Stanley Cowell - Setup

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:03
Size: 138,5 MB
Art: Front

(11:04)  1. Departure
( 7:14)  2. Setup
( 6:31)  3. Varions
( 7:14)  4. Bright Passion
( 9:21)  5. Bip Bip Bam
(10:06)  6. Sendai Sendoff
( 8:29)  7. Carnegie Six

While standards have played a major role on many of Stanley Cowell's albums, the acoustic pianist sticks to his own compositions on Setup. That fact alone makes this 1993 session especially noteworthy, for Cowell is a gifted, if underrated, composer. Cowell's talents as a composer are illustrated by memorable post-bop or hard bop pieces that range from the haunting "Bright Passion" and the mysterious title song to the Thelonious Monk-influenced "Varions." Thankfully, he has some hard-swinging allies to help him bring the material to life, including trumpeter Eddie Henderson, tenor saxman Rick Margitza, trombonist Dick Griffin, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Billy Hart. Cowell was 52 when he recorded Setup, and his supporters continued to hope that eventually, he would become a bigger name in the jazz world. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/setup-mw0000239899

Personnel:  Stanley Cowell - piano; Eddie Henderson - trumpet; Dick Griffin - trombone; Rick Margitza - tenor saxophone; Peter Washington - bass; Billy Hart - drums

Setup

---

Benny Golson, Freddie Hubbard - Benny Golson With Freddie Hubbard

Styles: Saxophone And Trumpet Jazz

Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:05
Size: 153,8 MB
Art: Front

( 9:10)  1. Stardust
( 9:22)  2. Double Bass
( 4:42)  3. Gypsy Jingle Jangle
(12:14)  4. Povo
( 7:30)  5. Love is a Many Splendored Thing
(10:17)  6. Sad To Say
(13:47)  7. Far Away

Benny Golson is a talented composer/arranger whose tenor playing has continued to evolve with time. After attending Howard University (1947-1950) he worked in Philadelphia with Bull Moose Jackson's R&B band (1951) at a time when it included one of his writing influences, Tadd Dameron on piano. Golson played with Dameron for a period in 1953, followed by stints with Lionel Hampton (1953-1954), and Johnny Hodges and Earl Bostic (1954-1956). He came to prominence while with Dizzy Gillespie's globetrotting big band (1956-1958), as much for his writing as for his tenor playing (the latter was most influenced by Don Byas and Lucky Thompson). Golson wrote such standards as "I Remember Clifford" (for the late Clifford Brown), "Killer Joe," "Stablemates," "Whisper Not," "Along Came Betty," and "Blues March" during 1956-1960. His stay with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1958-1959) was significant, and during 1959-1962 he co-led the Jazztet with Art Farmer. From that point on Golson gradually drifted away from jazz and concentrated more on working in the studios and with orchestras including spending a couple of years in Europe (1964-1966). When Golson returned to active playing in 1977, his tone had hardened and sounded much closer to Archie Shepp than to Don Byas. Other than an unfortunate commercial effort for Columbia in 1977, Golson has recorded consistently rewarding albums (many for Japanese labels) since that time including a reunion with Art Farmer and Curtis Fuller in a new Jazztet. Through the years he has recorded as a leader for Contemporary, Riverside, United Artists, New Jazz, Argo, Mercury, and Dreyfus among others. Returning once again to the spirit of the original Jazztet, Golson released New Time, New 'Tet on Concord Records in 2009. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/benny-golson-mn0000135391/biography

One of the great jazz trumpeters of all time, Freddie Hubbard formed his sound out of the Clifford Brown/Lee Morgan tradition, and by the early '70s was immediately distinctive and the pacesetter in jazz. However, a string of blatantly commercial albums later in the decade damaged his reputation and, just when Hubbard, in the early '90s (with the deaths of Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis), seemed perfectly suited for the role of veteran master, his chops started causing him serious troubles. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Hubbard played early on with Wes and Monk Montgomery. He moved to New York in 1958, roomed with Eric Dolphy (with whom he recorded in 1960), and was in the groups of Philly Joe Jones (1958-1959), Sonny Rollins, Slide Hampton, and J.J. Johnson, before touring Europe with Quincy Jones (1960-1961). He recorded with John Coltrane, participated in Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz (1960), was on Oliver Nelson's classic Blues and the Abstract Truth album (highlighted by "Stolen Moments"), and started recording as a leader for Blue Note that same year. Hubbard gained fame playing with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1961-1964) next to Wayne Shorter and Curtis Fuller. He recorded Ascension with Coltrane (1965), Out to Lunch (1964) with Eric Dolphy, and Maiden Voyage with Herbie Hancock, and, after a period with Max Roach (1965-1966), he led his own quintet, which at the time usually featured altoist James Spaulding. A blazing trumpeter with a beautiful tone on flügelhorn, Hubbard fared well in freer settings but was always essentially a hard bop stylist. In 1970, Freddie Hubbard recorded two of his finest albums (Red Clay and Straight Life) for CTI. 

The follow-up, First Light (1971), was actually his most popular date, featuring Don Sebesky arrangements. But after the glory of the CTI years (during which producer Creed Taylor did an expert job of balancing the artistic with the accessible), Hubbard made the mistake of signing with Columbia and recording one dud after another; Windjammer (1976) and Splash (a slightly later effort for Fantasy) are low points. However, in 1977, he toured with Herbie Hancock's acoustic V.S.O.P. Quintet and, in the 1980s, on recordings for Pablo, Blue Note, and Atlantic, he showed that he could reach his former heights (even if much of the jazz world had given up on him). But by the late '80s, Hubbard's "personal problems" and increasing unreliability (not showing up for gigs) started to really hurt him, and a few years later his once mighty technique started to seriously falter. In late 2008, Hubbard suffered a heart attack that left him hospitalized until his death at age 70 on December 29 of that year.Freddie Hubbard's fans can still certainly enjoy his many recordings for Blue Note, Impulse, Atlantic, CTI, Pablo, and his first Music Masters sets. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/freddie-hubbard-mn0000798326/biography

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson; Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard; Bass – Ron Carter; Drums – Smitty; Piano – Mulgrew Miller

Benny Golson With Freddie Hubbard

---

Melissa Errico - Lullabies & Wildflowers

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:52
Size: 106,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:56)  1. Mockingbird
(3:04)  2. Hushabye
(3:14)  3. Since You Asked
(3:42)  4. The Wind Says Shhh
(3:30)  5. Gentle Child
(4:18)  6. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:27)  7. Gartan Mother's Lullaby
(3:33)  8. Rockabye Baby
(3:12)  9. Wildflowers
(3:25) 10. A Child Is Born
(4:18) 11. Tiny Sparrow
(4:00) 12. Goodnight
(3:07) 13. Walking Happy

For what was intended to be her second solo album following the 2003 collection Blue Like That, Broadway star Melissa Errico reportedly teamed with composer Michel Legrand (having earned a Tony Award nomination for her performance in his 2002 musical Amour) and producer Phil Ramone in 2005. But that disc apparently was put aside, perhaps due to the singer's pregnancy; she gave birth to a daughter in 2006. The experience influenced her to take a new tack in assembling a sophomore effort, and instead she returns to solo recording with Lullabies and Wildflowers, a thematic album of songs about mothers and children. Since the children's music genre is such a well-established one, it should be stated at the outset that this is not an album of songs intended to amuse children, although, as the word "lullabies" in the title suggests, it may be useful in putting them to sleep; the arrangements, dominated by piano and acoustic guitar are calm, and should be calming. That said, Errico is mostly concerned about reflecting on a mother's (especially a new mother's) perspective on her child. At times, she tries to re-contextualize the songs she chooses to support that perspective. In terms of this album, for example, the listener is expected to suppose that the Gershwins' "Someone to Watch Over Me" is actually being sung by a child in search of a parent, which is not what Ira Gershwin had in mind, and Errico edits Judy Collins' "Since You Asked" slightly to give the impression it is being sung by a mother to a child. Such revisionism isn't entirely successful, but Errico sings the songs so feelingly that neither Gershwin nor Collins would be likely to mind. The choice of a Collins' song points up one of the singer's chief vocal influences. 

An even stronger one, accentuated by the jazz/folk/pop arrangements provided by producer Rob Mathes, is another Melissa, Melissa Manchester. At times (such as in "A Child Is Born"), Errico sounds so much like the young Manchester of albums like Bright Eyes that even Manchester fans might be fooled. Again, though, it's hard to complain about the similarity, which is largely a matter of timbre. Errico makes her debut as a songwriter with an excellent contribution, "Gentle Child," and as usual gives a nod to her brother Mike Errico, covering his "The Wind Says Shhh." The real end of the album comes with its penultimate track, the Beatles' "Goodnight," but then, after a pause, there's a playful coda, as what sounds like a scratchy old 78 begins to play at a low volume, and Errico goes into a light version of the old show tune "Walking Happy." It puts a pleasant capper on a lovely album, giving a mother something to tiptoe out of the room to after her child has been lulled to sleep. ~ William Rulhmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/lullabies-wildflowers-mw0000784779

Lullabies & Wildflowers

---

Jon Larsen, Pascal De Loutchek - The Russian Guitars

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:43
Size: 120,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:20)  1. Moltchanie
(3:25)  2. Pouro Rom
(2:16)  3. Chlepsydre
(4:11)  4. Le Fenêtre de Moscou
(3:53)  5. L'Accordeon
(2:47)  6. Yukon
(2:48)  7. Pascal
(4:10)  8. Olga
(4:03)  9. Jimmy The Kid
(3:32) 10. First Song
(1:59) 11. Dream A Lot
(3:36) 12. Guitaresque
(2:50) 13. Out Of The Blue
(3:32) 14. Quiet Evening
(3:05) 15. Parapluie A Moscou
(3:08) 16. Beltz

Jon Larsen (born 7 January 1959) is a gypsy jazz guitarist, record producer, painter, and amateur scientific researcher. He is the founder of the group Hot Club de Norvège. In 2007 he received the Buddy Award for his lifelong contribution to jazz. When he was in his early teens, he learned rock and soul songs on an acoustic steel-string guitar. Through friends, he learned about blues, jazz, flamenco, and classical guitar. After he heard "Tears" by Django Reinhardt on the radio, he decided that this is how he wanted his guitar to sound. At seventeen he formed a string trio and had his first professional job.  In the 1970s, Larsen worked mainly as a painter. He started the Hot Club de Norvege in 1980 with guitarists Per Frydenlund and bassist Svein Aarbostad. They had a hit record when they performed with pop singer Lillebjørn Nilsen. Larsen started the label Zonic Entertainment to record musicians who have been influenced by Frank Zappa. He has worked with Chet Baker, Philip Catherine, Stéphane Grappelli, Warne Marsh, Biréli Lagrène, Babik Reinhardt and Jimmy Rosenberg. He has produced more than 450 jazz records for the label he founded, Hot Club Records. He has led a group of musicians who played with Zappa, including Arthur Barrow, Jimmy Carl Black, Bruce Fowler, Bunk Gardner, Tommy Mars, and Don Preston. They recorded the album Strange News from Mars. Symphonic Django was released in 2008 by Storm Films, which also produced a documentary about Larsen and guitar virtuoso Jimmy Rosenberg titled Jon & Jimmy. In 2012, the documentary won the Dutch Edison Award.  After eight years of research, his book on cosmic dust in urban environments  In Search of Stardust: Amazing Micro-Meteorites and Their Terrestrial Imposters  was published in 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Larsen

The Russian Guitars

---

Jared Gold - Reemergence

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:19
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:53)  1. Reemergence
(5:27)  2. It Ain't Necessarily So
(5:59)  3. Looking for Another Pure Love
(4:59)  4. She's Leaving Home
(5:30)  5. One for John A
(6:25)  6. How Long Has This Been Going On
(5:07)  7. Blues Connotation
(4:37)  8. Sweet Spirit
(7:19)  9. Nomad

The title of organist Jared Gold's newest release seems to suggest that he is returning to the fold after being away for a time. In actuality, he has been a mainstay on the New York scene for some time now and can boast eight previous albums as a leader dating back to 2008's Solids and Stripes. More likely is that the title alludes to the fact that Gold's discography appears exclusively on the Posi-Tone label, an imprimatur known for short, radio-friendly tracks that don't always allow for much development. So indeed, Reemergence seems like a fresh start for Gold as it permits him a better opportunity to fully display his wares. From the moment trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's clarion call ushers in the title track, it's clear that Gold and company are headed down an open path boasting all kinds of surprises along the way. Gold's bass lines are full and supportive, and drummer Billy Hart brings his own share of creative notions. Hart's solo here is a lesson in musicality, not to mention the wide stereo spread provided by engineer Chris Sulit. The waltz tempo of "It Ain't Necessarily So" keeps the pots on with guitarist and producer Dave Stryker stretching out for the first solo spot. Gold's own statement is a model of his imaginative improvisational vigor. As things start to simmer, he includes a quote of "Little B's Poem" and then goes on to smash chords and furl out 16th notes runs before literally pulling out all the stops at the tune's conclusion. 

Think a combination of the foundational bass lines of Richard "Groove" Holmes mixed with the intricate runs of Larry Young and you get an idea of Gold's modus operandi. Two pop numbers of note, Stevie Wonder's' "Looking for Another Pure Love" and The Beatles' "She's Leaving Home," get updated treatments, much like the type of thing Stryker himself has been doing lately for his own 8-Track projects. Both versions offer proof of the substance and fodder available in some of the great pop tunes of our time.  A warhorse that has been done too many times to expect any kind of welcome, "How Long Has This Been Going On," manages to rise above the usual in an airy bossa nova version by Gold and company. The polar opposite in terms of intensity, Ornette's clever "Blues Connotation" is ripe for exploration as Gold spins a dark tale filled with brilliant uses of shading and rhythm. Stryker offers up an equally stunning solo followed by Hart's matchless riffing and cymbal splashing. From start to finish, it is perfectly clear that Gold has found the perfect forum for showing off all the sides of his resourceful personality. He certainly couldn't have picked a better crew of like-minded musicians to aid him in his task or a better producer. Here's hoping the alliance with Strikezone continues; it fits Gold to a tee. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/reemergence-jared-gold-strikezone-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Jared Gold: organ; Dave Stryker: guitar; Billy Hart: drums; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet (tracks 1, 3, 5).

Reemergence

---

Don Shirley - Bewitched

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:15
Size: 88,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:38)  1. Bewitched
(8:17)  2. Love for Sale
(2:15)  3. And This is My Beloved
(7:04)  4. Medley from 'New Faces'
(4:28)  5. September Song
(4:59)  6. Blue Moon
(3:21)  7. My Funny Valentine
(5:08)  8. Dancing on the Ceiling

Pianist, composer, and arranger Don Shirley was born in Pensacola, Florida, on January 29, 1927. He began playing piano at age two, and seven years later had developed his skills so rapidly, he was studying theory at the prestigious Leningrad Conservatory of Music. Shirley made his concert debut with the Boston Pops in 1945, while the following year, the London Philharmonic Orchestra performed one of his first major compositions. In the ensuing years between 1954 and 1968, Shirley performed as a soloist and as a member of several symphonies, including the Boston Pops, Detroit Symphony, Chicago Symphony, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington. Shirley also composed several organ symphonies, a piano concerto, two string quartets, and numerous pieces for piano. His musical language also encompassed tastefully mastered combinations of standards, show tunes, ballads, spirituals, and jazz performed with his own trio. Incredibly, Shirley also found time between performing and recording to obtain a PhD of Music, Psychology, and Liturgical Arts. Throughout the '50s and '60s, he released numerous albums on the Cadence label. In 1999, Collectables began reissuing several of those albums as two-for-one sets. Shirley died of heart disease on April 6, 2013. ~ Al Campbell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/don-shirley-mn0000160561/biography

Bewitched

---

Jessica Elbert - A Moment in Jazz

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 15:58
Size: 37,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:20)  1. The Touch of Your Lips
(3:27)  2. The Gentleman Is a Dope
(3:17)  3. I Like You You're Nice
(4:53)  4. All or Nothing At All

The first words out of Jessica Elbert's mouth weren't spoken, they were sung. Raised in a family of singers, Jessica got her start in church and school choirs. Jessica was fourteen when she began formal classical vocal training with Joan Kaplon in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and has since studied with a variety of notable vocal teachers, including Lisa Campbell Albert in St. Louis, Missouri, Judy Niemack in Naperville, Illinois, and Ellen Shade and Phil Hall in New York City. During her college years, Jessica was the recipient of numerous vocal awards, including 'Best Soloist' by the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) in 2001 and other nods from Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA) as a runner up for the 'Best Mixed Collegiate Song' for one of her solo works, and was also included on the Best of Collegiate A Cappella (BOCA) in 2002 for another of her solo works. Since graduating from Washington University in St. Louis in 2002, Jessica has lived in New York City, pursuing her singing career. After exploring a number of musical genres during her early years in New York, a chance series of events led her to study with Peter Eldridge and Jay Clayton, both noted Jazz Musicians and teachers. Jessica has focused on the study and performance of Jazz ever since, regularly performing in the New York metropolitan area, and along the East Coast. Jessica released her debut album "Anlage" in late 2006. "Anlage" is an exciting collection of songs with accompaniment by such notables as tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm, and is a blend of popular standards (I Remember You, Midnight Sun) and Brazilian classics (Dindi, A Little Tear), all that showcase Jessica's remarkable talent and stunning ability so early into her career. https://www.smallslive.com/artists/568-jessica-elbert/

A Moment in Jazz

---

Scott Colley - Seven

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:21
Size: 109,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:50)  1. Fragment
(6:54)  2. Tangled Reality
(6:07)  3. Low Down
(4:10)  4. Don't Rise
(4:53)  5. Few Words
(6:52)  6. Bridge of Dawn
(4:50)  7. The Return
(5:06)  8. Legacy
(2:35)  9. Three Visitors

Multi-Grammy nominated Scott Colley, “one of the leading bassists of our post-bop era, and a composer- bandleader ofquietly serious resolve,” has composed incredible new works for his recently formed band, Current, which features trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, drummer Nate Smith, and pianist Kevin Hays. ArtistShare is proud to submit Scott’s stunning new recording, Seven, for nomination consideration in the 60th Grammy Awards. The writing and performance is unparalleled, combining beautiful melodicism with exhilarating rhythmic structures. The band navigates sometimes surprising territory, including Kevin Hays’ vocal performance on “Don’t Rise.”~ Brian Camelio https://news.allaboutjazz.com/artistshare-is-proud-to-submit-scott-colleys-seven-for-nomination-consideration-in-the-60th-grammy-awards.php

Personnel:  Acoustic Bass, Composed By, Arranged By, Photography By [Cover] – Scott Colley; Drums – Nate Smith; Piano, Vocals – Kevin Hays; Trumpet – Jonathan Finlayson

Seven

---

Jack Reilly - Blue Sean Green

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:03
Size: 99,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. Halloween
(6:19)  2. Waltz For Fall
(7:27)  3. Unichrom
(4:57)  4. 526, AKA(Resurrection)
(5:48)  5. Allegretto
(3:08)  6. La-No-Tib
(6:38)  7. Blue Sean Green
(3:22)  8. Floral Space

Jack Reilly Trio (Blue-Sean-Green) Unichrom Ltd. Jack Reilly is an interesting study in contrasts, Bill Evans is omnipresent in his playing, but there is a classical edge that gives him a unique style [with] musical depth. Jack Six on Bass and Drummer Joe Cocuzzo provide the ideal accompaniment. Ever the spear carriers, they do not overplay but perform superbly in support. 'Halloween' This tune is a treat with tricky machinations by Reilly. Delicious humor with a hint of darkness dancing just below the surface. Jack Reilly gleefully explores the 88's. Spirited playing by all. 'Waltz For Fall' Shades of Bill Evans with the leader's personal touch. '526' There is a musical story here played with much feeling, highlighted by a jazzy finish. 'Blue-Sean-Green' Some blues and some quirkily swinging piano with a mention of Monk in an early phrase. Hip stuff. 'Floral Space' A truly romantic theme with a touch of sadness. Beautifully executed by all. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jack-reilly-trio-jack-reilly-unichrom-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Jack Reilly, Piano, Jack Six, Bass, Joe Cocuzzo, Drums.

Blue Sean Green

---

Bireli Lagrene - Storyteller

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:34
Size: 141,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. One Take
(6:27)  2. Estate
(5:43)  3. Wave
(5:43)  4. Stella by Starlight
(4:47)  5. Freedom Jazz Dance
(4:43)  6. Sunny
(8:50)  7. My One and Lonely Love
(5:56)  8. There Is No Greater Love
(3:43)  9. More
(4:58) 10. On Green Dolphin Street
(1:21) 11. Life in the Folds
(3:59) 12. Storyteller

Ever since he stunned listeners at age 13 with jaw-dropping guitar technique and mastery of the jazz manouche idiom eternally associated with Django Reinhardt, France’s Biréli Lagrène has grown continually more beastly on the instrument. His musicality, however his deep appreciation for songs and the people he plays them with guides his decisions more than chops alone. On Storyteller, with bassist Larry Grenadier and percussionist Mino Cinélu, he begins with the purest, most beautiful acoustic tone but then stretches it sonically with software to create radical sustain and added color. Chords linger and wave like aurora borealis. Organic elements of his playing harmonics, slides, bends, fall-offs, scrapes, vibrato become enhanced and almost surreal. Yet the intimacy of his touch is never lost or covered over. One could call it acoustic fusion, a blending of two paramount interests of Lagrène’s over the decades. Playing mainly well-trodden standards, he devours them like a lion, exposing every harmonic nuance and rhythmic possibility. But with the title track, he closes on a tantalizingly futuristic note. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/storyteller-feat-larry-grenadier-mino-cin%C3%A9lu/1438005730

Personnel: Biréli Lagrène (g); Larry Grenadier (b); Mino Cinelu (per)

Storyteller

---

Dave Brubeck - The Riddle

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:20
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Hey, Ho, Anybody Home?
(4:17)  2. The Twig
(5:44)  3. Blue Ground
(2:39)  4. Offshoot
(7:37)  5. Swingin' 'Round
(6:00)  6. Quiet Mood
(3:58)  7. The Riddle
(3:36)  8. Yet We Shall Be Merry

Clarinetist Bill Smith, a member of Dave Brubeck's octet in the late '40s and a future soloist with Brubeck's Quartet starting in the '80s, recorded three albums with the pianist in the interim. The Riddle finds him temporarily taking altoist Paul Desmond's place with the Quartet and contributing all eight compositions which utilize folkish melodies that are related to the English song "Heigh, Ho, Nodbody Home." Although not too essential, this little-known set gives Dave Brubeck a chance to play some unusual material. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-riddle-mw0000868195

Personnel:  Dave Brubeck - (piano); Bill Smith (clarinet); Joe Morello (drums); Eugene Wright (bass)

The Riddle

---

Aimee Petra - Diva or Darling

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 14:46
Size: 34,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:50)  1. Just One of Those Things
(3:27)  2. Embraceable You
(2:21)  3. It's A Good Day
(2:48)  4. Poor Wandering One
(3:18)  5. The Laughing Song

Direct from the opera and musical theater world, Aimee Petra brings you the re-release of her 2006 EP, “Diva or Darling!” Her brilliant four octave range and engaging presence will put a smile on your face, spring in your step, and song in your heart! Join Aimee as she takes you on a tour of her favorite American Songbook Classics and Operetta. Often compared with Kristin Chenoweth, Aimee is a unique blend of musical styles. The richness and color of her voice lead her in many directions as evidenced by her extensive career in opera, classical, musical theater, sacred/gospel and now jazz genres. An exceptional talent, Aimee Petra boasts a 4-octave range of dynamic color and presence. Rooted in musical theatre and later classically trained, Aimee has performed and recorded music of varying styles. After many years singing opera, classical and musical theatre throughout the United States, she decided to switch gears in 2008 and explore the world of jazz. Her debut jazz album, “Too Much Fun”, was released late summer 2008 to national & international acclaim. In 2010, Aimee released 3 new jazz singles. Two of the songs, “Beatitude in Blue” and “Duet of Solos” were featured on the All About Jazz website daily download days after they were released. She currently is collaborating with several new songwriters and has started writing her own music. Aimee enjoys performing throughout the upper Midwest in a variety of venues, from intimate wine bars to music festivals to concert halls, private parties and corporate events. Her sparkling vocals and warm stage presence delight audiences of all ages! 

Classically, she has sung operatic roles with Bay View Music Festival (Michigan), Opera in the Ozarks (Arkansas), Dorian Opera (Iowa), Opera Kansas, Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company (Minnesota) and others. Aimée is the 2003 winner of the Marcella Kochanska Sembrich Vocal Competition and worked with Joan Dornemann at Portland Opera's IVAI program in 2000. Highlights of her musical theatre career include principal roles of Widow Douglas/Lead Soprano in “Big River” with Lake City Theatre Company, Mary Wilson in “Sgt. Pepper's: The Drunkard” and Ingenue in “On Broadway” for Lake Pepin Players. She has also performed leading roles with Phipps Center for the Arts and the Minnesota Fringe Festival. Her passion for concert work has led to an active recital career performing programs such as “An Evening of Italian Song” and “Classically Minnesota”, and soloing with orchestral/choral groups singing Bach's “Magnificat” and Orff's “Carmina Burana”. In addition, she has frequently sung the National Anthem at opening ceremonies for national conventions around the country. Aimée has enjoyed performing and recording the music of several living composers including Libby Larsen, Stephen Paulus, and David Evan Thomas. She has also sung sacred music throughout her career and is a soloist throughout the Twin Cities area for weddings, funerals, holidays and Sunday Worship. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/aimeepetra2

Diva or Darling

---

Beaver Harris 360° Music Experience - Live at Nyon

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:14
Size: 113,1 MB
Art: Front

(18:10)  1. Don't I
( 7:11)  2. Charlette
( 6:03)  3. Ismay My Brother
(17:49)  4. High Noon

The 360 Degree Music Experience was an American band that performed both traditional and experimental jazz. Active during the 1970s and '80s, the group was initially co-led by drummer Beaver Harris and the pianist Dave Burrell. After Burrell left the group, pianist Don Pullen replaced him. Several other notable musicians were members of the band at one time or another, including Hamiet Bluiett, Cameron Brown, Ron Carter, Ricky Ford, Jimmy Garrison, Grachan Moncur III, Titos Sompa, and Buster Williams among others. The group released two albums for BMG: From Ragtime to No Time and A Well Kept Secret. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_360_Degree_Music_Experience

Personnel:  Beaver Harris - Drums;  Ken McIntyre - Reeds;  Granchan Moncur - Trombone;  Ron Burton - Piano;  Cameron Brown - Bass

Live at Nyon

---

David Murray Octet - Ming

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:30
Size: 90,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:55)  1. The Fast Life
(10:39)  2. The Hill
( 4:28)  3. Ming
( 8:51)  4. Jasvan
( 6:36)  5. Dewey's Circle

His octet was always the perfect setting for tenor saxophonist David Murray, large enough to generate power but not as out of control as many of his big-band performances. Murray contributed all five originals (including "Ming" and "Dewey's Circle") and arrangements, and is in superior form on both tenor and bass clarinet. The "backup crew" is also quite notable: altoist Henry Threadgill, trumpeter Olu Dara, cornetist Butch Morris, trombonist George Lewis, pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Wilbur Morris, and drummer Steve McCall. 

These avant-garde performances (reissued on CD) are often rhythmic enough to reach a slightly larger audience than usual, and the individuality shown by each of these major players is quite impressive. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/ming-mw0000188486

Personnel:   David Murray - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, producer, mixing; Henry Threadgill - alto saxophone;  Wilber Morris - bass; Lawrence "Butch" Morris - cornet; Steve McCall - percussion; Anthony Davis - piano;  George Lewis - trombone;  Olu Dara - trumpet

Ming

---

Art Farmer - Early Art

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Soft Shoe
(3:57)  2. Confab In Tempo
(5:01)  3. I'll Take Romance
(4:06)  4. Wisteria
(4:09)  5. Autumn Nocturne
(3:50)  6. I've Never Been In Love Before
(3:56)  7. I'll Walk Alone
(4:08)  8. Gone With The Wind
(3:59)  9. Alone Together
(3:36) 10. Pre Amp

Two of trumpeter Art Farmer's earlier sessions as a leader are reissued on this CD in the OJC series. Farmer teams up with an all-star quintet (which includes tenor-saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke) for four songs and dominates a quartet (with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Herbie Lovelle) on six other tunes. Farmer's sound is lyrical even on the uptempo pieces and he is heard throughout in his early prime. Highlights include "Soft Shoe," "I'll Take Romance," "Autumn Nocturne" and an uptempo "Gone with the Wind." One should note that the programming differs from what is listed, with "Soft Shoe" (which should have been the opener) actually appearing fifth and the songs listed as appearing second through fifth moving up to first through fourth. Despite that flaw, the music is quite enjoyable and a must for 1950s bop collectors. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/early-art-mw0000183670

Personnel:  Art Farmer – trumpet; Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-2, 5); Horace Silver (tracks 1-3, 5), Wynton Kelly (tracks 4, 6-10) - piano; Percy Heath (tracks 1-3, 5), Addison Farmer (tracks 4, 6-10) – bass; Kenny Clarke (tracks 1-3, 5), Herbie Lovelle (tracks 4, 6-10) – drums

Early Art

---

Marty Grosz and Destiny's Tots - Sings of Love and Other Matters

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

( 3:00)  1. With Plenty of Money and You
( 3:07)  2. How Can You Face Me?
( 3:41)  3. Lonesome Me
( 3:30)  4. Mean Old Bed Bug Blues
( 4:50)  5. All My Life
( 3:28)  6. I'm in the Market for You
( 3:16)  7. The Panic Is On
( 3:33)  8. I Wish I Were Twins
( 3:52)  9. A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid
( 3:37) 10. My Very Good Friend the Milkman
( 3:36) 11. Breakin' the Ice
( 4:10) 12. Until the Real Thing Comes Along
( 3:04) 13. I'm Building up to an Awful Letdown
( 3:24) 14. You've Been Taking Lessons in Love
(10:21) 15. The English Blues

Marty Grosz, a Fats Waller-inspired vocalist, a masterful chordal acoustic guitarist and a frequently hilarious comedian, is well showcased on this Jazzology CD reissue of a set originally cut for the Statiras label. Featured with his Destiny's Tots (a group not dissimilar to his Orphan Newsboys), Grosz sings such bright numbers as "With Plenty of Money and You," "I'm In the Market for You," "I Wish I Were Twins," "My Very Good Friend the Milkman," "I'm Building Up to an Awful Letdown," and "You've Been Taking Lessons In Love." Hot solos are provided by Dick Meldonian (on tenor, alto and baritone), Dan Barrett (doubling on trombone and cornet), pianist Keith Ingham and bassist Phil Flanigan. Highly recommended to classic jazz fans. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/sings-of-love-other-matters-mw0000411161

Personnel:  Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Marty Grosz; Piano – Keith Ingham; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Dick Meldonian; Acoustic Bass [String] – Phil Flanigan;  Trombone, Cornet – Dan Barrett 

Sings of Love and Other Matters

---

Ada Montellanico - Il Sole Di Un Attimo

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:21
Size: 129,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:00)  1. Ti sognerò comunque
(5:46)  2. L'alba di un incontro
(6:51)  3. Suono di mare
(4:43)  4. Romance
(5:39)  5. E'
(7:02)  6. Mi guardi intorno
(6:31)  7. Il sole di un attimo
(8:02)  8. Luoghi sommersi
(5:42)  9. The encounter

Support it the lightness of being, one might say, listening to Il sole di un momento, the new work of the singer and composer Ada Montellanico, here surrounded by a group of first-rate stars of Italian and international jazz. Lightness of the texts, words that flirt with the feelings, words never invasive or absolute but discreet suggestions to free the thought to the wave of the emotions. How not to be lulled by phrases such as "... I'll dream you anyway, because the rain that wets us does not become snow .." or "... I take a moment lost in time, sounds that weave new words ..."? Lightness of music, softness of the sound mixes embellished by Paul McCandless's oboe and enriched with arcane meanings from the ancient basset horn played by Antonio Amanti, without forgetting the sophisticated Stefano Cantini saxophones and the acoustic brush strokes of Bebo Ferra's guitar. Words, song and music do not travel on parallel tracks, nor do they act like vain primadors in search of the tear-jerking agent or the ovation solo. Just as some organisms can not do without one another in order to survive, words and music live in a form of real osmosis in which each one drinks at the source of the other, drawing renewed energy and stimulating ideas. Pieranunzi is a master in the art of accompaniment and knows very well that the lyrics of Ada Montellanico can not simply be accompanied. The perfect diction, the rich timbre of the singer's chiaroscuro, the discreetly minimalist texts ask to be metabolized and brought to the surface through a constantly moving pianism, which abandons the call of a calligraphic melancholy to favor a volitive, intriguing, sometimes free approach and adventurous. Poetic. ~ AAJ Italy Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/il-sole-di-un-attimo-enrico-pieranunzi-egea-records-review-by-aaji-staff.php

Personnel: Ada Montellanico (voice); Enrico Pieranunzi (plan); Paul McCandless (soprano saxophone, oboe); Stefano Cantini (soprano sax, tenor saxophone); Bebo Ferra (guitar); Pietro Ciancaglini (bass); Walter Paoli (drums); Antonio Amanti (basset horn).

Il Sole Di Un Attimo

---

Stanley Clarke - Modern Man

Styles: Piano, Guitar Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:46
Size: 90,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:21)  1. Opening (Statement)
(4:30)  2. He Lives On (Story About the Last Journey of a Warrior)
(4:32)  3. More Hot Fun
(3:20)  4. Slow Dance
(0:21)  5. Interlude: A Serious Occasion
(3:20)  6. Got to Find My Own Place
(4:09)  7. Dayride
(1:25)  8. Interlude: It's What She Didn't Say
(3:32)  9. Modern Man
(1:25) 10. Interlude: A Relaxed Occasion
(5:09) 11. Rock 'N' Roll Jelly
(2:36) 12. Closing (Statement)

Modern Man is the fifth album by jazz fusion bassist Stanley Clarke. "Dayride" from the Return to Forever album No Mystery (1975) was re-recorded for this album. Also included was "More Hot Fun", a sequel to "Hot Fun" from the previous album School Days. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Man_(album)

Personnel:  Stanley Clarke – double bass, bass guitar, piccolo bass, piano, guitar, vocals; Mike Garson – keyboards; Jeff Beck – guitar on "Rock 'n Roll Jelly"; Raymond Gomez – guitar; Jeff Porcaro – drums; Gerry Brown – drums, percussion

Modern Man

---

Charles Bellonzi - Charles Bellonzi 5tet: Lolobô

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:02
Size: 143,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Allo Doc
(7:21)  2. Lolobo
(3:54)  3. Autocatariz
(7:46)  4. Only for You
(5:19)  5. Jazz for Friends
(4:59)  6. La jav's bleu's
(7:10)  7. No Name
(3:52)  8. La Guiga Nova
(3:35)  9. Alby Memory
(8:27) 10. Quinte Major
(4:12) 11. X Press

Charles Bellonzi was born in Nice in 1941. He was attracted by music at a very young age, at the age of seven. His uncle played helicon in the municipal band "La Renaissance". He noticed very quickly that he was talented and had a great sense of rhythm. Charles learned the drums from 7 to 13 years old, and then the accordion. He played both with the "Renaissance". His friends introduced him to jazz in 1958. Translate by Google http://www.guitaresetbatteries.com/charles-bellonzi/

Personnel:  Drums – Charles Bellonzi; Guitar – Christophe Limousin; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Nicolas Scheid; Trumpet, Bugle – Pascal Gachet; Contrabass – Guillaume Souriau.

Charles Bellonzi 5tet: Lolobô

---

Johnny Richards & His Orchestra - Something Else Again

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:36
Size: 95,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. Waltz, Anyone?
(2:01)  2. For All We Know
(8:37)  3. Dimples
(5:14)  4. Band Aide
(6:32)  5. Turn Aboot
(4:13)  6. Burrito Borracho
(2:57)  7. Long Ago And Far Away
(5:51)  8. Aijalon

Johnny Richards was one of the more progressive-minded arrangers of the 1950s and '60s, turning out big, heavily orchestrated scores with a sometimes unabashed use of dissonance and a good feel for Latin rhythms. His music has been called "provocatively colorful," though in the case of his notoriously portentous "Prologue" for the ego-tripping Stan Kenton, simply the word "provocative" says it all. Richards grew up in Schenectady, NY, learning piano, violin, banjo, and trumpet; his mother was a concert pianist who had studied with Paderewski. He started writing film scores, first in London in 1932-1933, and then in Hollywood for the remainder of the decade, as Victor Young's assistant at Paramount while studying composition with Arnold Schoenberg. From 1940 to 1945, he led a big band and then returned to Los Angeles to arrange for Charlie Barnet and Boyd Raeburn. He also arranged a string album for Dizzy Gillespie in 1950, along with recording dates with Sarah Vaughan, Helen Merrill, and Sonny Stitt. His most famous association was with Kenton, with whom he started arranging in 1952; Kenton's album Cuban Fire! is an outstandingly flamboyant example of Richards' work. Richards continued to lead his own orchestras in 1956-1960 and 1964-1965, recording for Capitol, Coral, Roulette, and Bethlehem, and co-wrote one of Frank Sinatra's signature songs, "Young at Heart." ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-richards-mn0000242438/biography

Something Else Again

---