Of One Mind. Away from the band, Beirach devoted increasing time to his solo piano work, releasing 1985's ambitious Antarctica, 1987's Common Heart, and 1989's Some Other Time: A Tribute to Chet Baker. He returned to more collaborative work in the '90s, including albums with saxophonist George Coleman, bassist McClure, and Liebman. In 1997, he delivered the trio album Trust with Holland and DeJohnette. Snow Leopard, also a trio date, followed a year later. There also were sessions with Conrad Herwig, Michel Graillier, Jamie Baum, Steve Davis, and more. He next issued the standards albums What Is This Thing Called Love? and Romantic Rhapsody in 2002 and 2003, followed by the 2003 classical-themed effort No Borders. Also around this time, Beirach relocated to Germany, where he accepted a position as professor of jazz piano at the University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig. Since then, Beirach has remained prolific, issuing a steady stream of solo and small-group sessions, including 2003's Round About Monteverdi, 2008's Piano Solo, and 2010's Quest for Freedom with Liebman and the Frankfurt Radio Bigband. Also in 2010, he and Liebman joined Lee Konitz for Knowinglee. The following year, he released Impressions of Tokyo: Ancient City of the Future, and paired again with Liebman for Unspoken. Varuna followed in 2015 and found the pianist collaborating with singer Laurie Antonioli. He then reunited once again with Liebman for 2016's Balladscapes. In 2018, both Beirach and Liebman joined vocalist Fred Farell for Fred Farell: Distant Song. ~ Matt Collar https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/live-at-birdland-new-york-randy-brecker-george-mraz/1224693909

Personnel:  Richie Beirach - piano;  Gregor Huebner - violin;  Randy Brecker - trumpet;  George Mraz - bass;  Billy Hart - drums

Live At Birdland New York

Lee Morgan - Indeed!

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:12
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:18)  1. Roccus
(4:55)  2. Reggie of Chester
(6:47)  3. The Lady
(8:23)  4. Little T
(3:57)  5. Gaza Strip
(5:49)  6. Stand By

The first time Lee Morgan entered a recording studio, he was just 18 years old and he was leading his own band. More impressive, that band included soon to be legendary pianist Horace Silver and drummer Philly Joe Jones. This is the CD of that 1956 recording session. While the players were great, the music is merely ordinary which isn't too surprising given the tender age of the leader. Indeed! is standard Blue Note hard bop by the guys who would, in various combinations, become the label's mainstays.  That's not a knock. This is a good record, and if you're a fan of hard bop, as I am, you'll like it. Morgan is very much the product of Dizzy Gillespie and Fats Navarro. He sounds a bit like both, and he even played Dizzy's trademark horn with a bent bell. The other horn player is a virtual unknown saxman Clarence Sharpe, known to friends as C. Sharpe, or C#. In many numbers, he sounds like a Charlie Parker knockoff again, no big surprise for a young alto player in 1956, a year after Bird's death. In Sharpe's 1990 obituary, The New York Times called him "the missing link between Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman." But that was later in life. Here, he's all bebop. Same with Lee Morgan, who had a long and legendary career on Blue Note, recording something like 25 albums. This is the first, and it's no fault of the young 18-year-old that it's not yet as memorable as 1963's The Sidewinder. It's solid, enjoyable, if unoriginal, hard bop. A couple of side notes: First, though the album has only one ballad, "The Lady," it is sweet and tender and nearly all Morgan. A real standout. Second, the cut "Gaza Strip" has absolutely no hints of Middle Eastern or Arabic influences. Wonder where the title came from. Finally, though Horace Silver is a member of the band, he mostly stays in the background, taking a handful of perfunctory solos. ~ Marc Davis https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lee-morgan-indeed--blue-note-1538-lee-morgan-by-marc-davis.php

Personnel:  Lee Morgan - trumpet;  Horace Silver - piano;  Clarence Sharpe - alto saxophone;  Wilbur Ware - bass;  Philly Joe Jones - drums

Indeed!

Cyrus Chestnut - Kaleidoscope

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:54
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. Golliwog's Cakewalk
(5:09)  2. Darn That Dream
(6:19)  3. Gymnopédie No. 1
(5:48)  4. Entre cloches
(5:30)  5. Jimbo's Lullaby
(5:33)  6. Father Time
(4:31)  7. Lord I Want to Be a Christian
(4:09)  8. Son binocle
(4:38)  9. Smoke on the Water
(7:00) 10. Gnossienne No. 1
(4:11) 11. Gymnopédie No. 3
(3:41) 12. Turkish Rondo
(5:12) 13. Prayer for Claudine

Pianist Cyrus Chestnut is a virtuoso player with deep roots in both spiritual gospel music and harmonically sophisticated jazz. That said, he's also a classically trained artist with a wide-ranging and eclectic taste in music. He brings all of these influences to bear on his nuanced and enveloping 2018 trio date, Kaleidoscope. Joining him are bassist Eric Wheeler and drummer Chris Beck, who offer empathetic support throughout. Here, Chestnut has chosen a handful of his favorite classical compositions, including tracks by Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, and Maurice Ravel, which he reworks in his own inimitable jazz style, alongside other standards and his own originals. What's particularly compelling about his choices is just how well the classical songs fit into the jazz trio concept. The Satie selections in particular lend themselves to a jazz approach. Chestnut's languid reading of "Gymnopedie No. 1" has the feel of a hazy summer afternoon, and brings to mind Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts soundtracks. He also turns the composer's "Son Binocle" into a jauntily urbane bossa nova. 

Elsewhere, he transforms Debussy's "Jimbo's Lullaby" into a bluesy, far-eyed rumination, anchored by a soulful bass solo intro from Wheeler. Similarly engaging is the trio's dramatic, modal jazz take on Ravel's "Entre Cloches," in which Chestnut's spiraling solo swells into a sustained din of reverberating bass notes before returning to the main theme. Conversely, his own songs, like the meditative "Father Time" and the lyrical "Prayer for Claudine," evince a classical feel, displaying his knack for finely attenuated melodies and richly textured harmonics. He splits the difference on his swaggering version of Deep Purple's classic rock anthem "Smoke on the Water," diving into the iconic main theme with Rachmaninov-esque dynamism and then pulling back into a mutative, Eastern-influenced improvisation. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/kaleidoscope-mw0003201648

Personnel:  Cyrus Chestnut (p), Eric Wheeler (b) (except tracks 7 & 13), Chris Beck (ds) (except tracks 7 & 13)

Kaleidoscope