Mike LeDonne, Eric Alexander - Smokin' out Loud

Styles: Post Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:17
Size: 145,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:56)  1. One for Don
(6:46)  2. Delilah
(6:48)  3. After the Love Has Gone
(4:58)  4. You'll See
(5:44)  5. Superstar
(7:23)  6. Silverdust
(9:12)  7. French Spice
(7:02)  8. They Long to Be Close to You
(7:26)  9. Pisces Soul

Alexander and Farnsworth are both back along with guitarist Peter Bernstein on Mike LeDonne's soul stirring Smokin' Out Loud, the keyboardist's debut disc leading the organ group that he performs regularly with at Smoke. LeDonne's two-fisted sure-footed mastery of the Hammond B3 tradition is evident from the beginning of his burning "One For Don , a dedication to the unheralded organ great Don Patterson. An imaginative arrangement puts a backbeat behind the Brown-Roach classic "Delilah , Alexander nodding in the direction of Stanley Turrentine. The hip rendering of Earth Wind and Fire's "After The Love Has Gone has the soul song swinging lightly. LeDonne pays further tribute to the lineage of jazz organ with an articulate reading of the late Jimmy Smith's "You'll See. Part of the popularity of '60s organ groups stemmed from their interpretation of pop hits and the band does a great job here with the chartbuster "Superstar . LeDonne's "Silverdust is a bluesy dedication to Horace Silver that makes reference to the Jazz Messenger staple "Moanin' . "French Spice , a hip Donald Byrd tune that is part of the band's Smoke repertoire, is recorded here for the first time since its debut on the trumpeter's Free Form Blue Note album. Burt Bacharach's Carpenters hit "Close To You is given a smoking treatment in the style of Charles Earland. The date comes full circle back to Don Patterson to close with "Pisces Soul , a hot Howard McGhee original from the organist's Boppin' and Burnin' record. ~ Russ Musto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/eric-alexander-and-mike-ledonne-dead-center-and-smokin-out-loud-by-russ-musto.php

Mike LeDonne Organ (Hammond) Eric Alexander Sax (Tenor) Peter Bernstein Guitar Joe Farnsworth Drums

Smokin' out Loud

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Steve Davis - Gettin' It Done

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:13
Size: 132,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:58)  1. Village Blues
(5:12)  2. Gettin' It Done
(6:24)  3. Steppin' Easy
(6:39)  4. Sunny
(6:49)  5. Alike
(8:35)  6. The Beacon
(8:15)  7. Longview
(8:17)  8. Wishes

Trombonist Steve Davis has never had a problem getting things done. He instantly joined the slide-wielding elite when he graduated from the Hartt School's Jackie McLean Institute in 1989 and joined up with drummer Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. That gig jump-started his career and he's never looked back. Stints with McLean and pianist Chick Corea followed, helping to raise his profile within the jazz community, and a steady stream of sideman work, leader offerings and dates with the collective super band known as One for All, along with teaching responsibilities at his alma mater, continue to keep him in constant motion. While it's exhausting just trying to keep up with Davis' work and accomplishments, he doesn't seem to have trouble taking it all in stride. Davis gets the job done every time he picks up his horn and this date is no exception. For the appropriately titled Gettin' It Done, he put together a horns-plus-rhythm group that swings like mad and churns out solo after exciting solo. Davis focuses on his own compositions on this date, but includes a pair of covers that come from vastly different sources. Saxophonist John Coltrane's infrequently played "Village Blues" kicks things off and gets the solo juices flowing. Drummer Billy Williams has a little bit of Elvin Jones in his swing feel on this one, and pianist Larry Willis has a vague hint of McCoy Tyner in him, but nobody apes the original recording. Bobby Hebb's covered-to-death "Sunny," which pops up mid-album, still pleases after all these years and the band sounds like it's having a blast with it. The other six tunes put Davis the composer on equal footing with Davis the performer. "Gettin It Done'" is a thrilling burner, while "Steppin' Easy" is a carefree number that lives up to its name, "Alike" is a pleasant ballad that puts Davis' warm and focused tone on display, and "The Beacon" is a funky journey that proves to be an album highlight. In this age of lengthy albums, it's rare that an artist leaves you wanting more, but Davis does just that. Gettin' It Done is another sterling date from one of today's treasured figures of trombone. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/gettin-it-done-steve-davis-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Steve Davis: trombone; Josh Bruneau: trumpet, flugelhorn; Mike DiRubbo: alto saxophone; Larry Willis: piano; Nat Reeves: bass; Billy Williams: drums.

Gettin' It Done

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Thad Jones - Three And One

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:53
Size: 135,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:28)  1. Instant blues disinstant
( 8:03)  2. My one and only love
( 8:13)  3. But not for me
( 5:40)  4. Night mist blues
( 6:41)  5. My romance
( 8:58)  6. Three and one
(10:20)  7. But not for me
( 5:26)  8. Instant blues disinstant

Thad Jones was 61 at the time of this recording and had made a full-fledged recovery after some health problems, although he was only two years away from his death. He is showcased on cornet throughout the quartet date with pianist Ole Hansen, bassist Jesper Lundgaard and drummer Ed Thigpen, and is heard in very good form. Jones plays two of his originals, Ahmad Jamal's "Night Mist Blues," "My Romance," "My One and Only Love" and "But Not for Me." This date is reminiscent in ways of Jones' Debut session from 29 years earlier, which also found him taking harmonically sophisticated solos in a quartet. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/three-and-one-mw0000647320

Personnel:  Cornet – Thad Jones; Bass – Jesper Lundgaard; Drums – Ed Thigpen; Piano – Ole Kock Hansen

Three And One

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Matthew Shipp - By the Law of Music

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:47
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

(0:17)  1. Signal
(2:51)  2. By The Law of Music
(6:58)  3. Implicit
(5:00)  4. Fair Play
(6:45)  5. Grid
(3:05)  6. Whole Movement
(7:56)  7. Game of Control
(4:21)  8. Point to Point
(3:28)  9. P X
(5:36) 10. Grid
(5:05) 11. Coo
(4:31) 12. X Z U
(4:53) 13. Solitude

This is a reissue of the original 1996 Hat Art recording. Yet, pianist Matthew Shipp has gone on to release umpteenth solo outings besides his intermittent performances with bassist William Parker and violinist Mat Maneri. Other than the trio’s rather abstract rendition of Duke Ellington’s “Solitude,” Shipp composed the remaining twelve pieces. They venture into what has now become familiar territory where the band delves into microtonal patterns, and shifting tonalities. The trio also implements various odd-metered time signatures amid a matrix-like platform. The album title might serve as an antithesis to the musicians’ musical output. As they seemingly defy the laws of music via sequences of counterbalancing motifs, and free form improv interspersed with John Cage-like concepts. On “Fair Play,” Parker establishes a fervent pace due to his steady, walking bass lines as Shipp and Maneri render interweaving statements that develop into subsequent mini-motifs. Otherwise, the respective musicians have made signifcant advances since the onset of this release. Recommended. ~ Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/by-the-law-of-music-matthew-shipp-hat-hut-records-review-by-glenn-astarita.php?width=1920

Personnel: Matthew Shipp: piano;  William Parker: bass;   Mat Maneri : violin.

By the Law of Music

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Marty Grosz - Hooray For Bix!

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz 
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:00
Size: 104,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:42)  1. Changes
(4:15)  2. Cryin' All Day
(3:12)  3. Lonely Melody
(4:07)  4. I'm Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now
(3:46)  5. Sorry
(3:05)  6. My Pet
(3:46)  7. The Love Nest
(4:00)  8. Clementine
(4:19)  9. Oh, Miss Hannah
(3:39) 10. Wa-Da-Da (Everybody's Doin' It Now)
(4:24) 11. For No Reason At All In 'C'
(3:38) 12. Because My Baby Don't Mean Maybe Now

A native of Germany, guitarist and vocalist Marty Grosz's especial personality has been part of the traditional jazz scene since the early '50s. Growing up in New York and later moving to Chicago, Grosz has played over the years with renown musicians such as Dick Wellstood, Art Hodes, Jabbo Smith, and the group Soprano Summit. Still active today, Grosz's Hooray For Bix! was originally cut for Riverside in 1957 and it not only pays homage to its namesake, '20s and '30s cornet wizard Bix Beiderbecke, but also serves as a watermark of the '50s revivalist movement. Like one of his inspirations, Eddie Condon, Grosz works out on a guitar of the four-string variety and his main function here is of a rhythmic thrust, with two fine vocals thrown in to boot. In deference to Beiderbecke's horn of choice, co- leader Carl Halen opts for the use of a cornet, an instrument seldom used these days in jazz. The rest of the band is filled out with instruments representative of your normal Dixieland-type ensemble, and while none of the men have any major name recognition, they all play with skill and fervor. Frank Chace's robust baritone sax work is particularly lovely, as is his breathy clarinet stylings, which are very much akin to that of Pee Wee Russell. A shrewd decision on the parts of Grosz and Halen was to go for material that was a bit left-of-center from the obvious, so don't expect to hear "Singin' the Blues" or "In a Mist." In fact, the only Beiderbecke original turns out to be "For No Reason At All." That's all just fine though, because this set proves to be a bit more poetic than similar sessions of this ilk. Even those with a bit of apprehension towards music of this genre will find something to like here, as solo space for all is copious and collective improvisation is kept at a minimum. As an added bonus, Dave Jones' beautiful early stereo manifests each instrument with clarity and warmth. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/hooray-for-bix-marty-grosz-fantasy-jazz-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Marty Grosz- guitar and vocals; Carl Halen- cornet, Turk Santos- second cornet (tracks 6 & 12 only), guitar (track 9 only); Harry Budd- trombone; Frank Chace- clarinet & baritone sax, Bob Skiver- clarinet & tenor sax; Tut Soper- piano, Chuck Neilson- bass, Pepper Boggs- drums

Hooray For Bix!

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Joe Morris, William Parker, Gerald Cleaver - Altitude

Styles: Guitar, Post Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:27
Size: 166,0 MB
Art: Front

(26:22)  1. Exosphere
(25:22)  2. Thermosphere
(12:04)  3. Troposphere
( 8:39)  4. Mesosphere

Guitarist Joe Morris is on a roll. Hardly a month goes by without a new release featuring the Boston-based musician. Of course, he doubled his chances by adding acoustic bass to his armory alongside his six-stringed axe. It's the latter he wields on this trio date featuring bassist William Parker and drummer Gerald Cleaver, captured at New York City's Stone in June, 2011. Strangely, given their long acquaintance, this is the first time this particular combination has recorded, though each knows the others well from other collaborations. Cleaver and Parker form two-thirds of improvising collective Farmers By Nature, while Parker featured alongside Morris in the Eloping With The Sun (Aum Fidelity, 2003) triumvirate, and the guitarist and drummer both number among Jean Carla Rodea's Azares. What that familiarity ensures is that there is none of the "getting to know you" tentativeness that afflicts some first-time dates. All three leap straight in, spinning yarns. Inspired by the lengthy expositions of Coltrane and Cecil Taylor (although sounding nothing like either) the threesome maintains an urgent pace throughout the first extended piece (50-plus minutes, demarcated into the first two tracks, comprising the opening set in full). In a relatively straightforward execution, the adventure stems from the ceaseless search, as the trio obsessively wrings all the possibilities inherent from a single mood via a steadily blossoming stream of consciousness. As Morris says in the liners: "we kept it simple and let it unfold naturally, listening for the discovery of melody, always comfortable on that tremendous platform of rhythm." And that's how it sounds. While no one is likely to go away humming a refrain from this disc, a certain lower case lyricism permeates the atmosphere, especially the guitarist's genial single line rivulets and Parker's tonally sympathetic counterpoint. Their unity of purpose is such that even when the music opens out for a drum solo towards the end of "Exosphere," the dynamic doesn't change and the energy level barely dips. For the second set, excerpted here in the final two cuts, Parker switches from bass to sintir a Moroccan three-stringed lute. That decision engenders a different feel, with Parker's dusty grooves evoking Africa's vast open plains and timeless emotions. Cleaver avoids the obvious foot-tapping response, preferring instead a clattering pulse resembling fragments of several diverse tempos simultaneously. Subtle accents and changes of emphasis color the flow to maintain interest with Morris at his most assertive on "Mesosphere" pressing his points with a determined vigor. To sum up: three friends with nothing to prove bring home the bacon on a hot night in NYC. ~ John Sharpe https://www.allaboutjazz.com/altitude-joe-morris-aum-fidelity-review-by-john-sharpe.php

Personnel: Joe Morris: guitar; William Parker: bass, sintir; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

Altitude

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Charles McPherson - Live at the Cellar

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:34
Size: 166,5 MB
Art: Front

(10:16)  1. Spring Is Here
(13:25)  2. Illusions In Blue
(10:44)  3. Blue & Boogie
(14:59)  4. How Deep Is The Ocean
(11:55)  5. Manhattan Nocturne
(11:13)  6. Star Eyes

Live at the Cellar is a sizzling collection of extended improvisations featuring a Vancouver-made quartet: Charles McPherson (alto sax), Ross Taggart (piano), Jodi Proznick (bass) and Blaine Wikjord (drums). McPherson and band fashion their work for the literati. McPherson opens hard with Rodgers and Hart's "Spring Is Here." The native of Joplin, Miss. singes the ears with intense improvisation for five minutes, then hands it over for very compelling interplay between Taggart and Proznick before the tune eventually dissipates on the resonance of McPherson's horn. The alto saxophonist's playing is demanding on drummers; fortunately veteran Vancouver player Wikjord lays down enough complexity to make an entire record of drum parts. As the interplay spreads, Taggart pops chord placements into areas where the drums are otherwise rolling, leaving a resulting work of sounds in perpetual transit. Apparently, Dizzy Gillespie's "Blue & Boogie" left a medical legacy. Unconfirmed sources claim that band members plunged their heads into ice buckets post-set, as Proznick's hands were reported to have become an autonomous, collective blister and Taggart's piano needed its own treatment afterwards. Wikjord's sticks, meanwhile, perished in the blaze. Typically, McPherson was fine (something like, "Yeah, right on!"). Live at the Cellar tries to be as light in the back half as it tried to be heavy in the first half. In this context, it is hard to pull one's head out of the fire to feel the cool of Irving Berlin's "How Deep is the Ocean." "Manhattan Nocturne" continues to bring the collective pot to a low boil with some great rhythm work. The leader returns to the fore for "Star Eyes," and there is where we are brought full-circle. Can any audience navigate the musical expectations that such a complete reversal demands? Bop fans can't escape the intensity of McPherson's work. Jazz fans should just try to smoke it. That's what the band did. Live at the Cellar lights it up! ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-cellar-charles-mcpherson-cellar-records-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Charles McPherson - alto sax; Ross Taggart - piano; Jodi Proznick - bass; Blaine Wikjord - drums.

Live at the Cellar

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Anne Walsh - Pretty World

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:23
Size: 125,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Pretty World
(4:38)  2. So May It Secretly Begin
(4:29)  3. Caramel
(4:47)  4. Waters Of March
(2:58)  5. Chove Chuva
(5:03)  6. In The Still Of The Night
(5:18)  7. Pools
(4:31)  8. Night And Day
(5:04)  9. My Favorite Things
(3:27) 10. Winter
(4:56) 11. He Loves You
(4:29) 12. My Song

Vocalist Anne Walsh has an authentic style of singing that is neither purely jazz or purely pop but rather a fusion of the two. Joined by her husband Thomas Zink who produced and arranged her debut recording Pretty World released by his label A To Zink Music, Walsh’s selection is rooted in American and Brazilian classics including covers of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things” and “Waters Of March” from Antonio Carlos Jobim. The selection additionally features contemporary pop tunes such as Sergio Mendez’s samba-driven “Chave Chuv” and Suzanne Vega and Kevyn Lettau’s misty ballad “Winter.” Walsh’s vocals inject rays of light into somber and melancholic arrangements tooling a fluidity that is soothing and natural. Pretty World is perfectly tailored to Walsh’s register and philosophy about life, and is very persuasive in converting others to follow along her path. The recording fosters a concert setting as opposed to a overly produced studio offering as instruments attach to one another and blossom under each other’s tutelage. This was accomplished by using live musicians and allowing them the freedom of improvise and work off of each other’s vibe like in the bouts of perky xylophone-toned doodles and the eruptions of whistles in Bob Wilson’s upbeat minuet “He Love You.” With Zink playing the piano, keyboards and synths, the songs are cemented in a comely undertone which compliments Walsh’s register. For example, the soft and airy feel in songs like Keith Jarrett’s “My Song” and Pat Metheny’s “So May It Secretly Begin” bode nicely with the heavenly lilt in Walsh’s pitch. In the case of Metheny’s and Jarrett’s songs as well as with Don Grolnick’s bossa nova shaded “Pools,” original lyrics needed to be penned for Walsh which were written by Joe DeRenzo. 

Walsh’s vocals have a graceful stride that brings out the beauty in these tracks, and the melodies seem to embrace the warmth that she provides. Contributing their talents to the recording are a group of musicians that have worked with Sergio Mendez including guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, bassists Carlitos Del Puerto and Jerry Watts, percussionist Tiki Pasillas, and saxophonist-flautist Gary Meek. Walsh and Zink additionally incorporated strings into the recording which gave tracks like Cole Porter’s “In The Still Of The Night” and Mendez’s “Pretty World” an elevated stance. The string section includes Peter Kent, Kathleen Roberts, Cameron Patrick, and Missy Hasin. The musicians casted for the recording are large in numbers, though the music is subdued and primarily softens the senses. Even with the numerous improvisations provided by the band and with Walsh exerting complete freedom in her vocal melodies, everyone was on the same page playing to perform the songs in an optimal light and it worked. ~ Susan Frances https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/anne-walsh-pretty-world/

Pretty World

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Pharoah Sanders - Love Will Find A Way

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:30
Size: 89,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Love Will Find A Way
(4:33)  2. Pharomba
(4:43)  3. Love Is Here
(6:04)  4. Got To Give It Up
(5:10)  5. As You Are
(6:44)  6. Answer Me My Love
(6:00)  7. Everything I Have Is Good

Once you’ve heard the sound of Pharoah Sanders’ tenor saxophone, you never forget it; impossibly rich and full of overtones, it wrings every bit of emotion out of each note. Pharoah has gained a devoted following since his days with John Coltrane, and his work for Impulse during the early ’70s in particular has been lovingly reissued; however, his albums for Arista in the late '70s have been out of print for years. One big reason for that is that they are the most controversial of his career; that same devoted fan base could not believe its ears when this free jazz icon went the jazz-funk "quiet storm" route! But the blend some would say collision of the two aesthetics produced, on Love Will Find a Way, a unique album that has gained quite the cult following over the years; that it features two other legends in their own right, drummer/producer/singer Norman Connors and vocalist Phyllis Hyman, certainly doesn’t hurt! We’re reissuing this lost classic with original art and new liner notes with quotes from Pharoah. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Love-Will-Find-Pharoah-Sanders/dp/B000A7BB9C

Personnel:  Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Percussion – Pharoah Sanders; Backing Vocals – The Water Family;Bass – Alex Blake , Donny Beck ; Concertmaster [Strings] – Sidney Sharp; Congas, Bongos, Cymbal [Paiste Cymbals], Gong [Gongs], Percussion [Miscellaneous] – Kenneth Nash; Drums – James Gadson, Lenny White, Raymond Pounds ; Electric Guitar – David T. Walker, Wah Wah Watson; French Horn – Sidney Muldrow, Vincent De Rosa; Keyboards – Hubert Eaves, Khalid Moss; Keyboards [Keyboard Solos] – Bobby Lyle; Reeds – Ernest Watts; Saxophone – Terry Harrington, William Green ; Timpani, Drums, Percussion, Gong [Gongs] – Norman Connors; Trombone – George Bohanon, Lew McCreary; Trumpet – Charles Findley, Oscar Brashear; Vocals – Phyllis Hyman

Love Will Find A Way

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Carl Allen, Rodney Whitaker - Work To Do

Styles: Straight-Ahead Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:03
Size: 147,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Work to Do
(6:29)  2. Speak to My Heart
(7:03)  3. For Garrison (Both)
(6:24)  4. Giving Thanks
(5:30)  5. What's Going On
(6:58)  6. Eleanor Rigby
(6:49)  7. With You I'm Born Again
(6:38)  8. Grahamstown
(3:03)  9. A Time for Love
(8:57) 10. Relativity

On Carl Allen and Rodney Whitaker's Work to Do, their second collaboration with Mack Avenue Records, the musicians focus on groove, beauty and respect for the tradition. Allen and Whitaker provide a swinging backdrop for some of New York's finest and most respected musicians, including guitarist Rodney Jones and saxophonist Vincent Herring, two very distinctive contributors to the album. Joined by five other accomplished artists, the A-list lineup combines to make an electrifying 9-piece ensemble. Work to Do features 11 tracks, including reworked pop-classics and originals that range from achingly beautiful tunes to those possessing an energized post-bop feel. Highlights include Whitaker's hard-bop original "For Garrison," written for his son, who was named after jazz legend Jimmy Garrison. Here, the melody played by both Chandler and Herring is supported rhythmically by Allen who also provides suspense through his fills, which lead the band into an unbreakable and energized swing feel for the solo section. The The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby," is uniquely interpreted with the band switching effortlessly between 5/4 and 4/4 throughout, and which Herring uses to his advantage to create a truly impressive solo. On Johnny Mandel's "Time for Love," Jones' sensitivity as a player is heard through the enchanting lines which accompany Whitakers' bowed melody. Finally, for the bonus track, Allen and Whitaker play a duo a version of "For Garrison," displaying their effortless musical partnership. Although Work to Do may not be categorized as an innovative album, it does possess remarkable musicality throughout, created by a group of players who have an obvious love for making music together and enjoy an array of different styles as long as it feels good.~ Angela Davis https://www.allaboutjazz.com/work-to-do-carl-allen-and-rodney-whitaker-mack-avenue-records-review-by-angela-davis.php

Personnel: Personnel:Carl Allen: drums; Rodney Whitaker: bass; George Colligan: piano; Rodney Jones: acoustic and electric guitars; Dorsey "Rob" Robinson: B3 organ; Brandon Lee: trumpet; Kirk Whalum: tenor and soprano saxophone; Vincent Chandler: trombone; Vincent Herring: alto and soprano saxophone.

Work To Do

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Al Stewart - Modern Times

Styles: Vocal, Guitar
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:48
Size: 90,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Carol
(2:49)  2. Sirens of Titan
(3:33)  3. What's Going On?
(4:34)  4. Not the One
(4:18)  5. Next Time
(5:18)  6. Apple Cider Re-Constitution
(5:01)  7. The Dark and the Rolling Sea
(8:40)  8. Modern Times

Surely the title is a bit of an allusion to the Past, Present and Future of its predecessor, but Modern Times also brought Al Stewart into the present, establishing his classic sound of folky narratives and Lennonesque melodies, all wrapped up in a lush, layered production from Alan Parsons. Hearing this production makes it clear that this is what was missing from Past, since it gives epics like the title track a real sense of grandeur that makes their sentiments resonate strongly. But it's not just the improvement in production that makes Modern Times the beginning of Stewart's classic period his songwriting has leapt up and met his ambitions, as it retains the historical sweep of his earlier material but melds it to a melodic sensibility that's alternately comforting and haunting. This skill is apparent throughout Modern Times, and is married to a sound that is its equivalent, making this an exquisite pop-prog gem. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/modern-times-mw0000084071

Personnel: Al Stewart - vocals, guitar, keyboard; Brian Bennett - background vocals; David Ellis - acoustic guitar; Isaac Guillory - guitar; Simon Nicol - guitar; Tim Renwick - guitar; Andrew Powell - arranger; Tony Carr - percussion; Gerry Conway - drums; Stuart Cowell - dobro, guitar; Barry DeSouza - drums; George Ford - bass; Neil Lancaster - background vocals; Charles Mills - background vocals; Peter Moss - fuzz bass; Graham Smith - harmonica; Pete Wingfield - keyboards; Peter Wood - keyboards, accordion; Alan Parsons - engineer, string arrangements

Modern Times

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Melissa Manchester - When I Look Down That Road

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:30
Size: 114,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. I'll Know You By Your Heart
(5:07)  2. Angels Dancing
(4:20)  3. Bend
(5:24) 4. When Paris Was A Woman (according To Alice - 1928)
(3:51)  5. After All This Time
(3:39)  6. Lucky Break
(3:09)  7. When I Look Down That Road
(4:01)  8. Where The Truth Lies
(3:47)  9. Tyfyfim (thank You For Your Faith In Me)
(3:38) 10. Still Myself
(4:02) 11. Crazy Loving You
(3:51) 12. A Mother's Prayer

In the opening line of her album When I Look Down That Road, Melissa Manchester basically sums up the latter half of her career: "I've been walking through the smoke of a thousand burned-out dreams, so hard to shake the ashes of the past from my feet." As she knows all too well, there are sad circumstances in which the business of music envelops an artist so tightly that the creativity and passion are sealed away. In the '70s, Manchester blossomed as an important singer/songwriter responsible for such classics as "Midnight Blue," "Whenever I Call You Friend," and "Don't Cry Out Loud." But as her album sales began to decline, the corporate machinery began to take hold of her career and her original songs were left along the wayside to make way for glossy pop songs and sappy ballads written by "hitmakers." As a songwriter, she had all but disappeared. Leaving the recording studio after 1995's over-produced If My Heart Had Wings, Manchester spent almost a decade regrouping and getting in touch with the artist who had been lost for so many years. Reaching back to a time when the songwriting was just as important as the singer, Manchester reconnected with herself and recorded When I Look Down That Road, her first album of original material since 1978's Don't Cry Out Loud. In a welcome return to form, she has stripped away the many layers of bloated production and overwrought balladry that has dogged her work since the '80s to reveal a set of songs that quietly shine and stand brilliantly alongside her early work. 

In the album's opener, "I'll Know You By Your Heart," Manchester sounds revitalized and passionate against the song's sparse bluesy samba beat. The difference between this one song and her post-'70s output is immediate. Gone, thankfully, are the sweeping synthesizers, belted choruses, and saccharine sentiments, replaced with basic instruments, breezy melodies, and thoughtful lyrics. A mystical character named Pearl is brought to life in the Bonnie Raitt-styled "Angels Dancing," while Gertrude Stein is visited in the Latin-tinged "When Paris Was a Woman." Two beautiful ballads, "Bend" and "When I Look Down That Road," delicately play on the emotions without resorting to plastic sentiment. It has been a long time since she has sounded this vibrant and honest. When I Look Down That Road is a true comeback in every sense of the word and ranks among her best albums. Dormant for too long, Melissa Manchester's singer/songwriter soul has finally returned. ~ Aaron Latham https://www.allmusic.com/album/when-i-look-down-that-road-mw0000326940

When I Look Down That Road

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Hubert Laws - My Time Will Come

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:01
Size: 126,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:11)  1. Malaguena
( 5:16)  2. My Time Will Come
( 5:03)  3. It's So Crazy
( 6:54)  4. Shades of Light
(10:57)  5. Valse
( 8:45)  6. Make It Last
( 7:52)  7. Moonlight Sonata

This is a streaky affair, Hubert Laws's first recording as a leader in quite a few years. The great flutist has a reunion with Don Sebesky on a version of "Malaguena" that becomes an imitation of Chick Corea's "Spain," a few of the selections are forgettable funk and "Moonlight Sonata" is ruined by an unbearable rhythm. However there are some fine performances that feature excellent soloing by Laws and pianist John Beasley. Still, only Hubert Laws's most loyal fans will want this release. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-time-will-come-mw0000095582

Personnel:  Piccolo Flute – Hubert Laws; Bass – Gary Willis, John Patitucci , Mike Richmond; Congas – Terry Santiel; Drums – Clayton Cameron, Dan Gotlieb, Leon "Ndugu" Chancelor, Ralph Penland; Flute – Hubert Laws ; Keyboards – George Duke, Joe Sample, John Beasley; Percussion – Sue Evans, Terry Santiel; Piano – Mark Gray;  Soprano Saxophone – Ronnie Laws;  Vocals – Joan LaBarbara

My Time Will Come

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Plas Johnson - This Must Be The Plas!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:13
Size: 85,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. Too Close For Comfort
(3:32)  2. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(2:38)  3. Heart And Soul
(3:36)  4. Poor Butterfly
(3:13)  5. Memories Of You
(2:15)  6. Just One Of Those Things
(2:57)  7. There Is No Greater Love
(3:11)  8. If I Had You
(3:09)  9. My Silent Love
(3:18) 10. Day In - Day Out
(2:53) 11. My Old Flame
(3:26) 12. S'il Vous Plait

This Must Be the Plas is a 1959 album by saxophonist Plas Johnson. The initial Billboard magazine review from November 30, 1959 chose the album as one of its "Special Merit Spotlights" and commented that "Eye-catching photo of curvaceous red-head gives package solid display value. Johnson's tasteful, warm sax solo work is heard to advantage on a group of oldies...Spinnable wax for jazz jocks and hip pop deejays". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Must_Be_the_Plas

Personnel: Plas Johnson - tenor saxophone; Larry Bunker - vibraphone; Victor Feldman - vibraphone; Gene Estes - vibraphone; Paul Smith - piano; Ernie Freeman - Hammond organ; Howard Roberts - guitar;  Bill Pitman - guitar;  Red Callender - bass;  Earl Palmer - drums

This Must Be The Plas!

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Fredrik Kronkvist - Altitude

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:23
Size: 141,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. Zenith
(4:38)  2. Litet Grann Från Ovan
(6:16)  3. Desert Night
(4:54)  4. Yemaya
(6:02)  5. Leo
(5:54)  6. Family Business
(6:00)  7. Instinct
(6:36)  8. Isis (Egyptian Goddess)
(5:41)  9. Kronk's Monk
(5:04) 10. Theme for Ernie
(4:36) 11. Close Race

There's a thriving jazz community in Sweden, some of whose roots are planted firmly in the bop idiom, and young alto saxophonist Fredrik Kronkvist's quartet, which follows that path, is about as accomplished as any you're likely to hear in this country. Kronkvist himself comes from a line that began with Bird, continued through the Sonnys Criss and Stitt, Jackie McLean, Phil Woods, Lou Donaldson, Cannonball Adderley, Charles McPherson, Herb Geller and Frank Morgan to such younger contemporaries as Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson, Kenny Garrett, Vincent Herring, Jesse Davis and others. He produces a handsome sound, closest perhaps to Criss, Morgan or Garrett, and has a formidable technique to match. The other principal soloist, pianist Daniel Tilling, also has great chops and, like Kronkvist, a flowing stream of impressive ideas that may not be innovative but seldom fail to please. The program consists of eight original compositions by Kronkvist and one each by Fred Lacey (the entrancing ballad "Theme for Ernie") and Lasse Dahlqvist ("Litet Grann Från Ovan," which must translate in English as "Three O'Clock in the Morning," as its melody is precisely the same as that old American standard). Kronkvist's tunes sound much like those one would have encountered on any number of Blue Note recordings from the '50s or '60s in sessions led by McLean, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter, Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd, Benny Golson, Gigi Gryce, Red Garland, Freddie Hubbard, Blue Mitchell, Bobby Timmons . . . the list goes on.  Kronkvist, Tilling and their colleagues, bassist Martin Sjöstedt and drummer Daniel Fredriksson, work quite well as a unit, blending the proper amounts of energy and finesse to construct an album that stands up well when exposed to the strong winds of analysis. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/altitude-fredrik-kronkvist-sittel-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Fredrik Kronkvist, alto saxophone; Daniel Tilling, piano; Martin Sjöstedt, bass; Daniel Fredriksson, drums.

Altitude

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Don Lanphere - Where Do You Start?

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:11
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:25)  1. Ragazza De La Mer
( 5:53)  2. All Across The City
( 7:10)  3. Blues Away
( 5:56)  4. Ming's Dream
( 3:01)  5. Methuselah's Big Duck
( 5:40)  6. Wilke's Grin
( 6:12)  7. Where Do You Start?
(10:13)  8. The Scene Is Clean
( 5:38)  9. Cottage For Sale

Few veterans of the classic bebop era were still active in 2002, and even fewer were still in their musical prime. Don Lanphere is a major exception. Rather than just recreating the past (which in his case includes leading a date that featured Fats Navarro), Lanphere always looks ahead. A distinctive tenor-saxophonist, Lanphere also doubles effective on soprano and leads a top-notch sextet in the Pacific Northwest. Where Do You Start has a high-quality repertoire performed by Lanphere, cornetist Jonathan Pugh, trombonist Jeff Hay, pianist Marc Seales, bassist Doug Miller and drummer John Bishop. The five originals by group members include "Blues Away" (which is in the Art Blakey hard bop tradition), a feature for Lanphere's soprano on the moody ballad "Ming's Dream" and the novel "Methuselah's Big Duck," which has the cornet and trombone imitating quacking sounds. Of the four other tunes, Jim Hall's "All Across The City" and "Where Do You Start" (which is very rarely ever done interpreted as an instrumental but works quite well) are joined by Tadd Dameron's "The Scene Is Clean" and a wistful version of "A Cottage For Sale." Just one in a string of excellent Don Lanphere recordings after 1980, Where Do You Start has been put out by Origin, a valuable label that documents the jazz scene in Washington State. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/where-do-you-start-mw0000020354

Personnel:  Saxophone – Don Lanphere; Bass – Doug Miller; Cornet – Jonathan Pugh; Drums – John Bishop; Piano – Marc Seales; Trombone – Jeff Hay

Where Do You Start?

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Carla Helmbrecht - Be Cool Be Kind

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:00
Size: 133,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. Be Cool Be Kind
(4:14)  2. Later For Love
(4:56)  3. Easy Love
(4:55)  4. So Many Stars
(2:51)  5. Down With Love
(5:32)  6. Even Still
(5:01)  7. A Miracle
(5:20)  8. Windmills Of Your Mind
(4:50)  9. The Touch Of Your Lips
(5:07) 10. How I Remember You
(4:51) 11. (Song For) A Rainy Afternoon
(5:30) 12. The Party's Over

Once again San Francisco is home for a fine singer. Carla Helmbrecht is a summa cum laude graduate from that school of singers who believe that in order to deliver her special message, there is no need to indulge in vocal tricks, become over emotional or even overdo dynamics by major shifts between singing loud and louder. Rather, her approach is cool, languid, laid back (as distinguished from laid out) and gently fervent. On her second release for Heart Music with a play list that shows an ambivalent attitude, Helmbrecht stays away from up tempo rhythms, living comfortably with the slow and medium pace. The most excitable she gets is on "Easy Love" which she wrote with Peter Horvath. This track also reveals that she has a cute side about her. Helmbrecht's style results in pleasant off the beaten track Interpretations. Her "The Party's Over" which one normally hears with extensive emoting comes off matter of fact, "it's over and done with so get used to it", in Helmbrecht's vocal hands. Contrast this with the version to say Anita O'Day's. Jazz vocalizing allows plenty of room for both treatments. Helmbrecht has managed to convince outstanding jazz musicians to join her for this session.

In addition to the basic trio headed by Horvath's piano, invited guests make important contributions. On "Even Still", Ernie Watts sax offers dramatic counterpoint to Helmbrecht's plaintive rendering. Larry Koonse's guitar and Clay Jenkins' muted and open trumpet are delectably conspicuous on the "The Party's Over". Horvath's piano introduction sets the scene for a lovely "The Touch of Your Lips" as Joe LaBarbera's seductive brushes provide a soft angel hair like rhythmic underpinning.

This is an outstanding track. The lyrics are printed in the liner notes. But the producer let the graphic and design people run wild with the color combinations. Some of the words are red on a gray background which make them virtually impossible to read. Oh well, albums are bought for the quality of performances not the quality of the color layouts. And this album should be added to one's collection. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/be-cool-be-kind-carla-helmbrecht-heart-music-review-by-dave-nathan.php?width=1920

Be Cool Be Kind

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Emanuele Cisi - Urban adventures

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:57
Size: 136,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Back to the city
(8:26)  2. Lazy rainy sunday
(8:21)  3. Cieloceleste
(6:16)  4. Primulanita
(9:15)  5. Weather of dreams
(8:23)  6. No way
(6:26)  7. La notte delle lucciole
(6:06)  8. Quasimodo
(2:03)  9. Children heart

Emanuele Cisi is considered to be one of the most interesting musicians of the new European jazz scene. He has a very personal approach of Jazz music, with both one foot in the present and the other in the future. In 1995, he was elected 'best new talent' by the Italian critic. He has already recorded 7 albums under his own name as well as given his contribution on many other recordings as co-leader or side man on renowned record labels such as Blue Note and Universal. He has also collaborated with prestigious musicians such as Billy Cobham, Nat Adderley or Aldo Romano among many others. Elabeth. 2006. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Urban-adventures-Emanuele-Cisi/dp/B00150CQ3S

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Emanuele Cisi; Trumpet – François Chassagnite; Double Bass – Jean-Marc Jafet, Simone Monnanni; Drums – Yoann Serra; Piano – Paolo Birro.

Urban adventures

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Dick Katz - Piano & Pen

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:06
Size: 88,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Timonium
(4:30)  2. Aurora
(4:34)  3. Duologue No. 1
(4:46)  4. Glad To Be Unhappy
(3:22)  5. Round Trip
(6:56)  6. Afternoon In Paris
(4:07)  7. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:34)  8. Scrapple From The Apple

A versatile pianist and arranger, Dick Katz was responsible for many stimulating and memorable recordings through the years, often as an important sideman and/or producer. He studied at the Peabody Institute, the Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard, in addition to taking piano lessons from Teddy Wilson. In the 1950s, he picked up important experience as a member of the house rhythm section of the Café Bohemia, with the groups of Ben Webster and Kenny Dorham, the Oscar Pettiford big band, and later with Carmen McRae. Katz was part of the popular J.J. Johnson/Kai Winding Quintet (1954-1955) and Orchestra USA, and participated on Benny Carter's classic Further Definitions album. He freelanced throughout much of his career and was a guiding force behind some of Helen Merrill's finest recordings. Katz, who played with Roy Eldridge and Lee Konitz starting in the late '60s, co-founded Milestone Records in 1966 with Orrin Keepnews. In the 1990s, Dick Katz worked both as a pianist and an arranger with the American Jazz Orchestra and Loren Schoenberg's big band. Unfortunately, he did not recorded all that frequently as a leader, cutting fairly obscure dates for Atlantic (1957 and 1959), Bee Hive (1984), and Reservoir (1992), but the jazz world was well aware of his talents. Dick Katz died in Manhattan in November 2009 at the age of 85. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dick-katz-mn0000821321/biography

Personnel:  Piano – Dick Katz; Bass – Joe Benjamin; Drums – Connie Kay; Guitar – Chuck Wayne, Jimmy Raney

Piano & Pen

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Herb Ellis - Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:53
Size: 92,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Goose Grease
(5:57)  2. When Your Lover Has Gone
(7:43)  3. Remember
(4:06)  4. Patricia
(5:06)  5. A Country Boy
(4:32)  6. You Know
(3:32)  7. My Old Flame
(4:49)  8. People Will Say We're In Love

"Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre presents an unusual team. It is an album with involved arrangements, as opposed to a jam session format, and the only solo voice heard here is Ellis guitar with the exception of the tune "Remember", on which some short solos by the horns are heard. Not even Giuffre solos, as he contented himself with writing all of the arrangements and playing on the elaborate ensemble passages." https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/herb-ellis-albums/5238-herb-ellis-meets-stan-getz-roy-eldridge-art-pepper-jimmy-giuffre-2-lp-on-1-cd.html

Personnel:  Guitar – Herb Ellis, Jim Hall;  Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Arranged By – Jimmy Giuffre;   Alto Saxophone – Art Pepper, Bud Shank; Bass – Joe Mondragon; Drums – Stan Levey; Piano – Lou Levy; Tenor Saxophone – Richie Kamuca

Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre

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