Silky Denims

Sunday, April 7, 2019

Philip Catherine - Blue Prince

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:33
Size: 149,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:34) 1. Coffee Groove
(5:03) 2. Global Warming
(3:50) 3. With a Song in My Heart
(7:42) 4. The Creeper
(5:39) 5. The Postman
(6:35) 6. More Bells
(4:22) 7. Memories of You
(6:02) 8. Kwa Heri
(4:10) 9. Blue Prince
(6:32) 10. Arthur Rainbow
(6:18) 11. Magic Box
(4:38) 12. Sweet Lorraine

Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine has performed with the creme de la creme of modern jazz and fusion. Noticeably inspired by the late great Django Rheinhardt, Catherine has emerged as a true stylist who melds lush romanticism with bold, simmering lines, witnessed here on Blue Prince. The guitarist utilizes his warm-toned hollow bodied electric guitar to great effect via shrewd employment of volume control techniques, jazzy chord progressions and scathing leads, evidenced on the often blistering yet predominately cool and sleek Bop-ish burner, “Coffee Groove”. Trumpeter Bert Joris proves to be a near perfect foil for Catherine, as the twosome frequently engage in brisk unison choruses, while also trading sprightly fours during this groove-laden set primarily consisting of medium tempo swing motifs. The band turns in a peppery walking blues, titled “The Creeper” and continues along with a series of pieces featuring amicable melodies and sonorous themes amid sympathetic accompaniment by the rhythm section. On, “Blue Prince” Joris articulates Chet Baker-style, understated lyricism as everyone gets a spot to exhibit their wares, yet a few more accelerated or rapidly paced pieces tossed into the mix might have elevated the excitement factor a few notches. Otherwise, Blue Prince is a solid and expertly executed effort, as Catherine implicitly illustrates why he is one of the finest guitarists on the globe. ~ Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blue-prince-philip-catherine-dreyfus-records-review-by-glenn-astarita.php

Personnel: Philip Catherine; guitars: Bert Joris; trumpet, bugle: Hein Van de Geyn; double bass: Hans Van Oosterhout; drums

Blue Prince

The Microscopic Septet - Manhattan Moonrise

Styles: Progressive Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:15
Size: 142,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:50) 1. When You Get In Over Your Head
(5:51) 2. No Time
(8:14) 3. Manhattan Moonrise
(3:22) 4. Obeying the Chemicals
(4:13) 5. A Snapshot of the Soul
(5:12) 6. Star Turn
(5:49) 7. Hang It On a Line
(5:12) 8. Let's Coolerate One
(5:02) 9. Suspended Animation
(4:14) 10. Blue
(4:57) 11. You Got That Right
(5:15) 12. Occupy Your Life

In the 80s, the band engendered a cagey slant on mainstream swing and then morphed into the risk-taking New York downtown scene, eventually garnering widespread attention and sell-out crowds at the Knitting Factory and other hip venues. They regrouped in 2006, carrying the torch for what has become a singular sound, ingrained in classic jazz stylizations, bop, funk, and the free-jazz domain. Known for its quirky deviations, razor-sharp horns arrangements and melodic hooks, the septet's spunkiness and tightknit overtures align with the stars on Manhattan Moonrise. The musicians tackle a funk rock itinerary spiced with pianist Joel Forrester's New Orleans style phrasings in support of baritone saxophonist Dave Sewelson's ballsy impetus on "Hang It On A Line." Augmented by whispery horns and contrapuntal dialogues, they ring in a good timey vibe, slightly shaded with sober undertones. They spark a polytonal jamboree, while integrating linear unison choruses and drummer Richard Dworkin's snappy breaks between choruses. Here, the ensemble renders alternating modalities and launch the bridge with Sewelson's fervent solo spot atop a swaggering groove. And the musicians shift the dynamic with a straightforward and slightly in-you-face interlude as an embryonic current ensues. Towards the finale, the hornists gel to a simple melody via extended notes, yielding a subliminal nod to 70s like soul jazz. No monumental surprises here, but another stirring and broadly entertaining production by these consummate team players. ~ Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/manhattan-moonrise-microscopic-septet-cuneiform-records-review-by-glenn-astarita.php

Personnel: Phillip Johnston: soprano saxophone; Don Davis: alto saxophone; Mike Hashim: tenor saxophone; Dave Sewelson: baritone saxophone; Joel Forrester: piano; Dave Hofstra: bass; Richard Dworkin: drums.

Manhattan Moonrise

Saturday, April 6, 2019

Mal Waldron with Eric Dolphy and Booker Ervin - The Quest

Styles: Piano, Saxophone Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:37
Size: 95,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:54) 1. Status Seeking
(4:09) 2. Duquility
(4:45) 3. Thirteen
(4:26) 4. We Diddit
(5:39) 5. Warm Canto
(5:39) 6. Warp and Woof
(8:02) 7. Fire Waltz

Although often reissued under Eric Dolphy's name, this CD reissue gives the leadership back to pianist Mal Waldron. The seven originals not only feature altoist Dolphy (who makes a rare appearance on clarinet during "Warm Canto") but tenor-saxophonist Booker Ervin, Ron Carter (on cello) and Waldron. With bassist Joe Benjamin and drummer Charlie Persip giving alert support, the complex music (which falls between hard bop and the avant-garde) is successfully interpreted. Worth checking out. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-quest-mw0000078389

Personnel: Mal Waldron – piano; Eric Dolphy – alto saxophone, clarinet; Booker Ervin – tenor saxophone (tracks 1-4, 6 & 7); Ron Carter – cello; Joe Benjamin – bass; Charlie Persip – drums

The Quest

Eva Cassidy - Imagine

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:44
Size: 94,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:13) 1. It Doesn't Matter Anymore
(3:56) 2. Fever
(5:42) 3. Who Knows Where The Time Goes
(4:48) 4. You've Changed
(4:36) 5. Imagine
(4:48) 6. Still Not Ready
(4:05) 7. Early Morning Rain
(2:32) 8. Tennessee Waltz
(3:19) 9. I Can Only Be Me
(3:41) 10. Danny Boy

A desperate clamoring from fans worldwide is no doubt the last thing the late singer could have imagined when she was at clubs and at home singing and doing rough recordings of the tunes that would someday be chosen for this magnificent hodgepodge. But many years after her death in obscurity in late 1996, she became a true phenomenon, with enthusiasts who find in her voice a true connection to heaven (take that in any number of ways). So even if the songs are rough, they're still Eva Cassidy. Another precious listen to her transcendent voice so brilliant in all genres; wispy and angelic one minute, soulful and guttural the next is worth all the dusty shelf-searching this compilation no doubt entailed. The songs recorded at the now-defunct Annapolis club Pearls the obscure chestnut "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," which Paul Anka gave to Buddy Holly; Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain"; and the tearjerking "Danny Boy" present Cassidy at her purest, her simple acoustic guitar riding along behind increasingly emotional vocal lines. "Fever" is an alternate take from the version that wound up on Chuck Brown's The Other Side, beautifully torchy and featuring a sly violin line by brother Dan Cassidy. She recorded a folky rendition of the Sandy Denny classic "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" at the Maryland Inn, her voice rising and falling over a subtle violin. Her smoky jazz chops think Norah Jones with a lot more fire are in full force on "You've Changed" (recorded at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C.). Probably the richest performances are the powerful home-demo renditions of the title track and "Tennessee Waltz," given off-the-cuff readings (with only simple guitar lines) that show off Cassidy's casual genius. Finally, Cassidy's dad found a few formal early studio recordings, "Still Not Ready" and "I Can Only Be Me," a heartrending song Stevie Wonder wrote for Spike Lee's School Daze but never recorded. That's OK Cassidy's unintentional penchant is for redefining songs and creating new and definitive versions. Most likely, no major label would ever put out a new artist recording with this kind of a mixed bag, both stylistically and production-wise. But this hardly matters, as listeners seek more and more from the angel who left long before the world fell in love with her. The continuing heavenly serenade is hard to resist. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/imagine-mw0000661451

Imagine

Buddy Morrow - Night Train

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:35
Size: 67,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:13) 1. Mangos
(2:15) 2. With a Song in My Heart
(2:04) 3. Midnight March
(3:01) 4. One Mint Julep
(2:22) 5. Rib Joint
(2:19) 6. With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair
(3:02) 7. Night Train
(2:30) 8. Hey, Mrs. Jones
(2:14) 9. I'll Close My Eyes
(2:05) 10. Back Home
(4:25) 11. Pink Lady

Throughout his career, Buddy Morrow loved playing with big bands and doing what he could to keep nostalgic swing alive. He began playing trombone when he was 12 and within two years was working locally. Morrow developed quickly and moved to New York, where he studied at the Institute of Musical Art. He made his recording debut in 1936 with singer Amanda Randolph and trumpeter Sharkey Bonano. Morrow known as Moe Zudekoff until he changed his name in the early 1940s kept busy during the swing era, working with Artie Shaw (1936-37 and 1940), Bunny Berigan, Frank Froeba, Eddie Duchin, Tommy Dorsey (1938), Paul Whiteman (1939-40) and Bob Crosby. After serving in the Navy (1941-44) he was with Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra (1945). In 1945, at age 26, Morrow formed his own big band but it quickly failed. He became a studio musician for the remainder of the decade. In 1950 he formed a new orchestra that had strong success, giving an R&Bish sound to older standards and having a hit with "Night Train." Morrow spent most of the 1960s and '70s as a studio musician but he worked a bit with the World's Greatest Jazz Band in 1970; in the late 1970s he took over Tommy Dorsey's ghost band. Since then Morrow has been one of the few full-time big band leaders, performing melodic dance music based in the swing era. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/buddy-morrow-mn0000537569/biography

Night Train

Ian Shaw - Shine Sister Shine

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:05
Size: 159,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:44) 1. Carry On World (Starring Everyone)
(3:46) 2. I Don't Know Enough About You
(3:50) 3. Trip and Tumble
(4:39) 4. This Beautiful Life
(3:44) 5. Shine Sister Shine
(6:16) 6. Keep Walking (Song for Sara)
(2:46) 7. How Little We Know
(4:56) 8. Not The Kind of Girl
(4:44) 9. Empire State of Mind New York
(3:27) 10. Touch Your Soul
(5:19) 11. Shine
(3:15) 12. Coming Around Again
(6:15) 13. Marche Loin (Pour Sara)
(3:36) 14. On Saturday Afternoons in 1963 - Bonus Track
(4:12) 15. A Horse Named Janis Joplin - Bonus Track
(4:28) 16. Jesse - Bonus Track

I ran my first 10K ever to these songs, on a cool morning in country backroads as mist lifted to reveal an early and golden morning. I ran my middle-aged, twice-cancered, arthritic, feminist, queer body to this album and Ian's voice. His music, his force and that of the glorious women he is channeling and championing here kept me going. This is an album of songs to run to and to crawl to. Here is music to sob to and anthems to change the world still so much world to change. Ian and I met on social media, we have friends in common, we met talking of the refugee crisis, we met because Ian was taking action about the refugee crisis. Taking action, no matter what. New takes, because we can. A new take on an old song for Joni Mitchell's always relevant Shine, reminding us that there are so many sides to truth, to every hurt. Light and dark, because there is not one without the other, no life without death, the dichotomy held here very gently, so we can allow the pain and not be broken by it. Keep Walking's true story of Ian's friend Sara. From Eritrea to Libya to Calais to Birmingham and the UK asylum system. A tale of someone else's pain, sustained in song, that we might feel it ourselves, maybe even feel it enough to make a difference. In action, there is hope. Ian's open-hearted version of This Beautiful Life is a full-throated call for a shining existence, and a vital panacea for the also-truth of Trip And Tumble's collapse, crumble, stumble from grace. Tanita Tikaram and Ian's Shine Sister Shine becomes a sing-a-long, march-along, dance-along paean to the LGBT community &ncash; so much achieved and still so far to go, both out in the world and among ourselves. Ian says the 'Sister' here is every gender and sexuality, all of us shining. Too many to list, but every one of these tracks offers a gift for the listener willing to let someone touch your soul. These are songs to hold us when we ask why, to promise that it's not only good to cry, but right to do so. They are also songs to prompt us when we ask how how do we make a difference, how do we create value in our individual lives, in a carry on world, starring everyone of us? This is an album crammed with sharp pain, deeply felt, then countered with soaring, resonant hope. Empire States Of Mind for all. We see what hurts, we cry the tears, and because we know there is also life, also light, we dig deep and find the strength to make a change. https://www.ianshaw.biz/p/albums/sister-about.php

Shine Sister Shine

The Microscopic Septet - Been Up So Long It Looks Like Down To Me: The Micros Play The Blues

Styles: Progressive Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:13
Size: 154,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:33) 1. Cat Toys
(2:47) 2. Blues Cubistico
(6:34) 3. Dark Blue
(4:04) 4. Don't Mind If I Do
(4:50) 5. Migraine Blues (for Wendlyn Alter)
(6:21) 6. PJ In The 60s
(4:34) 7. When It's Getting Dark
(5:43) 8. Simple-Minded Blues
(2:28) 9. After You, Joel
(4:26) 10. 12 Angry Birds
(5:51) 11. Quizzical
(6:21) 12. Silent Night
(3:16) 13. I've Got A Right To Cry
(0:17) 14. Untitled

Saxophonist Phillip Johnston founded The Microscopic Septet in 1980 when the group briefly counted John Zorn as one of its members. They recorded four albums and were a regular presence in New York's downtown scene before disbanding in 1992. In 2006 Cuneiform Records re-released the four albums leading to the reformation of the group and presently, to their new release Been Up So Long It Looks Like Down to Me: The Micros Play the Blues. Johnston and pianist Joel Forrester, saxophonist Dave Sewelson and bassist Dave Hofstra were all members of the original group. However, drummer Richard Dworkin and saxophonist Don Davis followed closely, both coming on board in the early 1980s. Only tenor saxophonist Mike Hashim is a later arrival, having joined the band shortly after the reformation in 2007. If any of their album titles crystalizes the essence of the The Micros, it is Surrealistic Swing: The History of the Micros, Vol. 2 (Cuneiform Records, 2006). Johnston and Forrester, who evenly divide the writing credits on this album, share an affinity if not an outright insistence for a swing-based criteria.

Yet throughout their recordings, there is a progressive bent that makes the music feel neither nostalgic nor avant-garde but somewhere in-between. Each of fourteen compositions on Been Up So Long It Looks Like Down to Me share that aesthetic sense but each with its own idiosyncrasy. "Cat Toys" could be out of the 1940s save for an appealing and technically modern bass solo from Hofstra. "Blues Cubistico," with its swinging dance rhythm, is kept up to date with Hashim and Sewelson's low-end improvised saxophones. The down and dirty "Dark Blues" features Johnston, Hashim and Sewelson in some fine creative interplay, handing off to Forrester for an engaging piano solo. Dworkin has time to shine on the percussion driven "Migraine Blues," a blend of swing and jump blues. "PJ in the 60s" opens as close to free playing as the group goes but quickly returns to the concept; again, the three saxophones enter into some pleasing dialog with Forrester and Dworkin later getting some quality solo time.

The tracks on Been Up So Long It Looks Like Down to Me are relatively compact, with one clocking in at under one minute; all having a contagious cheerfulness, modernly ostentatious and colorful textures. Like all of the compositions in the Microscopic Septet catalog, there is an unaffected and timeless quality to the music that will appeal to those who favor mainstream as well as the more exploratory listener. ~ Karl Ackermann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/been-up-so-long-it-looks-like-down-to-me-the-micros-play-the-blues-microscopic-septet-cuneiform-records-review-by-karl-ackermann.php

Personnel: Phillip Johnston: soprano saxophone; Don Davis: alto saxophone; Mike Hashim: tenor saxophone; Dave Sewelson: baritone saxophone; Joel Forrester: piano; Dave Hofstra: bass; Richard Dworkin: drums.

Been Up So Long It Looks Like Down To Me: The Micros Play The Blues

Friday, April 5, 2019

Art Pepper - Cinnamon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:41
Size: 71,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:59) 1. Chili Pepper
(2:54) 2. Surf Ride
(3:10) 3. Cinnamon
(3:15) 4. Nutmeg
(3:14) 5. Susie The Poodle
(3:11) 6. Holiday Flight
(2:52) 7. Straight Life
(3:29) 8. Thyme Time
(3:07) 9. Art's Oregano
(2:26) 10. Brown Gold

Despite a remarkably colorful and difficult life, Art Pepper was quite consistent in the recording studios; virtually every recording he made is well worth hearing. In the 1950s, he was one of the few altoists (along with Lee Konitz and Paul Desmond) who was able to develop his own sound despite the dominant influence of Charlie Parker. During his last years, Pepper seemed to put all of his life's experiences into his music and he played with startling emotional intensity. After a brief stint with Gus Arnheim, Pepper played with mostly black groups on Central Avenue in Los Angeles. He spent a little time in the Benny Carter and Stan Kenton orchestras before serving time in the military (1944-1946). Some of Pepper's happiest days were during his years with Stan Kenton (1947-1952), although he became a heroin addict during that period. The '50s found the altoist recording frequently both as a leader and a sideman, resulting in at least two classics (Plays Modern Jazz Classics and Meets the Rhythm Section), but he also served two jail sentences stemming from drug offenses in 1953 and 1956. Pepper was in top form during his Contemporary recordings of 1957-1960, but the first half of his career ended abruptly with long prison sentences that dominated the '60s. His occasional gigs between jail terms found him adopting a harder tone influenced by John Coltrane that disturbed some of his longtime followers.

He recorded with Buddy Rich in 1968 before getting seriously ill and seeking rehabilitation at Synanon (1969-1971). Pepper began his serious comeback in 1975 and the unthinkable happened: Under the guidance and inspiration of his wife Laurie, Pepper not only recovered his former form, but topped himself with intense solos that were quite unique; he also enjoyed playing clarinet occasionally. His recordings for Contemporary and Galaxy rank with the greatest work of his career. Pepper's autobiography Straight Life (written with his wife) is a brutally honest book that details his sometimes horrifying life. Art Pepper died of a cerebral hemorrhage on June 15, 1982 at the age of 56. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/art-pepper-mn0000505047/biography

Cinnamon

Cecil Payne - The Very Best Of

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:51
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:50) 1. Man Of Moods
(7:50) 2. Arnetta
(5:29) 3. I'm Gonna Learn Your Style
(3:40) 4. Tall Grass
(6:40) 5. Saucer Eyes
(5:35) 6. Bringing Up Father
(6:21) 7. Like Church
(4:24) 8. This Time The Dream's On Me
(3:50) 9. Dexterity
(4:00) 10. Yes, He's Gone
(4:47) 11. How Deep Is The Ocean
(5:00) 12. Groovin' High
(3:20) 13. Chessman's Delight

Acclaimed by peers and critics among the finest baritone saxophonists of the bebop era, Cecil Payne remains best remembered for his three-year stint with Dizzy Gillespie's seminal postwar big band. Born in Brooklyn, NY, on December 14, 1922, Payne began playing saxophone at age 13, gravitating to the instrument after hearing Lester Young's work on Count Basie's "Honeysuckle Rose." Young's supple, lilting tone remained a profound influence throughout Payne's career. After learning to play under the tutelage of local altoist Pete Brown, Payne gigged in a series of local groups before receiving his draft papers in 1942. He spent the four years playing with a U.S. Army band, and upon returning to civilian life made his recorded debut for Savoy in support of J.J. Johnson. During a brief stint with Roy Eldridge, Payne put down his alto and first adopted the baritone. Later that year he joined the Gillespie orchestra, earning renown for his unusually graceful approach to a historically unwieldy instrument. Payne appears on most of Gillespie's key recordings from this period, including "Cubano-Be/Cubano-Bop," and solos on cuts like "Ow!" and "Stay on It," but despite near-universal respect among the jazz cognoscenti, he remained a little-known and even neglected figure throughout his career. After exiting the Gillespie ranks in 1949, Payne headlined a session for Decca backed by pianist Duke Jordan and trumpeter Kenny Dorham. Following tenures with Tadd Dameron and Coleman Hawkins, in 1952 Payne launched a two-year stint with Illinois Jacquet, and in 1956, he toured Sweden alongside childhood friend Randy Weston. That same year, Payne also headlined the Savoy LP Patterns of Jazz. In 1957, he and fellow baritonist Pepper Adams backed the legendary John Coltrane on Dakar.

Shortly after the session he abandoned the music business to work for his father's real estate firm and did not return to performing until 1960. The following year Payne joined the cast of playwright Jack Gelber's off-Broadway hit The Connection, an exposé of the urban drug culture informed by its on-stage jazz performances. From there, he again toured Europe, this time as a member of Lionel Hampton's band, but returned stateside only to resume his real estate work. Payne recorded just a handful of sessions in the years to follow, most notably Zodiac, a superb 1969 date for the Strata-East label. He nevertheless remained a valued sideman, working with Machito from 1963 to 1966 and spending the next two years with Woody Herman. In 1969, he joined Basie, with whom he played for three years. Payne spent the 1970s on and off the radar, cutting sessions for Xanadu and Muse as well as joining the New York Jazz Repertory Orchestra in 1974. He also toured Europe in conjunction with a musical theater showcase titled The Musical Life of Charlie Parker. During the 1980s, he focused his energies into Dameronia, a band formed by drummer Philly Joe Jones in tribute to the music of Tadd Dameron. Payne continued with the ensemble throughout the decade, assuming an even greater creative role following Jones' 1985 death. He also rejoined Jacquet for an extended stint, and toured the New York City club circuit with Bebop Generation, a sextet he founded and led. During the early '90s, Payne helmed a series of well-regarded albums for Delmark. However, as the decade wore on he seemed to vanish, and eventually friends and admirers found him living in his Brooklyn home, a virtual recluse suffering from failing eyesight and living on a modicum of food. A proud, fiercely independent man, Payne only grudgingly accepted the financial assistance of the Jazz Foundation of America, but his health quickly improved and in time he returned to performing. He continued playing regularly well into his eighties, passing away November 27, 2007, just weeks shy of his 85th birthday. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cecil-payne-mn0000661645/biography

The Very Best Of

Al Haig - Trio And Quintet!

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 115,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:40) 1. Maxology
(5:53) 2. Prince Albert
(6:10) 3. Yesterdays
(3:37) 4. Maximum
(4:01) 5. Just One Of Those Things
(3:09) 6. Yardbird Suite
(2:43) 7. Taboo
(4:55) 8. Mighty Like A Rose
(3:38) 9. S'Wonderful
(1:51) 10. Spotlight
(5:26) 11. 'Round Midnight
(2:49) 12. The Moon Was Yellow

One of the finest pianists of the bop era (and one who learned from Bud Powell's innovations quite early), Al Haig was quite busy during two periods of his career but unfortunately was pretty obscure in the years between. After serving in the Coast Guard (playing in bands during 1942-1944) and freelancing around Boston, Haig worked steadily with Dizzy Gillespie (1945-1946), Charlie Parker (1948-1950), and Stan Getz (1949-1951); and was on many recordings, mostly as a sideman (including some classic Diz and Bird sessions) but also as a leader for Spotlite, Dawn, and Prestige. However (other than little-known dates in 1954 for Esoteric, Swing, and Period), Haig did not lead any more albums until 1974. He played fairly often during the 1951-1973 period, but was generally overlooked. That changed during his last decade, when he was finally recognized as a bop giant and recorded for Spotlite, Choice, SeaBreeze, Interplay, and several Japanese and European labels. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/al-haig-mn0000604469/biography

Personnel: Piano – Al Haig; Bass – Bill Crow, Tommy Potter ; Drums – Lee Abrams, Max Roach; Tenor Saxophone – James Moody; Trumpet – Kenny Dorham

Trio And Quintet!

David Giardina - Crooning In Public

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:23
Size: 107,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:08) 1. Stairway to Paradise
(5:13) 2. Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair
(3:03) 3. Poor Butterfly
(2:10) 4. Do It Again
(3:12) 5. Glow Worm
(4:12) 6. Danny Boy - Londonderry Air
(2:11) 7. Sympathy
(3:54) 8. Tristesse
(2:55) 9. What More Can I Ask For
(4:22) 10. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
(3:03) 11. I Want What I Want (When I Want it)
(3:09) 12. None But the Lonely Heart
(3:30) 13. A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody
(3:14) 14. April Showers

“Croon Prince” David Giardina is doing it in public! Crooning that is. Giardina has been a crusader and interpreter of the timeless treasures of Tin Pan Alley since the early 1990’s. His first album “Alive In Tin Pan Alley!” showcased many beloved songs from this golden age of American popular music. In his latest album "Crooning In Public" he has put together some more classic songs that are now in the public domain. The album features selections by tune-writing teams George/Ira Gershwin, Henderson/Brown/DeSilva and Tchaikovsky/Goethe. Can’t make this stuff up! You’ll also hear songs by Irving Berlin, Victor Herbert, Stephen Foster and the last surviving Tin Pan Alley song writer Bernie Bierman plus many others. Some of the tunes are famous, some are..surprises. Special thanks to celebrated concert pianist Paul Bisaccia for his stellar work on most of the tracks. Also thanks to the incomparable Mark York for his fantastic work on "Poor Butterfly" and to Stu Chamberlain (piano) and Susan Mitchell (violin) for their wonderful playing on "What More Can i ask For". Should Crooning in Public be a crime? You be the judge. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/davidgiardina12

Crooning In Public

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Eric Le Lann, Archie Shepp - Live in Paris

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:48
Size: 165,3 MB
Art: Front

( 8:31) 1. Delicated to bessie smith
(13:19) 2. Hope two
( 6:19) 3. The man I love
(12:50) 4. Ask me now
(12:13) 5. Circle
( 5:19) 6. Twins valse
(13:14) 7. Things ain't what they used to be

"We are at the little newspaper Montparnasse Shepp who gives the voice, who blows fire on his quartet ... The Lann is even particularly highlighted on two of his titles ... and we say that for once, we just attended a concert where something really happened . " A. MERLIN / JAZZMAN. " Quarrelsome twins in a symbiotic breath, Eric Le Lann and Archie Shepp leave little time for the Petit Journal to breathe." R. GUYOMARC'H / IMPROJAZZ. "One is a living legend of jazz, the other might well be. Translate by Google http://www.lozproduction.fr/en/cddownload/archie-shepp-eric-le-lann/74-live-in-paris.html

Personnel: Éric Le Lann - trumpet; Archie Shepp - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Richard Clements - piano; Wayne Dockery - bass; Stephen McCraven - drums

Live in Paris

Honi Gordon - Honi Gordon Sings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:36
Size: 77,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:35) 1. Strollin'
(2:28) 2. Ill Wind (You're Blowing Me No Good)
(5:16) 3. My Kokomo
(4:57) 4. Why Try to Change Me Now
(3:19) 5. Cupid
(3:08) 6. Walkin' (Out the Door)
(3:25) 7. Why
(3:40) 8. Love Affair
(2:43) 9. Lament of the Lonely

Honi Gordon's obscurity (this was her only recording as a solo singer) is a mystery for she displays a great deal of talent on this date. Her father George Gordon wrote some of the tricky lyrics (which are phrased like a horn) and Honi (who is given stimulating support by pianist Jaki Byard, Ken McIntyre on flute and alto, guitarist Wally Richardson, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Ed Shaughnessy) is up to the job. Her version of Charles Mingus's "Strollin'" is definitive, she finds something new to say on "Ill Wind" and really digs into the originals. This is bop-based jazz singing at its best. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/honi-gordon-sings-mw0000273471

Personnel: Honi Gordon – vocals; Ken McIntyre – alto sax, flute; Wally Richardson – guitar; Jaki Byard – piano; George Duvivier – bass; Ed Shaughnessy – drums

Thank You Luis!

Honi Gordon Sings

Marvin Stamm - Mystery Man

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:05
Size: 152,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:40) 1. Mark Time
(6:33) 2. Influence
(6:54) 3. Marionette
(7:51) 4. Man With the Cucumber (Mannen Med Gurkan)
(6:10) 5. Re-Re
(7:34) 6. Giuseppe
(6:07) 7. Old Ballad
(8:15) 8. Mystery Man
(6:13) 9. A Method To The Madness
(3:45) 10. My Funny Valentine

Trumpeter Marvin Stamm, rather than drag out the usual bebop standards, mostly introduces new material on his CD. Four songs are played by Berg's quartet with pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Mike Richmond, and drummer Terry Clarke; six add Bob Mintzer's tenor, and of those songs, three find Bob Malach (on tenor and soprano) making the band a sextet. Because Stamm paid as much attention to varying tempos and moods as he did to changing the instrumentation, this set holds one's interest throughout, swinging hard in a modern fashion. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/mystery-man-mw0000619145

Personnel: Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Marvin Stamm; Bass – Mike Richmond; Drums – Terry Clarke; Piano – Bill Charlap; Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer , Bob Malach

Mystery Man

Tommy Flanagan Trio - Tommy Flanagan Trio

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:37
Size: 77,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:41) 1. In The Blue Of The Evening
(4:27) 2. You Got To My Head
(5:19) 3. Velvet Moon
(3:35) 4. Come Sunday - Solo Piano
(4:22) 5. Born To Be Blue
(5:30) 6. Jes' Fine - Instrumental
(6:39) 7. In A Sentimental Mood

Since this set (reissued on CD) was originally recorded for the Prestige subsidiary Moodsville, most of the selections are taken at slow tempoes. With bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Roy Haynes giving the pianist fine support, the trio cooks a bit on Flanagan's "Jes' Fine" but otherwise plays such songs as "You Go to My Head," "Come Sunday" (which is taken as a solo piano feature) and "Born to Be Blue" quietly and with taste. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/tommy-flanagan-trio-1960-mw0000340355

Personnel: Tommy Flanagan - piano; Tommy Potter - bass; Roy Haynes - drums

Tommy Flanagan Trio

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Marvin Stamm Quartet - Alone Together

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:35
Size: 169,1 MB
Art: Front

(13:51) 1. Alone Together
( 9:35) 2. Come Out and Play
(13:30) 3. Invitation
( 7:35) 4. Baubles, Bangles, and Beads
( 7:09) 5. Lagrima Agradecida
( 6:16) 6. Fun House
( 6:49) 7. When She Looks At Me
( 8:48) 8. T's Butter

Alone Together is not only another splendid album by trumpeter Marvin Stamm's quartet (does he ever produce anything less?), it also comes with a bonus a Dvd whose playing sequence duplicates the Cd and allows one to see and hear Stamm, pianist Bill Mays, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ed Soph as they study one another, alertly interact and carefully work things out in a concert taped on November 2006. The quartet as it now stands has been performing together for more than a dozen years, and the rapport and camaraderie are readily apparent. These gentlemen are longtime friends who obviously take pleasure in playing together. You can hear it on the Cd, and see it in their faces on the Dvd. Stamm underscores the point in his cogent liner notes: "Our sensitivity to one another is the only boundary; and because this is an innate quality within each of us, it allows us complete freedom of expression. This is the joy of our playing together.

That freedom is immediately visible on "Alone Together, on which Mays "plucks the piano strings to lend a bracing twist to his solo, and surfaces elsewhere throughout the invigorating session. This is especially true on Mays' playful "Fun House, which swings happily along behind gregarious solos by Mays and Stamm. Mays also wrote "Lagrima Agradecida, Stamm the ballad "When She Looks at Me and the mercurial "T's Butter, Reid the lively "Come Out and Play. Completing the program are Bronislau Kaper's haunting "Invitation, Robert Wright and George Forrest's "Baubles, Bangles and Beads (from the Broadway musical Kismet) and the title song by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz. The recording is crystal clear, albeit slanted a bit too heavily toward Mays' piano. No problem during solos, but his comping is at times intrusive. Not his fault, of course. Soph and Reid fare better, balance-wise. Reid has a number of tasteful solos, while Soph unleashes his impressive arsenal on "T's Butter, following the last of Stamm's admirable solos. As both the Cd and Dvd have playing times approaching an hour and a quarter, there's no cause for complaint in that area. Any written appraisal, of course, only scratches the surface. As Stamm observes, "One can talk and write about the music, but in reality, it is all in the listening. The suggestion here is that you take his advice and listen (and see) for yourself. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/alone-together-marvin-stamm-jazzed-media-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Marvin Stamm: trumpet, flugelhorn; Bill Mays: piano; Rufus Reid: bass; Ed Soph: drums.

Alone Together

Viktor Lazlo - Amour(s)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:52
Size: 140,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:53) 1. Orage
(4:33) 2. Fleur
(4:11) 3. En Cas D'Amour
(3:57) 4. Les Passagers Du Vent
(5:06) 5. If One More Day
(4:18) 6. Danse
(4:18) 7. Si Moi, Si Lui
(3:33) 8. Don't Ask (English version of
(4:02) 9. The Sound of Expectation
(3:57) 10. Un Million D'Annees
(3:27) 11. Besame Mucho
(3:45) 12. It's a Message For You
(4:19) 13. Overjoyed
(3:32) 14. Tout Contre Lui
(3:53) 15. Someone (English version of Or

A stylish and sensual singer, Sonia Dronier became Viktor Lazlo when Belgian producer Francis Depryck discovered her and put together a package inspired by strong sexuality and black-and-white film. Born in Lorient, France, Dronier spent her college years studying and modeling in Brussels, Belgium. After she spent some time singing backup vocals in Depryck's band Lou & the Hollywood Bananas, the producer rounded up a set of nostalgic and noir-flavored songs and renamed her after a character in the Humphrey Bogart classic Casablanca. The stylish full-length She began her career in 1985 with a mix of songs sung in French, English, and Spanish. A French-language cover of Julie London's "Cry Me a River" ("Pleurer des Rivières") became a big hit across Europe a year later. In 1987 she hosted the televised broadcast of the Eurovision contest, which was held in Belgium that year. That same year she had another Euro hit with "Breathless," a duet with American singer James Ingram. After a move back to France in 1989 she released a series of successful albums before the ambitious Verso appeared in 1996 with funk and dub influences and a guest appearance from the classic reggae rhythm section of Sly & Robbie. Critical response to the album was so overwhelmingly positive that Dronier claimed interviews promoting the release had focused on her music instead of her clothes for the first time in her career. ~ David Jeffries https://www.allmusic.com/artist/viktor-lazlo-mn0000622920/biography

Amour(s)

Lee Morgan - Lee-Way

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1960/2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:25
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:25) 1. These Are Soulful Days
( 9:41) 2. The Lion And The Wolf
(12:09) 3. Midtown Blues
( 8:10) 4. Nakatini Suite

This date was one of trumpeter Lee Morgan's more obscure Blue Note sessions, but fortunately, it has been reissued on CD. Matched with altoist Jackie McLean, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey, Morgan interprets two of Cal Massey's compositions, McLean's "Midtown Blues" and his own blues "The Lion and the Wolf." The music is essentially hard bop with a strong dose of soul; the very distinctive styles of the principals are the main reasons to acquire this enjoyable music. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/lee-way-mw0000125017

Personnel: Lee Morgan - trumpet; Jackie McLean - alto saxophone; Bobby Timmons - piano; Paul Chambers - bass; Art Blakey - drums

Lee-Way

Buddy Morrow - Music for Dancing Feet

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1957/2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:53
Size: 77,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:40) 1. Music for Happy Feet
(2:07) 2. Who's Sorry Now
(3:06) 3. Scrub-A-Dub-Dub
(2:46) 4. So All Alone
(2:29) 5. Buddy's Blues
(2:42) 6. The Man with the Golden Arm
(2:08) 7. Bone Dance
(2:10) 8. Muskrat Ramble
(2:30) 9. Ron's Folly
(2:04) 10. Georgia Bop Dance
(2:25) 11. Ling Ting Tong
(5:40) 12. Carioca

Music for Dancing Feet

Microscopic Septet - Off Beat Glory

Styles: Progressive Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:09
Size: 97,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:39) 1. Brooklyn In The Fifties
(4:44) 2. Baghdad Blues
(5:16) 3. Crepuscule With Nellie
(7:34) 4. In The Mission
(2:44) 5. March Of The Video Reptiles
(5:13) 6. I Saw You In Utah (Idaho)
(4:01) 7. I Am The Police
(6:54) 8. By You, Do You Mean You Or Me?

The Microscopic Septet's third album may not have differed too much in spirit from their first two and certainly covers no particularly new ground, but there's still a good deal of enjoyment in listening to these strange fellows go about their business. The off-kilter melodies tinged with noir, the tight, richly arranged horn lines, and, above all, the mischievous humor of the compositions are all still intact. Pieces like co-leader Phillip Johnston's "Baghdad Blues" are still apt to turn on a dime from a smoky torch song to a carousing, rhythmic dynamo. There is, perhaps, something of a drop-off in the level of manic enthusiasm that made their first release, Take the Z Train, so surprising and gripping; some of the tunes drag just a bit. On the other hand, this was the first recording to feature tenor saxophonist Paul Shapiro, who brought a wonderful robustness and soul to the band; he's featured on Johnston's delightful (and delightfully titled) "I Saw You in Utah (Idaho)," with its jaunty hoedown echoes.

When it came to song titles, it was tough to surpass the Micros, and "By You, Do You Mean You or Me?," which closes out the album, is a fine encapsulation of what the band was about: A romantic, winsome opening theme on soprano merging into a raucous rhythm & blues stomper, with baritone player Dave Sewelson on top roaring while the band layers riff after inspired riff behind him and eventually lapses into a gorgeous dirge. Off Beat Glory isn't the best of the four records they released, but it contains more than enough special moments to make it well-worth the purchase. ~ Brian Olewnick https://www.allmusic.com/album/off-beat-glory-mw0000890167

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Paul Shapiro; Soprano Saxophone – Phillip Johnston; Alto Saxophone – Don Davis ; Baritone Saxophone – Dave Sewelson ; Bass, Tuba – David Hofstra; Drums – Richard Dworkin; Piano – Joel Forrester

Off Beat Glory