Freddie Hubbard - Bolivia

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:07
Size: 123,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:45)  1. Homegrown
( 6:58)  2. Bolivia
( 6:34)  3. God Bless the Child
( 7:33)  4. Dear John
(10:02)  5. Managua
( 8:13)  6. Third World

Freddie Hubbard is in decent but not quite prime form on this CD; his tone was starting to decline ever so gradually. His sidemen were quite strong (Ralph Moore on tenor, altoist Vincent Herring, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist David Williams and drummer Billy Higgins), the material is superior (highlighted by "Bolivia," Hubbard's "Dear John" and a few of his recent Latin-flavored originals) and overall the music is satisfying enough to make this a recommended disc to fans of the modern mainstream. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/bolivia-mw0000268232

Personnel:  Freddie Hubbard – trumpet;  Vincent Herring – alto saxophone;  Ralph Moore – tenor saxophone;  Cedar Walton – piano;  David Williams – bass;  Billy Higgins – drums

Bolivia

---

Cal Tjader - Sentimental Moods

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:53
Size: 170,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:36)  1. I Should Care
(2:39)  2. Spring Is Here
(2:59)  3. Time Was
(3:17)  4. Star Eyes
(3:16)  5. Stella By Starlight
(4:29)  6. Alone Together
(2:20)  7. Ode To A Beat Generation
(2:39)  8. Skylark
(3:10)  9. Martha
(4:01) 10. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas
(3:25) 11. Running Out
(2:28) 12. Racoon Strait
(3:41) 13. The Last Luff
(4:40) 14. Sigmund Stern Groove
(1:38) 15. Coit Tower
(6:03) 16. Triple T Blues
(4:23) 17. Union Square
(3:47) 18. Skyline Waltz
(3:43) 19. Viva Cepeda
(7:30) 20. The Grant Avenue Suite

Fantasy Records is to be commended for re-releasing so many of their classic Cal Tjader albums in the budget-priced two-for-one CD format, even if Sentimental Moods features one of their odder pairings. The first ten selections are culled from the dreamy mood music album Latin for Lovers (aka Latin for Lovers With Strings), and the final ten are from San Francisco Moods, a lean and mean West Coast jazz ode to his hometown. While these two sessions don't really go together, they do show you the breadth of what Tjader was recording for Fantasy at the time. While the Latin for Lovers selections aren't really Latin jazz (or even "Latin" or "jazz," for that matter), it is superior mood music with fine string arrangements written by Jack Weeks. If all lounge music was this good, the term couldn't be used as an insult. The soloists don't really stretch out at all, but Tjader, pianist Vince Guaraldi, and flutist Paul Horn each make their presence felt on regal, melodic passages. Willie Bobo and Mongo Santamaria are on the session, but unlike their sizzling one-track cameo on the next session's "Viva Cepeda," they are only around to keep strict time. So while the first half of the disc is upscale easy listening, those culled from San Francisco Moods show how underrated Tjader was at mainstream small-group jazz. Tjader starts out the session on piano, but on most tracks his vibraphone skills are given a real chance to shine. Tjader was always a giving group leader and guitarist Eddie Duran and the rest of the quartet are featured prominently. San Francisco Moods is an exhilarating session, one that veers from gritty, hard-swinging romps to uptown "chamber jazz" and back again without a hitch. Cal Tjader had such great success with Latin jazz that listeners and critics have tended to forget that he really was a major part of the cool West Coast jazz scene and that he recorded all kinds of music throughout his career. This CD reissue is a must-have for Cal Tjader fans and one that reminds people how far-reaching the vibraphonist's mainstream musical talent really was. ~ Nick Dedina https://www.allmusic.com/album/sentimental-moods-mw0000646495

Personnel includes: Cal Tjader (vibraphone); Paul Horn, Vince Guaraldi, Al McKibbon, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Boris Blinder, Harry Moulin, Frances Wiener, Eugene Winkler, Eddie Duran, John Mosher, Jack Weeks, John Markham. Johnny Horn, Paul Horn (flute); Vince Guaraldi (piano); Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader (piano, vibraphone); Eddie Duran (guitar); Franz Wiener, Frances Wiener, Boris Blinder, Harry Moulin, Eugene Winkler John Markham (drums).

Sentimental Moods

---

Billy Larkin & The Delegates - Hold On!

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:03
Size: 78,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:10)  1. Hold On! I'm A Comin'
(2:50)  2. Cuchy Frito Man
(3:02)  3. It's A Man's Man's Man's World
(2:33)  4. Barefootin'
(4:11)  5. Jenne
(2:38)  6. Dirty Water
(2:12)  7. Blowin' In The Wind
(6:40)  8. It Ain't Necessarily So
(3:11)  9. When A Man Loves A Woman
(3:31) 10. It's Alright With Me

No, we’re not talking about a sensational album here. Not even a great album. Nor should we expect the mellifluous groove that is part of Richard Holmes’ inventory or the solid bebop statements of Jimmy Smith. Or, for that matter, a telling solo that extends the two minute time frame. Billy Larkin & The Delegates play a rather lame version of It’s A Man’s World. Jenne is synonymous for Duke Pearson’s Jeannine, but lacks verve and immediacy. ut that’s one helluva take on Hayes and Porter’s classic soul cut Hold On, I’m Comin’. It has relentless drive, a big sound and a drum performance that should’ve made it hard for Sam & Dave to resist including Kilpatrick on their tour band payroll. R&B tracks such as Dirty Water and Barefootin’ (part of its theme is a verbatim quote of Nat Adderley’s Work Song) are in Pigmy-vein, Pigmy Pt 1 being a pretty raucous, Jimmy McGriff-type 45rpm by Billy Larkin that is a favorite on many a retro DJ’s turntable. The popularity of Larkin’s Portland,Oregon outfit didn’t really extend beyond the borders of the West Coast region. They made seven albums for Aura and World Pacific. The question is not if you find a couple of tunes on each of those albums that’ll kickstart the hips of any lover of happy-go-lucky soul jazz into furtive action. The question is when the motor starts-a-hummin’. http://flophousemagazine.com/2013/11/21/billy-larkin-and-the-delegates-hold-on-world-pacific-1966/

Personnel:  Billy Larkin (organ), Fats Theus (tenor sax), Jimmy Daniels (guitar), Jessie Kilpatrick (drums)

Hold On!

---

Kate Schutt - Telephone Game

Styles: Vocal, Guitar
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:16
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Take Everything
(4:10)  2. Blackout
(6:57)  3. Open Window
(3:40)  4. Take Me With You
(8:12)  5. Who is Young, Who is Naive?
(3:56)  6. If Spring Comes Now
(4:02)  7. Fake ID
(4:57)  8. You Can Have the Sky
(6:07)  9. Our Legs Are Burning
(3:56) 10. We All Fall Down
(2:49) 11. The Actress
(5:21) 12. Love's Not Logical

Kate Schutt is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer living in New York City. Raised in Chadds Ford, PA, Kate was schooled in Boston, both in Harvard’s English department, where she studied the influence of jazz on modern poetry, and at Berklee College of Music, where she studied jazz guitar. A constant collaborator, Kate has worked with John Ellis (Charlie Hunter), Terri Lyne Carrington (Herbie Hancock), and Viktor Krauss (Lyle Lovett, Bill Frisell), to name only a few. In 2007 & 2009 Kate was the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Winner in the Jazz Category and received the ASCAP Plus Awards for Jazz Composition from 2006- 2009. https://www.kateschutt.com/about/

Personnel:  Kate — electric guitar, vocals;  Terri Lyne Carrington — drums;  Orrin Evans — piano;  Duane Andrews — acoustic guitar;  Marc Rogers — bass;  Chris Brown — B3, clavinet, Wurlitzer;  Damian Erskine — bass on tracks 3, 5;  Denis Keldie — accordions on track 5;  Andrea Zonn — viola on track 6;  John Ellis — saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet;  Alan Ferber — trombones;  Shane Endsley — trumpet, flugelhorn;  Grégoire Maret — harmonica

Telephone Game

---

Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen - Scandinavian Wood

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:30
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(13:59)  1. Lille suite for strygere og solo-bas
( 5:10)  2. Sig naermer tiden da jeg ma vaek
( 4:36)  3. Samba Petit
( 1:02)  4. Sonata No 1 In G, Presto J.S. Bach
( 3:38)  5. En yndig og frydeful sommertid
( 3:23)  6. Kenny
( 5:18)  7. Befael du dine veje
(13:22)  8. Old Folks/To A Brother

By the time this recording was issued in 1995, Niels Pedersen had long since been acknowledged as one of the premiere jazz bassists in the world. This CD is a bit different from his earlier dates as a leader, as it starts off with a suite for solo bass and string orchestra (scored by Ole Kock Hansen) of various Norwegian, Islandic, and Swedish folk songs, along with one piece by Carl Nielsen. Pedersen's solo interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Sonata No. 1 in G, Presto" is breathtaking even though it is over in under a minute. No less amazing are his solo compositions, which include the intricate "Samba Petit" and the melodious "En Yndig Og Frydeful Sommertid" which has a second overdubbed bassline. There are two tracks featuring the bassist with Hansen on piano: "Kenny" is a bittersweet tune which was likely written as a memorial tribute to Kenny Drew (who Pedersen had worked with on numerous occasions), while "Befael Du Dine Veje" is a lovely traditional tune jointly arranged by the two men. The only shortcoming is minor; no translations of the titles are given. Although this release is off the beaten path of Pedersen's small group recordings, anyone who enjoys this virtuoso bassist will greatly enjoy this CD. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/scandinavian-wood-mr0001722516
 

Personnel:  Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen;   Piano – Ole Kock Hansen

Scandinavian Wood

---

Lils Mackintosh - Seasons

Size: 123,8 MB
Time: 52:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Younger Than Springtime - The Things We Did Last Summer - Autumn In New York - Winter Wonderland (6:20)
02. I'll Remember April (3:29)
03. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (3:31)
04. Come Rain Or Come Shine (4:18)
05. A Dance In June (3:08)
06. Summertime (4:39)
07. The Summer Knows (4:24)
08. Lullaby Of The Leaves (2:55)
09. September Song (2:22)
10. Willow Weep For Me (4:07)
11. I've Got Me Love To Keep Me Warm (2:59)
12. I'll Wind (4:29)
13. A Foggy Day (3:47)
14. Seasons (2:17)

Lils Mackintosh (born June 11, 1955) is an award-winning jazz and blues singer and is considered one of the most distinguished artists in the Dutch jazz scene. Mackintosh has worked with the likes of Oscar Peterson, B.B. King, Scott Hamilton, Rita Reys, het Rosenberg Trio, Cor Bakker, Madeline Bell, Hans Dulfer, Candy Dulfer, Louis van Dijk, The Beets Brothers, Georgie Fame and the Dutch Swing College Band.

Seasons

---

Sony Holland - Kitchen Sessions

Size: 126,8 MB
Time: 53:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Folk Vocals
Art: Front

01. How Am I Gonna (2:36)
02. Soft Power (4:23)
03. Sunset (3:15)
04. Suzanne (4:56)
05. Be Thoughtful (2:51)
06. Not Ready To Say Goodbye (3:29)
07. Now (3:42)
08. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (3:07)
09. In My Life (3:00)
10. My Funny Valentine (4:11)
11. I Will Wait For You (4:22)
12. Besame Mucho (3:25)
13. Evergreen (3:19)
14. I Have Dreamed (3:16)
15. Meditation (3:58)

Sony Holland is a warm, inviting performer who has traveled the world making music. In concert Sony presents material from the most beloved composers of our time. Along with timeless jazz standards and classic bossa novas you will be treated to some unique covers and originals, artfully blended into a captivating mix of emotions, melodies and rhythms. Sony's elegant voice and unassuming style has been polished through hundreds of performances in every imaginable setting... from her early days busking at Pier 39 to starring on the Venetian Room stage. Sony and her band play in top jazz venues from the Blue Note in New York City to Herb Alpert's Vibrato in the hills of Los Angeles and the stunning new SF Jazz Center.

For this new collection Sony and her guitarist/husband, Jerry Holland, set out to capture the intimate sound of their rehearsals in a friends magnificent kitchen. Built into a steep hillside in San Francisco, the kitchen sits on the ground floor of a spacious atrium. A spiral staircase leads up several flights to the starry skylights above. With microphones and cameras strategically placed the duo ran through a soothing set of classics and originals. The result is this beautiful collection, Kitchen Sessions.

Kitchen Sessions

---

Claudio Chiara - Vintage Vibes

Size: 78,2 MB
Time: 33:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Running Shoes (3:30)
02. Walking On Bourbon Street (3:34)
03. Mandioca (3:34)
04. Olinda (3:45)
05. Sweet Waltz (2:46)
06. A Motley Coat (3:07)
07. The Cat's Step (3:17)
08. For Pres (3:07)
09. My Sweet Funk (3:50)
10. In My Way (2:44)

Claudio Chiara is one of Italy's busiest jazz musicians. The former lead alto saxophone player in Gianni Basso's Big Band, Tullio De Piscopo's Big Band, and Paese Degli Specchi Big Band, Chiara has toured Europe with the Paolo Conte Band since 1995. In addition to recording two albums, Claudio Chiara Quintet and Il Jazz, with his own quintet, Chiara has worked with such stellar jazz musicians as Bob Mover, Benny Bailey, Alvin Queen, Bill Evans, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Riccardo Zegna, Luciano Milanese, Andrea Pozza, Luigi Bonafede, Stefhan Belmando, and Furio Di Castri. Together with the New Generation Band, he recorded two albums, Indian Fire and Modern Word, of big band-influenced original tunes. Since 1995, he has performed in Europe with the Paolo Conte Band. Initially an upright bass player, Chiara studied with Enzo Ferraris at the G. Verdi Conservatory of Music. Teaching himself to play alto saxophone, he made his debut on the instrument as a member of Gianni Basso's Big Band in 1986. ~by Craig Harris

Vintage Vibes

---

Janine Gilbert-Carter - My Foolish Heart

Size: 110,4 MB
Time: 47:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Be A Sweet Pumpkin (3:49)
02. My Romance (4:29)
03. My Foolish Heart (5:13)
04. That Old Black Magic (4:43)
05. You've Changed (5:16)
06. Good Morning Heartache (5:09)
07. Janine's Blues (5:17)
08. What Is This Thing Called Love (4:31)
09. You Were Always On My Mind (4:30)
10. You Taught My Heart To Sing (4:26)

Janine Gilbert-Carter has certainly established herself as a world class vocalist beyond the environs of the Washington metropolitan area where she has resided since 1988. Janine cannot remember a time when music was not a part of her life. She was introduced to gospel, jazz and blues by her parents and grandmother who recognized her talent at an early age and encouraged her to sing in their church choir in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. She soon joined the Bach Choir, performing European classical music and Broadway popular songs.
She really got into singing jazz when she moved to Washington and entered the Ronnie Wells University of Jazz Singing. Ah, the late Ronnie Wells! She was mentor to so many vocalists and the founder and director of the East Coast Jazz Festival. Janine studied with Ronnie and did so well in the Fish Middleton Jazz Scholarship competition that she got a spot on the 2006 Festival. Ronnie asked me to host the concert with Janine. That performance was recorded and released as A Song For You on the Jazz Karma label.
Since that concert and recording Janine has toured extensively while continuing to perform locally at Laporta’s, Westminster church and Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Society. She is a popular attraction at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival.
My Foolish Heart features some of the finest musicians performing in the DMV, the hip name for the District, Maryland and Virginia. Saxophonist Antonio Parker, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is known for his dynamic, energetic and virtuosic performances. He has degrees from Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia. DeAndre` Shaifer, a graduate of the UDC jazz program under Calvin Jones, was voted best jazz trumpeter of 2015 in the Washington City Paper. Guitarist Isaac Daniels, who has performed with Nancy Wilson and Sarah Vaughan, is on the faculty of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
William Knowles is one of the most sought after pianists in DC and has worked on numerous theatrical productions. Drummer Manny Kellough is probably best known for his work with Billy Preston, but has performed with numerous other luminaries including Larry Graham of Graham Central Station. Sais Kamalidiin doubles on flute and harmonica on this recording. He has a masters degree in music performance from Howard and a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Maryland. He is on the faculty of Howard University. On bass is Wes “Sugah” Biles, who has been a longtime collaborator with Janine, and is one of the most in demand bassist by vocalists because of his sweet sound.
The album opens with a hard-swinging rendition of the rarely performed Be A Sweet Pumpkin. The other selections from the Great American Songbook all provide opportunities for the musicians working with Janine to shine. Antonio and Isaac have great solos on That Old Black Magic. Janine takes you through some changes on You’ve Changed with some great interaction with Sais on flute. On Good Morning Heartache and Janine’s Blues Sais takes out his harmonica and, oh, does Janine get down on her blues!
DeAndre gets in some swinging solos throughout the album, as do William, Wes and Manny, as this is a jazz recording with all that term implies: tight arrangements, masterful solos and the incredible range of the vocalist in interpreting the songs. Over a decade ago before she passed Ronnie Wells got to see how well her protégé Janine Gilbert-Carter had developed into a true jazz vocalist by making the songs she grew up with by Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan into her own. Ronnie would have been proud of what Janine has done with My Foolish Heart. It is Janine Gilbert-Carter at her best. ~Rusty Hassan

My Foolish Heart

---

Donna Burke & Ganime Jazz - Game + Anime =

Size: 141,6 MB
Time: 60:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Calling To The Night (3:43)
02. Way In The Dark (4:30)
03. Sins Of The Father Quiet's Theme (Intro) (7:02)
04. Glassy Sky (4:46)
05. Snake Eater (5:48)
06. No One Can Save Me (Angela's Song) (4:45)
07. Firefly (5:33)
08. God And Man (6:12)
09. Moonless Starry Night (5:09)
10. A Quiet Night (3:20)
11. Morning Sky (5:02)
12. To Suffer Is To Love (Claudia's Song) (5:03)

This album features jazz arrangements of Donna Burke’s songs from Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy and Tokyo Ghoul, along with three new songs composed by Donna Burke and Shunsuke Itoh.

Tokyo 2016 saw the birth of singer and voice actress Donna Burke’s jazz band Ganime Jazz.
Donna loves performing her well-known songs, like “Heavens Divide” and “Sins of the Father” from the Metal Gear Solid game series, and “Glassy Sky” from anime Tokyo Ghoul, backed by an orchestra on a big stage. She has also longed, however, for a more free and intimate format, where the songs could be heard in a fresh, original way by game and anime fans, and jazz fans too.
This unique pairing of Australian and Japanese musicians results in a powerful show with comic relief provided by Donna between each song enjoyed by a diverse audience.

Discover a whole genre of compelling contemporary music through this unique Jazz quartet.

Game + Anime =

---

Benny Goodman - The Legendary Small Groups

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:03
Size: 97,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:48)  1. After You've Gone
(3:30)  2. Body and Soul
(2:33)  3. China Boy
(3:25)  4. Moonglow
(2:42)  5. Dinah
(3:19)  6. Sweet Sue
(2:50)  7. Stompin' at the Savoy
(3:23)  8. Whispering
(2:39)  9. Runnin' Wild
(2:46) 10. Avalon
(3:25) 11. Where or When
(2:45) 12. I'm a Ding Dong Daddy (from Dumas)
(2:35) 13. The Blues in Your Flat
(3:17) 14. Dizzy Spells

With the mass of collectable material being produced featuring present day jazz stars it is easy to ignore the earlier recordings on which many jazz fans were weaned. As the swing era progressed it engendered the formation of small groups within the ‘modern’ setting none more popular than those led by Benny Goodman in the 1930s. The ‘Trio’ was formed in 1935 and ‘Quartet’ in late 1936. At that time nobody, including Artie Shaw, could compare with Goodman’s unbelievable technique and the recordings enjoyed immense popularity. Although Goodman had used Teddy Wilson on earlier recordings with his band it wasn’t until they played together in an impromptu trio that Benny became aware of Wilson’s great potential. "Teddy and I began to play as though we were thinking with the same brain," was how he described that session. "It was a real kick." Within a month they were in the recording studio.Tracks 1 & 3 to some extent confirm Goodman’s comments and with Krupa’s strict tempo both numbers move along at pace. ‘Body and Soul’ is one of the most popular tunes from the period and whilst the trio treat it with respect I feel that there is far greater appeal when it is played on saxophone where it can receive more expressive treatment. ‘Where or When’ with Goodman staying on the melody gives Wilson the opportunity to show his recognised talent as an accompanist. 

His solo is one of the best on the disc. The quartet is far more appealing and adventurous than the trio. All their tracks show just how well these musicians worked together weaving around the melody and chords with added quotes and breaks as they got into the mood of things. They were renowned for their clever and intricate introductions and there is no greater evidence of this than on ‘Runnin’ Wild’ and ‘I’m a Ding Dong Daddy.’ Having said that I find the most involved and exciting piece is ‘Dizzy Spells.’ Dave Tough’s crisp brushwork lays down a presto tempo whilst the other three excel themselves in both instrumental technique and ad lib soloing. Overall Goodman and his musicians give more than a satisfactory account of themselves and the disc is recommended. ~ Jack Ashby http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2002/Oct02/Goodman_small.htm

Personnel:  Benny Goodman, Clarinet – Teddy Wilson, Piano – Lionel Hampton, Vibraphone – Gene Krupa, Drums

The Legendary Small Groups

---

Bobbie Gentry - Fancy

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:35
Size: 74,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. Fancy
(2:54)  2. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
(3:02)  3. Delta Man
(2:37)  4. Something In The Way He Moves
(2:40)  5. Find 'Em, Fool 'Em And Forget 'Em
(2:35)  6. He Made A Woman Out Of Me
(3:11)  7. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
(2:23)  8. If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody
(2:40)  9. Rainmaker
(3:13) 10. Wedding Bell Blues

Fancy is a wild ride through all the contradictions that are Bobbie Gentry. After her breakthrough smash, "Ode to Billy Joe," with its haunted guitar figure and cipher meaning, the Mississippi singer/songwriter became the embodiment of backwoods in the eyes of the American public. But on Fancy, Gentry told the truth of what she aspired to. The title track is a "Billie Joe"-type story with a similar guitar figure; it also has a host of West Coast horns telling an unapologetic rags-to-riches story without regrets that mirrors Gentry's own. But it only begins here. From here, Gentry, assisted or perhaps directed by producer Rick Hall, cuts a pair of Bacharach/David numbers ("Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again"), James Taylor's "Something in the Way He (sic) Moves," Leon Russell's "Delta Man" (sic), Nilsson's "Rainmaker," Rudy Clark's "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody," Laura Nyro's "Wedding Bell Blues," and a few others with full strings, horns, orchestras, and glockenspiels for accompaniment -- along with a honky tonk piano, drum kit, and electric bass. What it makes for is even more of a mystery than "Ode to Billie Joe." Gentry's voice, with its smoke-tinged husky contralto, is ill-suited to this material. But that in itself is what makes this such a fascinating listen. None of it works, yet as a result, it's kind of a shambolic masterpiece. Not for the weak, but a compelling experience if you can make it through. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/fancy-mw0000854670

Fancy

---

Don Braden - Gentle Storm

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:15
Size: 133,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:59)  1. Secret Love
(6:24)  2. Gentle Storm
(6:21)  3. Never Can Say Goodbye
(4:21)  4. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
(7:58)  5. This Masquerade
(4:52)  6. The Hunter
(7:53)  7. Willow Weep For Me
(5:48)  8. Two Of A Kind
(2:57)  9. My Foolish Heart
(5:37) 10. Speed Ball

Don Braden has come a long way since his days at Harvard, where he studied engineering along with playing in the university's jazz band. Over two decades into his career in jazz at the time of these recording sessions, the tenor saxophonist is very much at the top of his game. Joined by pianist George Colligan, bassist Joris Teepe and drummer Cecil Brooks III, who have all worked together on a number of occasions, Braden assembles a terrific program. He recasts the standard "Secret Love" as a turbulent post-bop vehicle, with Colligan showing shades of McCoy Tyner. Braden's laconic, blues-drenched setting of another standard, "Willow Weep For Me," features some of his most heartfelt playing of the date. Braden offers a punchy take of Lee Morgan's hard bop masterpiece, "Speedball." Not many artists could take a hit from the pop group The Jackson Five and turn it into meaningful jazz, but Braden's bluesy treatment of "Never Can Say Goodbye," in a mid-tempo groove, works perfectly. Leon Russell's "This Masquerade" has been tackled by jazz players with mixed success; the tenorist's punchy, soulful arrangement makes it one of the better interpretations. Braden switches to alto flute for a warm rendition of "My Foolish Heart," accompanied solely by Teepe. The leader's originals are just as valuable. "Gentle Storm" is a low key, lyrical bossa nova, while "The Hunter" is an intricate duet with Teepe. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allaboutjazz.com/gentle-storm-don-braden-highnote-records-review-by-ken-dryden.php

Personnel: Don Braden: tenor sax, alto flute; George Colligan: piano; Joris Teepe: bass, Cecil Brooks III: drums.

Gentle Storm

---

Boz Scaggs - But Beautiful

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:00
Size: 117,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:30)  1. What's New?
(5:06)  2. Never Let Me Go
(6:07)  3. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(5:14)  4. Sophisticated Lady
(5:36)  5. But Beautiful
(3:29)  6. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
(4:13)  7. Easy Living
(5:25)  8. I Should Care
(5:46)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is
(5:30) 10. For All We Know

Apparently, old rock singers who have exhausted their commercial appeal and have sung all the pop and soul standards have but one place to turn the American popular songbook. Linda Ronstadt pioneered this move in the '80s, Rod Stewart picked it up at the turn of the century, and, now no longer at Virgin, Boz Scaggs picks up the torch with 2003's But Beautiful, a ten-track trawl through standards like "What's New?," "How Long Has This Been Going On?," and "Sophisticated Lady." It should be no surprise that Scaggs is not deliberately following Stewart's footsteps in his liner notes, he says his old friend Jimmy Pierre initiated the project years ago with a list of songs he thought Boz should sing, and then pianist/arranger Paul Nagel later encouraged him to begin this project but it can't help but feel that way, given the number of old rockers turning to the music their parents loved. Scaggs, thankfully, doesn't take the lush, orchestrated route, choosing to record with a small quartet featuring Nagel, saxophonist Eric Crystal, bassist John Shifflett, and drummer Jason Lewis. They have a nice, late-night feel nothing adventurous, but well-done  and Scaggs is appropriately laid-back, which doesn't necessarily mean that he's well-suited for this material. His off-hand phrasing sometimes is too casual and he delivers the tunes predictably, never finding a way to make these much-heard songs sound fresh. That doesn't mean this sounds bad, because it doesn't; it's an entirely pleasant listen. But even longtime Boz Scaggs fans may not find a reason to spin this more than once. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/but-beautiful-mw0000025388
 

Personnel:  Boz Scaggs – vocals;  Eric Crystal – saxophone;  Jason Lewis – drums;  Paul Nagel – piano, arrangements;  John Shifflett – bass

But Beautiful

---

Glenn Miller Orchestra - Glenn Miller Time-1965

Styles:  Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:27
Size: 79,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Call Me Irresponsible
(2:48)  2. Chattanooga Choo Choo
(3:00)  3. Blue Velvet
(3:02)  4. Elmer's Tune
(3:03)  5. Serenade In Blue
(2:30)  6. Hello, Dolly!
(2:27)  7. The Girl From Ipanema
(2:41)  8. At Last
(2:28)  9. More
(3:01) 10. Moonlight Cocktail
(2:54) 11. Pennsylvania 6-5000
(3:41) 12. Canadian Sunset

From more than four decades on, Glenn Miller Time 1965 may seem an unlikely recording project. The year 1965, after all, marked a continuation of the British Invasion in rock & roll music, with the volume and the attitude stepped up several notches amid the success of the Rolling Stones et al., and it was also the year of the folk-rock explosion and dozens of other pop culture phenomena that seem a long way from anything to do with Glenn Miller who had been gone just a couple of weeks past 20 years at the time of these recording sessions. But the mid-'60s also saw a less widely publicized yet incontestable '40s nostalgia boom among audience members over 40 (remember how popular blockbuster war movies were then, not to mention World War II television series such as Combat?). What's more, at the time, the officially sanctioned Glenn Miller Orchestra under Ray McKinley was one of the most heavily booked performing outfits in the world, and as luck had it, trumpet legend Bobby Hackett who had played with the Miller band before World War II was signed to Epic at the time, just as the Miller Orchestra got a contract with the label. Hackett is the featured soloist here, his trumpet replacing the vocals on numbers from Miller's repertory, all arranged as were the contemporary 1960s numbers such as "Hello, Dolly!," "More," and "Blue Velvet" in the authentic Miller style by band alumnus George Williams. The sound is excellent and the band revels in the stereo profile and high-fidelity recording. Williams and company successfully picture where and how Miller might well have handled numbers such as "The Girl from Ipanema," as well as how standards from their repertory like "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "Pennsylvania 6-5000" could have sounded under Miller's leadership some 20 years later. Glenn Miller Time 1965 was reissued in 2001 on CD paired with the orchestra's follow-up, Great Songs of the 60's. ~ Bruce Eder https://www.allmusic.com/album/glenn-miller-time-1965-mw0000860586

Glenn Miller Time-1965

---

Brandon Wright - Boiling Point

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:18
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Free Man
(5:37)  2. Drift
(7:59)  3. Odd Man Out
(5:58)  4. Boiling Point
(8:00)  5. Here's That Rainy Day
(9:15)  6. Castaway
(5:12)  7. Interstate Love Song
(6:31)  8. You're My Everything

The word tenor, in Latin, refers to "a continuous holding to a course," and tenor saxophonist Brandon Wright does just that on Boiling Point. Whether Wright is engaging in a musical boxing match with trumpeter Alex Sipiagin or crooning over pianist David Kikoski on an established ballad, he always seems to maintain a consistent musical presence that transcends tempo, feel and style. Perhaps it's his tone, which is big but not too brash and attractive, yet far from smooth, that ties it altogether. Regardless of what it is, Wright makes it work across these eight tracks.  Of course, some of the credit must also go to the rest of the band. Bassist Hans Glawischnig is the rock at the center of it all, making sure that everything lines up and is held together in just the right way. Drummer Matt Wilson, one of the most creative and enjoyable forces on the jazz scene today, has the rare ability to be fully interactive, while also maintaining his role as a key rhythmic element that locks in the time for the rest of the band. Kikoski occasionally shows a fondness for McCoy Tyner's piano playing in his own sound, but he isn't nearly as percussive as Tyner often was on his classic recordings. He also happens to have tremendous range as an artist and an incredible touch on the piano. Sipiagin is the perfect frontline partner for Wright and he finds a good balance between bold and controlled. He creates some musical fireworks on Wright originals like "Odd Man Out" and "Castaway" but he can also turn it down a few notches for gentler material. While the aforementioned "Castaway" and the title track demonstrate Wright's ability to write and play in a more aggressive manner, he works equally well in a more relaxed setting. His "Drift" sounds like it could have been an outtake from Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage (Blue Note, 1965) and his performance on "Here's That Rainy Day" is soothing and refined. His tone takes on a velvet-like quality here as he gently glides over Kikoski's piano. While his playing often heats up the material on this album, it's Brandon Wright's ability to go from cool to hot and everything in between that proves to be his greatest strength on Boiling Point. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/boiling-point-brandon-wright-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel:  Brandon Wright: tenor saxophone;  Alex Sipiagin: trumpet;  David Kikoski: piano;  Hans Glawischnig: bass;  Matt Wilson: drums.

Boiling Point

---

Billy Larkin & The Delegates - Ain't That A Groove!

Styles: Jazz, Pòst Bop
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:06
Size: 84,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:30)  1. Don't Mess With Bill
(2:24)  2. Playboy Theme
(2:21)  3. Tarantula
(3:56)  4. Soul Sister
(2:49)  5. Goin' Out Of My Head
(3:27)  6. Willow Weep For Me
(2:43)  7. Ain't That A Groove
(3:33)  8. G'won Train
(5:41)  9. Where Did The Blues Go
(4:29) 10. Puget Sound
(2:07) 11. Ain't Gonna Move

One of the greatest records ever cut by organist Billy Larkin  lean, mean batch of soul jazz instrumentals, recorded with the Delegates combo, featuring tenor work by a young Fats Theus! The tracks are short tight jazz dancers with a mixture of stepping grooves and some more full on rhythmic modes  and titles include "Tarantula", "Soul Sister", "Playboy Theme", "Puget Sound", "Gwon Train", "Ain't That A Groove", "Ain't Gonna Move", and "Goin Out Of My Head"! One of his great ones and darn hard to find! (Black label World Pacific pressing with deep groove. Cover has some marker & minor seam splitting.)  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/8772/Billy-Larkin-The-Delegates:Ain%27t-That-A-Groove

Personnel:  Billy Larkin - organ;  James “Fats” Theus - tenor sax;  Jimmy Daniels - guitar;  Jessie Kilpatrick - drums

Ain't That A Groove!

---

Eric Dolphy - Muses

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:22
Size: 86,1 MB
Art: Front

(12:07)  1. Alone Together
( 8:48)  2. Muses
( 8:27)  3. Iron Man
( 3:39)  4. Love Me
( 4:18)  5. Mandrake

Undelivered collection of waiting Douglas session. Anyway, attention is the duo with Richard Davis by bus clarinet , which is another take of the world first debut title drama "Muses" and "Alone Together" by world clarinet . (In addition, I imagined another take of "Iron Man" "Love Me" " Mandrake " and I imagined it actually, as you can imagine, the sound quality is not good).  First of all, from "Alone Together" at the beginning. The basic composition is the same as this take, but Dollfie is an unexpected development that plays the theme melody quite clearly from the beginning, it is totally scary or loose, after all the original is not enemy. Expected "Muses" has a gloomy mood that is hard to say, and it is certain that it is one song different from the composition of Dolphy 's compositions. However, I still feel that it is incomplete. I guess that it was for that reason that it was not included in the original (and it will also float completely from other songs). However, I think that the significance of the existence of this performance became clear. If you lived long, you probably had become an ECM musician. I could not think of anything like that at all. https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://outwardbound.hatenablog.com/entry/2013/11/28/010918&prev=search

Personnel:   Eric Dolphy - bass clarinet, alto saxophone, composer;  Woody Shaw - trumpet;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone;  Richard Davis - double bass;  Eddie Khan - double bass.

Muses

---

Diane Hoffman - Do I Love You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:56
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Do I Love You
(4:19)  2. Crazy in the Heart
(5:13)  3. Something in Your Smile
(5:16)  4. Small Day Tomorrow
(4:27)  5. Devil May Care
(2:56)  6. I Like You You're Nice
(3:47)  7. Can't Get out of This Mood
(4:27)  8. You Are out of My Life
(3:39)  9. I'm Gonna Go Fishin'
(4:44) 10. Mad About the Boy
(5:32) 11. Love Dance
(4:18) 12. When You're in Love
(2:57) 13. Kindly
(3:48) 14. I Like It Here

Vocalist and visual artist Diane Hoffman will release her third album entitled Do I Love You on October 9, 2018. On the recording, Hoffman once again chose to feature drummer/percussionist Ulysses Owens, Jr. with whom she previously worked and, who for this project, produced and assembled a formidable ensemble that includes Billy Test, piano; Jacob Kelberman , guitar; Yasushi Nakamura, bass; Yoshi Waki, bass; Daniel Dickinson, tenor saxophone; Vitaly Golavnev, trumpet; Erich Miller, trombone; and Joseph Doubleday, vibraphone. Hoffman, a formally trained visual artist, has had her work exhibited extensively throughout North America and has maintained an equal balance between her painting and music. As a vocalist, she has studied with notable entertainers such as Anita Darian, Bernard Fisher and Barbara Maier Gustern, and has performed across the eastern United States in a range of music venues, performing arts centers, cruises, and festivals, in addition to having appeared on radio and television. On her newest project, Hoffman chose to cover numerous standards including “Do I Love You,” “I’m Gonna Go Fishin’,” “Crazy In The Heart,” and “Small Day Tomorrow,” among others, which are brought to life by her rich vocals paired with the hard-swinging ensemble led by Owens. She also selected several less known songs written by the late actress and vocalist Anita Darian as a result of their connection. The pieces offer a nice compliment to the classic repertoire and hold a special meaning to her; the songs include “You Are Out Of My Life,” “When You’re In Love,” and “Kindly.” Do I Love You was inspired by a commitment to share aspects of Hoffman’s personal life. In preparation, the singer tirelessly searched catalogs of songs to select lyrics that deeply touched her. She felt strongly that it was important that listeners share a personal connection to the story painted through the lyrics, and that the words chosen needed to be entirely authentic for both her and her audience. Hoffman states “If I am able to give truth to the handling of the lyrics, then my mission as a singer is successful.” She adds “To give love, to be in love, and to hold onto love is to spread wings that fly and lift your feet right off the ground. This CD takes on the ecstasy of love, the secrets of private love, and the loss of great love.” Hoffman is dedicating Do I Love You to her first grandchild whose eyes are just opening to the love that surrounds her. The album was recorded at Big Orange Sheep Studios in Brooklyn, NY (March 28-29, 2018) and Mixed & Mastered by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Studios (May 30-31 and June 28, 2018). It will be available on all major music platforms on October 9, 2018. ~ Are Group https://news.allaboutjazz.com/performance-and-visual-artist-diane-hoffman-to-release-third-album-do-i-love-you-produced-by-ulysses-owens-jr-featuring-a-dynamic-ensemble.php

Do I Love You

---

Don Byron & Aruan Ortiz - Random Dances And (A)tonalities

Size: 128,2 MB
Time: 55:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Art: Front

01. Tete's Blues (6:37)
02. Black And Tan Fantasy (5:38)
03. Musica Callada Book 1, V. ([M.M.] Crochet = 54) (6:53)
04. Joe Btfsplk (5:45)
05. Numbers (6:04)
06. Dolphy's Dance (4:11)
07. Violin Partita No. 1 In B Minor, Bwv 1002 Ii. Double (2:43)
08. Delphian Nuptials (4:35)
09. Arabesques Of A Geometrical Rose (Spring) (7:11)
10. Impressions On A Golden Theme (5:55)

Ortiz, who grew up in Santiago, Cuba, and has lived in the U. S. since 2002, is among the most creative pianists on jazz’s landscape. As a boy he was performing Cuban popular music. His studies broadened to include jazz, first in Europe, finally New York, where he now lives.
In Byron, Ortiz has found an unparalleled clarinetist, whose classical training and exquisite technique anchor a career spanning an unusually broad range of music that nevertheless reflects a focused line of musical inquiry. Byron was born in The Bronx, into a musical family of Antiguan descent. Some of his work has involved highly refined repertory ensembles devoted to early jazz, gospel or klezmer music. Other works assert unfettered new musical routes owing to no one style.
"Random Dances and (A)tonalities" reveals the imaginative leaps of two free-thinking minds. In both, we feel an implied swing, gentle yet with conviction, and shared values of erudition and compassion. We sense a clearly documented moment between two masterly musicians. ~by Larry Blumenfeld

Random Dances And (A)tonalities

---