Janet Seidel, Tom Baker - Doodlin'

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:32
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. Doodlin'
(3:23)  2. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(3:49)  3. Lady Be Good / The President
(3:39)  4. Lonely One
(3:01)  5. The Best Thing For You
(3:05)  6. Baby It's Cold Outside
(3:04)  7. In A Gypsy Tea Room
(3:41)  8. I Was Doing All Right
(4:30)  9. Stairway To The Stars
(4:22) 10. Where Or When
(3:52) 11. Jitterbug Waltz
(4:45) 12. Dedicated To You
(3:01) 13. I've Got Just About Everything I Need
(3:16) 14. You And I
(4:35) 15. Two Sleepy People

Born in Australia's bush country, Janet Seidel emerged as one of that country's leading cabaret and jazz vocalists. She appeared frequently at Australia's top jazz and hotel venues beginning in the early '80s, often working with bassist brother David Seidel. Janet Seidel also performed at jazz festivals in the U.S., working with such jazz notables as Harry Allen, Dan Barrett, Dave McKenna, and Michael Moore. Her first venture into cabaret came in 2000 when she put together and starred in Doris and Me, a tribute to Doris Day's singing career. Often working with saxophone player Tom Baker and with her brother, she has made numerous albums for the LaBrava label. Her double album The Way You Wear Your Hat was named vocal album of the year by Australia's national newspaper and was a finalist for the prestigious ARIA award. Her The Art of Lounge, Vol. 2 was similarly a finalist for that award for the AIRA Jazz Album of the Year. Seidel did not have great range, but she used the tools she possessed with great skill and effectiveness. With her intimate style, great feel for the lyrics of songs she sings, Seidel was one of those vocalists who was as much a story teller as a singer. The way she handled the music came off as a fortuitous blend of Blossom Dearie and Doris Day with an occasional nod to Julie London, although she was somewhat jazzier than the latter two. Like Jeri Southern, Shirley Horn, and Diana Krall, she often doubled at the piano. From the turn of the millennium through the decade of the 2000s, Seidel recorded prolifically, releasing such albums as Love Letters (2000), Doris & Me (2001), Don't Smoke in Bed (2002), Comme Çi, Comme Ça and The Art of Lounge, Vol. 3 (both 2003), Dear Blossom and Hooray for Christmas (both 2004), Moon of Manakoora and Delovely (both 2005), and We Get Requests and Charade: Henry Mancini Songbook (both 2007). In addition, her Live in Taipei DVD was released in 2011. Janet Seidel died from ovarian cancer in Sydney in August 2017; she was 62 years old. The numerous recordings she made evince an exquisite, gentle, and agile voice that honored each tune she sang, from classic standards to pop songs and novelties. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/artist/janet-seidel-mn0000420852/biography

Personnel:  Janet Seidel and Tom Baker, vocals ; Paul Williams, tenor sax and clarinet ; Ian Date, acoustic guitar ; Glenn Henrich, vibraphone ; David Seidel, double bass ; Billy Ross, drums ; Janet Seidel, piano.

Doodlin'

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Junior Mance, Joe Temperley - Music of Thelonious Monk

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:14
Size: 153,2 MB
Art:

(9:07)  1. Blue Monk
(8:19)  2. Little Rootie Tootie
(7:25)  3. Ba-Lue Bolivar Blues-Are
(9:13)  4. Ask Me Now
(7:48)  5. I Mean You
(6:51)  6. Rhythmaning
(7:46)  7. Straight No Chaser
(9:42)  8. Hackensack

In November of 2000 aboard a ship adrift on the Atlantic Ocean, reedman Joe Temperley joined pianist Junior Mance's Floating Jazz Festival Trio in what proved to be a perfect setting for a tribute to the music of Thelonious Monk. Like Monk, the waters beneath them were capable of powerful swings and torrents, and also like Monk, their music was pronounced amid a shroud of relative isolation. Throughout this live set, Temperley and Mance joined by the gifted rhythm section of bassist Peter Washington and veteran drummer Mickey Roker drive Monk's music to deserved heights and moody lows. The opener, "Blue Monk," is given a gin-soaked treatment by Temperley's swaying bass clarinet, which is then reinforced by an appropriately blue-hued Mance solo and finally cemented by Washington's spot-lit rolls and picks. On "Ask Me Now," Temperley cedes the floor to the trio, leaving them to take on one of Monk's more lyrical and melancholic works. They do so ably and with utmost care evoking an image of Monk as the delicate dynamo he was. 

Another highlight is the group's work on the infectiously swinging "Rhythm-A-Ning." Mance pulls out all the stops from gate to gate, while Temperley, on baritone sax, flutters and flips his way through with remarkable dexterity. From start to finish, it is evident that these four know their Monk. In fact, so familiar are they with the material that they infused it with a charming, lived-in quality which few other ensembles could manage. Their approach to the artist is hardly revolutionary, but rather warm, intimate and accustomed. It's hard to say whether Monk ever sailed the seas on a sprawling cruiseliner, but thanks to Mance, Temperley and company we now know that setting would have agreed with him just fine. ~ Riel Lazarus https://www.allaboutjazz.com/monk-junior-mance-chiaroscuro-records-review-by-riel-lazarus.php

Personnel: Joe Temperly: saxophone; Junior Mance: piano ; Peter Washington: bass; Mickey Roker: drums.

Music of Thelonious Monk

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Benny Goodman - B. G. In Hi Fi

Styles: Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:23
Size: 149,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:15)  1. Let's Dance
(3:38)  2. Air Mail Special
(3:27)  3. Ain't Misbehavin'
(3:05)  4. Get Happy
(3:00)  5. Slipped Disc
(3:07)  6. Jersey Bounce
(3:25)  7. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(2:51)  8. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
(2:51)  9. Blue Lou
(3:30) 10. Jumpin' At The Woodside
(3:15) 11. Stompin At The Savoy
(3:05) 12. Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today
(3:54) 13. Rose Room
(3:10) 14. What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry?
(3:28) 15. Rock Rimmon
(3:01) 16. You're A Sweetheart
(3:26) 17. Somebody Stole My Gal
(3:43) 18. (I Would) Do Anything For You
(3:08) 19. Big John's Special
(2:55) 20. Let's Dance

On this all-around excellent CD, Benny Goodman performs a dozen selections (mostly Fletcher Henderson arrangements) with a big band filled with sympathetic players in 1954 and eight other numbers with a pair of smaller units that also feature pianist Mel Powell and either Charlie Shavers or Ruby Braff on trumpets. Although the big-band era had been gone for almost a decade, Benny Goodman (then 46) plays these swing classics with enthusiasm and creativity and shows that there was never any reason for anyone to write him off as "behind the times."~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/bg-in-hi-fi-mw0000199310

Personnel: Clarinet – Benny Goodman; Bass – George Duvivier; Drums – Robert Donaldson; Guitar – Steve Jordan; Piano – Mel Powell; Saxophone – Boomie Richman, Al Klink, Hymie Shertzer, Paul Ricci, Sol Schlinger; Trombone – Cutty Cutshall, Vernon Brown, Will Bradley; Trumpet – Bernard Privin, Carl Poole, Chris Griffin, Ruby Braff

B. G. In Hi Fi

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Maucha Adnet - The Jobim Songbook

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:16
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. Vivo Sonhando
(4:20)  2. Só Tinha De Ser Com Você
(4:57)  3. Insensatez
(4:33)  4. Ela É Carioca
(4:54)  5. Chega De Saudade
(5:26)  6. Samba Do Avião
(3:55)  7. Águas De Março
(3:59)  8. Meditacão
(4:59)  9. Desafinado
(4:29) 10. Corcovado
(5:10) 11. Outra Vez
(6:01) 12. Garota De Ipanema
(4:51) 13. Água De Beber

The lack of liner notes doesn't give much clue as to how long Maucha Adnet has been active professionally as a vocalist, though a quote from Antonio Carlos Jobim indicates that she toured with the late, legendary composer. Her deep, soulful voice is very appealing, similar to that of Leny Andrade. Accompanied by a mix of Brazilian and American musicians, including pianist Helio Alves, flugelhornists Claudio Roditi and Michael Brecker, trombonist Jay Ashby, guitarists Mario Adnet and Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta and drummer Duduka Da Fonsaca, she is obviously very familiar with a wide range of Jobim's compositions, covering both internationally known hits and pieces that have received less exposure outside of Brazil. The focus is on the singer, with occasional piano or guitar solos, with the brass and reed instruments providing background colors. She scats in unison with an unidentified male singer during the introduction to "Chega De Saudade" before swinging its joyous lyrics, with Alves switching to electric piano. She brings more depth to "Aquas de Marco" (The Waters of March)" than most singers, while Adnet's understated interpretation of "Outra Vez" is also welcome. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jobim-songbook-mw0000577529

Personnel:  Vocals, Producer – Maucha Adnet; Saxophone – Joe Lovano; Trombone – Jay Ashby;  Acoustic Bass – Nilson Matta; Acoustic Guitar – Romero Lubambo; Acoustic Guitar, Arranged By – Mario Adnet; Drums – Duduka Da Fonseca; Flugelhorn – Claudio Roditi, Randy Brecker; Piano – Alfredo Cardim, Helio Alves

The Jobim Songbook

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Marc Copland, Greg Osby - Night Call

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:59
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:04)  1. Autumn Wind
(3:31)  2. Cyrille in Motion
(7:42)  3. Echoes of Another
(5:41)  4. Night Call
(7:14)  5. Ciré
(5:12)  6. Skippin' Around
(8:14)  7. A Time Ago
(4:38)  8. Forge
(6:37)  9. Soul Eyes

A month doesn't go by without a new record from pianist Marc Copland; at least it feels that way. And that's not a bad thing. Copland, by operating within the independent label arena and with a variety of companies, has managed to buck the normal trend that says an artist can't put out more than one album every year or two. And Copland is one of those rare musicians who, by teaming with an ever-widening group of collaborators, continues to reveal new depths with each release. From What It Says , his dark duet recording with bassist Gary Peacock, to the more outgoing yet melancholic post bop of The Jigsaw , his quartet recording with British saxophonist Stan Sulzmann, Copland demonstrates an ability to mould himself with the people he is working with, while at the same time asserting his own style, which manages to skirt the grey area between the in and out, the dark and light, the bold and introspective. Over the years Copland has been building his reputation as a most intuitive and sympathetic partner, but especially in context of the duet, a format that he seems to favour. Case in point: last year's outstanding Round and Round , which teamed him with alto saxophonist Greg Osby for a set that was filled with implication and an abstract yet appealing ambience. 

Osby, malleable as always, seemed to fit perfectly within Copland's musical universe. And it's clear that they both enjoyed working together because a year later we have them back together again for Night Call , a set that finds them even more simpatico. The wonder of discovery is replaced with a deeper understanding that can only come from spending time together. This time around the material, again featuring five Copland originals, three Osby pieces and one standard, is a little more outgoing, a little more direct, but the emphasis is still on darker places. Copland's "Autumn Wind," with a repeating motif whose complexion is constantly shifted by Copland's reharmonizations, could easily fit within the Ralph Towner songbook. Melancholic without being melodramatic, it sets the pace for a program that is accessible yet operates within its own harmonic space. Copland has long since dispensed with his earlier influences of Evans and Jarrett and created a personal language that is all about contrast and paradox. What is remarkable about Copland's playing, and in particular his teaming with Osby, is how so much is implied with so little; one can feel a richer sense of orchestration with the barest of statements. As before, Osby's contributions fit perfectly within Copland's world view, showing just how adaptable a player he is on a program that is as far removed from his collaboration with Charlie Hunter and Bobby Previte, the electronica album Latitude , as is humanly possible. Night Call may be more rhythmically defined than its predecessor, but it is no less elusive. Copland and Osby make music that engages without compromise, exploring the space where two players merge into a single voice. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/night-call-marc-copland-nagel-heyer-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Marc Copland (piano), Greg Osby (alto sax)

Night Call

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Gary Smith - I'm Comin' Home

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:00
Size: 95,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. I'm Comin Home
(4:55)  2. Dark Jade
(4:05)  3. Cabin on the Hill
(3:58)  4. What Are You Doing Tonight
(3:11)  5. Red River Valley
(3:26)  6. Two for Two
(4:02)  7. Someone I Can Turn To
(4:37)  8. Time Stood Still
(3:45)  9. Three O'clock in the Morning
(5:07) 10. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

Gary Smith has more than 40 years of experience in the music business and has worked with some of America’s leading entertainers which include: Bernadette Peters, Frankie Laine, Billy Daniels, Barbi Benton, The Coasters, The Platters, Vickie Carr, Kaye Starre, Riders in the Sky, Sheckie Greene, Anna Marie Alberghetti, Danny and The Juniors Barry Williams and many more. As a guitarist Gary has performed for : President Jerry Ford and Betty Ford, President Bill Clinton, Queen Noor, Prince Charles, Prince Bandar, Senator/Gov Pete Wilson, Madeline Albright, Ricky and Andrea Schroeder, James Filfurth (EMI), Troy Donahue, Gov. Roemer, Gov Jerry Brown, many leaders of Corporate American and numerous weddings and receptions in the Aspen, Vail, Snowmass, Beaver Creek resorts of Colorado. Gary has also been a guest artist with the San Diego Symphony and a member of the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra. As a Producer, Gary Smith has produced over 90 Albums in most genres of music. Some Artists Gary has recorded or recorded with include three time GRAMMY winner Ernie Watts, Lloyd Mabrey, Jeannie Walla, Paul Severson, Warren Kime, Jeff Pine, Ed Stabler, Susan Rowland, Krystyn Hartman, Gary McCallister, Carlos and Andrea Elias, Connie Pyle, Jack Gaby, Swing City Express and many more. Gary Smith has also produced music for Film and Video, including the award winning documentary “Glovers Reef”, "Undiscovered Destinations Colorado", " John Otto and the Colorado National Monuments"(RMPBS). In addition, Gary has produced music for the Nickelodeon Television Network; including the National Promo’s for Jonah a Veggie Tail Movie and Monster House. Along with numerous music productions for all of the Nick Jr. Character’s, including Sponge Bob, Dora the Explorer, Diego, FOB, and others. Gary was also a writer for Network Music while in San Diego. Gary Smith has won eight national awards (Silver Microphone awards) for music for advertising and is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMYs) as well as a member of BMI. As a recording artist Gary Smith has released over 12 Jazz Guitar Albums, released on the GRS WEST MUSIC label.

I'm Comin' Home

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Lita Roza - How Much Is That Doggie

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:15
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Oakie Boogie
(2:49)  2. Raminay (The New Orleans Chimney Sweep)
(2:15)  3. (How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window
(2:37)  4. Tell Me We'll Meet Again
(2:45)  5. Seven Lonely Days
(2:46)  6. No One Will Ever Know
(2:20)  7. Crazy Man, Crazy
(2:40)  8. Oo! What You Do To Me
(2:20)  9. Changing Partners
(2:50) 10. Just A Dream Or Two Ago
(2:39) 11. Make Love To Me
(1:59) 12. Bell Bottom Blues
(2:26) 13. Secret Love
(2:36) 14. Young At Heart
(2:13) 15. Skinnie Minnie (Fishtail)
(2:46) 16. My Kid Brother
(2:18) 17. Call Off The Wedding
(2:46) 18. The "Mama Doll" Song
(2:33) 19. Heartbeat
(2:00) 20. Leave Me Alone

Lita Roza was born Lilian Patricia Lita Roza on March 14, 1926 in Liverpool to Elizabeth Anne and Francis Vincent Roza, a Spanish marine engineer and part-time pianist at a local nightclub. The eldest of seven children, she auditioned as a dancer at the age of 12 in a pantomime to help support the family, eventually working up to performing with the comedian Ted Ray and actress Noel Gordon in the show Black Velvet. Because life was becoming too dangerous in London during the blitz of 1940, her family wanted her back in Liverpool. She turned to singing on her return and managed to get a job as a resident singer in a Merseyside club called The New Yorker. Shortly afterwards, she signed to become a singer with the Harry Roy Orchestra, one of Britain's leading wartime big bands, although when Roy was booked to tour the Middle East, the young Lita Roza was not allowed to join them, being only 17 years old. At just 18, she retired from show business, marrying James Shepherd Holland, one of the Canadian servicemen who was stationed in the U.K.; they moved to Miami. The marriage did not last, however, and after the war she returned to Britain, finding work with another top bandleader of the time, Ted Heath, alongside Dickie Valentine and Denis Lotis. As many of her contemporaries, she combined working with a big band with a career as a solo singer, and in 1953, she recorded a version of Patti Page's "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window," which topped the charts in April for one week, easily beating off the challenge of the Page version, and only the eighth number one song in the then recently introduced British charts. Despite its success, Roza hated the song and would never perform it in public. She left the Ted Heath band and married Ron Hughes, a trumpet player. 

She was voted Top Girl Singer of 1951-1952 in the Melody Maker dance band polls and won the Top Female Singer category in New Musical Express from 1951-1955 consecutively. Another couple of minor solo hits followed, "Hey There" and "Jimmy Unknown," but despite releasing a total of 55 singles and four albums on Decca Presenting Lita Roza, Listening in the After-Hours, Love Is the Answer, and Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea her record sales were halted by the arrival of rock & roll and in the mid-'50s she concentrated on television work (including her own show Lita Roza Sings and several appearances with Ted Heath and on the new TV pop show Six Five Special, the only pop show on TV in the mid-'50s) and working in cabarets around the world including in Australia, New Zealand, and the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. She was asked to join a series of Ted Heath reunion concerts in 1982 along with Denis Lotis and Don Lusher and most of the original musicians from the band. In 2001, Roza was honored as the first artist with a bronze disc placed on the Wall of Fame in Matthew Street, opposite the Cavern Club, which featured all the acts from Liverpool who had achieved a number one to date including everyone from Frankie Vaughan, Michael Holiday, and the Beatles to Sonia, Mel C, and Atomic Kitten. Throughout the late '90s and into the 21st century, Universal Music, which owns the rights to Roza's Decca recordings, released several compilations of her songs as well as her final album, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and Ted Heath Singles 1951-1953. She gave her final performance on Radio Merseyside in November 2002. Lita Roza died at her home in London on August 14, 2008; she was 82 years old. ~ Sharon Mayer https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lita-roza-mn0000496575/biography

How Much Is That Doggie

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Johnny Richards & His Orchestra - Softly... Wild... And Something Else!

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:57
Size: 185,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. Waltz, Anyone?
(3:17)  2. For All We Know
(7:12)  3. Dimples
(5:06)  4. Band Aide
(6:27)  5. Turn Aboot
(4:12)  6. Burrito Borracho
(2:56)  7. Long Ago and Far Away
(5:46)  8. Aijalon
(2:42)  9. Walk Softly
(3:57) 10. Run Wild
(3:47) 11. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:01) 12. Laura
(4:53) 13. Tempest on the Charles
(3:06) 14. Sunday's Child
(2:17) 15. Alone Together
(4:06) 16. Three Cornered Cat
(3:42) 17. You Go to My Head
(6:18) 18. Yemaya

Johnny Richards was a man of convictions. Hearing the Richards aggregation, one can feel the leader's expansive expressiveness working. His main goal was the creation of interesting, stimulating music, not music of any particular kind. "We are an ORCHESTRA, not a band of sections; an organized orchestra of interested and interesting musicians who play a music of many dimensions and feelings." Richards once said: "Our music is ambitious. That explains why our instrumentation is not exactly standard. Although we are a jazz orchestra, this does not mean that other musical forms and rhythms cannot be incorporated into our music. After all, music is expressed in many languages. We should be aware and learn from that." https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/johnny-richards-albums/4073-softly-wild-and-something-else.html

Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli, Stu Williamson, Ray Copeland, Shorty Rogers (tp), Milt Bernhart, Frank Rosolino, Don Nelly, Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Julius Watkins, Vince De Rosa (Frh), Charlie Mariano, Gene Quill, Dave Schildkraut (as), Richie Kamuca, Frank Socolow (ts), Ronny Lang (bs), Marty Paich, John Knapp (p), Buddy Clark (b), Stan Levey, Ed Shaughnessy (d)

Softly... Wild... And Something Else!

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Gary Smulyan - Gary Smulyan With Strings

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:11
Size: 120,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. The Bad And The Beautiful
(3:41)  2. Lush Life
(4:18)  3. Thanks For You
(6:23)  4. It Happens Quietly
(5:23)  5. Don't Follow The Crowd
(6:00)  6. We've Got A Sure Thing
(4:56)  7. Beware My Heart
(6:10)  8. The Moment Of Truth
(6:34)  9. Yesterday's Gardenias
(5:54) 10. Two For The Seesaw

Charlie Parker's love affair with strings, most notably during the 1950s for Verve Records, made it acceptable for other saxophonists to undertake similar projects. After all, if a player of the magnitude of Parker can indulge, than it must be OK for everyone else. Gary Smulyan, who was a member of the Charles Mingus Big Band, undertook the daunting task of linking the deep, robust sound of a baritone with a string section without creating more than sugar-coated boredom. With the help of Bob Belden's charts, that musical objective is achieved. The deep sound and rich color unique to the baritone is used to good effect on such ballads as "The Bad and the Beautiful," "Lush Life," and "Beware My Heart." To avoid being trapped in the sensualness of lush arrangements, Smulyan and Belden offer contrasting, crisper, peppier arrangements and renditions for numbers like "The Moment of Truth." The Latin beat is introduced with "Two for the Seesaw." Strings notwithstanding, the ace rhythm section of Mike LeDonne, Kenny Washington, and Peter Washington remind the listener that this is, after all, a jazz album, and provide support to the Smulyan saxophone within that context. They have an opportunity to stretch out on several of the cuts without any competition from the strings. Smulyan and LeDonne work together with excellent results on "Lush Life" and LeDonne's piano gets extended play on "Two for the Seesaw." A good baritone added to imaginative string arrangements blended with a first-class rhythm section equals a fine album. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/gary-smulyan-with-strings-mw0000033563

Personnel:   Gary Smulyan - baritone saxophone; Mike LeDonne - piano; Peter Washington - bass; Kenny Washington - drums; Bob Belden - arranger, conductor; Cenovia Cummins, Mark Feldman, Regina Carter, Laura Seaton, Jon Kass  - violin;  Ron Lawrence - viola; Erik Friedlander, Tomas Ulrich, Clay Ruede - cello

Gary Smulyan With Strings

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Wynton Marsalis - He And She

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:17
Size: 175,0 MB
Art: Front

( 0:12)  1. Poem
( 6:48)  2. School Boy
( 0:27)  3. Poem
( 6:31)  4. The Sun And The Moon
( 0:10)  5. Poem
( 5:17)  6. Sassy
( 0:16)  7. Poem
( 3:31)  8. Fears
( 0:16)  9. Poem
(12:05) 10. The Razor Rim
( 1:01) 11. Poem
( 2:17) 12. Zero
( 0:36) 13. Poem
( 1:52) 14. First Crush
( 4:37) 15. First Slow Dance
( 3:21) 16. First Kiss
( 4:47) 17. First Time
( 1:06) 18. Poem
( 5:46) 19. Girls!
( 0:59) 20. Poem
( 8:12) 21. A Train, A Banjo, And A Chicken Wing
( 5:00) 22. He And She

The expansive discography of Wynton Marsalis has covered a wealth of material including the fierce modern mainstream of Black Codes: From the Underground (Columbia, 1985), the three CD-set Blood On the Fields (Columbia, 1995) which won a Pulitzer award in 1997, and some bar-room fun in Two Men With the Blues (Blue Note, 2008) with singer Willie Nelson. Now the iconic jazz trumpeter/composer explores the subtle dynamics of relationship between a man and a woman in He and She, a recording that combines jazz and poetry in a familiar and entertaining package. Familiar in the fact that Marsalis, an ardent purveyor of jazz's history, delivers once again, music that has been heard throughout his repertoire. The jubilant "School Boy" with its ragtime / New Orleans rhythms, the luxuriant waltz of "The Sun and the Moon," playful swing in "Sassy," and a blues in "A Train, A Banjo, and A Chicken Wing," have all been witnessed in memorable recordings such as The Marciac Suite (1999) and Big Train (1999), both on Columbia Records. Regardless, this project is vintage Marsalis, and that equates to exquisitely crafted jazz, now delivered by a top-notch quintet of young musicians including Walter Blanding (saxophones), Dan Nimmer (piano), Carlos Hendriquez (bass), and Ali Jackson (drums), each showing their dazzling abilities throughout the recording. The master trumpeter also shows some deft skills as a poet which was first witnessed on the controversial but outstanding From The Plantation to the Penitentiary (Blue Note, 2007). Here, he reads verses from his eponymous titled poem "He and She" which alternately sets up each instrumental track. 

These brief preludes are filled with humor, emotion and attitude, creating anecdotal stories of adolescence, maturity, romance, love, and loss.  One section of the poem speaks of a dangerous conquest in one of the recording's most complex tracks, "The Razor Rim," a bopping tale of desire, moving from "Swinging 3/4" to "Elvin Jones 5/4" to "Modern 4/4 Swing" (as noted in the track notes). Another section covers the simple mathematics of lost love as Marsalis reads "1 + 0 = 0, remembering me without you," a fitting introduction to the blue balladry in "Zero." Other ideas include a "suite of firsts" in "First Crush," "First Slow Dance," etc., which may conjure up long forgotten memories. The recording culminates with the poem read in its entirety; a fitting ending to the program. While there's nothing ultimately new here, from start to finish He and She is performed to the hilt and swings gloriously with plenty of panache. Fans will not be disappointed and newcomers who are just getting introduced to Wynton Marsalis can let the courtship begin. ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/he-and-she-wynton-marsalis-blue-note-records-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Wynton Marsalis: trumpet; Walter Blanding: saxophones; Dan Nimmer: piano; Carlos Hendriquez: bass; Ali Jackson: drums.

He And She

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Margaret Whiting - Great Ladies Of Song: Spotlight On Margaret Whiting

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:23
Size: 124,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:17)  1. Day In - Day Out
(3:03)  2. If I Had You
(3:01)  3. But Not For Me
(3:05)  4. Gypsy In My Soul
(2:47)  5. Like Someone In Love
(3:11)  6. He's Funny That Way
(2:57)  7. Time After Time
(2:43)  8. My Heart Stood Still
(2:59)  9. Nobody But You
(3:03) 10. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(2:32) 11. I've Never Been In Love Before
(3:07) 12. But Beautiful
(3:07) 13. My Foolish Heart
(3:04) 14. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(3:10) 15. Let's Fall In Love
(2:52) 16. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:08) 17. I Could Write A Book
(2:10) 18. Back In Your Own Back Yard

This album is another in the Capitol Records Great Ladies of Song series, which so far has produced compilations by such artists as Jo Stafford, Peggy Lee, Keely Smith and Kay Starr, among others. Maggie Whiting was one of the label's brightest pop stars of the 1940s and '50s, when Capitol had more top-flight singers, male and female, in its stable than any other company. It is these years from which this material comes. Most of the tunes are slow ballads on which Whiting is accompanied by large, string-laden orchestras, almost all conducted by Frank DeVol. Strings notwithstanding, there are many memorable, enjoyable performances here. "He's Funny That Way" is a 1947 recording honoring her father, Richard Whiting, who penned the tune with Neil Moret. On "If I Had You," recorded in 1946, Whiting is backed by Paul Weston. "But Beautiful" reached #21 on the pop chart in 1948, and "My Foolish Heart" #17 in 1950. Although not a jazz singer, she often worked with jazz musicians; two of the cuts, "But Not for Me" and "Someone to Watch Over Me," feature the trumpet of Billy Butterfield. On "I Could Write a Book," Whiting is backed by her then-husband Lou Busch, who was better known as Joe "Fingers" Carr. The languorous mood is interrupted from time to time by a swinger. One of the most notable is "Nobody But You," where Whiting is joined by the Crew Chiefs, remembered for their work with Glenn Miller. 

As a bonus, Capitol has included two previously unreleased items, "I Get a Kick out of You" and a swinging 1955 rendition of "Back in Your Own Backyard." This album is an agreeable return of those halcyon days of the 1950s when good singers like Whiting filled the landscape before the rock invasion. Like many of her contemporaries, she was often required to sing some rather awful stuff. Fortunately, this album sticks with classic standards from the Great American Songbook, which Whiting delivers with her clear, very pleasant voice. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/spotlight-on-margaret-whiting-great-ladies-of-song-mw0000178269

Great Ladies Of Song / Spotlight On Margaret Whiting

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Nicholas Payton - #BAM: Live At Bohemian Caverns

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:35
Size: 182,3 MB
Art: Front

(17:57)  1. The Backward Step
(11:19)  2. Drad Dog
(13:58)  3. Catlett Out Of The Bag
( 3:54)  4. Pannonica
(13:59)  5. The African Tinge
( 2:31)  6. Return Of The African Tinge
(15:54)  7. Frankie And Johnny

Nicholas Payton, now 40, has been on the short list of major trumpet players for half his life. In 2011, he achieved an incremental 15 minutes of fame when he publicly renounced the word “jazz,” proclaimed it “an oppressive colonialist slave term” and embraced “Black American Music” (“BAM”) as his preferred alternative. Even those who did not find Payton’s self-imposed semantic crisis particularly interesting or relevant or well argued will not be able to approach his new album outside the context of the “‘BAM’ controversy.” Yet what is most remarkable about this live trio recording is how conventional and even bland it is. Payton has spoken of “launching a movement,” but there is nothing very ambitious here, let alone revolutionary. He often plays trumpet and Fender Rhodes simultaneously, one hand for each. On the opener, “The Backward Step,” the Rhodes is mere sweetening, a pleasant but static overlay. On “Catlett Out of the Bag,” a feature for drummer Lenny White and bassist Vicente Archer, the Rhodes grooves are so predictable they wouldn’t challenge a small-town bar band. Perhaps this is Payton’s point. His “BAM” concept attempts to erase distinctions between categories like R&B, soul, hip-hop and jazz. On trumpet, he is often given to melodramatic, flamboyant fusillades of notes disembodied from the whole (“The African Tinge”), or spare, repetitive lines, presumably intended as suspenseful and haunting, but not. His solos consist of ideas that sound like gestures for effect rather than manifestations of inner necessity. The ideas usually sound familiar, and their technical execution is sometimes more casual than precise. It is possible that no respected improvising musician has ever ended an album with 16 minutes as inconsequential, as full of stock licks and devices in the public domain, as “Frankie and Johnny.” Dumbed-down jazz by any name does not a revolution make. ~ Thomas Conrad https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/bam-live-at-bohemian-caverns-nicholas-payton/

Personnel:  Trumpet – Nicholas Payton; Bass – Vicente Archer; Drums – Lenny White

#BAM: Live At Bohemian Caverns

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Hugh Laurie - Didn't It Rain

Styles: Vocal, Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:54
Size: 122,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. The St. Louis Blues
(2:55)  2. Junkers Blues
(3:27)  3. Kiss Of Fire
(4:28)  4. Vicksburg Blues
(4:17)  5. The Weed Smoker's Dream
(4:20)  6. Wild Honey
(5:26)  7. Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair
(3:03)  8. Evenin'
(2:52)  9. Didn't It Rain
(5:21) 10. Careless Love
(4:00) 11. One For My Baby
(4:17) 12. I Hate A Man Like You
(3:58) 13. Changes

After the huge success of his debut album, Let Them Talk, on which he celebrated and revived classic material from the world of NOLA blues, Hugh Laurie presents his second album, Didn't It Rain. Didn't It Rain sees Hugh Laurie depart the sounds of New Orleans as he follows the trajectory of the blues upstream and into the American heartland. It includes songs dating back to early pioneers W.C. Handy ("St Louis. Blues") and Jelly Roll Morton ("I Hate A Man Like You") to more recent artists such as Dr. John ("Wild Honey") and Alan Price of The Animals ("Changes"). Again produced by Joe Henry, Didn't It Rain was recorded at Ocean Way Studio in Los Angeles in January of 2013. Complemented with the heart and accomplishment of his supporting musicians the Copper Bottom Band - Jay Bellerose, Kevin Breit, Vincent Henry, Greg Leisz, Robby Marshall, David Piltch and Patrick Warren with Elizabeth Lea and Larry Goldings - the album also features several lead vocal performances from Guatemalan singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno and soul singer Jean McClain who has previously worked with artists as varied as Jimmy Cliff and Sheryl Crow. The album also highlights a very special guest in the shape of the Grammy-winning blues artist Taj Mahal who contributes vocals to a new take on Little Brother Montgomery's "Vicksburg Blues."~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Didnt-Rain-Hugh-Laurie/dp/B00DBRT4Z6

Personnel: Hugh Laurie – vocals, acoustic guitar, whistle, piano, Wurlitzer organ; Greg Leisz – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, dobro, mandola, mandolin; Patrick Warren – accordion, Hammond b-3 organ, pump organ, keyboards; Vincent Henry – vocals, harmonica, clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone; Jay Bellerose – drums, percussion; Larry Goldings – Hammond b-3 organ; Kevin Breit – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, tenor banjo, mandocello, mandola, mandolin, background vocals; Jean McClain – background vocals; Elizabeth Lea – trombone; David Plitch – upright bass, electric bass; Robby Marshall – clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone

Didn't It Rain

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Neville Dickie,Micky Ashman,John Petters - The Piano Has It

Styles: Piano
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:34
Size: 178,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Modernistic
(4:21)  2. Low Down Papa
(3:21)  3. Wildcat Blues
(3:30)  4. Mabel's Dream
(3:36)  5. A New Kind of Man (with a New Kind of Love for Me)
(3:06)  6. Frog Legs Rag
(3:44)  7. Blame It on the Blues
(4:28)  8. Papa, Better Watch Your Step
(3:51)  9. Arkansas Blues
(4:14) 10. The Clearing House Blues
(2:53) 11. 18th Street Strut
(3:19) 12. American Beauty Rag
(3:09) 13. Just Before Daybreak
(3:43) 14. A Bag of Rags
(3:16) 15. Birmingham Blues
(3:27) 16. South Side Strut
(4:28) 17. Snake Hips
(3:00) 18. Muscle Shoals Blues
(4:24) 19. Your Time Now ('twill Be Mine After a While)
(4:35) 20. Got to Cool My Doggies Now
(2:55) 21. Jim Jams

One of the finest stride pianists of the past 30 years, Neville Dickie has not gained much fame in the mainstream jazz world but many in trad circles are quite aware of his talent. This set of 21 vintage songs features Dickie as a solo pianist on seven numbers, performing nine duets with drummer John Petters, and in a trio with Petters and bassist Micky Ashman on the remaining four tunes. Most of the songs are superior obscurities, and among the tunes that are revived are James P. Johnson's "You've Got to Be Modernistic," "Arkansas Blues," Joseph Lamb's "American Beauty Rag," "Muscle Shoals Blues," and "Got to Cool My Doggies Now." A real treat for fans of 1920s-type stride piano. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-piano-has-it-mw0000235457

The Piano Has It

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Thank You!

Condolences are not just an expression of sympathy, they are not just words. They are expression of true feelings.  Please accept my infinite gratitude for showing me that I'm not alone in my grief. Your condolences were like a beam of comfort to me. Your words warmed my heart on this period of grief and sorrow.

My dear beloved son lived for 28 years depending on synthetic hormones due to malfunctioning of the pituitary gland. Physically, he was considered an object of study for scientists, but for me - besides being my angel - he was my right arm and I'm feeling totally lost. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. 

But I need to move on. I need to get involved with something that will not only keep me busy but keep me close to dear friends - you.  So, for this reason I'll be back . You can count on me.

Thank you, once again, for finding time to write to me. Much obliged to you for your sympathies!

With all my love, Giullia.

Lee Konitz,Tiziana Ghiglioni,Stefano Battaglia - So Many Stars

Styles: Vocal, Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:19
Size: 184,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. Lone Lee into Free Duet
(2:39)  2. Lover Man (Take 2)
(6:41)  3. So Many Stars (Take 1)
(6:30)  4. While We're Young (Take 1)
(5:18)  5. My Foolish Heart (Take 1)
(7:14)  6. My Funny Valentine (Take 1)
(4:33)  7. My Romance (Take 3)
(5:40)  8. O Cantador (Take 1)
(8:15)  9. My Funny Valentine (Take 2)
(5:55) 10. I'll Wind
(6:03) 11. Summertime (Take 2)
(6:04) 12. From This Moment On
(7:44) 13. It Never Entered My Mind
(3:00) 14. Blues for Red Mitchell (Section 2)

Lee Konitz's prolific recordings for Philology are wide ranging, with no two sessions alike, and this free form date with singer Tiziana Ghiglioni and pianist Stefano Battaglia is no exception. Alternating between alto and soprano saxes, he is playing at his usual high level throughout the date. Ghiglioni begins "Lover Man" unaccompanied with a fragile tone that grows more so as Konitz's light toned alto sax joins her. Battaglia's bittersweet arrangement of "My Foolish Heart" features Konitz's haunting soprano sax set the mood before Ghiglioni finally makes her entrance. The moody reharmonization of the master take of "My Funny Valentine" is yet another highlight, while the alternate is more abstract. The softness of Ghiglioni's vocals invite comparison to Meredith D'Ambrosio, so it will probably be difficult for this enjoyable singer to achieve widespread attention, but her work is worth exploring. Producer Paolo Piangiarelli proves to be a discographer's dream as he not only labels which take was used for each song but also indicates when a solo was substituted from an alternate take. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/so-many-stars-mw0000232613

Personnel:  Lee Konitz - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Tiziana Ghiglioni - vocals; Stefano Battaglia - piano.

So Many Stars

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Jaki Graham - From Now On

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:39
Size: 103,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. From Now On
(5:31)  2. Provocative
(5:01)  3. The Better Part Of Me
(4:51)  4. Faking The Feeling
(5:02)  5. I Still Run To You
(4:34)  6. Baby Don't You Want Me
(3:54)  7. I Want To Thank You (Heavenly Father)
(4:13)  8. First In Line
(3:13)  9. Every Little Bit Hurts
(4:33) 10. Nobody's Fool

A gifted British soul vocalist, Jaki Graham has seldom gotten the kind of songs that her great skills could turn into breakout hits. These are mostly disposable formula filler that she tries to elevate but can't, despite often stunning vocal treatments. She's a great producer away from being a star, and could certainly be a great disco diva with the right tracks. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/from-now-on-mw0000654239

From Now On

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Joe Locke, David Hazeltine Quartet - Mutual Admiration Society

Styles: Vibes And Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:48
Size: 137,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:09)  1. K-Man's Crew
(7:41)  2. I Say A Little Prayer
(5:24)  3. Can We Talk?
(9:05)  4. The Haze Factor
(6:46)  5. Tears In Her Heart
(8:12)  6. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
(6:48)  7. Diamonds Remain
(6:38)  8. For All We Know

This is a sparkling, deeply grooved session by four seasoned pros whose musical temperaments are perfectly harmonized. While Locke and Hazeltine, both 40, have known each other for more than a decade, Mutual Admiration Society marks their first collaborative effort in a recording studio, one in which the reciprocal esteem is evident from start to finish. Locke and Hazeltine are so harmoniously well matched that one sometimes wonders if they mightn’t be able to read each other’s thoughts. Also on the same wavelength are Essiet and Drummond whose unflagging support is an indispensable part of the album’s success. There’s no doubt, however, about who the leaders are Locke wrote three of the album’s eight selections, Hazeltine two others, and together they take most of the solos. Completing the program are the standards “Spring Will Be a Little Late” and “For All We Know” and the Burt Bacharach/Hal David pop hit, “I Say a Little Prayer” (taken at a slower tempo than we’d ever heard before). On the other hand, “For All We Know,” ordinarily a ballad, is played in an up-tempo Latin groove, which evens the score. Whatever the pace or mood, Locke and Hazeltine are clearly on their game, spinning many an engaging post–bop phrase while sounding nothing at all like that celebrated archetype of piano/vibes quartets, the MJQ. While Locke could perhaps pass for Milt Jackson, Hazeltine’s pianisms are far too warm blooded and percussive ever to be mistaken for the ultra composed John Lewis. After a relatively placid start, the session moves into high gear with Hazeltine’s “Can We Talk?” (I’d have led with that one) and continues apace with Locke’s “Haze Factor” and Hazeltine’s lovely ballad “Tears in Her Heart.” Frank Loesser’s “Spring Will Be a Little Late,” taken for a pleasant medium tempo stroll, is a highlight with tasteful solos by the co–leaders, another by Essiet and the usual superb backing from bass and drums. Locke’s “Diamonds Remain,” dedicated to the late Don Grolnick, is next, and the foursome caps its pleasantly swinging date with “For All We Know.” And for all we know, those who hear it may wish to add their names to the Locke/Hazeltine mutual admiration society. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mutual-admiration-society-joe-locke-sharp-nine-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Joe Locke, vibes; David Hazeltine, piano; Essiet Essiet, bass; Billy Drummond, drums

Mutual Admiration Society

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Hank Crawford - Indigo Blue

Styles: Saxophone, Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:55
Size: 81,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. All Alone And Blue
(5:31)  2. The Very Thought Of You
(5:22)  3. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
(6:08)  4. Funny
(6:31)  5. Indigo Blue
(4:55)  6. Just For A Thrill

Hank Crawford's Indigo Blue was released in August of 1983, less than a year after his excellent comeback set, Midnight Ramble, and proves that his renewed sense of creativity was no fluke. Here he teams once more with Dr. John on piano and organ and drummer Bernard Purdie. Melvin Sparks took over the guitar chair from Calvin Newborn, and Wilber Bascombe, Jr. holds down the rhythm section on bass. In addition, a horn section that includes David "Fathead" Newman, Danny Moore, Howard Johnson, and Martin Banks, arranged by Crawford, follows the same recipe as Midnight Ramble. The performances here are solid, truly impressive. Crawford plays sweet and slow as well as honking mean in getting at the root source of straight-ahead jazz and soul-jazz: the blues. And speaking of blues, the opener, "All Alone and Blue," is a barrelhouse of nasty guitar and organ work with Crawford's alto walking the bar while playing a mean solo. It's quite a changeup to open a set with but the only other thing you could do is close with it. This is followed by a gorgeous reading of Ray Noble's "The Very Thought of You," all slow, deep, and refined with only Crawford's alto allowed to bring in the edges. But there are more surprises as Crawford and band tackle Willie Nelson's "Funny" and reveal both the blues and jazz roots in the tune. 

The swing between Dr. John and Sparks in the title track is truly canny, and Crawford's response in blowing shows it. This one is in the cut, and the groove is everywhere. The bittersweet ballad "Just for a Thrill" ends the set, with some of the sweetest and most lyrical piano and alto playing either man had done on a record until that time. Indigo Blue is a winner; it's hungry and elegant, sophisticated and swaggering. It's a trademark recording by Hank Crawford. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/indigo-blue-mw0000187873

Personnel: Hank Crawford - alto saxophone, electric piano, arranger, conductor; Dr. John - piano, organ; Melvin Sparks - guitar; Wilbur Bascomb - bass;  Bernard Purdie - drums;  David "Fathead" Newman - tenor saxophone;  Howard Johnson - baritone saxophone; Martin Banks - trumpet; Danny Moore - trumpet.

Indigo Blue

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Walt Weiskopf Quartet - Recorded Live April 8, 2008 - Koger Hall, University of South Carolina

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:49
Size: 161,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:50)  1. Man of Many Colors
(10:49)  2. Little Minor Love Song
( 9:27)  3. Dizzy Spells / Jay-Walking
( 7:52)  4. Blues in the Day
( 8:47)  5. Scottish Folk Song
( 7:52)  6. Blame It On My Youth
( 8:41)  7. Love for Sale
( 9:29)  8. Breakdown

Walt Weiskopf led a quartet with pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Paul Gill, and drummer Tony Reedus in the spring of 2008 at the University of South Carolina. Although the musicians knew the live concert documented here was being recorded, the recording was initially intended for archival needs rather than as a commercial release. Around the time that the tenor saxophonist realized how good the performances were from the concert, Reedus collapsed and died from an embolism upon his return from a European tour in November 2008. The quartet members are at their very best throughout this concert, as they bring life to Weiskopf's compositions with their brilliant improvising and on the money accompaniment. There are two standards, an expressive "Blame It on My Youth," featuring Weiskopf's powerful solo, and a lighthearted, breezy "Love for Sale." Aside from the traditional "Scottish Folk Song" (introduced by the leader with Gill playing arco), played at a loping, nostalgic tempo, the remaining tracks are primarily Weiskopf's compositions. One exception is Rosnes' brilliant "Dizzy Spells" (a delicious reworking of the late trumpeter's "Con Alma"), which is combined in a medley with an extended workout of Weiskopf's "Jay-Walking." Other highlights include the tricky, constantly shifting "Blues in the Day" and the turbulent post-bop vehicle "Breakdown." Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/recorded-live-april-8-2008-koger-hall-university-of-south-carolina-mw0002120267

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Walt Weiskopf; Piano – Renee Rosnes;  Bass – Paul Gill; Drums – Tony Reedus

Recorded Live April 8, 2008 - Koger Hall, University of South Carolina

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