Philip Catherine - Babel

Styles: Guitar
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:01
Size: 82,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. Babel
(6:14)  2. Janet
(4:53)  3. Riverbop
(5:05)  4. Spirale
(5:52)  5. Philip a Paris
(4:01)  6. Magic Ring
(3:34)  7. Dinner-Jacket

An immensely gifted Belgian guitarist, Philip Catherine is a highly regarded performer known for his harmonically nuanced, deeply lyrical playing and crisply rounded fretboard touch. Born in London in 1942 to an English mother and Belgian father, Catherine moved to Brussels with his family at a young age. As a teenager, he became interested in the guitar, influenced at the time by French singer/songwriter and poet George Brassens. By age 14 he was taking lessons, and learning the basic elements of jazz improvisation when he discovered Django Reinhardt. He quickly absorbed the jazz legend's distinctive style, and eventually picked up other influences, including Belgian guitarist René Thomas. He also immersed himself in albums by such luminaries as Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Max Roach, and others.  Catherine began playing gigs while in his teens, working in a trio with American Hammond B-3 specialist Lou Bennett and drummer Oliver Jackson. There were also stints with Belgian saxophonist Jack Sels and Philadelphia-born/Brussels-based drummer Edgar Bateman. In 1970, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty asked him to join his band and, inspired by contemporaries like John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell, Catherine stayed with Ponty for a year, dedicating himself to the progressive fusion sound. Also during this period, he attended formal music classes at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After returning to Belgium, Catherine found himself in high demand and developed a bevy of connections, including playing with Klaus Weiss, Les McCann, Karin Krog, Dexter Gordon, and others. As a solo artist, he made his debut with 1971's Stream, a funky, inventive mix of acoustic and electric jazz. He followed up in 1975 with Guitars and September Man, both also highly inventive, fusion-influenced albums. Sessions with Herb Geller, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and Charles Mingus followed, as did a duo tour with guitarist Coryell. Also during the '70s, he paired with close associate saxophonist Charlie Mariano for a handful of sessions, and rounded out the decade with his own Nairam, which also featured Mariano, along with trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg and others. During the '80s, Catherine's profile continued to rise as he released several more well-regarded efforts, including Babel, End of August, and Trio with guitarist Christian Escoude and violinist Didier Lockwood. 

There also were dates with Aldo Romano, Stéphane Grappelli, and Kenny Drew. Also in the '80s, he gained attention for his work with legendary West Coast trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker, touring and appearing on such albums as 1983's Mr. B and 1985's Strollin'. Although his 1986 album, Transparence, layered keyboards into his atmospheric sound, his work with Baker pointed toward a more acoustic-leaning aesthetic. It was a sound he further embraced on 1990's I Remember You. Dedicated to Baker (who died in 1989), the album also featured trumpeter/flügelhornist Tom Harrell. Throughout the '90s, Catherine released a steady stream of albums for smaller jazz labels like Enja, Criss Cross, and Dreyfus, including albums like Moods, Vol. 1, Spanish Nights, and 1999's Guitar Groove. In 2001, he returned with Blue Prince, which found him balancing his love of acoustic jazz and electric fusion. Joining him were trumpeter Bert Joris, bassist Hein van de Geyn, and drummer Hans Van Oosterhout. Joris was also on board for 2002's Summer Night. The orchestral album Meeting Colours followed three years later. The more intimate Guitars Two appeared in 2008. He then joined bassist van de Geyn, pianist Enrico Pieranunzi, and drummer Joe La Barbera for the 2010 live album Concert in Capbreton. A year later, he delivered the trio date Plays Cole Porter, followed by 2013's warmly sophisticated Côté Jardin. The duo album New Folks with bassist Martin Wind followed a year later. He then joined the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie for 2015's The String Project: Live in Brussels. Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/philip-catherine-mn0000287463/biography

Personnel:  - Philip Catherine - guitars, guitar synthesiser, vocoder;   Jean Claude Petit - Keyboards and synthesisers;  Andre Ceccarelli - drums and percussions;  Jannick Top - electric bass
String Quartet:  Pierre-Yves Defayes (violin);  Roger Berthier (violin);  Pierre Llinares (viola);  Hervé Derrien (cello) with: The Voices of Isabelle and Janet Catherine

Babel

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Amedeo Ariano, Francesca Tandoi, Luca Bulgarelli - Triplets

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:01
Size: 95,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:43)  1. FSR
(4:33)  2. The Sheik of Araby
(5:04)  3. You Don't Know Me
(4:03)  4. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(6:00)  5. I Thought About You
(5:36)  6. Body and Soul
(4:46)  7. Bulgariantandoj
(6:13)  8. When Sunny Gets Blue

A really crackling little album from this Italian trio a group led by drummer Amedeo Ariano, which maybe gives them a slightly different approach to the music than the usual piano trio! Pianist Francesca Tandoi is very much on top of things grabbing notes in bold handfuls, and using them to sculpt a surprisingly soulful sound for the set but many of the tunes are also very strongly driven by the rhythm duo, with Ariano on drums and Luca Bulgarelli on bass the latter of whom we might be discovering here for the first time, but have become instant fans thanks to the richness of his sound! The tunes are all familiar, but they're exploded nicely in that way that only the best trios can do, like the Oscar Peterson combo of the 60s with Ray Brown on bass. There's a female singer in a few spots we assume it's Tandoi but most of the focus is instrumental. Tracks include "I Didn't Know What Time It Was", "FSR", "The Sheik Of Araby", "You Don't Know Me", "BulgArianTandoj", and "When Sunny Gets Blue".  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/887126/Amadeo-Ariano-Luca-Bulgarelli-Francesca-Tandoi:Triplets-Japanese-paper-sleeve-edition

Personnel: Piano – Francesca Tandoi;  Vocals – Francesca Tandoi (tracks: 3,8);  Double Bass – Luca Bulgarelli;  Drums – Amedeo Ariano  

Triplets

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Lisa Bassenge - Borrowed and Blue (Bonus Version)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:28
Size: 120,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray
(4:51)  2. Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home
(3:59)  3. I'll Be Seeing You
(3:00)  4. Keep Me in Your Heart for a While
(7:13)  5. My Man's Gone Now
(5:10)  6. I'll Be Here in the Morning
(2:44)  7. Grandma's Hands
(3:37)  8. Still Crazy After All These Years
(4:36)  9. Norwegian Wood
(4:13) 10. Rambling Man
(6:32) 11. I'll Be Seeing You (Live) [Bonus Track]
(3:21) 12. Keep Me in Your Heart for a While (Live) [Bonus Track]

“Singer Lisa Bassenge entered the jazz scene at the beginning of the 2000s and yet made it unmistakably clear that the jazz concept is too narrow for her. The Berlin artist placed herself as a pop song interpreter, Hildegard Knef adept and Club Icon with the project Micatone. In passing, she occupied a new, exciting musical field and let jazz turn somersaults with new ideas. And she did all this with her very own interpretative strength, which was to become her trademark. Their subsequent albums in German even made it into the pop charts. The media was upside down.  Now there is no peace, but after a trip to producer legend Larry Klein, Lisa Bassenge has now created a new musical environment for herself. Her international trio, consisting of Swedish pianist Jacob Karlzon and Danish bassist Andreas Lang, dig deep into the world of songs. With classics like'Still crazy after all these years', 'Norwegian Wood', soul tunes like 'I feel like breaking up somebody's home', Waren Zevon's 'Keep me in your heart' or the bluesy 'Ramblin' man' the new repertoire is well presented.” https://www.propermusic.com/product-details/Borrowed-and-Blue-259931

Borrowed and Blue (Bonus Version)

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Carme Canela & Joan Monné Trio - Granito De Sal

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:19
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:22)  1. Granito De Sal
(4:41)  2. Ana E Eu
(4:38)  3. Rosa Morena
(6:23)  4. Marta
(5:46)  5. Lucille
(5:24)  6. Te Recuerdo Amanda
(3:46)  7. Julia
(4:55)  8. El Testament D'Amèlia
(5:34)  9. Pannonica
(5:40) 10. La Pomeña
(4:07) 11. Beatriz

Carme Canela is over 50 years old and has been singing professionally for more than three decades, so it must be assumed that her appearance as “new talent” is an attempt to broaden her audience. The most obvious link with jazz is a fine rendition of uncredited English lyrics to Monk’s Pannonica. Otherwise the eclectic repertoire (including Julia by Lennon and McCartney) underlines what I’ve gleaned that she doesn’t see herself as purely a jazz singer. Nevertheless the excellent backing trio is clearly working within the jazz idiom and Carme-la combines musicality and emotion in a delightful manner, with moods and tempos nicely varied. ~ Graham Colombé, Jazz Journal

Personnel:  Carme Canela - vocals;  Joan Monné - piano;  Marko Lohikari - bass;  David Xirgu - drums

Granito De Sal

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David S. Ware Quartet - Corridors & Parallels

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:55
Size: 112,1 MB
Art: Front

( 1:20)  1. Untitled
(10:02)  2. Straight Track
( 4:22)  3. Jazz Sci-Fi
( 5:58)  4. Superimposed
( 3:08)  5. Sound-a-Bye
( 0:37)  6. Untitled
( 8:59)  7. Corridors & Parallels
( 3:11)  8. Somewhere
( 3:17)  9. Spaces Embraces
( 6:07) 10. Mother May You Rest in Bliss
( 1:48) 11. Untitled

On Corridors & Parallels, you can almost feel tenor saxophonist David S. Ware reaching for the sky. It's a high-octane experience. His yearning, seeking vision on the horn always aims for new heights, and on this record he definitely manages to get just a little closer. The new David S. Ware Quartet record distinguishes itself from the first 12 (!!) with the following two features: * it includes electronic music for the first time; and * it represents Ware's big "comeback" from his major label contract.

About that first part, don't be fearful: Matthew Shipp has figured out how to play the synthesizer just fine. And about the second, be joyous: those corporate tentacles always reach into nooks and crannies and manage to smooth out hard edges where they're most needed. Music always works better when those evil tentacles disappear from the scene, in this listener's opinion. It's hard to classify Corridors & Parallels because the record has so many unexpected angles and quirks. "Superimposed," for example, is a duet between Shipp and Ware. Shipp plays a pre-programmed rhythm track along with additional elements dynamically added live. Meanwhile Ware wastes no time in this context to draw ever-narrowing circles of light, but his integration into the rhythmic feel of the piece is patently devoted. (On other tunes, real live drummer Guillermo E. Brown makes himself quite visible. Brown's prowess and versatility are dumbfounding throughout Corridors & Parallels. It's been said before, but the world of music needs more from Guillermo E. Brown. As Ware put it in typical understatement last we talked, "Guillermo can play the drums." Indeed.) Only one tune after "Superimposed," "Sound-A-Bye" takes an eastern drone effect to its physical and virtual limits. Here Ware challenges the stereotype that his music must always be fast and furious; and the argument is quite compelling. Bells, gongs, and church-like keyboards accompany Ware on a five-minute excursion through just about as many notes. (And that's not under-exaggerating by much.) About Shipp's melodic synthesizer on Corridors & Parallels : it's generally not terribly polyphonic, and he generally doesn't change voices midway through a piece. That, of course, converts Shipp's role from the wildly unpredictable, explosive human dynamo to the pensive and taciturn commentator. He's an extremely smart player, so he adapts well to the new role. It's interesting. It works. When he chooses to play synth drums, the product can be so good it fools the human ear into thinking about drum kits. (Fooled mine on "Superimposed," until I learned the truth.) Ware has invaded a new dimension of sound on Corridors & Parallels. He's making more use textured drumming, including Guillermo Brown's many colors of expression, and he's reinvented Shipp's role in the group. This new effort is a fine record: a living document of an group in flux, and a stand-alone work of art. It will be quite revealing to hear what happens next after such a dramatic change. This is living, breathing music. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/corridors-and-parallels-aum-fidelity-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: David S. Ware: tenor saxophone; Matthew Shipp: synthesizer; William Parker: bass; Guillermo E. Brown: drums.

Corridors & Parallels

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Enrico Rava - Flashback

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:32
Size: 157,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:15)  1. Misterioso
( 8:35)  2. The Way You Look Tonight
( 8:53)  3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
( 9:47)  4. Line for Lyons
( 3:07)  5. Nature Boy
(10:28)  6. Old Devil Moon
( 7:01)  7. I'll Close My Eyes
( 5:25)  8. There's No You
( 7:57)  9. Misterioso - 2nd emotion

This hugely popular trumpet player (born in Trieste, Italy in 1939) almost single-handedly brought Italian jazz to international attention. He began playing Dixieland trombone in Turin, but after hearing Miles Davis, switched instruments and embraced the modern style. Other key meetings were with Gato Barbieri, with whom he recorded movie soundtracks in 1962, and Chet Baker. He began to play with Steve Lacy; he also teamed up with South African expatriates Louis Moholo and John Dyani and recorded The Forest and the Zoo (ESP) live in Argentina. In 1967, he moved to New York, playing with Roswell Rudd, Marion Brown, Rashied Ali, Cecil Taylor, and Charlie Haden. In a brief return to Europe, Rava recorded with Lee Konitz (Stereokonitz, RCA) and Manfred Schoof (European Echoes, FMP). From 1969 to 1976, he was back in New York, recording Escalator Over the Hill with Carla Bley's Jazz Composers' Orchestra. After his first album as a leader, Il Giro del Giorno in 80 Mondi (Black Saint), he began to lead his own pianoless quartets and quintets. His recorded output numbers 100 records, 30 as a leader. ECM has reissued some of his essential recordings of the '70s, like The Pilgrim and the Stars, The Plot, and Enrico Rava Quartet, while Soul Note and Label Bleu published CDs by his innovative Electric Five (in reality a sextet, as he always excludes himself from the count), which includes two electric guitars. 

With keyboard master Franco D'Andrea and trumpeter Paolo Fresu, Rava recorded Bix and Pop (Philology) and Shades of Chet, tributes to Bix Beiderbecke and Armstrong, and to Chet Baker, respectively. Also of note are Rava, L'opera Va and Carmen, gorgeous readings of opera arias. In 2001, he created a new quintet with young talents Gianluca Petrella, Stefano Bollani, Rosario Bonaccorso, and Roberto Gatto, and toured with old friends Roswell Rudd and Gato Barbieri, releasing Easy Living with them in 2004 on ECM. Three years later, after Bollani, who had struck out as a solo player, was replaced by Andrea Pozza, The Words and the Days came out. In 2007, Rava and pianist Stefano Bollani released The Third Man on ECM. Rava followed the released in 2009 with New York Days, a collection of moody originals with a film noir tinge, backed by a band that included Bollani, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Paul Motian. Rava broke in a new all-Italian quintet for Tribe, which was issued by ECM in the fall of 2011. 

Its members included trombonist Gianluca Petrella, pianist Giovanni Guidi, bassist Gabriele Evangelista, and drummer Fabrizio Sferra. Guitarist Giacomo Ancillotto also guested on the set, expanding the lineup on various selections. Rava made a wide left turn for 2012's On the Dance Floor. Amazingly, the trumpeter only became aware of pop singer Michael Jackson's music after his death, and he became obsessed with it. 

The album, his tribute to what he considers the late singer's contribution to 20th century music, was recorded with Parco della Musica Jazz Lab at the Rome Auditorium; it is entirely comprised of Jackson's material.~ Francesco Martinelli https://www.allmusic.com/artist/enrico-rava-mn0000182392/biography

Personnel:  Enrico Rava (tp, flgh), Gianni Basso (tenor sax), Stefano Bollani (p), Ares Tavolazzi (bass), Massimo Manzi (drums)

Flashback

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Jack Reilly Trio - November

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 45:42
Size: 83,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:16)  1. With a Song in My Heart
(10:09)  2. January
( 7:34)  3. Minor Your Own Amos
( 8:42)  4. November
( 5:56)  5. Lento for Carol
( 6:03)  6. Kyrie

Pianist Jack Reilly has the unenviable position of being an artist well respected and admired by his peers for his composing and performing faculties, but never quite achieving that level of public acclaim his prodigious talents deserve. There was no one defining moment when the pianist decided jazz was to be his livelihood. It grew on him as he hung out at community jazz joints on Staten Island listening to the local piano players. He was pushed over the edge when he heard the modernism of the Lennie Tristano Quintet and made his musical debut with John LaPorta in 1958 at the Newport Jazz Festival. Over the years, he has worked with Ben Webster and with the George Russell Big Band. Reilly has an impressive musical education resumé. In addition to private studies with Tristano, Reilly also studied with the shadowy but influential Hall Overton and composer of contemporary music Ludmila Ulehla. It is this background that compelled Reilly's attention to the instrument. With his exceptional technical skills and musical sensitivity, he could have stuck to the tried-and-true form of standard jazz and pop repertoire. Rather, he took the high-risk but rewarding road of playing his own compositions which are vignettes of modern jazz. His highly engaging compositions can be heard to best advantage on The Brinksman, with a stunning "Masks," and two masterful albums Tzu-Jan: The Sound of the Tarot, Vol. 1 and a second volume covering the same theme. These extraordinary recordings provide an impressionist evocation of the exotic Thoth Tarot Cards. Even when working in the standard material idiom, there is a sense that the songs are being turned out in an entirely new set of clothes. Reilly's creative horizons extend beyond shorter works to larger ones such as a "Jazz Requiem," "Jazz Oratorio," and "Theme and Variations for Orchestra" as well as to classical forms. The world premier of "Orbitals, Piano Concerto took place in 2001 in Michigan. His more than 300 shorter pieces include blues, children's lullabies, jazz tunes, and music for the theater, including music for a play by Samuel Beckett. Given his history, his accomplishments, and his interests, Jack Reilly has made him a melodious Renaissance man, and because of this is clearly an artist deserving of far wider recognition. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/november-feat-jack-six-ronnie-bedford/1068761621

November

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Charles Aznavour - L'Olympia Fevrier 1976 (Concert Integral)

Size: 119,9+119,4 MB
Time: 51:01+50:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Chanson, French Pop
Art: Full

CD 1:
01. Le Temps (Live Olympia 1976) (3:12)
02. Bienvenue A L'olympia (Live Olympia 1976) (1:09)
03. Marie Quand Tu T'en Vas (Live Olympia 1976) (2:56)
04. Je T'aime (Live Olympia 1976) (4:18)
05. Mais C'etait Hier (Live Olympia 1976) (2:36)
06. Si Tu M'emportes (Live Olympia 1976) (2:33)
07. Voila Que Tu Reviens (Live Olympia 1976) (2:29)
08. She (Live Olympia 1976) (2:13)
09. Presentation De La Chanson 'ils Sont Tombes' (Live Olympia 1976) (0:12)
10. Ils Sont Tombes (Live Olympia 1976) (4:23)
11. Par Gourmandise (Live Olympia 1976) (4:37)
12. Mourir D'aimer (Live Olympia 1976) (3:36)
13. Non, Je N'ai Rien Oublie (Live Olympia 1976) (6:02)
14. Que C’est Triste Venise (Live Olympia 1976) (2:25)
15. Comme Ils Disent (Live Olympia 1976) (4:38)
16. Emmenez-Moi (Live Olympia 1976) (3:38)

CD 2:
01. Merci Madame La Vie (Live Olympia 1976) (2:27)
02. Ciao Mon Coeur Ciao (Live Olympia 1976) (2:52)
03. Presentations Des Musiciens (Live Olympia 1976) (3:37)
04. Presentation De Danielle Licari (Live Olympia 1976) (2:10)
05. Comme Des Roses (Live Olympia 1976) (3:14)
06. Me Voila Seul (Live Olympia 1976) (4:38)
07. J’ai Vecu (Live Olympia 1976) (2:49)
08. La Boheme (Live Olympia 1976) (3:59)
09. Tu T' Laisses Aller (Live Olympia 1976) (3:56)
10. Hier Encore (Live Olympia 1976) (3:57)
11. La Mamma (Live Olympia 1976) (4:14)
12. Les Plaisirs Demodes (Live Olympia 1976) (3:54)
13. Il Faut Savoir (Live Olympia 1976) (3:05)
14. Presentation De La Chanson 'je M' Voyais Deja' (Live Olympia 1976) (0:16)
15. Je M' Voyais Deja (Live Olympia 1976) (5:41)

Charles Aznavour is perhaps the best-known French music hall entertainer in the world -- renowned the world over for the bittersweet love songs he has written and sung, which seem to embody the essence of French popular song, and also for his appearances on screen in such wildly divergent fare as Shoot the Piano Player, Candy, and The Tin Drum. His status as the quintessential French popular culture icon is something of an irony for a man who identifies himself most closely with his Armenian heritage. Born Shahnour Varenagh Aznavourian, his French roots derive from the fact that his family fled the threat of massacre by the Turks -- his father was a singer and sometime-restauranteur, while his mother was an actress and part-time seamstress. His father's singing, done in a notably impassioned style, heavily influenced Aznavour's approach to singing as a boy. Although he had a voracious appetite for music, he also had a serious impediment growing up, in the form of a paralyzed vocal cord that gave his voice a raspy quality. He channeled some of his energy into theater, making both his stage and screen debuts at age nine, in 1933, in the theater piece Un Bon Petite Diable and in the film La Guerre des Gosses. As an adolescent, he danced in nightclubs and sold newspapers, as well as touring with theatrical companies, and he wrote a nightclub act in partnership with Pierre Roche -- Aznavour wrote the lyrics to their songs and it was through that material that he began his singing career. Early on, he learned to overcome his fears about his vocal limitations, in part with help from singing legend Edith Piaf, for whom he worked as a chauffeur, among other capacities; with her help, he developed a style that suited his capabilities and played to his strengths and also continued writing songs in earnest, some of which were performed by Piaf.

His success came very slowly, however. Aznavour at first found some difficulty being accepted as a composer in France or anywhere else. His compositions, although considered tame by any modern standard, were regarded as too risqué for French radio and were banned from the airwaves for a decade or more, from the late '40s through the end of the 1950s; American publishers seemed equally reticent about them, as he discovered on a visit to New York in 1948. That trip did yield his first performing engagement in the city, however, at the Cafe Society Downtown in Greenwich Village. For the next decade, Aznavour made his living as a performer in second-tier clubs and middle- or bottom-of-the-bill berths on three continents. His mix of daringly original and frank love songs, coupled with a limited but very expressive singing style, left audiences somewhat bewildered at first.

His breakthrough came in 1956, during a vaudeville engagement in Casablanca, where the audience reaction was so positive that Aznavour was moved to headliner status. After this, it became easier for the singer to find better engagements in France; by 1958 he even had a recording contract. He made his screen debut that same year in a dramatic role, playing an epileptic in George Franju's La Tete Contre les Muirs. He also composed music for Alex Joff's Du Rififi Chez Les Femmes in 1958; from there, he moved on to bigger roles in better movies, including Jean Cocteau's Testament of Orpheus and Francois Truffaut's Shoot the Piano Player. The latter movie turned Aznavour into a screen star in France and opened the way for his breakthrough in America. He sang at Carnegie Hall in the early '60s and followed this up in 1965 with a one-man show, The World of Charles Aznavour, at the Ambassador Hotel in New York, which drew rave notices from audiences and critics alike. By that time, the once-struggling singer had secured his first American LP release with the similarly titled album The World of Charles Aznavour on Reprise Records, the label founded and run by Frank Sinatra.

Aznavour would be the last to compare himself with those whom he regards as truly gifted vocalists, such as Sinatra and Mel Torme, preferring to think of himself as a composer who also happens to sing. His style of performing has been compared variously to Maurice Chevalier and Sinatra and has remained enduringly popular for four decades. Almost all of Aznavour's songs deal with love and its permutations, running the gamut from upbeat, joyous pieces such as "Apres l'amour" and "J'Ai Perdu la Tete" to the dark-hued "J'en Deduis Que Je t'Aime" and "Bon Anniversaire." A teetotaler and a racing car enthusiast, Aznavour has been married three times and has three children. ~Bruce Eder

L'Olympia Fevrier 1976

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Jennifer Hartswick - Nexus

Size: 86,8 MB
Time: 37:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. You Can't Take It Back (4:37)
02. Numb (4:58)
03. Silent Waves (4:37)
04. Stay (3:53)
05. Blue Rose (5:57)
06. Do I Move You (5:20)
07. Drowning (3:36)
08. I Who Have Nothing (4:34)

Trumpeter and vocalist, Jennifer Hartswick is one of the most exciting performers in music today. She exudes confidence and joy and brings her own refreshing spirit to the stage every time she performs. Jennifers music is honest, soulful and comes with a maturity far beyond her years. Hartswick is an original member of the Trey Anastasio Band and has recorded/shared the stage with Herbie Hancock, Phish, Christian McBride, Tom Petty, Aaron Neville, Carlos Santana, The Rolling Stones, Big Gigantic, Dave Matthews, Meghan Trainor and countless others. Jennifers live performances are renowned as spontaneous, joyful and contagious. Her natural charisma and sincerity shines through, and each performance is a celebration of musical collaboration. And whether she is wailing on the trumpet or singing an intimate vocal solo, her performance is all part of a single seamless instrument, one that is played not only with astounding technical proficiency, but also with sensitivity, conviction and heart. Nicholas Cassarino (Nth Power, Big Daddy Kane) "oozes more soul in one finger than most guitarists could create in a lifetime......with a voice that immediately wraps the room in sex appeal". Jennifer and Nicholas have been playing, writing, laughing, and storytelling for almost two decades. Born and raised in Vermont, their bond is ever present in this intimate acoustic duo. Hartswick and Cassarino have each made names for themselves, touring tirelessly. Their passion, dedication and sophistication are evident in their joyous, soulful performances, providing audiences with a truly special musical experience.

Nexus  

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Jimmie Smith - Live In Music City: Jimmie Smith Plays Jimmy Smith

Size: 184,9 MB
Time: 79:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz, Blues
Art: Front

01. The Cat (Live) ( 5:41)
02. Get Yourself A Collage Girl (Live) ( 9:24)
03. Midnight Special (Live) (11:57)
04. The Sermon - I Feel Good (Live) ( 7:00)
05. I've Got My Mojo Workin' (Live) ( 7:56)
06. I Really Love My Hammond (Live) (11:49)
07. Root Down (And Get It) (Live) ( 7:09)
08. Oh Happy Day (Live) ( 5:36)
09. Drum Solo - Funky Broadway - Jam (Live) ( 3:34)
10. Only God Can (Live) ( 9:46)

Jimmy Smith was an American musician who released several high-performing instrumental albums which made the Hammond organ popular. He forged a link between 1960s and 1970s soul and jazz improvisation and, in 2005, was awarded the NEA Jazz Masters Award. Already, he has my interest but there is also a Jimmie (with an “ie”) Smith – alive and making music in the U.S. and he happens also to be a great Hammond player.

He has made an album in tribute to the first Jimmy Smith: Live in Music City: Jimmie Smith Plays Jimmy Smith is a live recording, produced by Grammy-nominated producer Bro. Paul Brown. Also of the Waterboys, Brown added his own inputs to the final produced album, as he is an accomplished keyboard player, as well. The album is described by Paul himself as “a live raw Hammond B3 soul-jazz gospel album, and tribute to the late great Jimmy Smith.”

Live in Music City: Jimmie Smith Plays Jimmy Smith features tracks such as “Get Yourself a College Girl,” which is a swinging, soul-infused number highlighting many of the features of the Hammond B3 – including special effects. The theme, which includes a version of what sounds like a cross between “Johnny Goes Marching Home” and “The Animals Went Marching Two by Two,” is horn-infused, jazzy and bluesy at the same time. There is a glorious guitar solo from James DaSilva, followed by a simply beautiful trumpet delivery from Jon-Paul Frappier (principal trumpet and arranger of Denver Pops Orchestra, no less) which is utterly gorgeous. There is also some pretty nifty, thrifty Hammond playing from Jimmie himself.

Live In Music City

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Lorraine Feather - Math Camp

Size: 120,6 MB
Time: 51:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Don't Mean To Make A Big Deal Of It (5:27)
02. Random Activity (6:16)
03. Hadron, Meson, Baryon (4:38)
04. Euphoria (6:55)
05. Math Camp (6:16)
06. I'll See You Yesterday (5:32)
07. It All Adds Up (2:31)
08. The Rules Don't Apply (4:18)
09. In A Hot Minute (5:17)
10. Some Kind Of Einstein (4:43)

Personnel:
Vocals: Lorraine Feather
Piano: Fred Hersch, Shelly Berg, Russell Ferrante
Bass: James Genus, Michael Valerio
Drums: Terri Lyne Carrington, Michael Shapiro
Guitar: Gilad Hekselman, Grant Geissman, Eddie Arkin
Clarinet, alto flute: Dan Higgins

Lorraine Feather, a native of New York City who grew up in Los Angeles, is the daughter of jazz critic Leonard Feather and his wife, Jane (a professional singer), while jazz legend Billie Holiday was her godmother. Exposed to a variety of music in her household, such a career almost seemed to be her destiny, though her parents neither pushed nor discouraged her. After finishing school, Feather returned to Manhattan to pursue acting, doing a bit of singing to pay the bills, including cabaret. She was in the Broadway and touring casts of Jesus Christ Superstar and later sang backup for Grand Funk Railroad and Petula Clark.

Open to many musical interests, Feather began focusing on jazz in the late '70s, making her debut on an album by pianist Joanne Grauer and recording her first jazz LP for Concord (Sweet Lorraine) in 1978. In the 1990s, Feather became a first-rate jazz singer as a member of the vocal group Full Swing, developing her expressive contralto to capture the essence of every song. She began regularly contributing lyrics to their repertoire, but her writing career blossomed when she began recording on her own. Her ability to write lyrics to challenging, often obscure instrumentals by Fats Waller and Duke Ellington, while also collaborating with several excellent, currently active songwriters, has impressed many jazz critics. Humor is especially her strong suit ("Imaginary Guy," "You're Outa Here," "Antarctica," and "Indiana Lana"), though her ballads, swing vehicles, and pop songs also merit strong praise.

Feather has also written extensively for television (she has earned seven Emmy nominations) and movie soundtracks, including The Jungle Book 2 and Julie Andrews' vocal comeback in The Princess Diaries 2. Opera star Jessye Norman performed one of her songs ("Faster, Higher, Stronger") at the opening of the 1996 Olympics. ~by Ken Dryden

Math Camp

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Tessa Souter - Picture In Black And White

Size: 118,6 MB
Time: 50:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Kothbiro (4:17)
02. Contemplation (Ancestors) (4:06)
03. A Taste Of Honey (3:31)
04. Dancing Girl Where The Streets Have No Name (5:04)
05. Ana Maria's Song (Ana Maria) (3:39)
06. Child Of Love (4:10)
07. Picture In Black And White (3:42)
08. You Don't Have To Believe (3:45)
09. Reynardine (4:26)
10. Siren Song (5:52)
11. Lonely Woman (5:15)
12. Nothing Will Be As It Was (3:03)

Concept albums are common in rock, but rare in the jazz realm. Tessa Souter's "Picture in Black and White" breaks that mold. Souter, a Rochester favorite after multiple jazz festival appearances, has created an exquisite musical exploration of her identity. At the age 28, she discovered that her birth father was black and her roots reached from Africa to the Caribbean, from Celtic Britain to Andalusian Spain. Musical strains from all of these places permeate the album.

Among the many highlights: on the opener, "Kothbiro," Souter harmonizes with herself beautifully in the Kenyan language of Dholuo; her composition "Dancing Girl" segues so perfectly into U2's "Where The Streets Have No Name," you'd think the two songs had always been together. Additionally, Souter wrote poignant lyrics to Wayne Shorter's "Ana Maria" with Shorter's blessing. Souter eventually met her biological father, and the title tune reflects her feelings about him.

With gorgeous tone and impeccable phrasing, Souter's voice is thrilling throughout. Arrangements are nicely sparse, with all of the players -- guitarist and oud player Yotam Silberstein, Adam Platt on piano, cellist Dana Leong, Yasushi Nakamura on bass; drummer Billy Drummond, and Keita Ogawa on percussion -- providing the perfect lift for this journey. ~ By Ron Netsky

Picture In Black And White

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Charlie Rouse & Seldon Powell - We Paid Our Dues!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:10
Size: 92,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:52)  1. Two For One
(5:53)  2. When Sunny Gets Blue
(7:18)  3. For Lester
(5:48)  4. Quarter Moon
(6:07)  5. Bowl Of Soul
(7:09)  6. I Should Care

Possessor of a distinctive tone and a fluid bop-oriented style, Charlie Rouse was in Thelonious Monk's Quartet for over a decade (1959-1970) and, although somewhat taken for granted, was an important ingredient in Monk's music. Rouse was always a modern player and he worked with Billy Eckstine's orchestra (1944) and the first Dizzy Gillespie big band (1945), making his recording debut with Tadd Dameron in 1947. Rouse popped up in a lot of important groups including Duke Ellington's Orchestra (1949-1950), Count Basie's octet (1950), on sessions with Clifford Brown in 1953, and with Oscar Pettiford's sextet (1955). He co-led the Jazz Modes with Julius Watkins (1956-1959), and then joined Monk for a decade of extensive touring and recordings. In the 1970s he recorded a few albums as a leader, and in 1979 he became a member of Sphere. Charlie Rouse's unique sound began to finally get some recognition during the 1980s. He participated on Carmen McRae's classic Carmen Sings Monk album and his last recording was at a Monk tribute concert. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-rouse-mn0000176387/biography

A veteran tenor saxophonist and flutist, Seldon Powell adjusted and honed his style over the years, being flexible enough to play anything from swing to hard bop and in between. He wasn't the greatest soloist, most ambitious composer, or most spectacular arranger; he was simply a good, consistent player who survived many changes and trends to remain active from the late '40s until the '90s. Powell was classically trained in New York, then worked briefly with Tab Smith in 1949 before joining Lucky Millinder and recording with him in 1950. Powell was in the military in 1950 and 1951, then became a studio musician in New York. He worked and recorded with Louis Bellson, Neal Hefti, Friedrich Gulda, Johnny Richards, and Billy Ver Planck in the mid- and late '50s. Powell also played with Sy Oliver and Erskine Hawkins, and studied at Juilliard. He traveled to Europe with Benny Goodman's band in 1958, and worked briefly with Woody Herman. Powell was a staff player for ABC television in the '60s, and also played and recorded with Buddy Rich, Bellson, Clark Terry, and Ahmed Abdul-Malik. 

He did a number of soul-jazz and pop dates in the late '60s and early '70s, among them a session with Groove Holmes and big-band dates backing Gato Barbieri and Dizzy Gillespie. Powell was principal soloist in Gerry Mulligan's 16-piece band at the JVC Jazz Festival in New York in 1987. He recorded as a leader for Roost and Epic. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/seldon-powell-mn0000005234/biography

Personnel: 
The Charlie Rouse Quartet : Charlie Rouse - Tenor Saxophone;  Gildo Mahones - Piano;  Reggie Workman - Bass;  Arthur Taylor - Drums

The Seldon Powell Quartet : Seldon Powell - Tenor Saxophone, Flute;  Lloyd Mayers - Piano;  Peck Morrison - Bass;  Denzil Best - Drums

We Paid Our Dues!

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Woong San - Temptation

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:05
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Use Me
(3:50)  2. The Look Of Love
(5:33)  3. Get Up, Stand Up
(4:10)  4. Light My Fire
(3:46)  5. You Hurt Me
(4:04)  6. Black Magic Woman
(6:59)  7. Papa Was A Rolling Stone
(5:19)  8. Night Away
(4:42)  9. Between The Sheets
(4:35) 10. Loving You Was Like A Party
(4:52) 11. Temptation
(4:22) 12. Someday

Woong San, the poetical voice that combines glossiness and smoky and the best vocalist who fascinates the audience with a unique soft aura. He grew up with a scholar's father and has a unique career to enter the temple from the age of 17. The legal name given during the training, "Woong San (Yuyama)", one day during hard training, I realize that myself is singing "songs" unconsciously. After that, I go down the mountain where there is a temple and start walking the way to the singer. Although the genre chosen at that time was ROCK, the record of Billy Holiday which was handed over from her friend to her who learns music curiously curiously regardless of the genre greatly changes her fate. That was the encounter of fate with JAZZ. From there, actively participate in live performances, performances, music productions, gradually earn fans. In 2004, the 1st album "Introducing Woong San" (Korean version is EMI label "Love Letters") was released simultaneously in Japan and Korea, established a firm position as "Korea's best Jazz singer", and also gained attention in Japan . When the 2nd album "Call Me" (Korean version is "The Blues") was released in Japan in 2005, fans who wish to be healed by her voice rapidly increased. In Korea I challenged the genre called Blues which no one tried, so this album was able to make a pronounation of "Blues Album" pronoun. In addition, during this period, it was a hot reaction of two albums released in both Japan and South Korea, it became the first A list artist as a Korean, and it is also the time when the place of LIVE jumped rapidly in both Japan and Korea.  In 2007, 7 of 13 songs announced 3rd album "Yesterday" (Korean version) of original (lyrics and composition) production. Record sales supporting the popularity beyond Jazz's frame, received "Korean Popular Music Awards Ceremony Jazz & Crossover Best Sound Award", "Korean Popular Music Awards Ceremony Jazz & Crossover Best Song (yesterday)".  

After that, in July 2008 I performed a nationwide tour. Participate in "Jazz Super Express Project Band" together with popular Japanese musician, TOKU, Kosuke Onuma, perform performances in Japan and other countries including Blue Note and Billboard Live, the possibilities spread more and make the tour a great success . In December 2008, "Feel Like Making Love" (Korean version is "Fall in Love") was announced in Japan and Korea from Pony Canyon as the first major Japanese debut album. 

He steadily increased the number of fans and became a major label transfer that can be said to have won evaluation in Japan. December 2009 "Close Your Eyes" released. Swing journal selection ?gold disc? It is chosen as the 43rd phase of the eighth period. Started activities in Japan since 1998, over 500 performances and tours nationwide four times a year, what she has sought worldwide. It is "human intact freedom". I want you to touch music that is full of her strong feelings and affection. Translate by Google http://woongsan.ponycanyon.co.jp/&prev=search

Temptation

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Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Kirkatron

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet And Flute Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:06
Size: 112,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Serenade To A Cuckoo
(5:29)  2. This Masquerade
(3:27)  3. Sugar
(0:26)  4. Los Angeles Negro Chorus
(6:42)  5. Steppin' Into Beauty
(3:36)  6. Christmas Song
(2:18)  7. Bagpipe Medley
(0:23)  8. Mary Mcleod Bethune
(4:10)  9. Bright Moments
(4:10) 10. Lyriconon
(4:58) 11. Night In Tunisia
(7:44) 12. J. Griff's Blues

Shortly after Rahsaan Roland Kirk finished his first album for Warner Brothers, he suffered a major stroke that put him out of action and greatly shortened his life. His second LP for the label was actually comprised of leftovers from the earlier session plus three songs taken from an appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival; the latter has been reissued on CD in a sampler but the other selections (which include "Serenade to a Cuckoo," his cover of "This Masquerade," "Sugar," "The Christmas Song" and "Bright Moments") remain out of print. This LP (which finds him mostly sticking to tenor), Kirk's next-to-last album, has enough highlights to make it worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/kirkatron-mw0000869726

Personnel:   Rahsaan Roland Kirk - tenor saxophone, manzello, stritch, clarinet, flute

Kirkatron

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Eddie Palmieri - Arete

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:38
Size: 119,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:44)  1. Don't Stop The Train
(5:08)  2. Definitely In
(9:14)  3. Sisters
(4:00)  4. Crew
(7:53)  5. Waltz For My Grandchildren
(5:57)  6. Caribbean Mood
(5:48)  7. Oblique
(6:52)  8. Sixes In Motion

Pianist/composer Eddie Palmieri has long been a giant of Afro-Cuban (or Latin) jazz. While some recordings in this idiom lean too far in one direction not enough jazz improvising, or in other cases, a percussion section that sounds as if it were added on as an afterthought Palmieri has struck a perfect balance. In trumpeter Brian Lynch, trombonist Conrad Herwig and altoist Donald Harrison, he has three strong soloists who match well with the trio of percussionists. In addition to Palmieri, bassist John Benitez and drummer Adam Cruz (the latter is on just four of the eight Palmieri originals) are flexible enough to play both swing and Latin. A strong plus to this date are the compositions/arrangements of Palmieri, which pay close attention to varying moods, instrumental colors and grooves. Consistently complex and unpredictable, the music is still always quite accessible and enjoyable, thanks to the percussionists. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/arete-mw0000177365
 

Personnel:  Eddie Palmieri - piano;  Richie Flores - congas; Jose "Cochi" Claussell - timbales, percussion;  John Benitez - bass;  Adam Cruz - drums;  Paoli Mejias - bongo

Arete

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Jeb Patton - Tenthish, Live In New York

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Zec
(4:52)  2. Tenthish
(6:03)  3. Third Movement
(6:13)  4. This Can't Be Love
(3:45)  5. Reflections In D
(5:55)  6. Sophisticated Lady
(6:04)  7. Johnny Come Lately
(5:29)  8. I'll Never Stop Loving You
(8:55)  9. Royal Garden Blues / Kelly Blue
(3:15) 10. Overtime

Recorded at New York's Mezzrow, in the heart of Greenwich Village, the Jeb Patton Trio delights with clever arrangement of jazz classics and some lesser known gems from the likes of Thad Jones and Phineas Newborn Jr. Tenthish was recorded in front of an audience of 35 invited guests and the trio including bassist David Wong and drummer Rodney Green are clearly enjoying the proceedings. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Tenthish-Live-New-York-Patton/dp/B07FNR8TH8

Personnel: Jeb Patton on piano; David Wong on bass, Rodney Green on drums

Tenthish, Live In New York

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Harry Allen & Rossano Sportiello - Conversations

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:03
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:53)  1. Like Someone In Love
(4:33)  2. Imagination
(5:07)  3. It Could Happen To You
(5:23)  4. But Beautiful
(6:37)  5. Personality
(4:37)  6. I Wish You Needed Me
(7:02)  7. Pennies From Heaven
(6:28)  8. Moonlight Becomes You
(5:27)  9. If Love Ain't There
(4:25) 10. Oh! You Crazy Moon
(4:41) 11. Swinging On A Star
(2:45) 12. What's New?

"Conversations" is a duo recording by tenor saxophonist Harry Allen and pianist Rossano Sportiello featuring the music of famed lyricist Johnny Burke (most noted for his long-time collaboration with Jimmy Van Heusen). Titled "Conversations" because of the intimate nature of the music… a conversation between two musicians who strive for beauty in the music. Features the great jazz standards "What's New?", "It Could Happen To You", "But Beautiful", "Moonlight Becomes You", "Like Someone In Love", "Swinging On A Star" plus many more. Harry Allen has recorded over 40 CDs as a leader and frequently tours the United States, Europe and Asia performing at the world's best jazz festivals and jazz clubs. Rossano Sportiello has recorded prolifically and is in demand as both a leader and a sideman, touring the globe constantly, headlining at jazz festivals, concerts and jazz clubs. What the critics say: This aptly named album demonstrates the magic that results when two outstanding and simpatico jazz players engage in musical dialogue.  Allen and Sportiello have been playing together frequently, mostly in a quartet format for about two years, and the empathy that has developed between them is immediately evident to anyone who hears this disc.  Both are among the best current players on their instruments, and the pairing of the two a match made in musical Heaven. ~ Joe Lang https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/harryallenrossanosportie

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone  - Harry Allen; Piano – Rossano Sportiello

Conversations

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Francesca Tandoi - Wind Dance

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:15
Size: 139,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:59)  1. I Could Write a Book
(5:27)  2. Magic Three
(3:34)  3. This Can´t Be Love
(6:40)  4. Clair De Lune
(4:58)  5. Thou Swell
(6:07)  6. Where Do You Start
(4:38)  7. Just You, Just Me
(4:03)  8. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:26)  9. Wind Dance
(7:22) 10. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life
(5:56) 11. Fried Pies

The 31-year-old Francesca Tandoi has been busy since 2014 with an advance in the jazz world. The originally Italian musician has released two albums on the Japanese jazz label Atelier Sawano and in the country of the rising sun alone 10,000 copies were sold. For jazz concepts no numbers to be ashamed of. Wind Dance is the new CD and it has all the ingredients to make the success grow. To begin with, Tandoi shows impressive piano skills. Her fingers seem to be loose, so smoothly she flies over her keyboard in the swinging tracks. It is striking that, in addition to her virtuosity, she still has a fairly soft massaging touch. That comes into its own in the quiet songs in which romance and melancholy breathe. That atmosphere gets an extra dimension when Tandoi is also blessed with a beautiful singing voice full of warmth and sensuality. Secretly it is a bit of a shame that she sings in only four of the eleven songs. And that is the only comment on Wind Dance. A delightful record on which Tandoi is accompanied by none other than bassist Frans van Geest and drummer Frits Landesbergen. Translate by Google http://www.sergejulien.nl/albumrecensie-francesca-tandoi-trio-wind-dance/

Personnel:  Francesca Tandoi: piano & vocal ;  Frans van Geest: bass;  Frits Landesbergen: drums

Wind Dance

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Christian Scott - Christian Scott Collection

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:44
Size: 173,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:46)  1. The Uprising
( 5:19)  2. Rewind That
( 5:29)  3. The Eraser
( 6:25)  4. When Marissa Stands Her Ground
( 5:48)  5. Cease Fire
( 6:53)  6. Jenacide (The Inevitable Rise and Fall of the Bloodless Revolution)
( 6:29)  7. Say It
( 4:45)  8. Spy Boy/Flag Boy
( 6:39)  9. Like That
( 3:33) 10. The Red Rooster
( 7:07) 11. The American't
(11:26) 12. Litany Against Fear

Forward-thinking jazz trumpeter Christian Scott has built a career balancing both jazz tradition and commercial expectation with a sound that touches upon modal jazz, contemporary R&B, experimental hip-hop, and ruminative art-rock. The 2014 Scott anthology, Christian Scott Collection, compiles tracks off his various Concord albums including 2006's Rewind That, 2007's Anthem, 2010's Yesterday You Said Tomorrow, 2011's Ninety Miles, and 2012's Christian a Tunde Adjuah. While Scott's overall approach to making jazz is an eclectic cross-genre one, his sound has remained largely cohesive. Working with a regular crew of sidemen, including guitarist Matthew Stevens, keyboardist Lawrence Fields, bassist Kristopher Keith Funn, and drummer Jamire Williams, among others, Scott quickly developed a group concept for his wide-ranging compositions. While his warm, harmonically adventurous trumpet playing brings to mind the influence of such titans as Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard, his overall sound is anything but straight-ahead and traditional. Songs like arid "Eraser" and the languid, dramatic "American't," while certainly registering as instrumental, improvisational music, have as much in common with the ruminative, experimental post-rock of bands like Radiohead and Tortoise as they do with any instrumental jazz. Even when Scott delves deep into sultry, laid-back soul-jazz as he does on the half-lidded slow jam, "Like That," it ends up sounding less like a vintage '70s CTI recording (although that does come to mind) and more like a contemporary Christian Scott recording. Ultimately, with Christian Scott Collection, it's evident just how well Scott's highly cross-pollinated jazz holds together from album to album. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/christian-scott-collection-mw0002766077

Personnel:  Christian Scott – Trumpet;  Walter Smith III – Saxophone;  Matthew Stevens – Guitar;  Lugues Curtis – Electric Bass;  Milton Fletcher, Jr. – Piano

Christian Scott Collection

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