Joani Taylor - The Art of the Jazz Ballad

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:12
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:05)  1. I'm Glad There Is You
(6:25)  2. Forever Eyes
(6:55)  3. Make Someone Happy
(6:30)  4. Yesterday
(6:01)  5. Little Bridge
(3:22)  6. That Night
(8:49)  7. You Don't Know Me
(9:01)  8. 'Round Midnight

Joani taylor is canada's first lady of the jazz ballad. she has legendary status in canada's music circles. joani has practically lived in television and recording studios. she has sung solo and back up on literally thousands of film scores, commercials, and recordings with artists ranging from bryan adams, jon bon jovi, bruce fairburn, david foster, to tom jones and james galway, and producing herself as well as other artists. Joani has flown all over the world for special solo performances appearing in taiwan, san francisco, across canada, the 02/03/o4 vancouver international jazz festival and at the adelaide jazz festival in austraila. joani was nominated for the national jazz awards and the 03 juno awards for her fourth cd "the wall street sessions." the recognition has been earned and well deserved. she is a prolific lyricist and an excellent vocal arranger. sending her on teaching tours three to four times a year, joani's master classes for singers and musicians accompaning singers are compelling, inovative, and very well attended. her students love her approach and she covers areas of performance not delt with by other clinicians.constantly working on stage ms. taylor has opened for and performed with a real range of artists from stevie wonder and little richard, to lenny breau, p.j. perry, cannonball addrley, miles davis. don thompson, fraser macpherson, tommy banks, moe koffman campbell ryga, brad turner, ross taggart, john capon and many other artists. recently, joani recorded the opening song for  a feature film. With influences and encouragement from powerful artists such as ella fitzgerald, frank sinatra, bill evans. thelonious monk and cannonball adderly, joani has become a master of her own style. it has been roumored that joani's music is included in clint eastwood's personal collection. as a matter of fact you can clearly hear the impact and influence she's had on some of canada's best known singers. you can't miss the power of her spirit when deep into a song. joani taylor brings to her audience a truly personal and in the moment experience. this chick singer stirs up a compelling feast of vocal delights that lure and seduce the audience into a jazz buff born again conversion. joani taylor has arrived. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/joani2

Personnel:  Vocals – Joani Taylor;  Piano – Bob Murphy .

The Art of the Jazz Ballad

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - I Want A Little Girl

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:15
Size: 98,8 MB
Art: Front

( 5:36)  1. I Want A Little Girl
( 4:49)  2. Somebody's Got To Go
( 5:16)  3. Blues In The Closet
( 4:43)  4. No Good For Me
(10:55)  5. Stormy Monday
( 5:46)  6. Straight, No Chaser
( 3:07)  7. Worried Mind Blues

Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, 64 at the time of this Pablo recording, is in superior form on the blues-oriented material. With Art Hillery (on piano and organ) and guitarist Cal Green leading the rhythm section, and trumpeter Martin Banks and the tenor of Rashid Ali offering contrasting solo voices, this is a particularly strong release. It is true that Vinson had sung such songs as "I Want a Little Girl," "Somebody's Got to Go," and "Stormy Monday" a countless number of times previously but he still infuses these versions with enthusiasm and spirit, making this set a good example of Cleanhead's talents in his later years. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-want-a-little-girl-mw0000649768

Personnel: Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson - alto saxophone, vocals; Rashid Jamal Ali - alto saxophone; Martin Banks - trumpet;   Art Hillery - piano;  Cal Green - guitar; John Heard - bass;  Roy McCurdy - drums.

I Want A Little Girl

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Esko Linnavalli Sextet - Finnish Design

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:08
Size: 90,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. On The Hills Of Carelia
(3:18)  2. Polska From Savitaipale
(2:57)  3. The Rose In The Valley
(2:45)  4. Polska From Koivisto
(1:14)  5. Strawberry - Take One
(1:23)  6. Strawberry - Take Two
(3:39)  7. There's My Sweetheart
(4:43)  8. Early In The Morning
(0:59)  9. Old Dance
(3:14) 10. Shepherd Song
(1:45) 11. Old Polska
(2:14) 12. Wedding Song

You might imagine that a set titled "Finnish Design" might be all cold and modern but the sound here is anything but and instead comes across in a really warm blend of creative percussion, unusual rhythms, and some especially great work on horns! The set was put together by Esko Linnavalli who plays a fair bit of acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes on the session but the record also draws from strong work by Eero Koivistoinen on tenor and soprano sax, and some rich trumpet lines from Bertil Lofgren who's got a way of stepping out in the lead, but with a fragile, human quality that really moves us. 

Jukka Tolonen plays guitar on the record too sometimes in ways that are a fair bit more subtle than his own records and other musicians include Seppo Paakkunainen on flute and recorder, Lars Urban Helje on bass, and Esko Rosnell on drums and percussion. Titles include "On The Hills Of Carelia", "Polska From Koivisto", "Strawberry Take One", "Early In The Morning", and "Wedding Song".  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/809199/Esko-Linnavalli-Sextet:Finnish-Design

Personnel: Conductor, Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes Electric Piano] – Esko Linnavalli;  Bass – Lars-Urban Helje;  Drums, Percussion – Esko Rosnell;  Flute, Recorder – Seppo Paakkunainen;  Guitar, Electric Guitar – Jukka Tolonen;   Soprano Saxophone – Eero Koivistoinen;  Tenor Saxophone – Eero Koivistoinen;   Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bertil Löfgren

Finnish Design

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Noriko Ueda Trio - Debut

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:18
Size: 108,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. Bohemia After Dark
(5:11)  2. Blue Sunset
(4:28)  3. Just in Time
(5:12)  4. Forget Me Not
(5:39)  5. Double Vision
(3:59)  6. Parisian Thoroughfare
(5:58)  7. The Loop
(5:38)  8. For All We Know
(5:33)  9. The Touch of Your Lips

Born 14 March 1972, Osaka, Japan. From the age of 14, Ueda studied classical piano and two years later began playing electric bass. Her piano studies continued until she was 20, and in the meantime she had also begun to compose. During the last two years of these studies, she concurrently studied classical singing at Osaka College of Music. It was at this time that she made the change to playing the acoustic double bass, which thereafter became her principal instrument. After leaving Osaka College early in 1992, Ueda began playing at the city’s jazz clubs, work that provided an opportunity to accompany visiting jazz musicians such as Kenny Barron, Joe Chambers, Benny Green, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Smith and Grady Tate. In 1994, she joined pianist Kiyoshi Takeshita for a year and then went to the USA to study at the Berklee College Of Music, where she majored in jazz composition. While at Berklee, she appeared on the 1997 BMG release Summa Cum Jazz: The Best Of Berklee College Of Music. From 1996, she led an all-Japanese, all-female trio, Groovin’ Girls, which has recorded in the studio and also appeared on Black Entertainment Television’s Jazz Central. With her in the group are pianist Takana Miyamoto and drummer Masumi Inaba. Ueda has composed extensively, often for big bands. Several of her pieces were used on Live At TUC, a 2001 radio broadcast on FM Tokyo. In 2000, 2002 and 2003 her compositions were performed at the BMI Annual Showcase Concerts. Her ‘Castle In The North’ won her the 2002 BMI Foundation’s Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize and the following year her ‘Power Of Spring’ was played at the BMI Annual Showcase Concert. This same composition was selected for the BMI Jazz Composer’s Workshop and was performed at the IAJE (International Association for Jazz Education) Annual Conference in January 2004. Ueda is a member of DIVA, the all-female big band, led by drummer Sherrie Maricle, and she also plays as a member of the DIVA small group, Five Play. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/noriko-ueda-mn0000119737

Personnel:  Noriko Ueda (bass) Ted Rosenthal (piano) Quincy Davis (drums).

Debut

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Stanley Cowell - Musa - Ancestral Streams

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:00
Size: 90,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. Abscretions
(3:43)  2. Equipoise
(7:08)  3. Prayer For Peace
(2:53)  4. Emil Danenberg
(5:28)  5. Maimoun
(2:58)  6. Travelin' Man
(5:20)  7. Departure No. 1
(2:14)  8. Departure No. 2
(3:06)  9. Sweet Song

Musa Ancestral Streams remains a relative oddity in the pantheon of jazz's black consciousness movement -- a solo piano set of stunning reach and scope, its adherence to intimacy contrasts sharply with the bold, multi-dimensional sensibilities that signify the vast majority of post-Coltrane excursions into spiritual expression, yet the sheer soulfulness and abandon of Stanley Cowell's performance nevertheless vaults the record into the same physical and metaphysical planes. Cowell's energy and touch are remarkable, as if guided by divine power, and for all the music's structural spaciousness and rhythmic freedom, not a note feels out of place, let alone excessive. Most intriguing is "Travelin' Man," an overdubbed "duet" featuring Cowell on both acoustic and electric piano that underscores his uncommon affinity for space and presence. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/musa-ancestral-streams-mw0000771842

Personnel:  Stanley Cowell - piano, electric piano, kalimba

Musa - Ancestral Streams

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Carmen Bradford - Finally Yours

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:45
Size: 93,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:49)  1. Destiny (Prelude)
(4:56)  2. Destiny
(5:42)  3. Maybe September
(3:08)  4. Rough Ridin'
(3:48)  5. The Right To Love
(3:36)  6. I Believe In My Soul
(5:21)  7. I Love You More Than You Know
(3:18)  8. Chicago Hell
(5:54)  9. You Must Believe In Spring
(3:07) 10. More Than A Trial

Originally issued in 1992 on the Amazon label and then reissued five years later under the larger Evidence cover, this is Austin, TX, native Carmen Bradford's first album under her own name. Endowed with a powerful, expressive, wide-ranged voice, Bradford seasons her jazz vocalizing with soul and blues as she delivers on a play list of familiar and not so familiar material embossed with a variety of tempi. There's "Destiny," done with a Latin rhythm at an up-tempo pace and featuring the guitar of Charlton Johnson (who also composed the tune). She dips into the Lionel Hampton songbook for one of his hardly ever heard tunes, "Chicago Hello," showing off her swinging aptitude, this time with Bill Easley and Steve Greenfield sharing the solo spotlight on tenor, making it one of the more engaging tracks on the CD. Memories of Motown are recalled with Ray Charles' "I Believe to My Soul," done with Aretha Franklin in mind. Bradford shows she is at home with pure romantic ballads on a very heartfelt "The Right to Love," with James Polk carrying the bulk of the accompanist load. In fact, "heartfelt" may be the one best word that characterizes what is going on at this session. Bradford throws everything she has into each tune, leaving no emotion untouched. Even the Ella Fitzgerald classic "Rough Ridin'" gets a demonstrative reading, as the band offers a couple of quotes from the familiar racetrack call to colors. Backed by topflight jazz personages, who she uses very effectively, this is a more than credible first outing and a solid harbinger of good things to come by Bradford. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/finally-yours-mw0000024152

Personnel:  Vocals – Carmen Bradford;  Bass – Darryl Jones, Earl May;  Drums, Percussion – Marvin Smith;  Flute – Steve Greenfield;  Guitar – Charlton Johnson;  Piano – George Caldwell , James Polk;  Saxophone [Baritone & Alto] – Steve Greenfield;  Saxophone [Tenor] – Bill Easley, Frank Foster;  Trumpet – Byron Stripling

Finally Yours

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Rachel Therrien Quintet - Why Don't You Try

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:02
Size: 127,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. Spectrum
(4:33)  2. Why Don't You Try
(6:44)  3. Demi-Nuit
(5:17)  4. Adirondack Jump
(5:49)  5. Hayde Santamaria
(5:42)  6. CRS
(3:34)  7. Omelette Coleman
(6:19)  8. I Am Alone
(4:08)  9. Tomber En Cinq
(5:40) 10. Rocket Launch
(4:44) 11. Miroé

Spearheaded by trumpeter Rachel Therrien, Why Don’t You Try presents a collaborative mosaic of original music by each member of the quintet. Recorded at Montreal’s Studio 270 with technician Robert Langlois and mixed at Studio ToneBender by Olivier St-Pierre, the project presents tasty jazz-rock with creative arrangements and beautiful cohesion between the musicians. Co-produced by Rachel Therrien and Kim Neundorf for Free Run Artists Productions, Why Don’t You Try features the sound of Simon Pagé’s groovy electric bass, Charles Trudel’s virtuoso piano, Alain Bourgeois’s energetic drums, Benjamin Deschamps’s inventive saxophone, and Rachel Therrien’s inspired trumpet. Why Don’t You Try is woven of bold musical proposals, great moments of improvisation and a sympathetic humoristic touch. This project was made possible in part by the Government of Canada and the TD Grand Prix 2015 of the International Jazz Festival of Montreal. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/racheltherrienquintet

Personnel:  Rachel Therrien - Trumpet & Composition (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8); Benjamin Deschamps - Sax & Composition (3); Charles Trudel - Piano & Composition (10); Simon Page - Bass & Composition (7, 9); Alain Bourgeois - Drum & Composition (11)

Why Don't You Try

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The Diva Jazz Orchestra - Special Kay!

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2016
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 56:31
Size: 103,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Did You do That?
(6:52)  2. Nothin'
(6:58)  3. To Sweets with Love
(4:36)  4. Where's the Food
(6:25)  5. Give Me Your Love
(5:24)  6. How Ya Doin'?
(6:25)  7. You Made a Mistake
(4:41)  8. The Brush Off
(4:45)  9. Special Kay
(4:04) 10. Three Sisters and a Cousin

No, it is definitely not advisable to open a review with an unequivocal superlative (for one thing, it sort of gives the game away, doesn't it?). But on Special Kay!, its ninth impressive album in twenty-four years, DIVA the gold standard among all-female big bands since its inception really gives a commentator no reasonable choice. Simply put, this is a mind-blowing live performance at the Tannery Pond Community Center in North Creek, NY, that electrifies and satisfies from start to finish. Perhaps one reason for the inspired endeavor is that the "Kay" in Special Kay! symbolizes Stanley Kay, a drummer-turned-talent manager (and entertainment director for the New York Yankees) who in 1990 approached another drummer, Sherrie Maricle, with the idea of forming an all-woman band. Two years later, DIVA made its widely-praised debut, and the rest, as they say, is history. Kay remained a driving force behind the orchestra until his passing in June 2010. Now, some six years later, DIVA pays tribute to its fallen leader by performing ten of his admirable compositions, several of which had never before been recorded. To underscore its import, Special Kay! marks the first time DIVA has ever produced an album of all-original themes. Among Kay's clients was the renowned tap-dancing trio Hines, Hines & Dad, and he wrote the flamboyant opener, "Did You Do That?" for Maurice and Gregory Hines' mother, Alma, who often asked that question after an especially intricate dance routine. The irrepressible barn-burner features a blistering duel between tenors Roxy Coss and Janelle Reichman who moves to clarinet to solo with trumpeter Tanya Darby on the strapping yet melodious "Nothin,'" trimly arranged by bassist Noriko Ueda. All trumpets are muted (and all solo) on "To Sweets with Love," Kay's loping homage to trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, which precedes another brisk flag-waver, "Where's the Food?," a question Kay always insisted was the first one asked by band members at every gig. 

Emphatic solos courtesy of baritone Lisa Parrott, trombonist Deborah Weisz and pianist Tomoko Ohno. So far, an avalanche of exhilarating big-band jazz, and we haven't even reached the halfway mark. Ohno and trombonist Jennifer Krupa are front and center on the seductive "Give Me Your Love," altos Leigh Pilzer and Sharel Cassity on Scott Whitfield's snappy arrangement of the fast-moving "How Ya Doin'?" Reichman (clarinet), Krupa (muted) and trumpeter Jami Dauber (also muted) brighten John J. DiMartino's swinging arrangement of "You Made a Mistake," after which Maricle assumes command on "The Brush Off," written especially for her by Kay to showcase her remarkable dexterity with brushes. "Special Kay," a charming bossa arranged by Ueda on which Cassity (flute) and trumpeter Barbara Laronga shine, leads to the roaring finale, "Three Sisters and a Cousin," Kay's answer to Jimmy Giuffre's "Four Brothers" and the first chart ever written by him for DIVA. As one would surmise, the saxophones are ascendant, with volcanic solos by all hands. Maricle closes the concert, appropriately, by exclaiming "We love you, Stanley Kay!" It's a love that is self-evident in almost every measure of this sensational album, arguably the pinnacle in a long line of splendid recordings by this prodigious orchestra, and one that is indeed Special in every way. Five stars all around: for concept, arrangements, execution, aerial balancing without a net, and especially for an abundance of ardor and esprit de corps.~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/special-kay-sherrie-maricle-diva-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle: music director, drums; Tanya Darby: trumpet; Jami Dauber: trumpet; Carol Morgan: trumpet; Barbara Laronga: trumpet; Sharel Cassity: alto sax, flute; Leigh Pilzer: alto sax, flute; Janelle Reichman: tenor sax, clarinet; Roxy Coss: tenor sax, clarinet; Lisa Parrott: baritone sax; Deborah Weisz: trombone; Jennifer Krupa: trombone; Leslie Havens: bass trombone; Tomoko Ohno: piano; Noriko Ueda: bass.

Special Kay!

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Claudio Roditi - Gemini Man

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 42:07
Size: 40,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:54)  1. We (To Kristen and Me)
(5:02)  2. Una Misma Alma
(4:58)  3. Jacarand`
(5:57)  4. Snow Samba
(5:55)  5. Gemini Man
(4:42)  6. Em Minas Gerais
(5:28)  7. Conceição
(4:07)  8. Brazilian Roots (To Amaury Tristco)

This CD features trumpeter Claudio Roditi playing Brazilian-oriented music with a group consisting of pianist Roger Kellaway, Daniel Freiberg on synthesizers, bassist Nilson Matta, either Ignacio Berroa or Akira Tana on drums and percussionist Rafael Cruz. Roditi, who composed or co-wrote six of the eight mostly gentle originals, also sings quite effectively on three numbers, one apiece in English, Spanish and Portuguese. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/gemini-man-mw0000198766

Personnel:   Flugelhorn, Vocals, Trumpet – Claudio Roditi ;  Bass – Nilson Matta;  Drums – Akira Tana, Ignacio Berroa;  Percussion – Rafael Cruz ;  Piano – Roger Kellaway;   Synth, Electric Piano – Daniel Freiberg

Gemini Man

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Tony Kofi Quartet - Plays Monk: All Is Know

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:02
Size: 161,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:25)  1. Boo Boo's Birthday
(4:48)  2. Ugly Beauty
(5:28)  3. Trinkle Tinkle
(4:58)  4. Ruby My Dear
(6:38)  5. Brilliant Corners
(2:43)  6. Comin' On The Hudson
(4:08)  7. We See
(2:38)  8. Crepescule With Nellie
(3:38)  9. Teo
(9:01) 10. Misterioso
(4:26) 11. Gallop's Gallop
(4:57) 12. Light Blue
(4:28) 13. Think Of One
(4:41) 14. Monk's Mood

First making a name for himself on the British jazz scene in '91 as a member of the high profile young Turks the Jazz Warriors, Tony Kofi went on to guest with a wide variety of artists during the first half of the '90s from the David Murray Big Band, Jazz Jamaica and Eddie Henderson to Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa before joining the Township Express Orchestra and Tim Richards' Great Spirit, both of which he continues to play with. He is a red blooded and muscular soloist in whom Charlie Parker's wild, unruly tone is often writ enjoyably large, and who is also capable of moments of delicate, tender lyricism. His first horn is the alto, but he also plays soprano and an earthy yet fleet fingered baritone (more Leo Parker than Gerry Mulligan). Incredibly and rather shamingly for the British record business this is Kofi's first release as leader, a full thirteen years after his emergence with the Warriors. But that's another story, and an old one. The Tony Kofi Quartet, the members of which began woodshedding the Thelonious Monk songbook together in '00, debuted in fall '03 at the London Jazz Festival with a marathon six hour set in which they played every one of Monk's seventy known written compositions. The Quartet is part of the larger Monk Liberation Front ensemble co-led by Kofi, pianist Jonathan Gee and composer Philip Clark dedicated to bringing Monk's oeuvre to new audiences while also commissioning original work informed by Monk's legacy and spirit. 

So Kofi and his colleagues have paid their dues and spent plenty time getting inside the head of their spirit guide. And Plays Monk (All Is Know) itself is a blast: a respectful (without being slavishly so) and insightful celebration of fourteen of Monk's compositions. Unlike some albums given over entirely to Monk's works, for instance Esbjorn Svensson Trio's own excellent Plays Monk, the Quartet mix up some of the best known Monk standards with lesser known gems, some which many listeners will probably be hearing for the first time here. Half of the tracks feature the core alto-led quartet, while the other half ring the changes with a string arrangement (Philip Clark's sepulchral chart for "Ugly Beauty"), or with Kofi playing other saxophones (the closing "Monk's Mood" on unaccompanied baritone is especially memorable), or with a guest artist. (Orphy Robinson's lovely marimba on "Misterioso," at 9'01" the longest track on the album and a reminder of how well tuned percussion fits into Monk's work, probably because, without decrying his harmonic or melodic genius, Monk often approached the piano as a piece of tuned percussion.) Not only the first own-name album for Tony Kofi, Plays Monk (All Is Know) is also the first release on Proper Records' contemporary Specific Jazz imprint and it's an auspicious, hugely enjoyable and thoroughly convincing new beginning on both fronts. ~ Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/plays-monk-all-is-know-specific-jazz-review-by-chris-may.php
 

Personnel: Tony Kofi, alto, soprano and baritone saxes; Jonathan Gee, piano; Ben Hazleton, bass; Winston Clifford, drums; Orphy Robinson, marimba; Reiad Chibah, viola; Andrew Joyce, cello; Madeleine Easton, violin.

Plays Monk: All Is Know

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Richard "Groove" Holmes - Workin' On A Groovy Thing

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:58
Size: 85,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Isole Natale
(3:58)  2. Do You Know The Way To San Jose
(2:48)  3. Workin' On A Groovy Thing
(2:36)  4. Oklahoma Toad
(4:43)  5. High Blues Pressure
(4:07)  6. Listen Here
(3:32)  7. In And Out
(2:46)  8. Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife
(4:16)  9. Rhythm And Groove
(2:54) 10. I Can't Stop Dancing

Groove Holmes and Gerald Wilson  a wonderful combination on this late 60s session in a style that's everything great about mainstream LA jazz at the time! Wilson really has a way with the charts on the session and although the group is large, they've got a lean, clean sound that bounces along nicely slightly funky at times, always soulful at others a perfect backdrop for the well-played Hammond lines that Groove brings to the set! The album's not as much of an all-out organ wailer as some of Holmes' albums for Prestige but that's a-ok with us, because Wilson's group features some other great players too including Dennis Budimir on guitar, Tony Ortega and Arnie Watts on saxes, and Paul Humphrey on drums! Titles include "Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife", "High Blues Pressure", "Listen Here", "Oklahoma Toad", "Rhythm & Groove", "In & Out", and "Isole Natalie".  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/4536/Richard-Groove-Holmes:Workin%27-On-A-Groovy-Thing
 

Personnel:   Richard "Groove" Holmes - organ;   Paul Humphrey - drums;  Ernie Watts - alto saxophone;  Anthony Ortega - alto saxophone;  Richard Aplanalp - baritone saxophone;  Frank Strong - trombone;  Thurman Green - trombone;  Mike Wimberly - bass trombone;  Jerome Rusch - trumpet;  Larry McGuire - trumpet;  Paul Hubinon - trumpet;  Herbert Anderson - trumpet;   William Peterson - trumpet;  Dennis Budimir - guitar;  Wilton Felder - bass

Workin' On A Groovy Thing

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Mal Waldron - In Retrospect

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:21
Size: 88,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:31)  1. All Alone
(11:18)  2. Oleo
( 6:15)  3. Blue Monk
( 7:38)  4. I Can't Get Started
( 5:38)  5. Straight No Chaser

A great Japanese session from Mal Waldron with excellent tenor and flute from Akira Miyazawa, plus bass from Isao Suzuki and drums from Hironobu Fuzisawa! https://www.dustygroove.com/item/726554

Personnel:  Mal Waldron — piano;  Akira Miyazawa — tenor saxophone, flute;  Isao Suzuki — bass;  Hironobu Fujisawa — drums

In Retrospect

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Sylvia Bennett - I Wish You Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:09
Size: 99,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:13)  1. Besame Mucho (English Version)
(3:05)  2. It's Impossible (feat Nathan East)
(2:52)  3. C'est Magnifique (English Version)
(3:44)  4. I Wish You Love
(2:38)  5. Sway
(3:28)  6. Autumn Leaves
(3:21)  7. Beyond the Sea
(2:38)  8. A Man and a Woman
(2:44)  9. La Vie En Rose (English Version)
(3:37) 10. I Will Wait for You
(3:16) 11. C'est Si Bon (English Version) feat Rick Braun
(2:19) 12. Moulin Rouge (English Version)
(2:54) 13. Be True to Me (Sabor a Mi)
(3:14) 14. I Wish You Love (Radio Edit)

Born in Italy, but emigrating to Philadelphia when she was a child, Sylvia Bennett traveled a twisted path on her way to becoming a jazz singer. Her first taste of show business came through appearances on children's shows during the 1950's. She started singing professionally in 1976 after moving to Miami, doing cabaret and pop. She even released two disco records. After she earned some notoriety, Phyllis Diller, Jackie Mason and other headliners began to use her to open their acts when in Florida. She was content being a pop performer until she met Lionel Hampton, who told her she should be singing jazz. Recording with Hampton in 1985, Bennett worked with him at festivals and at the inaugurals of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Three jazz records resulted from Hampton's injunction to go jazz  I Need a Man in 1988 for New York Music, Rainbows in the Sky in 1991 for her own company, Out of Sight Music, and Here's That Rainy Day for Bay Cities in 1992. Tenor man Boots Randolph joined her on the latter session. During the 1990's, Bennett has appeared at European jazz festivals, notably in Budapest and in Amsterdam. Citing such diverse influences as Barbra Streisand and Nancy Wilson, Bennett possesses a clear soprano voice, is at ease with both ballads and up tempo tunes and takes an occasional fling with the blues. ~ Dave Nathan https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-wish-you-love/1361118785

I Wish You Love

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The Diva Jazz Orchestra - The Diva Jazz Orchestra 25th Anniversary Project

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:24
Size: 147,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. East Coast Andy
(6:39)  2. Middleground
(6:58)  3. Seesaw
(6:37)  4. Jami's Tune
(6:18)  5. Square One
(7:40)  6. Darkness of the Matter
(5:31)  7. La Americana
(5:47)  8. A Quarter Past the Last Minute
(7:12)  9. Forever In My Heart
(5:33) 10. The Rhythm Changes

The Diva Orchestra, with its vibrant sound and stellar soloists, is one of the premier large ensembles in jazz today. It also happens to be one of the few made up entirely of women. Therefore, it is both a creative hot bed for talented musicians and a forum for female instrumentalists, who remain sorely underexposed, to express themselves. The 25th Anniversary Project is an intriguing set of ten originals by various members of band that highlights their inventive and imaginative artistry. For instance, alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino's cinematic "Square One" opens with fascinating dramatic tension. Trumpeter Rachel Therrien embellishes the melody with suave agility as she blows her Flugelhorn with warmth and slow, simmering passion. A delightfully riotous collective performance follows, setting the stage for Tarantino and her fluid and muscular improvisation. Elsewhere baritone saxophonist Leigh Pilzer's whimsical and energetic "East Coast Andy" features lively exchanges among various instruments. These form an exciting and colorful backdrop for the trumpeter Jami Dauber's lyrical and emotive spontaneous lines. Pilzer takes her turn in the spotlight with expressive phrases and vivid tones. Drummer Sherrie Maricle propels the tune with fervor and sophistication. Maricle's own "The Rhythm Changes" closes this superb album with exuberance. Hard swinging and fiery refrains overlap to create the piece's framework. Trumpeter Barbara Laronga solos with high notes and lithe lines. Saxophonist Mercedes Beckman follows with flittering acrobatics that stimulate and satisfy. The horns punctuate bassist Noriko Ueda's eloquent soliloquy and Maricle engages the various sections of the orchestra with her thunderous polyrhythms and ushers in the moving and riotous conclusion. Other noteworthy moments include woodwind player Janelle Reichman 's bittersweet clarinet monologue on her own, eastern flavored "Middleground." The composition also showcases pianist Tomoko Ohno's cascading and resonant chords. This recording is the result of a quarter century of artistic maturation that has crystalized in an exquisite display of high caliber musicianship. Thanks to Maricle's dynamic leadership the group continues to captivate and thrill. ~ Hrayr Attarian https://www.allaboutjazz.com/25th-anniversary-project-sherrie-maricle-artistshare-review-by-hrayr-attarian.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle: drums; Noriko Ueda: bass; Tomoko Ohno: piano; Leslie Havens: bass trombone; Sara Jacovino: trombone; Jennifer Krupa: trombone; Rachel Therrien: trumpet, flugelhorn; Barbara Laronga: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jami Dauber: trumpet, flugelhorn; Liesl Whitaker: trumpet, flugelhorn; Leigh Pilzer: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Erica von Kleist: tenor saxophone; Janelle Reichman: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Mercedes Beckman: alto saxophone, flute, clarinet; Alexa Tarantino: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Marcia Gallas: congas (7).

The Diva Jazz Orchestra 25th Anniversary Project

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Bernadette Seacrest and her Provocateurs - The Filthy South Sessions

Styles: Vocal, Big Band
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:38
Size: 111,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. The Tango Below
(3:48)  2. Blue Rendezvous
(4:13)  3. Pass The Tourniquet
(2:24)  4. The Rain Has Stayed Away
(4:45)  5. Empty Streets
(3:28)  6. Where Does It Hurt
(4:04)  7. Death Letter In The Mail
(3:34)  8. G-d's Been Drinking
(4:37)  9. Babylon
(2:44) 10. Who's Buying
(2:08) 11. Trashcan Lens
(8:10) 12. Cabbagetown Girl

The 45-year-old femme fatale and singer who fronts the trio known simply as Her Provocateurs, has the face of a 1950s pin-up model and the tattoos of an old-school, streetwise punk. Every drop of ink on her body from the barbed chain around her neck to the brilliant colors that sleeve her arms tells the story of a fiercely independent woman who has suffered the highs and lows of life on the fringes to carve her own musical niche. Her pure, angelic croon seems more likely to be found in the pages of a pulp crime novel than in the here and now. Having grown up in Venice Beach, Calif., she's filled with tales ranging from being bullied by Dogtown skateboarders in the late '70s to dating Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery, whom she calls her first love. But there's a dark side to her past as well, one that's marred by battles with a heroin addiction that, had she failed to overcome it, would have stopped her from ever finding the confidence to sing for an audience. With Bernadette Seacrest and Her Provocateurs' new CD, The Filthy South Sessions, Seacrest's haunting presence collides with songwriter/guitarist Charles Williams' heady arrangements in a sound that skirts the boundaries of jazz, blues and lounge music. "Swing noir" is the clever catch phrase she likes most. The songs simmer with a sparse, spectral sound that builds on the complex chemistry between Seacrest and Williams. "Charles is a very cerebral person and I am the polar opposite of that," she explains. "That's what's really good between us and that's what creates tension. Everything I do comes from the gut ... and my hips, and he's in his head. It's amazing that we can do what we do without killing each other," she laughs. "It's like a pelvis thing and it's a cranium thing." A few years after kicking her drug habits in September '97, 35-year-old Seacrest was living in Albuquerque, N.M. She had moved there to clean up and was looking for some sort of artistic outlet. She had no prior singing experience, but was intrigued by the prospects after being prodded onstage one night. "When I was a user, drugs and booze gave me confidence in some ways, but in other ways I was dwarfed emotionally," she says. "I had been sober for a few years, my confidence was up and I had a friend who was in this great band that had recently broken up. One night he jokingly said, 'Come sing with the remaining members of my band.' So I thought about it and called him the next day and said, 'OK, I'm going to do this.'" The friend was jazz performer and songwriter Pat Bova. 

Together they played in the rockabilly roots band the Long Goners, and later formed the backbone of Bernadette Seacrest and Her Yes Men, who released two albums a collection of mostly standards titled No More Music by the Suckers and a live CD that followed a year later. The two worked well together, but without warning Seacrest moved to Atlanta in June 2006 to "follow her heart," she says. It wasn't long before she was appearing at out of the way venues around town with Williams, best known as a founding guitar player for Col. Bruce Hampton's Aquarium Rescue Unit and the main songwriter for local jazz group the Bonaventure Quartet. Kris Dale, who plays bass with Hampton's Quark Alliance as well as the Bonaventure Quartet, soon filled out the lineup. Williams and Seacrest both refer to Dale as "the glue that binds them together." The trio's early sound snaked through loungy renditions of such standards as "Fever" before easing into haunting rearrangements of such recent numbers as "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails. Over time, Williams crafted several songs with Seacrest in mind, all of which appear on their debut release, The Filthy South Sessions. The CD consists of entirely original material that often supplements the sparseness of the gypsy-like guitar, bass and torch singer lineup with various strings, light percussion and horns.  The Filthy South Sessions perplexes with its simple arrangements extracted of anything overtly jazz- or blues-inspired. In some instances, the disc eerily lingers before jumping to life with a rocking pace. Such songs as "The Tango Below," "Empty Streets" and "Cabbagetown Girl" unfold with an unquestionably Southern sound arrived at purely by innuendo. "Working with Bernadette is a lot like working with Bruce Hampton," Williams says. "He would always tell me what he didn't want me to play, but never what he wanted, so I was always searching for something. And it turned out that he had no idea what he wanted, either!" Williams laughs. "He just wanted to see what I would come up with. Bernadette kind of does the same thing. She said, 'Let's keep it small and I don't want any jazz, and no blues.'" The resulting songs follow these stylistic guidelines, so much so that their naked and unorthodox approach is what makes the album memorable. But their obscurity could be a detriment to any kind of commercial success. For Seacrest that's not such a bad thing. "I don't like the idea of making records to appease anyone other than myself," she laughs. ~ Chad Radford

The Filthy South Sessions

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Louis Hayes Quintet - Quintessential Lou

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:47
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Progress Report
(6:21)  2. Clarence's Place
(4:45)  3. Mystified
(9:33)  4. Tenderly
(6:55)  5. Decision
(4:44)  6. Lions Den
(5:21)  7. Alter Ego
(6:12)  8. That's the Thing
(5:21)  9. Our Quiet Place
(5:34) 10. Interlude

Drummer Louis Hayes might not have received an over abundance of press over the years yet most jazz aficionados should be cognizant of his past accomplishments which commenced in the 50’s while supporting saxophonist Yuseff Lateef. A true stylist and dynamic leader within the hard-bop scheme of things, Hayes has also performed with Horace Silver, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, Gary Bartz and other jazz luminaries as the list goes on and on. However, Hayes is often cited for his ferocious, sweeping and hard driving attack behind the kit while leading his various quartets or quintets which leads us to his latest release on the fine “Montreux Jazz Label” titled, Quintessential Lou. With this new release, Hayes surges onward in the post-bop mold along with rising stars, saxophonist Abraham Burton, trumpeter Riley Mullins, pianist David Hazeltine and the well-established bassist Santi Debriano. The band gets to the matters at hand in a flurry on the opener and pianist James Williams’ composition titled, “Progress Report” as the musicians trade punishing fours atop Hayes rangy yet thoroughly propelling attack. Joe Zawinul’s “Mystified” is a melodic ballad, featuring the drummer’s sharp implementation of rimshots, Latin rhythms and altogether peppery support as the soloists exchange lushly melodic lines yet adhere to the context of the main themes without losing sight of the existing compositional framework. Here, the band performs smooth lines augmented by an up-front yet quietly powerful mode of execution. Tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton displays a corpulent full-bodied tone to compliment his fluid and at times Trane-ish lines on the classic, “Tenderly” as the band evolves this gem into a mid-tempo swing led by Riley Mullins’ radiant phrasing and David Hazeltine’s colorful articulations. On Kenny Drew’s composition, “Lions Den”, the musicians perform within the traditional hard-bop vein while also pursuing an airy outlook as Burton and Riley once again exhibit strong attributes as a front-line horn section while Hayes’ masterful sense of swing and polyrhythmic attack is nothing short of awe-inspiring. - Young drummers out there take note! Listen to Hayes jab and spar while maintaining the constant flow yet rarely if ever diminishing any notions of momentum via his swiftly swinging work on the ride and hi-hat cymbals. In summary, the musicians are in top form under Hayes’ leadership as Quintessential Lou is a welcome edition to Hayes’ already impressive discography as a leader and session musician. Be kind to yourself and check out this latest release by a proven master who generally surrounds himself with his young peers! ~ Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/quintessential-lou-louis-hayes-tcb-music-review-by-glenn-astarita.php
 

Personnel:  Louis Hayes - drums; Abraham Burton - tenor saxophone;  Riley Mullins - trumpet;  David Hazeltine - piano;  Santi Debriano - bass

Quintessential Lou

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Eli Degibri Quintet - In The Beginning

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:09
Size: 157,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:48)  1. In The Beginning
(6:15)  2. Painless
(5:49)  3. Shoohoo
(8:47)  4. Last Summer
(4:55)  5. Dance Attempts
(3:42)  6. Cherokee
(8:18)  7. Song For Roni
(4:11)  8. All The Things You Are
(5:33)  9. With You
(1:49) 10. With You - Epilogue
(2:58) 11. Fin

Young tenor saxophonist Eli Degibri brings a seasoned and somewhat unique approach to his debut recording, In The Beginning. While it's impressive that the Israeli native performed in circles with names such as Herbie Hancock, Al Foster, and the Mingus Big Band, it is more impressive to hear his own style and development come to the forefront. Paying your dues on the bandstand is one thing but leading a band and creating your own music is quite another. While In The Beginning rings with the familiar Coltrane sound, the music is delivered with thoughtful and refined performances that help to distinguish Degibri from other tenor saxophonists. It's not necessarily the sound of his horn, but more the other aspects of his style which captures attention. Soulful, poignant, and delivered with stark control, Degibri has clearly honed the finer attributes of his instrument. The eleven compositions span a tight area of modern jazz styles. The majestic "In the Beginning" carries a pervasive undulating guitar riff as the tenor sax sings the melody. On "Painless" the rhythm section shines bright as drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Ben Street support each soloist on the lovely ballad. For those who prefer their post bop with a new outlook, the colorful "Shoohoo" should fit the bill, with its quirky interchanges that spin off some interesting guitar, drum and sax solos.

The recording's sound quality is also a factor: the delicate nuance of each instrument's sound is captured. On the duo "On All the Things You Are," the free-flowing sound of the bass and saxophone are exquisite. Another added element is the skillful presence of notable guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, who delivers an array of effects that enhance but never overpower the music. All things considered this is a strong and memorable debut from an emerging artist who warrants a closer listen. ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-the-beginning-eli-degibri-blue-moon-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Eli Degibri: tenor saxophone; Aaron Goldberg: piano; Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar; Jeff Ballard: drums; Ben Street: bass.

In The Beginning

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Félix Rossy - Introducing Félix Rossy

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 58:23
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:09)  1. I'm Through with Love
(6:54)  2. Love Walked In
(7:02)  3. Imagination
(4:12)  4. You're Driving Me Crazy
(6:06)  5. Golden Earrings
(4:10)  6. Stella by Starlight
(5:54)  7. Three on One
(5:36)  8. Dancing on the Ceiling
(4:49)  9. Who Cares?
(4:31) 10. All the Things You Are
(3:55) 11. A Dandy Line

Felix Rossy is a musician born in barcelona in 1994. He began playing music at the age of 7, when his father and many friends taught him in an intuitive and natural way, so he started playing rock music. He got interested in improvisation and other styles, but keeping the trumpet as primary instrument, he has played musicians among which highlight Munir Hossn, R.J. Miller, Ben Street, Mark Turner, Chris Cheek, Ofri Nehemya, Gadi Lehavi or Mike Kanan. He has toured around europe and USA and he is always learning and trying to meet people that can make him grow, listen carefully and understanding the vibe.

He likes to play any style of music but focusing on improvisation. Felix enjoys freedom, humor, mistery and spiritual things that can make him a better being, or creative things as painting, meditation and sport. Felix has been playing a lot this year in more than 10 different projects and bands, check videos in Youtube!

Introducing Félix Rossy

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Alex Sipiagin - Mirrors

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:43
Size: 148,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:29)  1. Def I
( 8:40)  2. Tijuana Gift Shop
(13:17)  3. Travel
( 9:28)  4. Crossing
( 9:22)  5. Mirror
( 7:44)  6. Def II
( 9:40)  7. Mood One

A gifted, Russian-born jazz trumpeter, Alex Sipiagin is a dynamic soloist with a harmonically sophisticated approach influenced by the post-bop style of artists like Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, and John Coltrane. Sipiagin initially came to wider recognition after placing fourth in the Thelonious Monk Institute's International Louis Armstrong Competition in 1990. Moving to New York, he quickly established himself as an in-demand sideman, working with such esteemed outfits as the Mingus Big Band and the Gil Evans Orchestra, as well as players like David Binney, Dave Holland, Conrad Herwig, and others. As a leader, he has issued a steady stream of highly regarded and hard-swinging albums, including 2001's Steppin' Zone, 2008's Out of the Circle, and 2010's Generations: Dedicated to Woody Shaw. He is also a member of the Criss Cross label's Jazz Messengers-style group Opus 5, with whom he has recorded a handful of albums such as 2012's Pentasonic and 2015's Tickle. His immense skills have brought him accolades including playing on the Michael Brecker Quindectet's Grammy-winning 2003 album Wide Angles and the Dave Holland Big Band's Grammy-nominated 2010 album Pathways. Away from performing, Sipiagin is also a committed educator, having taught at both NYU and the Groningen Prince Claus Conservatory, Academy of Music, Basel, Switzerland. Alexei "Sasha" Sipiagin was born on June 11, 1967 in Yaroslavl, U.S.S.R. Growing up, Sipiagin studied classical trumpet and played in a youth orchestra. At around age 15 he enrolled in a local music school, where he first encountered modern jazz. Inspired to study more jazz, Sipiagin auditioned and was accepted into the Moscow Music Institute at age 16, eventually graduating with his bachelor's degree in music. After college, Sipiagin's studies were waylaid for two years of compulsory service in the Soviet Army, after which he enrolled in the Gnessin Conservatory in Moscow. In 1990, Sipiagin competed and placed fourth in the Thelonious Monk Institute's International Louis Armstrong Competition in Washington, D.C. He not only won a Bach trumpet, presented to him by legendary jazz trumpeter Clark Terry, but also received much notice by critics and jazz musicians in the States. Buoyed by the attention, Sipiagin relocated to New York, where he found work with a bevy of ensembles including the Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty, bassist Dave Holland's Big Band, Sextet, and Octet groups, as well as a cadre of top-echelon players including Larry Coryell, Conrad Herwig, David Binney, and others. He also made his debut as a leader, issuing Images in 1998, playing alongside Binney, Chris Potter, Scott Colley, and others.

He then moved to the Criss Cross label and issued 2001's Steppin' Zone, a hard-hitting acoustic jazz date featuring saxophonist Potter, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Colley, and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. More equally dynamic albums followed for Criss Cross, including 2002's Hindsight, 2005's Returning, and 2007's Prints. He also joined Michael Brecker on the saxophonist's Grammy-winning 2003 Quindectet album Wide Angles, and continued his long association with bassist Holland on the 2005 Big Band album Overtime. In 2008, Sipiagin, ever the adventurous journeyman, released Out of the Circle on Sunnyside, an album with various N.Y.C.-based musicians the trumpeter had not worked with closely before. He returned to Criss Cross in 2009 with the high-energy post-bop of Mirages, featuring saxophonist Seamus Blake, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Johnathan Blake. The trumpeter then paid homage to one of his main influences with Generations: Dedicated to Woody Shaw in 2010. A year later, he emerged with the sextet date Destinations Unknown alongside saxophonists Potter and Binney. Potter was also on board for Overlooking Moments in 2013. Around this time, Sipiagin made his debut with the Criss Cross label ensemble Opus 5, appearing on 2011's Introducing Opus 5 alongside saxophonist Seamus Blake, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Donald Edwards. The group, which is modeled after Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, has continued to work regularly, issuing 2012's Pentasonic, 2014's Progression, and 2015's Tickle. In 2014, Sipiagin debuted his New Path ensemble featuring Dutch vocalist Hiske Oosterwijk. The group returned in 2016 with New Path 2. The trumpeter also returned to his sextet work with 2015's Balance 38-58. Two years later, he issued Moments Captured with saxophonists Potter and Will Vinson, pianist John Escreet, bassist Matt Brewer, and drummer Eric Harland. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alex-sipiagin-mn0000619312/biography

Personnel:   Alex Sipiagin - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Seamus Blake - tenor saxophone;   Adam Rogers - guitar;   David Kikoski - piano;  Boris Kozlov - bass;  Johnathan Blake - drums.

Mirrors

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Josephine Sanges - Finding Beauty (Celebrating Ann Hampton Callaway)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 65:43
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Finding Beauty
(4:43)  2. Bring Back Romance
(3:25)  3. That Old Black Magic
(2:26)  4. Ding Dong the Witch is Dead
(3:06)  5. Music
(4:14)  6. At the Same Time
(2:58)  7. Lullaby of Birdland
(4:02)  8. It's All Right with Me
(3:17)  9. Out of This World
(2:59) 10. Twisted
(3:32) 11. Come Take My Hand
(3:39) 12. I've Dreamed of You
(2:54) 13. I Gaze in Your Eyes
(2:53) 14. Hip to Be Happy
(4:33) 15. Love and Let Love
(4:08) 16. Perfect
(3:57) 17. How High the Moon
(4:33) 18. Bring Back Romance (Alternate Version)

In May of 2016, while I was thinking about putting a new show together, Deb Berman called and very excitedly said she had an idea. “How about doing a show celebrating the music of Ann Hampton Callaway?” While still being a cabaret neophyte, I wasn’t at all sure I was up to it. Being a fan of Ann’s music and lyrics for quite some time, I knew the challenges involved. Her music is smart, technically accomplished; her lyrics rich and multi-dimensional. But as Ann says in one of her original songs, “take the time to listen and feel”. And the more I let my ‘inner noise’ quiet down and began to live with the idea, the more thrilled I became. After much discussion, and under Deb’s insightful direction, we had a show! The first task how to make Ann’s music my own? As a singer and interpreter she is in a class by herself, all but unapproachable in jazz improvisation, with an instrument that can shade any passage with infinite nuances. Working with my musical director, John Cook, we came up with arrangements for that show and, now, for this album that enabled me to put my own signature on ten of Ann’s original songs, in addition to standards from the American Songbook that she’s recorded throughout the years. My gratitude? It’s endless…where to begin? First of all, to my dear friend and director, Deb Berman, who handed me an awesome project on a silver platter. Seldom do you walk into a first meeting where your entire show is virtually done for you. Thanks for the roadmap and all of your support, Deb! To the band, Dave Pietro, who’s sultry and silky saxophone made good tracks into perfection… Todd Isler’s subtle percussion that gave form and structure where we needed it most… Sean Harkness, who conjured up the most delicious harmonic invention on the spot…Laura Intravia, whose sumptuous flute caresses the ear like velvet…Tom Hubbard, for his enormous contribution of rock solid musicianship, along with an endearing personal manner that made every day in the studio a pure joy. To Sean Swinney, our sound engineer, who in addition to giving us his consummate expertise took an active personal interest in making this project the best it could be.To John M. Cook, my musical director, whose brilliant arrangements, dazzling accompaniment and wholehearted dedication made this a purely magical collaboration? Your enduring friendship, encouragement, and faith in my ability mean the world to me. And, lastly, to Ann Hampton Callaway…for your unsurpassed generosity of time and spirit. Your open heart and ability to inspire are without equal. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/josephinesanges

Finding Beauty

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