Jimmy Smith - Angel Eyes: Ballads & Slow Jams

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:08
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:02)  1. Stolen Moments
(5:31)  2. You Better Go Now
(8:13)  3. Angel Eyes
(4:17)  4. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
(5:54)  5. Slow Freight
(6:39)  6. Tenderly
(6:53)  7. Days Of Wine And Roses
(6:17)  8. L'il Darlin'
(4:18)  9. What A Wonderful World

A follow-up to the mostly heated performances of Damn!, this CD features organist Jimmy Smith sticking to ballads and slower material. There is a sextet rendition of "Stolen Moments" (with both Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton on trumpets); duets with both trumpeters, bassist Christian McBride, and guitarist Mark Whitfield; a trio; a quartet; and solo organ renditions of "Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" and "What a Wonderful World." Despite the constant changing of instrumentation, the results (although pleasant) are uneventful and somewhat predictable. Good for late-night background music rather than for close listening. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/angel-eyes-mw0000613422

Personnel:Jimmy Smith – organ, arranger; Roy Hargrove – flugelhorn, trumpet; Nicholas Payton – trumpet; Mark Whitfield – guitar; Christian McBride – double bass; Damon Krukowski – drums, percussion; Gregory Hutchinson – drums

Angel Eyes: Ballads & Slow Jams

---

Darrell Grant - Twilight Stories

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:13
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:48)  1. Afrique-Ville
(6:02)  2. Yvette
(6:39)  3. When You Dance That Way
(6:29)  4. Twilight
(6:14)  5. My Old Flame
(5:22)  6. I Thought About You
(5:51)  7. The Resumption
(6:30)  8. Wake Up Call
(7:03)  9. Arise
(5:11) 10. Please Send Me Someone To Love

This session remained unissued in the archives of Muse until it was acquired by Joel Dorn when he purchased the label. Most of Grant's earlier releases were done for European labels, so this CD is a great opportunity to get to know a talented pianist. His originals "Afrique-ville" and "Twilight" showcase his talents as a composer as well as at the keyboard. Also recommended are his mellow take of "My Old Flame" and a snappy, stutter-stepped run through "I Thought About You." Tenor saxophonist Don Braden, bassist Joris Teepe and drummer Cecil Brooks III complement Grant's playing, and each contributed a valuable original to the session. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/twilight-stories-mw0000041334

Personnel:  Darrell Grant, piano; Don Braden, tenor saxophone; Joris Teepe, bass; Cecil Brooks III, drums

Twilight Stories

---

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Sergio Mendes: The Swinger from Rio

Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:30
Size: 167,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:17)  1. Chove Chuva
(2:40)  2. Mais Que Nada
(2:43)  3. Pais Tropical
(2:16)  4. Wave
(1:47)  5. One Note Samba / Spanish Flea
(3:05)  6. Night And Day
(3:11)  7. The Fool On The Hill
(2:43)  8. Look Of Love
(2:22)  9. Ela É Carioca
(3:17) 10. Desafinado
(3:16) 11. Pretty World
(2:46) 12. Watch What Happens
(3:00) 13. Look Around
(3:51) 14. Like A Lover
(3:09) 15. So Tinha De Ser Com Voce
(5:22) 16. Puzzle of Hearts
(4:14) 17. Never Gonna Let You Go
(2:23) 18. Outra Vez
(3:44) 19. Trilhos urbanos
(3:29) 20. Promise Of A Fisherman
(2:42) 21. The Frog
(2:11) 22. Tristeza De Nos Dois
(1:53) 23. Bim-Bom
(2:00) 24. So Danço Samba

Compilation from one of the most popular Brazilian artists in the world. Sergio's chart domination began in the mid-'60s and by the end of that decade, he had brought the enchanting sounds of Brazilian music to millions of homes around the world. His style may have mixed the true sounds of his home country with Easy Listening and light Jazz but he was able to open the doors of acceptance for the Brazilian artists that followed in his footsteps. 24 tracks including 'Mas Que Nada', 'Chove Chuva', 'The Fool on the Hill' and many more. Universal. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sergio-Mendes-Swinger-Rio/dp/B00064X8O0

Sergio Mendes: The Swinger from Rio

---

Doris Day, André Previn - Duet

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:45
Size: 94,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Close Your Eyes (with The André Previn Trio)
(3:53)  2. Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread) (with The André Previn Trio)
(3:26)  3. Yes (with The André Previn Trio)
(3:55)  4. Nobody's Heart (with The André Previn Trio)
(4:01)  5. Remind Me (with The André Previn Trio)
(3:02)  6. Who Are We to Say (Obey Your Heart) (with The André Previn Trio)
(3:08)  7. Daydreaming (with The André Previn Trio)
(3:29)  8. Give Me Time (with The André Previn Trio)
(2:57)  9. Control Yourself (with The André Previn Trio)
(3:05) 10. Wait Till You See Him (with The André Previn Trio)
(3:40) 11. My One and Only Love (with The André Previn Trio)
(2:55) 12. Falling In Love Again (with The André Previn Trio)

Recorded late in 1961, this album is a milestone in Doris Day's career despite having generated no hits as her best long-player, and her purest jazz solo album. Cut as a duet with André Previn (with Previn Trio bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Frank Capp providing occasional support), the album presents Day in the most intimate musical setting of her career. Her trademark style of singing works twice as well here as it did on her swing-era and early solo recordings. The repertory includes "Fools Rush In," and Alec Wilder's "Give Me Time," "Falling in Love Again," and a few Previn-authored pieces that hold up magnificently in this company. ~ Bruce Eder https://www.allmusic.com/album/duet-mw0000091880

Personnel:  Doris Day - vocals; André Previn - piano; Red Mitchell - double bass; Frank Capp -drums

Duet

---

Carl Allen & Manhattan Projects - The Dark Side Of Dewey

Styles: Post Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:51
Size: 119,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. Opening Statement
(7:02)  2. All Blues
(7:02)  3. My Funny Valentine
(7:03)  4. Three For Rhonda
(5:23)  5. Mr. Wizard
(6:33)  6. Dear Old Stockholm
(6:31)  7. Just Squeeze Me
(7:33)  8. The Dark Side Of Dewey

Despite the inclusion of Carl Allen's moody title cut, this tribute to Miles Davis is mostly pretty happy, with four selections taken from Davis' repertoire of the 1950s and early '60s ("All Blues," "My Funny Valentine," "Dear Old Stockholm," and "Just Squeeze Me") plus a few complementary originals by bandmembers. Trumpeter Nicholas Payton (even if he does not sound like Davis) and altoist Vincent Herring make for a potent team, while pianist Mulgrew Miller and bassist Dwayne Burno join Allen in keeping the music moving. No surprises occur, but there are plenty of fine solos throughout this modern mainstream set. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dark-side-of-dewey-mw0000181090

Personnel:  Drums – Carl Allen; Alto Saxophone – Vincent Herring; Bass – Dwayne Burno; Piano – Mulgrew Miller; Trumpet – Nicholas Payton

The Dark Side Of Dewey

---

Nancy Wilson & The Three Sounds - Sittin' In At Jorgie's Jazz Club

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1961
Time: 19:56 + 25:14
Size: 46,8 MB + 58,6 MB
Art: Front

Album: The Nancy Wilson Side

(1:41)  1. Intro
(7:11)  2. Since I Fell For You
(0:48)  3. Intro
(4:56)  4. Time After Time
(5:19)  5. The Theme

Album: The Three Sounds Side

(9:03)  1. On Green Dolphin Street
(9:44)  2. The Spirit Is Here
(3:53)  3. Time After Time
(2:32)  4. Salt Peanuts

Diva Nancy Wilson was among contemporary music's most stylish and sultry vocalists; while often crossing over into the pop and R&B markets and even hosting her own television variety program she remained best known as a jazz performer, renowned for her work alongside figures including Cannonball Adderley and George Shearing. Born February 20, 1937, in Chillicothe, Ohio, Wilson first attracted notice performing the club circuit in nearby Columbus; she quickly earned a growing reputation among jazz players and fans, and she was recording regularly by the late '50s, eventually signing to Capitol and issuing LPs including 1959's Like in Love and Nancy Wilson with Billy May's Orchestra. Her dates with Shearing, including 1960's The Swingin's Mutual, solidified her standing as a talent on the rise, and her subsequent work with Adderley arguably her finest recordings further cemented her growing fame and reputation. In the years to follow, however, Wilson often moved away from jazz, much to the chagrin of purists; she made numerous albums, many of them properly categorized as pop and R&B outings, and toured extensively, appearing with everyone from Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughan to Ruth Brown and LaVern Baker. She even hosted her own Emmy-winning variety series for NBC, The Nancy Wilson Show, and was a frequent guest performer on other programs; hits of the period included "Tell Me the Truth," "How Glad I Am," "Peace of Mind," and "Now, I'm a Woman." Regardless of how far afield she traveled, Wilson always maintained her connections to the jazz world, and in the '80s, she returned to the music with a vengeance, working closely with performers including Hank Jones, Art Farmer, Ramsey Lewis, and Benny Golson. By the 1990s, she was a favorite among the "new adult contemporary" market, her style ideally suited to the format's penchant for lush, romantic ballads; she also hosted the Jazz Profiles series on National Public Radio. In the early 2000s, Wilson recorded two albums with Ramsey Lewis for Narada (2002's Meant to Be and 2003's Simple Pleasures). Her 2004 album R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal) was a blend of straight-ahead jazz and ballads, similar to her next record, 2006's Turned to Blue, which, like R.S.V.P., used a different instrumentalist for each track. In 2005, Capitol released a three-part series to pay tribute to Wilson's contributions to music in the '50s and '60s: Guess Who I Saw Today: Nancy Wilson Sings Songs of Lost Love, Save Your Love for Me: Nancy Wilson Sings the Great Blues Ballads, and The Great American Songbook. Nancy Wilson died at her home on December 13, 2018 after a long illness. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nancy-wilson-mn0000368367/biography

Personnel: Nancy Wilson, vocals ; The Three Sounds (Gene Harris, piano ; Andrew Simpkins, bass ; Bill Dowdy, drums).

Sittin'In At Jorgie's Jazz Club

---

Amina Figarova - Sketches

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:20
Size: 181,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:53)  1. Four Steps to...
(3:09)  2. Unacceptable
(4:43)  3. Sketches
(6:07)  4. Caribou Crossing
(8:53)  5. Breakfast for the Elephant
(5:06)  6. Whotsot
(7:18)  7. Back in New Orleans
(5:56)  8. On the Road
(6:28)  9. Flight N°
(5:38) 10. Look At That
(5:26) 11. Train to Rotterdam
(5:30) 12. Happy Hour
(6:06) 13. Your Room

Thirteen bran the originals composed by Amina Figarova form Sketches, the new album of the pianist of Azerbaijan and resident in Holland. A repertoire born through the travels made with his "musical family," that is the sextet with which he then entered a studio in Amsterdam to record this work composed of songs that bring in a good stylistic variety and a cantabile that it makes the 80 minutes of the CD lasting flowing.The Figarova classical setting and exquisite touch creates figures of shining melodic fluidity ("Four Steps to ...," "Caribou Crossing") and stands out for the simplicity with which it gives character to its solo moments. It is up to the tenorist Marc Mommaas and the trumpeter Ernie Hammes to direct the music to the territories next to the bop, in a band supported by a punctual and solid rhythm section, which however does not have much influence on the final result. While it is determined, with regard to the nostalgic and sentimental element of the whole affair, the contribution of the flautist Bart Platteau, Amina's companion also in life. Sketches turns out to be a job capable of keeping the listener in good company looking for relaxing moments, even if on the whole some more acceleration would not have failed.~ AAJ Staff Italy https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sketches-amina-figarova-munich-records-review-by-aaji-staff.php

Personnel: Amina Figarova: piano; Ernie Hammes: flugelhorn, trumpet; Marc Mommaas: tenor saxophone; Bart Platteau: flute; Jeroen Vierdag: double bass; Chris "Buckshot" Strik: drums.

Sketches

---

Sean Jones - Kaleidoscope

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:31
Size: 171,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:48)  1. Allison
(5:19)  2. Journey
(4:48)  3. Never Let Me Go
(6:28)  4. I Come To Thee
(5:54)  5. So Wonderful
(6:13)  6. Esperanto
(0:50)  7. It's Just A Matter Of Time (intro)
(6:18)  8. It's Just A Matter Of Time
(5:56)  9. Say Brah
(6:33) 10. Blak Music
(5:03) 11. Kaleidoscope
(6:40) 12. The Sluice
(6:34) 13. You're The Reason

Trumpeter Sean Jones emphasizes various vocalist friends for his fourth recording as a leader. His previous CDs have leaned toward a more produced pop-oriented approach within a definite modern jazz framework, and this effort leans toward a balance of combining those elements without being overtly commercialized. The first eight cuts all feature the singers, the most effective being rising star Gretchen Parlato. Her beautiful voice levitates Kendrick Scott's ballad composition "Journey," done on his debut CD, receiving a different, less expansive treatment, while the sunny swing waltz "It's Just a Matter of Time" has Parlato and Sachal Vasandani swapping opposing transposed crowded vocal lines. Parlato is special; please pay attention to her in the future. Even more impressive are two spiritualistic pieces, reminiscent of the recent work by pianist Robert Glasper. The opener, "Allison," drips with emotion, informed by the lovely piano playing of Orrin Evans, slight Latin spice, and the wordless vocals of J.D. Walter, while "Esperanto" (not sung in Esperanto) has Carolyn Perteete's siren-song singing, pristine as morning dew. 

At this point one barely notices the trumpet player, until you hear four consecutive instrumentals. "Say Brah" is a cooking typical neo-bopper, "Blak Music" a less clichéd hard bopper, the title track a more modern near-fusion Fender Rhodes-infused piece, and "The Sluice" revealing Jones as a singsongy Lee Morgan/Freddie Hubbard-influenced Young Lion. The pacing and programming of this recording could have been more effectively revisited; it feels like block formatting. It is another fine, not yet definitive musical effort from Jones, easily a Top Ten rising star of contemporary jazz trumpet. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/kaleidoscope-mw0000577971

Kaleidoscope

---

Karin Krog, Bengt Hallberg - Two of a Kind

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:33
Size: 111,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. My Man
(2:36)  2. Jeepers Creepers
(3:57)  3. You Must Believe in Spring
(2:16)  4. The Touch of Your Lips
(2:29)  5. The End of the Day Song
(4:12)  6. I Ain't Here
(3:40)  7. Like That
(2:39)  8. Halleluja I Love Him So
(3:47)  9. Spring in Manhattan
(2:01) 10. Love Valk In
(2:40) 11. Dear Bix
(2:01) 12. I'm Coming Virginia
(3:43) 13. Ain't Nobody's Business
(4:03) 14. Cabin in the Sky
(2:48) 15. A Child Is Born

An adventurous singer who is quite versatile, Karin Krog is able to sing anything from standards to fairly free improvisations. She made her recording debut in 1964, appeared at many jazz festivals in Europe in the mid-’60s, and in 1967, came to the U.S., performing and recording with the Don Ellis Orchestra and Clare Fischer’s trio. A world traveler based in Europe, Krog has recorded fairly steadily through the years, using such sidemen as Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, Jan Garbarek, Ted Curson, Dexter Gordon, Palle Mikkelborg, Steve Kuhn, Steve Swallow, Archie Shepp, Bengt Hallberg, and John Surman; she has made records for Philips, Sonet, Polydor, and other European labels.

Personnel: Karin Krog - vocals, producer; Bengt Hallberg - piano

Two of a Kind

---

Lalo Schifrin - There's A Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:50
Size: 68,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:27)  1. Secret Code
(2:29)  2. Dissolving
(2:41)  3. Machinations
(2:35)  4. Bride of the Wind
(2:07)  5. Life Insurance
(2:59)  6. How to Open at Will
(2:12)  7. Vaccinated Mushrooms
(2:41)  8. Two Petals a Flower and a Young Girl
(2:42)  9. Wheat Germ Landscapes
(3:29) 10. Gentle Earthquake
(2:25) 11. Hawks vs. Doves

Though it may seem unlikely that Frank Zappa had much of an influence on the work of Lalo Schifrin, one can detect some cultural crossover on There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On. Schifrin was as much a jazz-pop genius as ever, but on this album rock rhythms, musical satire, sound effects, and exotica are all used as camp in a way that is eerily reminiscent of Zappa's more thoughtful efforts. Schifrin being Schifrin, every cut has a distinct and catchy melody, but there are whimsical and satirical themes embedded in the music. Nowhere is this more obvious than in "Hawks Vs. Doves," in which a cheery carnival-like theme is played in counterpoint to a martial air, each interfering with the other. Elsewhere, Schifrin uses unusual percussion, dissonance, and tense, sonically fragmented piano to create soundscapes that are unlike most of the rest of his work. "Secret Code" integrates tabla drums, not a common instrument in American jazz of the time, with a cold, flute-like synthesizer  probably the first time those two instruments were used together. 

This album was ahead of its time in terms of instrumentation, but was a product of its time in that established ways of doing things were being challenged. Fans of Lalo Schifrin's work will find this to rank with his best, and those not familiar with anything but the Mission Impossible theme will be drawn in further by the eccentric genius displayed here. Note: Like many of Schifrin's albums of the period, there is no listing of musicians on the album cover, so it is difficult to know who is responsible for the marvelous performances here, except for Schifrin's own contributions. ~ Richard Foss https://www.allmusic.com/album/theres-a-whole-lalo-schifrin-goin-on-mw0000771728

Personnel:  Lalo Schifrin - piano, synthesizer, arranger, conductor; Tony Terran, John Audino - trumpet; Lloyd Ulyate, Barrett O'Hara - trombone; John Johnson - tuba; Vincent DeRosa - horn; Bud Shank, Ronnie Lang, Sam Most - reeds; Arnold Kobentz - oboe, English horn; Ralph Grierson, Artie Kane, Roger Kellaway, Mike Lang - keyboards; Paul Beaver - keyboards, synthesizer, stereo harp; Carl Fortina - accordion; Howard Roberts, Dennis Budimer, Bill Pitman, Louis Morell - guitar; James Bond, Ray Brown - bass; Carol Kaye, Max Bennett - electric bass; Shelly Manne - drums, percussion; Earl Palmer, Ken Watson, Joe Porcaro, Emil Richards - percussion; Milt Holland - tabla; Bonnie Douglas, Sam Freed, Anatol Kaminsky, Nathan Kaproff, George Kast, Marvin Limonick, Erno Neufeld, Paul Shure - violin; Myra Kestenbaum, Allan Harshman, Robert Ostrowsky, Virginia Majewski - viola; Raphael Kramer, Edgar Lustgarten, Eleanor Slatkin - cello; Catherine Gotthoffer - harp; Robert Helfer - orchestra manager

There's A Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On

---

Jamie Saft - Solo a Genova

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:58
Size: 148,7 MB
Art: Front

( 3:36)  1. The Makings of You
( 4:41)  2. Human / Gates
( 5:42)  3. Naima
( 7:10)  4. Sharp Dressed Man
( 4:35)  5. Overjoyed
( 4:05)  6. Po'Boy
(12:43)  7. The New Standard / Pinkus
( 6:10)  8. Blue Motel Room
( 4:09)  9. The Housatonic at Stockbridge
( 3:33) 10. Blue in Green
( 7:30) 11. Restless Farewell

Pianist Jamie Saft's Solo A Genova is a revelation. It is, in an extensive discography, his only alone-in-the-piano-chair outing. Saft has made a wide-ranging mark in collaborations with Slobber Pup, Metallic Taste of Blood, The Spanish Donkey and Berserk! These group names don't say it all, but do probably say something (Brash? Unconventional? Loud?) about the sounds they make. But for the jazz fan of the more purist persuasion, his piano trio discs are probably the ones that find their way to the stereos: Asorath: Book of Angels, Vol 1 (Tzadik, 2005), The New Standard (Rare Noise, 2014), and the terrific Loneliness Road (Rare Noise, 2017). These trio sets feature commanding instrumentalists in the bass and drum chairs, making for a satisfyingly egalitarian approach to the craft. Jamie Saft solo is different. Absent the driving rhythms of the trio sets, he proves himself strikingly virtuosic, lushly harmonic, and beautifully fluid. Solo A Genova, as the title suggests, was recorded live in Genova, Italy, but it seems a celebration of America. The pianist covers tunes by quintessentially American artists (with a Canadian, Joni Mitchell slipped in), and he doesn't limit himself to Jazz Standards. 

Compositions by Curtis Mayfield, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis/Bill Evans, Stevie Wonder and Charles Ives are played out with playfulness (Dylan's "Po' Boy), doom (ZZ Top's Sharp Dressed Man); life affirmation (Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed") and solemn majesty (Ives' "Housatonic At Stockbridge). While Saft's previously mentioned trio discs are uniformly excellent, playing the show alone seems to have freed his artistry. Solo A Genova showcases his uplifting, steeped-in-the-American-sound soul, closing with a gorgeous, got-religion take on Dylan's "Restless Farewell."  As a whole, the reverent nod to America serves as a balm for pains that come from our country's troubled times. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/solo-a-genoa-jamie-saft-rarenoiserecords-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Jamie Saft: piano.

Solo a genova

---

Plas Johnson - Positively

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:15
Size: 117,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. Positively
(4:44)  2. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be)
(7:09)  3. Let's Get It All Together
(4:39)  4. Easy For You To Say
(4:50)  5. Never More
(5:29)  6. My Foolish Heart
(5:07)  7. Careless Love (Traditional)
(4:30)  8. A Cottage For Sale
(3:34)  9. Dirty Leg Blues
(4:38) 10. Sea Sea

This CD reissue brings back one of Plas Johnson's few opportunities through the years to lead his own recording session. The appealing tenor jams through a variety of songs that range from straight-ahead to soulful, with touches of gospel and even country. Assisted by guitarist Herb Ellis, electric keyboardist Mike Melvoin, bassist Ray Brown, either Jake Hanna or Jimmie Smith on drums, and Bobby Hall on conga, Johnson shows that he was an overlooked transition figure between Stanley Turrentine and Joshua Redman. Highlights include "Lover Man," "My Foolish Heart" and "Careless Love." 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/positively-mw0000593294

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Plas Johnson; Bass – Ray Brown; Congas – Bobbye Hall; Drums – Jake Hanna , Jimmie Smith; Guitar – Herb Ellis 

Positively

---

Joan Osborne - Love and Hate

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:36
Size: 116,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:43)  1. Where We Start
(2:45)  2. Work On Me
(4:10)  3. Mongrels
(4:35)  4. Train
(3:50)  5. Up All Night
(5:46)  6. Not Too Well Acquainted
(3:37)  7. Thirsty For My Tears
(3:38)  8. Love and Hate
(5:19)  9. Kitten's Got Claws
(4:04) 10. Secret Room
(3:43) 11. Keep It Underground
(2:21) 12. Raga

After nine previous albums that span musical terrains including mainstream pop, blues, throwback soul, rock, and modern country, singer and songwriter Joan Osborne delivers her first formal "song cycle" on Love and Hate. Co-produced once more with Jack Petruzzelli, these songs (all written or co-written by the artist), with their first-person protagonist, traverse the many stages between the poles reflected in the title though thankfully they never quite reach the latter. This record is ultimately a showcase for the songwriter more than it is the singer, one trying to come to grips with mastering this aspect of her craft. In set opener "Where We Start," Osborne is clearly influenced by Van Morrison's trademark weave of jazz and R&B. Its soulful melodic repetition is underscored by a Veedon Fleece-esque string chart, and well-placed use of a Rhodes piano. "Mongrels" and "Kitten's Got Claws" are fine rockers that feature Nels Cline's stinging guitar playing and a female backing chorus that includes Amy Helm, Gail Ann Dorsey, and Catherine Russell, while "Keep It Underground," co-written with Gary Lucas, features the same lineup in a funkier, grittier R&B setting. First single "Thirsty for My Tears" comes close to what passes for contemporary country but much is far less slick. 

"Not Too Well Acquainted" is soulful, jazzy pop that simultaneously recalls Dusty Springfield's kaleidoscopic Philly period and Burt Bacharach's mid'70s era, with gorgeous string and horn charts. Some of these songs falter. The direct melodic quote from Pink Floyd's "Us and Them" in the opening phrase of the title track is the best part of an otherwise mediocre tune. An attempt at lushly orchestrated gospel-tinged soul in "Train" is too limited melodically to overcome its arrangements."Work on Me" and "Secret Room" use Spanish flamenco and fado-inspired frameworks far too lazily to make them work. The tender yet erotic "Raga" places Petruzzelli's banjo and hand percussion (not tablas) in a mix with acoustic guitars, harmonium, and Cline's lap steel. It simultaneously and successfully juxtaposes East Indian and American folk traditions and closes it all on a high note. Lyrically, Osborne misses at times; she can be too obvious with her metaphors, and use age-old clichéd lines from music history or rhymes that feel stretched to fit. 

However, these songs are poignant; they present love's many gradations its victories, difficulties, and failures in a sincere context. Love and Hate is uneven, but is worthwhile for the sheer pleasure and authority in hearing Osborne deliver songs from one of the heart's messiest places. ~ Thom Jurek  https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-and-hate-mw0002627420

Love and Hate

---

Phil Woods - Musique Du Bois

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:30
Size: 125,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:02)  1. Samba Du Bois
(10:11)  2. Willow Weep For Me
( 8:27)  3. Nefertiti
( 9:12)  4. The Last Page
( 7:20)  5. The Summer Knows
( 6:00)  6. Airegin
( 6:16)  7. Samba Du Bois - Alternative Take

On Musique Du Bois, things start with a chorded bass-alto workout in the intro of "Samba du Bois," actually more a hard bop than Brazilian excursion, with Phil Woods' alto frying on the edges. The most inventive juxtaposition of "All Blues" welded to "Willow Weep for Me" works perfectly over ten-plus minutes, in a steady but quick waltz tempo. This is a tour-de-force reading, Woods wafting over Jaki Byard's blue-green chords. During his solo, the pianist goes light blue in cascading, flowing phrases that tumble out of the 88 keys. "Nefertiti" is vastly different than the Miles Davis-Wayne Shorter original; where that one was haunting, sparse, swelling and free, Woods interprets this as an easy swinger, anchored on terra firma with Byard's scurrying solo and funky R&B coda a listener's delight. The band goes through definite time shifts, from easy bluesy groove to funk and hard bop during "The Last Page"; they swing "Airegin" pretty well; and during "The Summer Knows," the altoist confirms what many have long since known that he is an unsurpassed master when interpreting a standard in ballad form. A lilting alternate take of "Samba du Bois" is the more Latin-oriented one, same tempo but with drums and the trio introing and playing all the way through. This LP is a widely acknowledged modern jazz masterpiece, a classic in the discography of Woods, easily amongst the best five recordings of his long and storied career and a must-buy. 

~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/musique-du-bois-mw0000207406

Personnel: Phil Woods - alto saxophone, composer; Jaki Byard - piano; Richard Davis - bass; Alan Dawson - drums

Musique Du Bois

---

Dave Stryker - Full Moon

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:55
Size: 149,4 MB
Art: Front

(8:45)  1. The sphinx
(5:52)  2. I mean you
(8:21)  3. Wise one
(5:40)  4. Leadbelly sez
(9:03)  5. Bayou blues
(8:58)  6. Deluge
(2:13)  7. Monk's mood
(8:18)  8. The disguise
(7:42)  9. Full moon

WASHINGTONIANS may know guitarist Dave Stryker's work by way of the soulful accompaniment he's provided saxophonist Stanley Turrentine in concert dates and recording sessions over the past decade, but his new quartet album, "Full Moon," presents a much broader picture of his exceptional talent and diverse tastes. Unlike some recordings that attempt to demonstrate a musician's stylistic reach, only to end up sounding contrived and disjointed, "Full Moon" is as cohesive as it is adventurous. The quartet's precise interplay, honed over a period of 10 years and four recordings, distinguishes each arrangement and manifests itself in both subtle and stirring forms, from the sly, conversational exchanges between Stryker, bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Jeff Hirshfield to the brash but precise unisons stated by Stryker and saxophonist Steve Slagle. In addition to this near telepathic level of teamwork, "Full Moon" consistently benefits from the resourcefulness and ingenuity Stryker and Slagle demonstrate as improvisers and from a series of truly distinctive arrangements. Among the best are a New Orleans funked-up version of Thelonious Monk's "I Mean You," Stryker's own languid musing "Bayou Blue," and Ornette Coleman's bop-inspired theme, "The Disguise." DAVE STRYKER -"Full Moon" (SteepleChase). Appearing Wednesday at Blues Alley with the Steve Slagle Quartet. To hear a free Sound Bite from this album, call 202/334-9000 and press 8109. ~ Mike Joyce https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1995/02/03/stryker-hits-mark-on-full-moon

Personnel:  Guitar – Dave Stryker; Alto Saxophone, Flute – Steve Slagle;  Bass – Jay Anderson; Drums – Jeff Hirshfield

Full Moon

---

Claude Tissendier, Claude Bolling - Ellington Moods

Styles: Saxophone , Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:02
Size: 130,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Nuances
(5:39)  2. Pour Duke
(4:01)  3. Aaron
(3:33)  4. Alter Ego
(5:19)  5. Blowing the Groove
(4:29)  6. It's a Sun of a Beach
(5:09)  7. Princess
(7:12)  8. Afterblue
(5:14)  9. Spatial Mood
(6:24) 10. Phil
(3:43) 11. Fashion Power

Born France. While studying classical clarinet and alto saxophone at Toulouse Conservatory, Tissendier began playing jazz. His interests followed a chronological path, starting with New Orleans music, passing through the mainstream into bop. In 1977 he joined the big band led by Claude Bolling and also worked with Gerard Badini and others. In the early 80s he taught at the Paris School of Jazz and in 1983 formed a sextet especially to recreate the music of John Kirby. In demand for club and festival dates, the band won many awards for both live performances and records. In 1987 Tissendier formed Saxomania, a seven-piece band featuring two alto saxophones, two tenors and three rhythm. Once again he won honours and gained invaluable experience and exposure accompanying visiting American jazzmen including Benny Carter, Buddy Tate, Jimmy Witherspoon and Spike Robinson, with some of whom he also recorded. Tissendier’s alto playing is striking for its intensity and driving swing and the high musical standards displayed by the Saxomania band ably demonstrate that his is a major talent. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/claude-tissendier-quintet-mn0000391438

Personnel:  Claude Tissendier, alto sax, clarinet; Claude Bolling, piano # 1; Georges Arvanitas, piano # 2; Patrice Galas, piano # 3; Philippe Baudoin, piano # 4; Stan Laferriere, piano # 5; Andre Persiani, piano # 6; Henri Renaud, piano # 7; Alain Jean Marie, piano # 8; Patrice Authier, piano # 9; Aaron Bridgers, piano # 10; Claude Carriere, piano # 11; Jean-Christophe Vilain, trombone; Dominique vernhes, tenor sax; Jean Eteve, baritone sax; Pierre-Yves Sorin, bass; Vincent Cordelette, drums

Ellington Moods

---

Eddie Palmieri & Cal Tjader - Bamboleate

Styles: Latin Jazz, Salsa, World Fusion
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:21
Size: 76,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Bamboleate
(2:30)  2. We've Loved Before
(5:39)  3. Resemblance
(5:23)  4. Mi Montuno
(3:53)  5. Samba do Sueno
(3:48)  6. Guajira Candela
(5:38)  7. Pancho's Seis por Ocho
(3:02)  8. Come and Get It

The second album pairing Palmieri and Tjader, Bamboleate moves beyond El Sonido Nuevo into the respective territories of each artist. "Bamboleate" is the Latin cooker ones expects from Palmieri but didn't find on the more subdued El Sonido Nuevo. "Semejanza" is an equally affecting jazz lilt led by Tjader. Framed by a melody that could have come straight off the Vince Guaraldi Trio's Charlie Brown Christmas album, it has an equally indelible, locomotive rhythm. Tjader's samba, "Samba de Los Suenho," is a welcome departure from the relative rigidity of El Sonido Nuevo. Also vital are the vocal tracks (Palmieri's), but the blatant channel-switching in "Guajira Candela" is an abuse of stereo separation. "Pancho's Seis por Ocho" is typical of the deep, midtempo Afro rhythm of Bamboleate and El Sonido Nuevo. 

Trombonist Mark Weinstein contributes the closing "Ven y Recibelo (Come an' Get It)," a mod/soul cooker on par with the best of Verve all-stars Tjader, Ogerman, Winding, and Schifrin. Finally, the album was reissued in 1977 as Tico LPS-88806 and distributed by Fania. The reissue at least features illustrations of Tjader and Palmieri by Jose Vargas. 

~ Tony Wilds https://www.allmusic.com/album/bambol%C3%A9ate-mw0000273328

Personnel:  Eddie Palmieri - piano, writer; Cal Tjader - vibraphone, writer;  Barry Rogers - trombone;  Mark Weinstein - trombone, writer; George Castro - flute; Bobby Rodríguez - bass;  Kako - timbales;  Manny Oquendo - percussion; Tommy López - conga;   Ismael Quintana - chorus; Willie Torres - chorus

Bamboleate

---

Barbara Rosene - All My Life

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:12
Size: 115,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. All My Life
(3:56)  2. Till Then
(4:00)  3. Stairway to the Stars
(2:57)  4. (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know
(4:23)  5. Fools Rush in
(3:21)  6. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home to
(4:05)  7. Blame It on My Youth
(2:56)  8. Until the Real Thing Comes Along
(3:56)  9. Trust in Me
(5:50) 10. You Are Too Beautiful
(3:40) 11. What Is There to Say
(3:31) 12. It Could Happen to You
(3:25) 13. I'll Look Around

On her first two recordings, Deep Night and Ev'rything's Made for Love, both made for the Stomp Off label, Barbara Rosene showed how comfortable and natural she is singing material from the 1920s. Rather than copying her predecessors, she sounds very much like herself. All My Life moves Rosene up to the 1930s, '40s, and '50s, displaying her talents as a creative and warm swing singer. Her beautiful voice perfectly fits the material, as does her subtle improvising. Backed by a fine jazz quintet that includes trumpeter Simon Wettenhall, Peter Martinez on clarinet and tenor, and pianist Tom Roberts, Rosene makes the vintage material sound fresh, lively, and sometimes touching. Among the highlights are such superior songs as "Till Then," "Fools Rush In," "Trust in Me," and "It Could Happen to You." While listening to these tunes, it becomes clear that Barbara Rosene really knows the meaning behind the lyrics, and she sometimes brings out hidden beauty in even the most familiar songs. Even on the sadder ballads, All My Life is a musical joy. It is highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-my-life-mw0000145781

All My Life

---

Don Byron - Music for Six Musicians

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:16
Size: 143,1 MB
Art: Front

( 1:45)  1. 'Uh-Oh, Chango!' / White History Month
( 5:47)  2. Shelby Steele would be mowing your lawn.
(10:00)  3. (The press made) Rodney King (responsible for the LA riots)
( 5:32)  4. 'I'll chill on the Marley tapes...'
( 6:53)  5. SEX/WORK (Clarence/Anita)
( 2:30)  6. La Estrellita
( 9:49)  7. '...that sucking sound...' (for Ross Perot)
( 4:38)  8. Crown Heights
( 4:31)  9. The Allure of Entanglement
( 8:46) 10. The Importance of being SHARPTON

Like its 2001 sequel, this 1995 outing delves heavily into Latin rhythms and boasts ambitious, well-wrought compositions, not to mention extraordinary playing  particularly from the unsung pianist Edsel Gomez and Byron himself, on both bass and B flat clarinets. The sextet also features Graham Haynes on cornet, Kenny Davis on electric bass, Jerry Gonzalez on congas, and Ben Wittman on drums. Four special guests appear (guitarist Bill Frisell, bassists Lonnie Plaxico and Andy Gonzalez, drummer Ralph Peterson), although the where-and-when particulars aren't spelled out on the disc packaging. Byron is clearly preoccupied with race politics here; most of his titles mention headline grabbers of the 1990s, from Shelby Steele, Clarence Thomas, and Ross Perot to Rodney King and Al Sharpton. The poet Sadiq begins the album with a reading of his tendentious "White History Month," which Byron sets against a winding clarinet chorale, "'Uh-Oh, Chango!'" Ultimately, however, the politics are more of an undercurrent than a central theme. Hip grooves and raucous interplay prevail, although Byron sets a more contemplative tone with "SEX/WORK (Clarence/Anita)," which has the flavor of a classical theme. Byron furthers the classical allusion with a virtuosic, unaccompanied reading of Manuel Ponce's "La Estrellita" and a fabulous duet with Edsel Gomez, "The Allure of Entanglement.~ David R.Adler https://www.allmusic.com/album/music-for-six-musicians-mw0000122190

Personnel:   Clarinet, Clarinet [Bass] – Don Byron; Bass [Electric] – Kenny Davis; Congas – Jerry Gonzalez; Cornet – Graham Haynes;  Drums – Ben Wittman; Piano – Edsel Gomez

Music for Six Musicians

---

George Colligan, Jesper Bodilsen - Twins

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:08
Size: 140,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. Twins
(6:52)  2. Nobody else but me
(6:40)  3. Behind the door
(6:32)  4. Wrap your troubles in dreams
(9:18)  5. Consolation
(4:43)  6. Scandinavian rhythm
(6:26)  7. Heavens of a hundred days
(8:13)  8. So tender
(6:16)  9. Arioso

As a composer and pianist of considerable merit, George Colligan has been written about here before, as he has developed quite a catalog of releases for both the Spanish Fresh Sound and Danish SteepleChase labels. Able to remake himself in subsequent works, his efforts for SteepleChase range from savvy trios ( Activism with Dwayne Burno and Ralph Peterson and Stomping Ground with Drew Gress and Billy Hart) to audacious hard bop quintets highlighting the work of peers such as tenor man Mark Turner (i.e. The Newcomer and Constant Source ). Managing to create quite a good deal of excitement in the duo format of just piano and bass, Colligan has hit his stride once again with Twins, featuring Danish bass virtuoso Jesper Bodilsen. Recorded by SteepleChase front man Nils Winther in Denmark during the winter of 2000, this collection of nine pieces clocks in at just a tad over an hour and includes not only two Colligan originals, but also some well-chosen pieces from fellow pianists Keith Jarrett, James Williams, and John Stetch. "Arioso" swings energetically in an advanced style. Even a swing chestnut like "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" takes on an unsullied and contemporary face via Colligan's sophisticated harmonic sense. The remarkable thing is that as technically proficient as he is, Colligan's playing is always presented with grounded passion and logic. In other words, he has really developed his own voice. A real keeper all the way around, Twins is yet another fine collection to add to Colligan's already imposing body of work. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/twins-george-colligan-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: George Colligan (piano) & Jesper Bodilsen (bass)

Twins

---