Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Lionel Hampton & His Giants Of Jazz 1979 - Hamp In Haarlem

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:37
Size: 104,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:35)  1. Glad Hamp
( 6:02)  2. Ol' Man River
( 6:21)  3. Greasy Greens
( 2:43)  4. Mr. P.C.
(12:05)  5. Hamp's Got The Blues
( 9:50)  6. Salsa, Ein Burgermeister De Francoise

Lionel Hampton was the first jazz vibraphonist and was one of the jazz giants beginning in the mid-'30s. He has achieved the difficult feat of being musically open-minded (even recording "Giant Steps") without changing his basic swing style. Hamp started out as a drummer, playing with the Chicago Defender Newsboys' Band as a youth. His original idol was Jimmy Bertrand, a '20s drummer who occasionally played xylophone. Hampton played on the West Coast with such groups as Curtis Mosby's Blue Blowers, Reb Spikes, and Paul Howard's Quality Serenaders (with whom he made his recording debut in 1929) before joining Les Hite's band, which for a period accompanied Louis Armstrong. At a recording session in 1930, a vibraphone happened to be in the studio, and Armstrong asked Hampton (who had practiced on one previously) if he could play a little bit behind him and on "Memories of You" and "Shine"; Hamp became the first jazz improviser to record on vibes. It would be another six years before he found fame. Lionel Hampton, after leaving Hite, had his own band in Los Angeles' Paradise Cafe, until one night in 1936 when Benny Goodman came into the club and discovered him. Soon, Hampton recorded with B.G., Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa as the Benny Goodman Quartet, and six weeks later he officially joined Goodman. An exciting soloist whose enthusiasm even caused B.G. to smile, Hampton became one of the stars of his organization, appearing in films with Goodman, at the famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert, and nightly on the radio. In 1937, he started recording regularly as a leader for Victor with specially assembled all-star groups that formed a who's who of swing; all of these timeless performances (1937-1941) were reissued by Bluebird on a six-LP set, although in piecemeal fashion on CD. Hampton stayed with Goodman until 1940, sometimes substituting on drums and taking vocals. In 1940, Lionel Hampton formed his first big band, and in 1942 had a huge hit with "Flying Home," featuring a classic Illinois Jacquet tenor spot (one of the first R&B solos). 

During the remainder of the decade, Hampton's extroverted orchestra was a big favorite, leaning toward R&B, showing the influence of bebop after 1944, and sometimes getting pretty exhibitionistic. Among his sidemen, in addition to Jacquet, were Arnett Cobb, Dinah Washington (who Hampton helped discover), Cat Anderson, Marshall Royal, Dexter Gordon, Milt Buckner, Earl Bostic, Snooky Young, Johnny Griffin, Joe Wilder, Benny Bailey, Charles Mingus, Fats Navarro, Al Gray, and even Wes Montgomery and Betty Carter. Hampton's popularity allowed him to continue leading big bands off and on into the mid-'90s, and the 1953 edition that visited Paris (with Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Cleveland, Gigi Gryce, George Wallington, and Annie Ross) would be difficult to top, although fights over money and the right of the sideman to record led to its breakup. Hampton appeared and recorded with many all-star groups in the 1950s including reunions with Benny Goodman, meetings with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Stan Getz, Buddy DeFranco, and as part of a trio with Art Tatum and Buddy Rich. He also was featured in The Benny Goodman Story (1956). Since the 1950s, Lionel Hampton has mostly repeated past triumphs, always playing "Hamp's Boogie Woogie" (which features his very rapid two-finger piano playing), "Hey Ba-Ba-Re-Bop," and "Flying Home." However, his enthusiasm still causes excitement and he remains a household name. Hampton has recorded through the years for nearly every label, including two of his own (Glad Hamp and Who's Who). Despite strokes and the ravages of age, Lionel Hampton remained a vital force into the 1990s. In January 2001, a vibraphone he had played for 15 years was put into the National Museum of American History. On August 31, 2002, at age 94, Lionel Hampton suffered major heart failure and passed away. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lionel-hampton-mn0000833150/biography

Personnel: Lionel Hampton - vibraphone, drums, piano, vocals; Joe Newman, Wallace Davenport - trumpet; Curtis Fuller - trombone; Steve Slagle - alto saxophone; Paul Moen - tenor saxophone;  Paul Jeffrey - baritone saxophone;  Wild Bill Davis - organ, piano;  Gary Mazzaroppi - bass;  Richie Pratt - drums

Hamp In Haarlem

Don Braden - Landing Zone

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:40
Size: 134,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. Landing Zone
(5:48)  2. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
(7:58)  3. Nightline
(7:10)  4. Body And Soul
(1:47)  5. The Break
(6:21)  6. Hillside
(7:06)  7. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(5:11)  8. Have You Met Miss Jones
(7:51)  9. A Blue Spree
(3:03) 10. Amsterdam Jam
(1:26) 11. Quadralog

Tenor saxophonist Don Braden is a highly-competent young hard bopper with an attractively reedy tone, flexible technique, and a sure sense of time. This is a straightahead jazz album like dozens of others released in the mid-to-late '90s  better than many, no different from most. Pleasant, untroubling, and ultimately forgettable. Braden's a decent player who might have the potential to be something more. His is an agreeable musical personality, but he's got some stretching to do if he wants to make a lasting contribution. ~ Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/album/landing-zone-mw0000627954

Personnel:  Don Braden - tenor saxophone;  Kevin Hays - piano;  Cecil Brooks III - drums;  Joris Teepe - bass

Landing Zone

Mel Torme & The Marty Paich Dek-Tette - In Concert Tokyo

Styles: Vocal, Post Bop 
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:09
Size: 121,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:56)  2. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:12)  3. Just In Time
(4:11)  4. When The Sun Comes Out
(3:23)  5. The Carioca
(4:41)  6. More Than You Know
(4:16)  7. Too Close For Comfort
(3:38)  8. The City
(5:35)  9. Bossa Nova Potpourri
(3:02) 10. On The Street Where You Live
(6:58) 11. Cotton Tail
(3:42) 12. The Christmas Song
(0:59) 13. It Don't Mean A Thing (reprise)

Mel Tormé and arranger Marty Paich (leading his ten-piece "Dek-tette") recorded several classic albums in the late '50s. On Reunion earlier in 1988 they had an enjoyable collaboration and this live set was a follow-up. In general these in-concert performances are livelier with Tormé sounding quite exuberant at times. Highlights include "Just in Time," "When the Sun Comes Out," "The Carioca," "The Christmas Song" and an instrumental version of "Cotton Tail" featuring clarinetist Ken Peplowski and Tormé on drums. A joyful outing. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-concert-tokyo-mw0000076461

Personnel:  Mel Tormé - vocals, drums;  Warren Luening - trumpet;  Dan Barrett - trombone;  Chuck Berghofer - double bass;  Bob Efford - baritone saxophone;  Bob Enevoldsen - valve trombone;  Allen Farnham - piano;  Gary Foster - alto saxophone;  Marty Paich - arranger, conductor;  Ken Peplowski - clarinet, tenor saxophone;  Jim Self - tuba;  John Von Ohlen - drums

In Concert Tokyo

Andrew Hill - Eternal Spirit

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:42
Size: 155,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:57)  1. Pinnacle
(10:24)  2. Golden Sunset
( 4:53)  3. Samba Rasta
( 6:19)  4. Tail Feather
( 7:47)  5. Spiritual Lover
( 8:44)  6. Bobby's Tune
( 7:32)  7. Pinnacle (alternate take)
( 5:16)  8. Golden Sunset (alternate take)
( 6:45)  9. Spiritual Lover (alternate take)

Andrew Hill returned to the Blue Note label (where he made many significant releases during 1963-80) for a stimulating quintet date with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, altoist Greg Osby, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ben Riley in 1989. The pianist's six originals (which are joined by three alternate takes on the CD) his dense chords behind the other improvisers and his own unpredictable solos are not all overshaowed by his talented sideman, even Osby who is heard in particularly inspired form. 

There are no weak performances on this superb post bop effort, Andrew Hill's strongest recording in several years. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/eternal-spirit-mw0000202207

Personnel:  Andrew Hill - piano;  Greg Osby - alto saxophone;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibes;  Rufus Reid - bass;  Ben Riley - drums

Eternal Spirit

Alexandra Shakina - All The Way

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:29
Size: 176,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. All The Way
(5:24)  2. Let Me Love You
(5:07)  3. Get Out Of Town
(4:38)  4. Dedicated To You
(4:48)  5. I Concentrate On You
(5:12)  6. Weaver Of Dreams
(6:19)  7. I'm Just Lucky So And So
(4:23)  8. That Old Black Magic
(6:41)  9. Come Fly With Me
(4:43) 10. Where Or When

The debut album from Russian vocalist Alexandra Shakina, performing standards with backing from the Massimo Farao' Trio.
 
Personnel:  Alexandra Shakina, vocals;  Massimo Farao', piano;  Aldo Zunino, bass;  Ruben Bellavia, drums

All The Way


Monday, October 29, 2018

Laura Taylor - Mountain Greenery

Size: 125,9 MB
Time: 53:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Big Band
Art: Front

01. Mountain Greenery (3:38)
02. Straighten Up And Fly Right (2:22)
03. These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You (4:50)
04. Lost In A Dream Of You (7:03)
05. Porgy And Bess Medley (9:58)
06. Spellbound (3:31)
07. Hello Love (6:08)
08. Cottontail - I've Got Rhythm (4:53)
09. Lovelight (5:19)
10. One Note Samba (3:45)
11. Scrapple From The Apple - Honeysuckle Rose (2:16)

Critical acclaim and national radio airplay have been given to Laura’s five jazz CDs: Have Mercer on Me, features pianist and Ben Vereen conductor David Loeb, bassists Bob Sachs and Derek Jones, pianist Bob Rozario, drummer Michael Mecham, guitar great Joe Lano and percussionist Lenny Lopez. My Funny Valentine…a tribute to Chet Baker, features jazz legends Eddie Gomez, Steve Kuhn and Louis Nash. Mountain Greenery features jazz greats Jack Sheldon, Pete and Conte Condoli Red Holloway and guitarist Joe Lano; Cry Me a River, a tribute to the late Julie London, features Joe Lano and Tom Warrington, and Songs of the Winter Season, also featuring Joe Lano and Tom Warrington.

Mountain Greenery

Evelyn Laurie - A Little Bit Of Me

Size: 95,7 MB
Time: 41:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Close Your Eyes (4:20)
02. Who Knows Where The Time Goes (5:19)
03. I Fall In Love Too Easily (3:52)
04. I Love The Way Your Breaking My Heart (3:12)
05. Lullaby Of Birdland (3:13)
06. I Love Your Smile (3:27)
07. In The Dark (4:51)
08. Wichita Lineman (4:38)
09. I'm A Fool To Want You (4:36)
10. Fly Away (3:30)

It could be argued that today we share too much of ourselves, that we find ways to harm our souls by shedding our skins in the wrong place, we find solace in being able to be comforted by strangers, that we seek validation from those who do not care for our welfare or for the stories we want to impart.

There is nothing wrong with seeking out people in which we can trust, we are all connected by the thought of wanting to be part of something bigger than ourselves, and yet we sacrifice the allure of unfolding mystery by opening our own personal Pandora’s Box to all and sundry in one fell swoop, not content with patience and declaring that we say, here is A Little Bit of Me.

There is beauty to be found, to be explored with great delicacy, in opening up the soul a fraction at a time, of understanding that the delivery is as important as the message, and it is one espoused with great charm by Evelyn Laurie in her debut album. whilst the artist may say, “it has taken her a while”, the album should be seen as example of how music can guide you to a place where you are comfortable in your own time, of being honest, sincere, of repairing your skin instead of flagellating it to the point where all anyone can see is scars.

Joining Ms. Laurie on the album are the talented musicians Euan Stevenson, Mario Caribe, Tom Gordon, Frank Bolam and Konrad Wiszniewski; it is a team approach that makes the album special and gives Evelyn Laurie’s distinctive voice an even greater lift, one that is enhanced by the trust so richly deserved by the band in her delivery and message.

A sense of a delicate blooming, of a coloration of time and preciseness comes forth in songs such as Sandy Denny’s Who Knows Where The Time Goes, I Love The Way You’re Breaking My Heart, I Love Your Smile, the femininity that surrounds the cover of Jimmy Webb’s Wichita Lineman and Joel S. Herron, Frank Sinatra and Jack Wolf’s I’m A Fool To Want You. It is a dynamic that at first hints, and then indicates with absolute clarity, all that you need to know about allowing your whole life to be put on show. It is in the careful unpeeling of the orange that we learn to savour the fruit inside, it is unveiling the person in by saying here is A Little Bit of Me, that kindness and appreciation soon follows. ~Ian D. Hall

A Little Bit Of Me

Megan Lee - Meet Me

Size: 72,2 MB
Time: 30:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Medicine Man (4:14)
02. All These Men (2:40)
03. Why Don't You Do Right (2:28)
04. Meet Me (3:55)
05. You Took Your Time (3:45)
06. Up All Night (4:11)
07. Since You've Been Gone (2:42)
08. Brown Eyes Blue (2:47)
09. At Last (3:50)

Megan Lee is an acclaimed and much loved singer, known throughout Cheshire and the North West as a skilled, versatile interpreter of songs by artists ranging from Peggy Lee and Etta James to Adele.
Now she is set to release her debut album and forge a new exciting path in her evolving career.

For the making of this she has collaborated with noted producer/multi-instrumentalist Nigel Stonier (who has worked with Clare Teal, Thea Gilmore, and The Waterboys among many others) and Duncan Thompson (of Sandi Thom collaboration fame) to create an exciting body of original material which embraces all the Jazz stylings Megan is known and loved for, while throwing in some contemporary pop shapes for good measure.

The 9 track album ranges from moody to sultry to punch-the-air uplifting.

Megan's ever engaging, airy, light soprano imbues all the songs with her unique stamp, soaring, swooping and taking you on a journey of many emotions.
"Meet Me" is set to establish Megan Lee as not just a singer, but also a songwriter, to be reckoned with.
As well as Stonier's contributions, the album features legendary drummer Paul Burgess (who plays with 10cc, Elkie Brooks, and Joan Armatrading)

Meet Me

Sam Levine & Jack Jezzro - Christmas In The Fifties

Size: 115,1 MB
Time: 49:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz Pop, Xmas
Art: Front

01. Jingle Bell Rock (3:30)
02. Winter Wonderland (3:55)
03. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree (3:32)
04. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (4:32)
05. Santa, Bring My Baby Back (To Me) (3:35)
06. Here Comes Santa Claus (3:04)
07. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) (2:48)
08. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer (3:48)
09. White Christmas (4:23)
10. Holly Jolly Christmas (3:16)
11. Blue Christmas (4:08)
12. Santa Baby (4:22)
13. Please Come Home For Christmas (4:09)

This fourth installment features the classic Christmas songs of the 50's as well as Christmas favorites transformed into 50's sounding gems. No other era in pop music history produced more Christmas songs that became chart successes than the 1950's.

Jack Jezzro has nearly 100 albums to his credit, a Grammy nomination, and four Dove award nominations. His projects have collectively sold over 5 million copies. As an internationally accomplished guitarist, his music has been featured on Entertainment Tonight, The Olympics, The Nashville Network, and jazz radio stations around the world. Jack currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. Sam Levine is known for his tender and heartfelt renditions of contemporary hits. Sam has been featured in live performances with such superstars as Whitney Houston and Al Jarreau, has recorded with Michael McDonald, The Neville Brothers, and Amy Grant, and has contributed musically to such motion picture soundtracks as Honeymoon in Vegas and Sweet Dreams. He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife, Lee, and their children, Sybil and Reed.

Christmas In The Fifties

Dana Marcine - To The Horizon

Size: 168,0 MB
Time: 72:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. So Fabulous (3:29)
02. Driving To The Horizon (4:56)
03. Small Peace (3:33)
04. Someone Else (5:12)
05. Los Cabos (5:21)
06. Sparkling Threads (4:18)
07. Sweet Livin' (4:45)
08. Phone At Home (6:06)
09. Satellites (6:55)
10. A Dream Of You (5:07)
11. Say.. (5:31)
12. Cry (6:12)
13. While Waiting Here (5:10)
14. All Because Of You (5:44)

Dana Marcine is a singer and songwriter of jazz music. She is also the bandleader of Jazz It Up and the Dana Marcine Quartet.

From her beginnings in Brooklyn, NY, music has always been central to Dana’s life. Born to a musical family, Dana was constantly surrounded by the sounds of opera, classical, and popular songs, eventually earning an MS in music. She has always loved singing for family, friends and audiences in the US and Europe.

In addition to performing well known standards from the Great American Songbook, Dana composes, music and lyrics, her own acclaimed originals. A previous recording of standard and originals, So Unexpected, received outstanding reviews, recognition and airplay.

A vocalist of great versatility, Dana has performed in madrigal and a cappella ensembles, enjoyed many roles with regional and off-Broadway theater companies, graced the opera stage, and sung the national anthem on ESPN. A chance meeting and friendship with jazz great Paul Bley introduced her to the genre of jazz music. Since then, being creative in jazz is where her focus is.

Throughout this journey, Dana has had the pleasure of collaborating with respected names in jazz, and has also performed at many wonderful venues. Recently, since making Austin, TX her home, she has become an active member of the Austin jazz scene, working with many outstanding musicians including Jeff Hellmer, Mitch Watkins, and John Fremgen, among many others. In “The Live Music Capital of the World”, she has performed at a long list of great venues, including The Brass House, The Elephant Room, the Four Seasons, Austin Bergstrom Airport, and other fine clubs. Her quartet has provided music at several fundraising events for St. David’s Hospital, Zach Theater, and Austin Opera.

A recent career highlight for Dana was an incredible opportunity to experience the music and culture of Portugal. Dana was chosen by the Center for Music Connections to represent American jazz music in comparison and contrast to Portuguese fado music. A series of concerts throughout Lisbon featured the collaboration between acclaimed fado artists, Fernanda Paulo and Mucio Sa, and American jazz artists, Dana Marcine and Renato Diz. The tour concluded with a music event in Washington, DC at the Portuguese Ambassador’s residence. It was attended by a multitude of ambassadors to the US from many other countries.

To The Horizon

Kenny Garrett - Black Hope

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:54
Size: 154,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:08)  1. Tacit Dance
( 4:09)  2. Spanish Go-round
(10:04)  3. Computer G
( 7:39)  4. Van Goghs Left Ear
( 3:53)  5. Black Hope
( 7:01)  6. Jackie And The Bean Stalk
( 4:46)  7. Run Run Shaw
( 5:24)  8. 2 Step
( 4:53)  9. Bone Bob
( 4:42) 10. Books And Toys
( 5:34) 11. Bye Bye Blackbird
( 1:35) 12. Last Sax

Alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett hasn't been as heavily publicized as his fellow young lions, but he can play with as much authority, conviction, and sheer energy as anyone. Only some uneven material keeps his '92 album from being exceptional, and even on the weak songs, Garrett's playing forces you to pay attention. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/black-hope-mw0000082568

Personnel:  Kenny Garrett: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Joe Henderson: tenor saxophone;  Kenny Kirkland: piano, synthesizer;  Donald Brown: synthesizer;  Charnett Moffett: bass;  Brian Blade, Ricky Wellman: drums;  Don Alias: percussion

Black Hope

Viktoria Tolstoy - Meet Me at the Movies

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:44
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Calling You
(5:31)  2. As Time Goes By
(3:56)  3. En Man (Marlowe's Theme)
(4:29)  4. Out Here on My Own
(3:56)  5. Why Should I Care
(3:14)  6. The Book of Love
(4:33)  7. Love Song for a Vampire
(3:48)  8. Kiss from a Rose
(4:49)  9. Angel
(5:30) 10. New World
(3:10) 11. Smile

The box office is not really in sight when Viktoria Tolstoy starts to sing. But everything is different on this CD. But this time, the Swede has selected film scores of well-known strips and dipped heavily into the jazz pot. The result is newly dressed and yetunadulterated classics. Sometimes it takes 20-30 bars, until one becomes aware: "Of course, that's it ..." Because often outweighs listening first, Exact-listening, sound pearl capturing. Tolstoy abducts, seduces and strokes gently, smiles mischievously and makes you listen with every tone where you otherwise stick to the picture on the big screen. Sure, it's the old songs and yet they sound so different from the movies - pearly, smoky, groovy. Modern and new. Together with Mattias Svensson (bass), Rasmus Kihlberg (drums) and Krister Jonsson (guitar), Tolstoy brings back a hundred-fold reproduced sound. A thousand-fold musical throats and ancient classics become crystal clear and subtly nuanced jazz. "As time goes by", "Dancer in the Dark", "Kiss from a rose" - Tolstoy presents it soft and smooth in one place, rough and handy on another. Glanzlichter puts in several songs Nils Landgren with his red trombone, who is also the producer of the CD. He cleans even the smallest song passages musically bright, makes it flash brightly and gives the film titles radiant sound accessories. In addition, Tolstoy has brought the Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala as a guest. He succeeds on the piano a leap in time: With a light finger, he drives out the kitsch from the well-known wise men, transforms the dusty into modern-jazzy. Melancholic gets intensity, soft feeling ends in sounds with verve and modernity. And Tolstoy shows together with their musicians: full orchestra and Hollywood bombast are not necessary for the classics. The small, almost sparse cast brings to light Tolstoy's clear voice and lively, jazzy interpretation, setting the musicians in particular passages great scene and convinces with a fine sound universe. Very nicely done! I think the cinemas in this country should once again arrange film music evenings. Viktoria Tolstoy and her musicians would be the right choice for a matinee. Until a cinema owner dares, the CD offers a 48-minute cinema experience of a special kind. ~ Sabine Meinert https://www.aboutjazz.de/2017/01/viktoria-tolstoy-meet-me-at-the-movies.html

Personnel:  Viktoria Tolstoy / vocals;  Krister Jonsson / guitars;  Mattias Svensson / electric & acoustic bass;  Rasmus Kihlberg / drums;  Iiro Rantala / piano;  Nils Landgren / trombone & vocals

Meet Me at the Movies

Don Byas - Ballads For Swingers

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:17
Size: 98,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:51)  1. Yesterdays
(7:01)  2. All The Things You Are
(8:21)  3. Lady Bird
(8:21)  4. Lover Man
(9:42)  5. I'll Remeber April

One of the greatest of all tenor players, Don Byas' decision to move permanently to Europe in 1946 resulted in him being vastly underrated in jazz history books. His knowledge of chords rivalled Coleman Hawkins, and, due to their similarity in tones, Byas can be considered an extension of the elder tenor. He played with many top swing bands, including those of Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940), and most importantly Count Basie (1941-1943). An advanced swing stylist, Byas' playing looked toward bop. He jammed at Minton's Playhouse in the early '40s, appeared on 52nd Street with Dizzy Gillespie, and performed a pair of stunning duets with bassist Slam Stewart at a 1944 Town Hall concert. After recording extensively during 1945-1946 (often as a leader), Byas went to Europe with Don Redman's band, and (with the exception of a 1970 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival) never came back to the U.S. He lived in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark; often appeared at festivals; and worked steadily. Whenever American players were touring, they would ask for Byas, who had opportunities to perform with Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (including a recorded tenor battle with Hawkins and Stan Getz), Art Blakey, and (on a 1968 recording) Ben Webster. Byas also recorded often in the 1950s, but was largely forgotten in the U.S. by the time of his death. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-byas-mn0000172350/biography

Personnel:  Don Byas (tenor saxophone); Bengt Axen (Piano);  Niels-Henning Frsted Pedersen (bass) ;  Axel Riel (drums)

Ballads For Swingers

Trilok Gurtu - Broken Rhythms

Styles: Folk, World, Fusion
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:28
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Broken Rhythms
(5:03)  2. Kabir
(5:40)  3. Nine Horses
(4:09)  4. Beyond
(5:44)  5. Sohum
(6:14)  6. Vignola
(5:28)  7. Dubash Lane
(7:23)  8. The Way To Banganga

The musical traditions of the eastern and western worlds are bridged through the improvisations of Bombay, India-born percussionist/vocalist Trilok Gurtu. Gurtu's mastery of post-bop jazz has not gone unnoticed. Downbeat magazine named him "best percussionist" in three critic and popularity polls and proclaimed, "musically, the world is his stage". Jazz magazine, Straight No Chaser took a similar view, writing, "this music has a transcendental quality and removes any obstacles that lie between western and eastern improvised music." Gurtu's eclectic approach has enabled him to collaborate with some of the world's greatest musicians. A member of trumpeter Don Cherry's band from 1976 to 1978, Gurtu has worked with such influential musicians as jazz guitarists Philip Catherine, John McLaughlin, Ralph Towner, Pat Metheny and Larry Coryell, rock guitarist David Gilmore, saxophonists Jan Garbarek and Bill Evans, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, jazz keyboardist Josef Zawinul and classical pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque. Gurtu was a member of acoustic jazz fusion group, Oregon, from 1984 to 1988. A native of Bombay, India, Gurtu hails from a musical family. His grandfather was a well known sitar player and his mother, Shobha Gurtu, was an influential singer of Indian classical music. Studying to play the tablas from the age of six, Gurtu attracted international attention in the mid-1970s when he performed with Charlie Mariano and John Tchicai. In 1977, he accompanied vocalist Asha Bhosle during her New York concerts. After touring and recording with Don Cherry for two years, Gurtu emigrated to Hambug, Germany in 1978. Shortly afterwards, he toured with Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine and recorded an album, End Of August, with Catherine and Mariano. In the summer of 1993, Gurtu toured Europe in a duo with Josef Zawinul and recorded an album, Crazy Saints, with Zawinul and Pat Metheny. Gurtu continues to teach drum clinics and perform at classical events with modern dancer Carolyn Carlson. In the summer of 1998, he toured with Andy Summers and Larry Coryell. The year 2000 saw the release of African Fantasy. Beat of Love followed the next spring. ~ Craig Harris https://itunes.apple.com/fr/album/broken-rhythms/212797408?l=en

Broken Rhythms

Karin Hammar Fab 4 - Circles

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:55
Size: 121,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:13)  1. Circles
(5:08)  2. Mammakech
(6:14)  3. Bossa for Ella
(8:15)  4. Choose Your Own Issues/ Hildegunn
(5:40)  5. Praia de Buzios
(5:55)  6. New O
(6:12)  7. Four Women
(5:14)  8. Habbit Rabbit
(4:01)  9. Uphill

Two years after the release of her latest album the widely critically acclaimed Imprints Karin Hammar now releases her new album Circles. Like last time, Hammar works with her group Karin Hammar Fab 4 to help her shape 8 new compositions and an interpretation of Nina Simones Four Women into her own musical landscape. The new compositions draw inspiration from such diverse encounters and places: Brazil, Morrocco, her daughter Ella, fellow musician Hildegunn Öiseth, to name a few. The title track was written in a small compartment backstage at Malmö Arena in Sweden prior to a show with Swedish pop star Orup. The Karin Hammar Fab 4 line up includes some of Swedens finest jazz players: Niklas Fernqvist on bass, Fredrik Rundqvist on drums and new member, guitarist, Andreas Hourdakis who brings a new form, shape, and level to the groups sound. 

Karin Hammar is widely seen as one of Swedens foremost trombone players, with four studio albums as a solo artist and numerous collaborations under her belt since debuting in the nineties. Shes been given numerous awards in Sweden, including a prize from the Alice Babs foundation. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Karin-Hammar-fab-4-Circles/dp/B07FDTF4F2

Personnel:  Karin Hammar - Trombone,  Anreas Hourdakis - Guitar,  Niklas Fernqvist - Bass,  Fredrik Rundqvist - Drums.

Circles

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Benny Goodman - Smooth Operator

Styles: Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:13
Size: 135,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:36)  1. Let's Dance
(3:18)  2. Flying Home
(2:55)  3. Good Enough To Keep
(3:19)  4. A Smo-o-oth One
(3:05)  5. Sacrecrow
(2:55)  6. Clarinet A La King
(2:58)  7. Jersey Bounce
(2:38)  8. Mission To Moscow
(2:59)  9. Body And Soul
(3:39) 10. After You've Gone
(2:59) 11. Liza
(3:08) 12. King Porter Stomp
(3:17) 13. Down South
(3:11) 14. South Of The Border (Down Mexico Way)
(3:09) 15. Wrappin' It Up

Benny Goodman was the first celebrated bandleader of the Swing Era, dubbed "The King of Swing," his popular emergence marking the beginning of the era. He was an accomplished clarinetist whose distinctive playing gave an identity both to his big band and to the smaller units he led simultaneously. The most popular figure of the first few years of the Swing Era, he continued to perform until his death 50 years later. Goodman was the son of Russian immigrants David Goodman, a tailor, and Dora Rezinsky Goodman. He first began taking clarinet lessons at ten at a synagogue, after which he joined the band at Hull House, a settlement home. He made his professional debut at 12 and dropped out of high school at 14 to become a musician. At 16, in August 1925, he joined the Ben Pollack band, with which he made his first released band recordings in December 1926. His first recordings under his own name were made in January 1928. At 20, in September 1929, he left Pollack to settle in New York and work as a freelance musician, working at recording sessions, radio dates, and in the pit bands of Broadway musicals. He also made recordings under his own name with pickup bands, first reaching the charts with "He's Not Worth Your Tears" (vocal by Scrappy Lambert) on Melotone Records in January 1931. He signed to Columbia Records in the fall of 1934 and reached the Top Ten in early 1934 with "Ain't Cha Glad?" (vocal by Jack Teagarden), "Riffin' the Scotch" (vocal by Billie Holiday), and "Ol' Pappy" (vocal by Mildred Bailey), and in the spring with "I Ain't Lazy, I'm Just Dreamin'" (vocal by Jack Teagarden). These record successes and an offer to perform at Billy Rose's Music Hall inspired Goodman to organize a permanent performing orchestra, which gave its first performance on June 1, 1934. His instrumental recording of "Moon Glow" hit number one in July, and he scored two more Top Ten hits in the fall with the instrumentals "Take My Word" and "Bugle Call Rag." After a four-and-a-half-month stay at the Music Hall, he was signed for the Saturday night Let's Dance program on NBC radio, playing the last hour of the three-hour show. During the six months he spent on the show, he scored another six Top Ten hits on Columbia, then switched to RCA Victor, for which he recorded five more Top Ten hits by the end of the year. After leaving Let's Dance, Goodman undertook a national tour in the summer of 1935. It was not particularly successful until he reached the West Coast, where his segment of Let's Dance had been heard three hours earlier than on the East Coast. His performance at the Palomar Ballroom near Los Angeles on August 21, 1935, was a spectacular success, remembered as the date on which the Swing Era began. He moved on to a six-month residency at the Congress Hotel in Chicago, beginning in November. He scored 15 Top Ten hits in 1936, including the chart-toppers "It's Been So Long," "Goody-Goody," "The Glory of Love," "These Foolish Things Remind Me of You," and "You Turned the Tables on Me" (all vocals by Helen Ward). He became the host of the radio series The Camel Caravan, which ran until the end of 1939, and in October 1936, the orchestra made its film debut in The Big Broadcast of 1937. The same month, Goodman began a residency at the Pennsylvania Hotel in New York. 

Goodman's next number one hit, in February 1937, featured Ella Fitzgerald on vocals and was the band's first hit with new trumpeter Harry James. It was also the first of six Top Ten hits during the year, including the chart-topping "This Year's Kisses" (vocal by Margaret McCrae). In December, the band appeared in another film, Hollywood Hotel. The peak of Goodman's renown in the 1930s came on January 16, 1938, when he performed a concert at Carnegie Hall, but he went on to score 14 Top Ten hits during the year, among them the number ones "Don't Be That Way" (an instrumental) and "I Let a Song Go out of My Heart" (vocal by Martha Tilton), as well as the thrilling instrumental "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)," which later was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. By 1939, Goodman had lost such major instrumentalists as Gene Krupa and Harry James, who left to found their own bands, and he faced significant competition from newly emerged bandleaders such as Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller. But he still managed to score eight Top Ten hits during the year, including the chart-topper "And the Angels Sing" (vocal by Martha Tilton), another inductee to the Grammy Hall of Fame. He returned to Columbia Records in the fall. In November, he appeared in the Broadway musical Swingin' the Dream, leading a sextet. The show was short-lived, but it provided him with the song "Darn That Dream" (vocal by Mildred Bailey), which hit number one for him in March 1940. It was the first of only three Top Ten hits he scored in 1940, his progress slowed by illness; in July he disbanded temporarily and underwent surgery for a slipped disk, not reorganizing until October. He scored two Top Ten hits in 1941, one of which was the chart-topper "There'll Be Some Changes Made" (vocal by Louise Tobin), and he returned to radio with his own show. Among his three Top Ten hits in 1942 were the number ones "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" (vocal by Peggy Lee) and the instrumental "Jersey Bounce." He also appeared in the film Syncopation, released in May. American entry into World War II and the onset of the recording ban called by the American Federation of Musicians in August 1942 made things difficult for all performers. Goodman managed to score a couple of Top Ten hits, including the number one "Taking a Chance on Love" (vocal by Helen Forrest), in 1943, drawn from material recorded before the start of the ban. 

And he used his free time to work in films, appearing in three during the year: The Powers Girl (January), Stage Door Canteen (July), and The Gang's All Here (December). Goodman disbanded in March 1944. He appeared in the film Sweet and Low-Down in September and played with a quintet in the Broadway revue Seven Lively Arts, which opened December 7 and ran 182 performances. Meanwhile, the musicians union strike was settled, freeing him to go back into the recording studio. In April 1945, his compilation album Hot Jazz reached the Top Ten on the newly instituted album charts. He reorganized his big band and scored three Top Ten hits during the year, among them "Gotta Be This or That" (vocal by Benny Goodman), which just missed hitting number one. "Symphony" (vocal by Liza Morrow) also came close to hitting number one in early 1946, and Benny Goodman Sextet Session did hit number one on the album charts in May 1946. Goodman hosted a radio series with Victor Borge in 1946-1947, and he continued to record, switching to Capitol Records. He appeared in the film A Song Is Born in October 1948 and meanwhile experimented with bebop in his big band. But in December 1949, he disbanded, though he continued to organize groups on a temporary basis for tours and recording sessions. If popular music had largely passed Goodman by as of 1950, his audience was not tired of listening to his vintage music. He discovered a recording that had been made of his 1938 Carnegie Hall concert and Columbia Records released it on LP in November 1950 as Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert, Vol. 1 & 2. It spent a year in the charts, becoming the best-selling jazz album ever up to that time, and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. A follow-up album of airchecks, Benny Goodman 1937-1938: Jazz Concert No. 2, hit number one in December 1952. The rise of the high fidelity 12" LP led Goodman to re-record his hits for the Capitol album B.G. in Hi-Fi, which reached the Top Ten in March 1955. A year later, he had another Top Ten album of re-recordings with the soundtrack album for his film biography, The Benny Goodman Story, in which he was portrayed by Steve Allen but dubbed in his own playing. After a tour of the Far East in 1956-1957, Goodman increasingly performed overseas. His 1962 tour of the U.S.S.R. resulted in the chart album Benny Goodman in Moscow. In 1963, RCA Victor staged a studio reunion of the Benny Goodman Quartet of the 1930s, featuring Goodman, Gene Krupa, Teddy Wilson, and Lionel Hampton. 

The result was the 1964 chart album Together Again! Goodman recorded less frequently in his later years, though he reached the charts in 1971 with Benny Goodman Today, recorded live in Stockholm. His last album to be released before his death from a heart attack at 77 was Let's Dance, a television soundtrack, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band. Goodman's lengthy career and his popular success especially in the 1930s and '40s has resulted in an enormous catalog. His major recordings are on Columbia and RCA Victor, but Music Masters has put out a series of archival discs from his personal collection, and many small labels have issued airchecks. The recordings continue to demonstrate Goodman's remarkable talents as an instrumentalist and as a bandleader. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/artist/benny-goodman-mn0000163133/biography

Smooth Operator

Billy Larkin & The Delegates - Hole In The Wall

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:45
Size: 73,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:39)  1. Hole In The Wall
(2:32)  2. Little Mama
(2:09)  3. Soul Beat
(2:07)  4. And I Love Her
(2:32)  5. A Taste Of Honey
(2:45)  6. The "In" Crowd
(2:25)  7. Hot Sauce
(2:19)  8. In The Midnight Hour
(3:39)  9. Blue Satin
(2:45) 10. Close Your Eyes
(2:26) 11. Hot Toddy
(2:20) 12. Agent Double-O-Soul

One of Billy Larkin's early tight little records, with his excellent organ combo The Delegates, and their trademark hard guitar and keyboard sound. Lots of nice groovers, including "Hot Sauce", "Hot Toddy", "Soul Beat", "Little Mama", and their version of the title cut, which was one of those minor 60s hits which were hotly disputed as to who had the original recording! (White label stereo pressing. 

Cover has some wear with moisture stains & a split top seam.)  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/8971/Billy-Larkin-The-Delegates:Hole-In-The-Wall

Personnel:  Billy Larkin, organ;  James Daniels or Hank Swarn, guitar;  Jessie Kilpatrick or Mel Brown, drums;  Ernest Nabetoo, conga

Hole In The Wall

Jeff Cascaro - Mother And Brother

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:25
Size: 118,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:19)  1. I feel fine
(3:37)  2. The sun is shining for our love
(4:12)  3. Anyway
(5:22)  4. Love is in the air
(4:34)  5. The lady's not amused
(3:59)  6. Little flower
(3:56)  7. Follow you, follow me
(3:31)  8. Try
(5:55)  9. When she sings to me
(4:43) 10. Help the poor
(5:50) 11. Ella
(1:23) 12. Final

With his second album „Mother and Brother“, Bochum-born singer Jeff Cascaro makes his reputation as one of Germany’s major voices in soul music with a pop attitude permanent. His first album „Soul of a Singer“ (2006) created this very special mood blending catchy songs made from pop, soul, jazz and blues elements. The new album immerges into that refreshingly different, individual, and outrageously entertaining cocktail. Jeff Cascaro the voice… and the mood. Mother and Brother is also close to the singer’s soul. It tells us the story of his love for music, for life itself (‚Ella‘ or ‚I Feel Fine‘), it opens chapters of his path of life, his loves and suffering (‚When She Sings To Me‘ or ‚The Sun Is Shining For Our Love‘), or they discreetly ask for a dance (‚Love Is In The Air‘). Cascaro follows the ways classic soul singers like Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, and Wilson Pickett were travelling before. But Cascaro knows that each traditions need fresh interpretations: „Of course I follow a thread, but in none of the pieces you’ll find a second verse that sounds like the first. There are always slightly different notes, a different melody.“ http://jeffcascaro.de/albums/mother-and-brother/

Personnel:  Jeff Cascaro (voc, flh);  Bruno Müller (git);  Ulf Kleiner (key);  Christian von Kaphengst (b);  Flo Dauner (dr) on track 2,3,7,8;  Peter Lübke (dr) on track 1,4,5,6,9,10,11;  Roland Peil (perc)

Mother And Brother

Wayne Jones - Saturday Street

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:52
Size: 119,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Strictly Dan
(4:22)  2. Saturday Street
(4:43)  3. Back In Five
(4:42)  4. Slow & Mellow
(4:46)  5. Sneaky Pete
(4:10)  6. MK3
(4:44)  7. Time Traveler
(3:46)  8. Latin Tyme
(5:20)  9. Hiraeth
(4:42) 10. I'm In the Mood (Feat. Cheryl Beattie)

It is paved with spiky, spine-tingling bass lines, the Saturday Street that Australian jazz artist Wayne Jones walks on. Saturday Street, Jones' latest album, is a glistening summer soundtrack that bathes in the pulsating energy of city life, from sun-drenched strolling to a midnight slow jam at a club. On the title track Jones' bass feels like a living entity; it throbs with vigor and swagger while jumpy piano adds further electricity. The forcefulness of Jones' bass playing is easily the most recognizable aspect of his style. On “Slow & Mellow," Jones is downright funky on what is essentially a romantic ballad; his bass literally leaps out of the speakers. According to Jones, the two-fisted punch of his bass is rooted in his original desire to become a drummer. “I used to have a passion for playing drums in my early teens," Jones recalled. “I started playing bass around 1969 after an industrial accident left me unable to hold a drumstick properly. I turned professional in 1976. It's funny how fate works. I much prefer bass as I now have both rhythm and melody to enjoy. I guess I used the passion I had for the drums and applied it to the bass." Jones displays extraordinary command of the bass in Saturday Street, and it may cause one to assume that he received formal training with the instrument; however, that was not the case. “Like many of my generation I was self-taught," Jones revealed. “I learned from records. I would listened to a few bars, lift the arm off the turntable, copy the phrases, and then put it back in roughly the same spot for the next bit. Eventually I had to teach myself modes, scales, and arpeggios. I'm sure glad I did as these are the tools I use to draw from when I play."~ Lauren Rogers https://news.allaboutjazz.com/australian-jazz-artist-wayne-jones-walks-on-saturday-street-with-spine-tingling-bass-lines.php

Saturday Street

Annekei & Something Borrowed

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:23
Size: 104,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. In Your Eyes
(5:33)  2. Something so Right
(4:37)  3. Toxic
(3:40)  4. Burn
(3:36)  5. Next Lifetime
(3:35)  6. Sweet Love
(4:45)  7. Magic
(5:59)  8. A Case of You
(4:57)  9. Lover for Life
(4:14) 10. The Book of Love

Annekei alias Anne Kraglund has returned to his birthplace Aarhus after a 10-year career in the United States and Japan. Along with a trio of experienced local musicians, she has resorted to interpreting her favorite songs a process that was so successful that last year the band recorded an album. This album is presented at the concert, in addition to hearing new interpretations of songs written by Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon and many others, one can also enjoy a glass of wine to celebrate the release.  The band is currently working on their second album, and tastings from this work can also be heard at the concert. Translate by Google https://jazzfest.dk/artist.php?id=3056&l=

Something Borrowed