Johnny Smith - Legends: Solo Guitar Performances

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:03
Size: 146,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:20)  1. I'm Old Fashioned
(2:07)  2. Macho's Lullaby
(2:47)  3. 'Round Midnight
(1:30)  4. Wally's Waltz
(2:28)  5. Black, Black, Black
(3:02)  6. Golden Earrings
(1:33)  7. Romance De Los Pinos
(3:01)  8. Norteña
(2:12)  9. Maid With The Flaxen Hair
(2:33) 10. Waltz
(3:55) 11. The Old Castle
(4:17) 12. Sevilla
(2:21) 13. Cheek To Cheek
(4:15) 14. A Foggy Day
(1:12) 15. Tangerine
(2:19) 16. Sunny
(1:23) 17. Why Was I Born?
(2:36) 18. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(5:22) 19. Tea For Two
(4:32) 20. The Man I Love
(1:42) 21. For You
(2:04) 22. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(2:22) 23. I Could Write A Book

Despite the impression one could reasonably get from the cover of this reissue, these two guitar legends do not perform together, unfortunately. The next best thing are these solo sessions recorded almost 20 years apart. The first 12 items on the play list belong to Smith and capture his tasteful, clean sound coupled with complex chordal voices, which helped Smith in his adventures with playing classical compositions, including for the fabled Arturo Toscanini. Cuts that remind the listener of Smith's occasional classical foray include "Romance de los Pinos," "The Old Castle," and "Maid With the Flaxen Hair." But Smith was no slouch with constructing unique renditions of popular music. In 1952, teaming with Stan Getz, he made one of the best-selling jazz recordings of all times, "Moonlight in Vermont," which still sold well 50 years later. Van Eps was the master of the seven-string guitar, which allowed him to play his own basslines, well demonstrated on such cuts as "Tea for Two." The 11 pieces assigned to Van Eps reveal a predilection for highly rhythmic versions of well-known pop classics. Perhaps not as multi-faceted as Smith, he nonetheless had a fully developed style that approached the depth and complexity of Smith's. This can be heard on such cuts as "I Hadn't Anyone Till You" and "A Foggy Day." Besides which, he could and did swing. Although sideman on many a session, Van Eps left behind a relatively meager discography as a leader. These solo offerings are among his best. Although the styles of these two guitarists may go down different paths, their excellent technical skills, fully elevated imagination, and sensitivity to what they play clearly establish them among the elite of guitar players, true legends indeed. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-solo-guitar-performances-mw0000118935

Personnel:  Guitar – George Van Eps (tracks: 13 1o 23), Johnny Smith (tracks: 1 to 12).

Legends:Solo Guitar Performances

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Alex Welsh - Strike One

Styles: Trumpet, Dixieland, Swing 
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:21
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Louisiana
(4:17)  2. I Wished On The Moon
(3:25)  3. Open Country
(5:06)  4. Davenport Blues
(4:17)  5. I Got Rhythm
(5:42)  6. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
(3:45)  7. Bluesology
(3:39)  8. Oh Baby
(3:19)  9. That Old Feeling
(4:00) 10. Strike One
(2:29) 11. My Blushing Rosie
(2:41) 12. When The Midnight Choo Choo Leaves
(3:35) 13. Sunday
(2:20) 14. Broken Doll

Highland high notes are what Alex Welsh blew. He was one of the great trad jazz players from the United Kingdom and one of the first Scottish musicians to make a name for himself in a genre far removed from bagpipes and haggis. He began his musical life in Leith on the smaller cornet, later switching to trumpet with either horn case in his hand finding an immediate home for his playing on the traditional jazz scene. That was fine with him, since he had loved jazz since his high school days. The teenage Leith Silver Band and later gigs with Archie Semple's Capital Jazz Band represented the earliest phases of his gigging. He moved to London in the early '50s, forming a new band that rushed to the head of its class like a genius dropped into the fourth grade. Showing the type of aplomb and taste that would serve him well throughout his bandleading career, Welsh made sure every position in the band was filled with an expert, exciting player. While some rival bands in this style focused on their stage costumes and antics or recorded in the pop style to break onto the charts, Welsh always put the integrity of the music first. 

His hope was to reach the type of intense, swinging interplay that was part of the best Chicago-style Dixieland jazz and at least some degree of success can be inferred from Welsh's following among trad jazz listeners, and even more from the respect he received from top American players such as Pee Wee Russell and Wild Bill Davison. Welsh's homegrown sidemen over the years included Archie Semple, Fred Hunt, Roy Crimmins, Roy Williams, John Barnes, Lennie Hastings, and Al Gay. In the '60s and early '70s, Welsh frequently toured, including several trips to the United States and performances with the likes of pianist Earl Hines and trumpeter Ruby Braff. Influenced by fellow trad jazz bandleader Chris Barber, Welsh developed a big repertoire, working from popular music as well as jazz and building up a large mainstream following for ensembles. If there was any real sense of blues to the proceedings, it would have been in memory of the first generation of sidemen who had built the band up from the ground, but who were no longer alive to enjoy the level of success the group had now achieved. By the mid-'70s, Welsh's health was also failing, but the trumpeter continued reaching for the high notes as long as he could. The BBC commissioned the '90s Lemonade King, described as "a 30-minute documentary about the life and music of the late, great Scottish jazz trumpet player Alex Welsh."~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alex-welsh-mn0000619892/biography

Strike One

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Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass - Atras Da Porta

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:57
Size: 113,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Easy To Love
(5:24)  2. Flowers
(4:59)  3. Jo Jo's Dance
(5:46)  4. Atras Da Porta
(8:48)  5. Amor Ate O Fim
(7:11)  6. Autumn In New York
(4:57)  7. Didi
(6:34)  8. Bye Bye Blues

Virtually every release by Rob McConnell's Boss Brass is easily recommended to fans of straight-ahead and swinging big bands. Put out by the Canadian Innovation label, this release is a bit unusual in that five of the songs are by Latin American composers, two of which were arranged Jorge Calandrelli; in addition, the 22-piece orchestra plays "Easy to Love," "Autumn In New York," and "Bye Bye Blues." Although the material might be a bit different than usual, the band's distinctive sound is unchanged, and there is plenty of solo space for the usual top-notch players altoist Moe Koffman, guitarist Ed Bickert, flugelhornist Guido Basso, and Eugene Amaro on tenor. An interesting set that finds the big band showing a lot of flexibility. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/atras-da-porta-mw0000195203

Personnel:  Valve Trombone – Rob McConnell;  Alto Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Jerry Toth; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute – Moe Koffman; Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Bob Leonard;  Bass – Steve Wallace; Bass Trombone – Ron Hughes; Drums – Terry Clarke; French Horn – George Stimpson, James MacDonald; Guitar – Ed Bickert; Percussion – Brian Leonard , Memo Acevedo; Piano, Electric Piano – Jimmy Dale; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Eugene Amaro; Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Rick Wilkins; Trombone – Bob Livingston , Dave McMurdo; Trombone [Lead] – Ian McDougall; Trumpet [Associate Lead], Flugelhorn – Erich Traugott; Trumpet [Lead], Flugelhorn – Arnie Chycoski; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Dave Woods , Guido Basso, John MacLeod 

Atras Da Porta

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Miki Howard - Private Collection

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:36
Size: 85,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Crazee
(4:16)  2. Favorite Time of the Year
(3:57)  3. Beer for Breakfast
(3:54)  4. She
(5:08)  5. You Made Me Love You
(2:43)  6. Skylark
(4:02)  7. Secret Love
(3:44)  8. Days of Wine and Roses
(2:16)  9. Guess Who?
(2:28) 10. Counting My Blessings

There is no doubt about the album of the month pick this time especially when this CD is also an extremely strong candidate for album of the year. Miki Howard’s previous CD Pillow Talk her first in five years was a collection of her favorite soul standards. When reviewing that album, I stated that I was “very happy that so many tracks have received a jazzy arrangement with lots of real instruments, and Miki is really in her element singing very personal readings of Inseparable, This Masquerade or Go Away Little Boy”. On this new album, Miki continues her exploration of standard songs, interpreting five of her favourite jazz ballads, but what is even more important, she opens the set with five brand new songs  all of which sound like instant classics! Miki is no novice at interpreting jazz standards: on her previous recordings, she has covered Imagination, You’ve Changed, Good Morning Heartache, This Bitter Earth and an albumful of Billie Holiday covers (Miki Sings Billie). You can thus easily believe that Miki is on familiar ground when she interprets Skylark, Secret Love, Days of Wine and Roses, Guess Who and Counting My Blessings. They are all backed by a genuine jazz trio of drums, piano and bass no saxophone this time. 

The overall atmosphere is quite serene, allowing Miki’s full-blown vocals to take the centre stage. I truly enjoyed every second. Still, I think the main course on Private Collection are the five new songs, on which the overall standard is sky high. They are produced by Miki herself together with Chuckii Booker. The set opens with the brilliant jazzy mid-tempo song Crazee, which really sounds like a classic but is a brand new song. The backdrop swings in an admirable way, driven by a strong bass line, piano riff and jazzy drumming, and in the middle of the track we are offered a lively piano solo. Miki herself sounds better and better each year, and I cannot imagine any other songstress to surpass her tasty performance on this pulsating masterpiece. Certainly among the top picks when we compile our year-end Quality Time top 30 list. The following track Favorite Time of the Year is equally breathtaking. It is a profound soul-jazz ballad with powerfully charged vocals by Miki from the very first second. It’s another track that will be listened intensively in this household years later. Beer for Breakfast is a song title that will delight beer aficionados amongst our readers  the actual song is quite impressive too, being a down-to-earth bluesy tune with great lyrics. The next two songs are obviously aimed for soul lovers. Those who adored Miki’s work with Gerald Levert and Marc Gordon in the late 80s, will undoubtedly fall in love with a track titled She, which sounds like late Mr. Levert would have masterminded both the composition and the arrangement. Chuckii Booker was of course also active on those times, producing many great soul artists like Lalah Hathaway, Marva Hicks, Angela Winbush and his godfather Barry White whereas Chuckii’s solo albums on Atlantic were from 1989 and 1992. 

Even much better is, though, the next new song You Made Me Love You, which rivals earlier Miki Howard classics such as Love Under New Management. I personally described Love Under New Management as a heavily gospel-influenced burner, and precisely the same description fits to You Made Me Love You; a majestic new composition with wonderful bitter-sweet lyrics and Miki’s powerful, emotional interpretation. https://www.soulexpress.net/mikihoward_privatecollection.htm

Personnel:  Miki Howard – Vocals, Composer; Chuckii Booker – Keyboards, Background Vocals, Composer; Brandon McCune – Piano; Trevor Allen – Bass; Producer – Chuckii Booker, Brandon McCune, Miki Howard

Private Collection

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Jimmy Woods - Awakening!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:37
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Awakening!
(4:22)  2. Circus
(7:54)  3. Not Yet
(3:37)  4. A New Twist
(6:38)  5. Love For Sale
(5:11)  6. Roma
(5:45)  7. Little Jim
(4:01)  8. Anticipation

Fantastic work by this obscure LA legend! Jimmy Woods was one of the unsung geniuses of the west coast scene at the start of the 60s and the few recordings he ever made stand as some of the best examples of how the avant garde was feeding into the hard bop scene out there and with fantastic results! Jimmy's alto is hard and biting throughout and although it veers in the direction of Ornette Coleman at times, the overall conception is very much Woods' own with a starkly clear voice that should have made him one of the key figures in 60s modern jazz. The rest of the group includes the great (and also underrecorded) Joe Gordon on trumpet, plus Amos Trice on piano, Milt Turner on drums, and either Gary Peacock or the highly rhythmic Jimmy Bond on bass. Titles include "Awakening", "Roma", "Not Yet", "New Twist", "Little Jim", and "Anticipation".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/7830/Jimmy-Woods:Awakening

Personnel: Jimmy Woods - alto saxophone;  Milton Turner - drums

Awakening!

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Don Burrows, James Morrison - In Good Company

Styles: Flute, Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 121:09
Size: 279,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:57)  1. (You’d Be So) Easy To Love
( 3:46)  2. A Day In The Life Of A Fool (Manhã de Carnaval)
( 3:44)  3. I Fall In Love Too Easily
( 5:13)  4. Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone
( 7:29)  5. I Thought About You
( 5:55)  6. The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)
( 5:05)  7. Teach Me Tonight
( 6:11)  8. What’s New?
( 8:05)  9. Sweet Georgia Brown
( 7:51) 10. Donna Lee
( 8:00) 11. The 6th Variation
( 3:55) 12. Honeysuckle Rose
( 9:40) 13. Lace Embrace
( 3:48) 14. Squeeze Me
(12:10) 15. Basin Street Blues
( 7:12) 16. There Will Never Be Another You
(10:48) 17. Satin Doll
( 6:11) 18. Essa Cara

James’s latest release “In Good Company” with Don Burrows has remained in the Top 10 of the Aria Jazz Charts since its debut at No 2. After 10 weeks, fans still can’t get enough of this landmark recording. Don Burrows, widely regarded as the Father of Australian Jazz, recently retired from live appearances after a stellar career at the forefront of world jazz for more than 60 years and its fitting that his last recording should be with his protege, James Morrison. As James says “Don has many great sayings but one struck me the most Don loved playing with other people and he said ‘You’re only as good as the company you keep’. In his company, I’ve been at my best.” http://www.jamesmorrison.com/latest-news/in-good-company-with-don-burrows/

Personnel: Don Burrows (alto flute/clarinet/alto saxophone), Morrison (trombone/bass trumpet/trumpet), Phil Stack (acoustic bass) and a range of excellent ensembles.

In Good Company

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Lola Albright - Best Of Lola Albright

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:35
Size: 161,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Dreamsville
(2:56)  2. Straight To Baby
(3:14)  3. Two Sleepy People
(1:55)  4. All Of You
(2:43)  5. Soft Sounds
(2:28)  6. Goodbye My Lover
(2:43)  7. I've Got A Crush On You
(2:36)  8. Slow And Easy
(2:50)  9. You're Driving Me Crazy
(2:36) 10. Aren't You Kinda Glad We Did
(2:19) 11. Put Your Arms Around Me
(3:23) 12. Brief And Breezy
(2:22) 13. How High the Moon
(2:06) 14. Candy
(2:31) 15. Do What You Gotta Do
(2:51) 16. He's My Guy
(2:27) 17. Think Of Me
(3:57) 18. It's Always You
(3:08) 19. Just You, Just Me
(2:44) 20. A Man, A Man, A Man
(3:00) 21. Sorta Blue
(2:45) 22. There's A Man In My Life
(2:20) 23. Here 'Tis
(2:48) 24. They Didn't Believe Me
(3:12) 25. We Kiss In A Shadow

Lola Albright is much better known as an actress than a vocalist. She enjoyed her greatest fame in the late-'50s and early-'60s television series Peter Gunn, playing Edie, the private detective's on-again, off-again love interest. Albright also appeared briefly in the '60s primetime soap opera Peyton Place, temporarily replacing the lead star Dorothy Malone for a few months when Malone became ill in the fall of 1965. Though Albright portrayed a nightclub singer on Peter Gunn, she was never a notable vocalist. Her delivery and style were in the "torch" and light pop mode, somewhat similiar to Julie London though not as effective. Her commercial appeal was directly linked to the popularity of Peter Gunn. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lola-albright-mn0000829086

Best Of Lola Albright

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Didier Lockwood - Fasten Seat Belts

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:53
Size: 92,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Fasten Seat Belts
(4:20)  2. The Spy
(7:06)  3. Aorta
(2:32)  4. Boîte a musique
(3:56)  5. Aldino
(4:56)  6. Isn't She Lovely
(7:20)  7. He's Still Around
(4:41)  8. Mr. Piflos

Violinist Didier Lockwood's early MPS recordings were made available in the U.S. by Pausa, but are currently out of print. His 1981 quartet (which also includes keyboardist Francis Lockwood, electric bassist Jean-Michel Kajdan and drummer Kirt Rust) is joined on some cuts by tenorman Bob Malach. Other than Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely," all of the music is by band members. Despite some power by the ensembles and creative ideas, nothing very memorable occurs. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/fasten-seat-belts-mw0000891843

Personnel:  Violin, Mandolin – Didier Lockwood; Bass [Fender], Electric Guitar – Jean-Michel Kadjan; Drums – Kirt Rust; Piano [Fender Rhodes & Acoustic], Synthesizer [Prophet 5 & Minimoog] – Francis Lockwood; Saxophone [Tenor] – Bob Malach

Fasten Seat Belts

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Brian Bromberg - Brian Bromberg

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:21
Size: 150,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Summer Afternoon
(5:16)  2. Bass Face
(5:04)  3. Her Eyes Her Heart
(5:09)  4. My Brother
(5:03)  5. Tunnel Vision
(5:01)  6. I'll Be Around This Time
(5:02)  7. Intimidage
(4:07)  8. Yo!
(4:06)  9. Bern City
(6:54) 10. Sedona
(5:59) 11. The Blessing
(5:06) 12. Her Eyes Her Heart
(3:39) 13. My Bass

On his self-titled album for Nova, bassist Brian Bromberg employs a who's who of smooth jazz and fusion talent for a varied outing that runs the gamut. Kenny Rankin appears on the vocal version of the hit "Her Eyes, Her Heart,"  its instrumental is also included  while guitarist Lee Ritenour, keyboard and programming whiz Jeff Lorber, and Kirk Whalum trade places with the likes of jazz harmonica boss Toots Thielemans and saxophone master Ernie Watts, who get in the groove too. Ivan Lins lends his vocal talents to a few numbers as well. In some ways, this is a very schizophrenic recording, though it works well. 

There are groovers like the opener "Summer Afternoon," which walks the jazz-funk tightrope, smooth cuts like the aforementioned, "My Brother," and "Intimadagé," and knotty fusion workouts such as "Tunnel Vision," and "Sedona," and even big groovers like "Yo!," with Thielemans, and Bob Boykin's "Bern City." What makes the album hold together so beautifully is sequencing. It's a big, glossy production handled by Bromberg's brother David (no relation to the American roots music master), but gives listeners a bit of everything. [Artistry Music re-released the CD in 2005.] ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/brian-bromberg-mw0000349618

Brian Bromberg

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Glenn Miller - Jazz Moods - Hot

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:28
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. In the Mood
(2:52)  2. Runnin' Wild
(3:16)  3. A String of Pearls
(3:33)  4. King Porter Stomp
(3:26)  5. American Patrol
(3:02)  6. The Lady's In Love with You
(2:52)  7. Little Brown Jug
(3:01)  8. Glen Island Special
(3:29)  9. Chattanooga Choo-Choo
(3:29) 10. Tuxedo Junction
(2:50) 11. The Rhumba Jumps
(3:26) 12. Song of the Volga Boatmen
(2:33) 13. We Can Live On Love
(2:57) 14. Bugle Call Rag

This CD was released as part of the extensive Bluebird/Legacy Jazz Moods series. There are two ways to look at this release. The 14 selections, other than the fact that most of them are cookers (or, in the parlance of the swing era, solid senders), are reissued in random order. The exact recording dates are not given (just the year) nor is there a personnel listing. The only liner notes, a paragraph on the back cover, informs listeners that "the Miller band was a star-laden organization which at various times featured the greatest soloists...." Nope, Miller's band was famous for its precise ensembles and did not have any famous soloists. The notes also state that "'Moonlight Serenade' is here, of course, are such other Miller mega-hits originally made for Bluebird and Columbia as 'Little Brown Jug'...." "Moonlight Serenade" and "Little Brown Jug" are not on this sampler and Miller's early records for Columbia resulted in zero hits; none of the Columbia recordings are here anyway. On the other hand, the music that is included is quite fun and does stick mostly to the rousing instrumentals, so listeners just wanting a sampling of Miller's jazz side will find these performances enjoyable. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-moods-hot-mw0000453443

Jazz Moods - Hot

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Don Ellis - Live At Monterey

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:56
Size: 147,4 MB
Art: Front

( 1:18)  1. Introduction By Jimmy Lyons
( 8:50)  2. 33 222 1 222
( 6:39)  3. Passacaglia And Fugue
( 6:26)  4. Crete Idea
(12:50)  5. Concerto For Trumpet
( 6:35)  6. 27/16
( 9:07)  7. Beat Me Daddy, 7 To The Bar
(12:08)  8. New Nine

The first effort by the Don Ellis big band, as with all of his other orchestral projects, has yet to be reissued on CD. One of the most exciting new jazz big bands of the period, Ellis' ensemble became notorious for its ability to play coherently in odd time signatures. One of the four originals heard on this acclaimed outing from the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival is titled "33 222 1 222" to show how the band manages to perform in 19/4 time. The other selections are Hank Levy's "Passacaglia And Fugue," "Concerto For Trumpet" (in 5/4) and "New Nine." In addition to the time signatures, Ellis enjoyed utilizing unusual combinations of instruments; the instrumentation on this date consists of five trumpets, three trombones, five saxes, piano, three bassists, two drummers and a percussionist. Among the more notable sidemen are a young Tom Scott (who solos on alto) and tenor-saxophonist Ira Schulman. Highly recommended but unfortunately this album will be difficult to find. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-monterey-mw0000040544

Personnel:  Don Ellis - trumpet, arranger; Alan Weight, Ed Warren, Glenn Stuart, Paul Lopez - trumpet; Dave Wells, Ron Meyers - trombone; Terry Woodson - bass trombone; Ruben Leon - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Tom Scott - alto saxophone, saxello, flute; Ira Shulman - tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet; Ron Starr - tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet; John Magruder - baritone saxophone, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet; David MacKay - organ, piano; Frank DeLaRosa, Chuck Domanico, Ray Neapolitan - bass; Alan Estes, Steve Bohannon - drums; Chino Valdes - bongos, congas; Hank Levy - arranger

Live At Monterey

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Connie Russell - The Very Best Of

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:22
Size: 158,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:17)  1. Dream a Little Dream of Me
(3:47)  2. Prelude to a Kiss
(2:23)  3. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
(2:35)  4. All I Do Is Dream of You
(2:45)  5. You're My Thrill
(2:48)  6. That Old Feeling
(3:34)  7. For Every Man There's a Woman
(2:30)  8. You're My Man
(3:26)  9. Caravan
(4:31) 10. Angel Eyes
(2:13) 11. You and the Night and the Music
(2:19) 12. Close Your Eyes
(2:34) 13. Near You
(2:42) 14. Love Is a Simple Thing
(2:40) 15. Woman's Love
(2:32) 16. I Wanna Be Loved
(3:25) 17. Don't Smoke in Bed
(2:33) 18. The Thrill Is Gone
(3:44) 19. Lonely Town
(2:33) 20. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(2:26) 21. Take Me in Your Arms
(2:01) 22. Alone With You
(2:26) 23. The Touch of Your Lips
(2:28) 24. You've Changed

Shapely, sultry singer Connie Russell came from show biz parents and was already performing in her parent's song-and-dance vaudeville act by age two. The New York-born Connie, whose musical heritage included well-known vaudevillian and grandmother Marie Russell, traveled both in the U.S. and Europe during her early days. She turned solo at age 11 and, quite mature for her age, began booking her own shows at popular London night spots in her mid-teens. Making her musical film debut in Melody and Romance (1937) while in England, MGM signed her up and she appeared to good advantage in Lady Be Good (1941) in which she sang "Fascinating Rhythm" but, despite her pin-up good looks, did not go on to better things with the studio, appearing in nothing parts in Joe Smith, American (1942) and the Red Skelton/Eleanor Powell musical Ship Ahoy (1942). She also dubbed Claire Trevor's singing voice in the film Crossroads (1942). TV proved to be more viable medium for her when she auditioned for Dave Garroway and became a regular on his Garroway at Large (1949) show. She appeared on a number of variety TV shows for such luminaries as Morey Amsterdam, Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, Milton Berle and Eddie Cantor, and appeared in New York clubs in the early 50s. Returning to Hollywood she earned a strong showing in the musical film Cruisin' Down the River (1953) alongside Dick Haymes and became a prominent Las Vegas headliner. On the musical stage one of her most popular roles was in 1951's "South Pacific" as Nellie Forbush co-starring Richard Eastham," but hopes for the subsequent film role went down the tubes when the role went to Mitzi Gaynor. A solid recording artist with a jazzy style, her more popular renditions include "That's What a Rainy Day is For" and "You've Changed." Her last films were in This Is My Love (1954), in which she appeared as herself and sang the title tune, and the femme lead in the film noir thriller Nightmare (1956) with Kevin McCarthy and Edward G. Robinson. Marrying agent Mike Zimring, she abandoned her four-decade career after giving birth to her third daughter. She died in 1990 at age 67 of a heart ailment. Eldest daughter Lisa is also a singer.~ IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0751086/bio

The Very Best Of

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Jimmy Woods Sextet, Elvin Jones - Conflict

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:54
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Conflict
(6:01)  2. Coming Home
(7:57)  3. Aim
(6:44)  4. Apart Together
(5:50)  5. Look to Your Heart
(6:32)  6. Pazmuerte
(4:54)  7. Conflict (Alt. Take)
(7:12)  8. Aim (Alt. Take)
(5:53)  9. Look to Your Heart (Alt. Take)

Jimmy Woods was a talented musician who made few recorded appearances before vanishing into obscurity. Conflict is the second of two '60s solo records on Contemporary, the first already reissued in a previous batch of limited edition releases. It’s tempting to judge Woods solely on the company he keeps certainly the likes of Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones, and Harold Land don’t have to be bothered with middling talent. However, Woods proves he can more than handle the responsibilities on a program consisting entirely of forward-thinking, advanced hard bop originals, which also utilize inventive call-and-response riffs. “Conflict” is a lopsided blues with an edgy vamp from Hill which allows the front line to indulge in some grand exploratory work. On the other hand, “Apart Together” features a complicated head and the type of restless chord progressions that serious musicians love to dig in to. Woods demonstrates his ability to handle the changes and aptly deserves the company he keeps. Elvin Jones fits in his usual thunderous moments, and the rest of the sidemen, Hill and Carmell Jones in particular, are models of creative expression. Contemporary signed Woods after Ornette Coleman’s departure to Atlantic. While not quite an equal replacement, Woods proved that he was a talented musician whose time in the spotlight, for whatever reason, was brief. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/conflict-jimmy-woods-fantasy-jazz-review-by-david-rickert.php

Personnel: Jimmy Woods-alto sax; Carmell Jones-trumpet; Andrew Hill-piano; George Tucker-bass; Elvin Jones-drums.

Conflict

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Tex Beneke & His Orchestra - Stardust

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1956/2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:12
Size: 93,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. Stardust
(3:15)  2. Georgia On My Mind
(3:09)  3. Lazy River
(3:09)  4. Rockin' Chair
(3:18)  5. Lazy Bones
(3:07)  6. Riverboat Shuffle
(3:17)  7. East Of The Sun
(3:22)  8. Blue Champagne
(3:36)  9. St. Louis Blues March
(2:59) 10. Bye Bye Blues
(3:37) 11. Meadowlands
(3:01) 12. Blues In The Night March

The name Tex Beneke is inevitably linked to that of Glenn Miller, despite the fact that Beneke outlived Miller by over a half-century. As the most popular member of Miller's pre-World War II orchestra, featured on songs such as "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree," Beneke became a major fixture in the popular culture of the period, and following Miller's death in December of 1944, and the re-formation of the Glenn Miller Orchestra after World War II, he accepted the offer to lead the new band. Beneke, however, had a lot to offer the music world beyond his vocals on some fondly remembered hit songs. He began playing the saxophone at age nine, first the alto and then the tenor, and played in local and regional bands in Oklahoma and Texas during the early and mid-'30s. A gig playing with a band led by Ben Young brought him to Detroit, where he was spotted by Sam Donahue, then a saxman in Gene Krupa's band Krupa was unable to hire Beneke but informed a friend of his in New York of this promising new player. The friend was Glenn Miller, who'd recently begun forming a band of his own, and Beneke was hired, joining the orchestra in the spring of 1938 it was with Miller's band that Beneke picked up the nickname "Tex." The Miller orchestra struggled until the summer of 1939, when an engagement at the Glen Island Casino and a series of radio broadcasts made it a national sensation. Beneke played and sang with the orchestra, and became a star in his own right. He stayed until 1942, when Miller broke up the band to join the U.S. Army Air Force as a bandleader. Beneke was drafted into the navy and led a military dance outfit at a base in Oklahoma.

After the end of the war, when a new Glenn Miller Orchestra was formed, Beneke took on the leadership, debuting in January of 1946 at the Capitol Theater in New York City. The orchestra, formed under the auspices of Miller's widow and his estate, was intended to emulate the sounds of the pre-war Miller band and his Army Air Force band this included the presence of 13 string players in the 31 piece outfit, making it, along with Harry James' orchestra, one of the few big bands to include strings. They were an immediate success, compiling an enviable array of hits for five years. One gig in particular stood out in December of 1947, a year after the near-collapse of the big-band business, at the Hollywood Palladium, Tex Beneke and the Glenn Miller Orchestra played to a record-breaking crowd of 6,750 dancers. Despite this extraordinary popularity, however, Beneke wasn't entirely happy with the restrictions placed by the estate on the band's music they were required to stick entirely to the familiar reed-centered sound that Glenn Miller had practically trademarked. Although a reed player himself, Beneke saw other possibilities, but was never allowed to experiment, despite his protests that Miller himself had always been open to the idea of experimentation, and had expressed his intention to move away from his familiar reed sound after the war, having gone as far with it as he felt he could. Finally, at the end of 1950, Beneke left the band and also parted company with Miller's estate. He later organized his own band which, like similar reconstituted big bands led by '40s music icons such as Harry James, managed to thrive amid the rock & roll, folk-rock, psychedelia, disco, and punk eras, right to the present day. More than 60 years after he became a professional musician, he continued to lead big bands, doing the music that he helped popularized two generations ago. Beneke died May 30, 2000 from respiratory failure at the age of 86. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tex-beneke-mn0000030664/biography

Stardust

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Don Ellis - Live In 3 2/3/4 Time

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:11
Size: 173,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:20)  1. Orientation
( 5:41)  2. Angel Eyes
( 5:53)  3. Freedom Jazz Dance
( 4:37)  4. Barnum's Revenge
( 9:03)  5. Upstart
( 8:27)  6. Thetis
( 5:31)  7. Bossa Neuva Nova
( 9:53)  8. Opus Five
( 4:40)  9. Seven Up
( 2:25) 10. Johnny One Note
( 7:38) 11. Freedom Jazz Dance

The Don Ellis Orchestra really came into its own during the period covered by this CD (1966-1967), playing perfectly coherent solos in ridiculous time signatures. At the time, the band consisted of five trumpets, three trombones, five reeds, piano, three basses, two drummers, and three percussionists. "Barnum's Revenge" has the ensemble playing a satirical brand of Dixieland in 5/4, "Orientation" goes back and forth between 7/8 and 9/8, and "Upstart" is in 11/8 (three and two-thirds beats to the measure!). Somehow everything swings with Ellis, Ira Schulman (on tenor and clarinet), Dave Mackay (on piano), and Tom Scott (on saxello) being the main soloists. In addition to the original six selections (recorded at the Pacific Jazz Festival in 1966 and at Shelly's Manne-Hole in 1967), there are five additional cuts, including an alternate version of "Freedom Jazz Dance." Fun music. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-3-and-2-3-4-time-mw0000067311

Personnel: Don Ellis - trumpet, arranger; Alan Weight, Ed Warren, Glenn Stuart, Bob Harmon - trumpet; Ron Myers, Dave Wells, Dave Sanchez - trombone; Terry Woodson - bass trombone; Ruben Leon - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Tom Scott - alto saxophone, saxello, flute; Joe Roccisano - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet; Ira Shulman, Ron Starr - tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet; John Magruder - baritone saxophone, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet; David MacKay - piano;  Frank DeLaRosa, Chuck Domanico , Ray Neapolitan, Dave Parlato - bass; Alan Estes - drums, timbales;  Steve Bohannon - drums; Chino Valdes - bongos, congas; Mark Stevens - percussion

Live In 3 2/3/4 Time

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Sallie Blair - Hello, Tiger!

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1958/2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:01
Size: 81,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:48)  1. Whatever Lola Wants
(2:37)  2. Early Winter
(2:48)  3. When the World Was Young
(3:04)  4. I'm Through with Love
(2:29)  5. Fever
(4:50)  6. That Old Black Magic
(3:36)  7. Daddy
(2:51)  8. When the Sun Comes Out
(2:21)  9. Don'cha Go 'way Mad
(4:29) 10. Witchcraft
(3:03) 11. Ev'rything I Have Is Yours

Hello, Tiger! pairs Sallie Blair with the great Neal Hefti, whose buoyant, Technicolor arrangements underline the singer's slinky appeal. While the material is predictable and pedestrian, leaning on chestnuts like "That Old Black Magic," "Witchcraft," and "Whatever Lola Wants," Blair's sultry readings revitalize the familiar lyrics. Hefti does similar rehab work on the melodies, mixing and matching elements of jazz, blues, and Latin pop to create the album's sexy, sophisticated ambience. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/hello-tiger%21-mw0000902467
 

Personnel: Sallie Blair - Vocal; Neal Hefti - Trumpet.

Hello, Tiger!

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The Dave Liebman Big Band - Live As Always

Styles: Saxophone, Flute Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:04
Size: 138,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:10)  1. A Bright Piece
( 9:32)  2. As Always
(14:37)  3. Anubis
( 7:43)  4. New Breed
(11:24)  5. Philippe Under the Green Bridge
( 7:34)  6. Turn It Around

David Liebman's long list of accomplishments includes working in many different-sized groups in a variety of styles. For this big-band project the soprano saxophonist leads a big band in concert playing his compositions, though with arrangements by others and the band conducted by Gunnar Mossblad (who also plays several reed instruments). "Brite Piece" was first recorded by Liebman early in his career when he was a sideman with Elvin Jones. Although its composer dismisses it as "just a simple ditty with a vamp in the bridge," Andrew Rathbun's arrangement for big band provides Liebman with colorful backgrounds for his improvised flights. Trumpeter and alto flügelhornist Scott Reeves, who took part in the concerts, scored two songs. "Annubis" is an exotic, mysterious piece with the leader playing wooden flute in the introduction, with a solo by oboist Charles Pillow (with a delicious vamp behind him by bass clarinetist Chris Karlic), an understated Middle Eastern-flavored Vic Juris guitar solo, and an ominous synthesizer interlude by Jim Ridl, followed by spots featuring Liebman's piercing soprano sax and Reeves' spacious alto flügelhorn. The second Reeves chart is another early Liebman work, in which the arranger scored Liebman's original solo from his record with Elvin Jones for the sax section. The explosive finale, "Turn It Around," showcases drummer Marko Marcinko and Juris, in addition to the leader. Liebman hasn't been heard in a big-band setting often enough during his career; perhaps the success of Live: As Always will open doors for future recordings. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-as-always-mw0002013852

Personnel:  Soprano Saxophone, Flute [Wooden Flute], Composed By – Dave Liebman; Alto Saxophone, Oboe, Flute – Charles Pillow; Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Chris Karlic, Jay Brandford; Bass – Tony Marino; Bass Trombone – Jeff Nelson;  Directed By, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Gunnar Mossblad; Drums – Marko Marcinko; Guitar – Vic Juris; Piano, Synthesizer – Jim Ridl; Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – David Lown; Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Dave Riekenberg; Trombone – Sam Burtis, Tim Sessions ; Trombone, Flugelhorn [Alto] – Scott Reeves; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Danny Cahn, Dave Ballou, Patrick Dorian, Bob Millikan

Live As Always

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Urbie Green - The Fox

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:44
Size: 89,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:15)  1. Another Star
(2:58)  2. Goodbye
(4:56)  3. Mertensia
(3:59)  4. You Don't Know What Love Is
(6:35)  5. Manteca
(7:26)  6. Foxglove Suite
(5:32)  7. Please Send Me Someone to Love

Smooth and silky jazz funk from trombonist Urbie Green a record that's much more in a mainstream R&B fusion mode than his earlier work yet also arranged by David Matthews in a soulful style that still keeps things pretty real on the best cuts! The group's a good one for the mellow groove of the material – and includes Mike Mainieri on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, Jeremy Steig on flute, and Toots Thielemans laying down a bit of harmonica all kicking back in classic 70s CTI styles. Titles include the nice modal groover "Mertensia", plus "Manteca", "Foxglove Suite", "Another Star", and "Goodbye".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/51056/Urbie-Green:Fox

Personnel:  Urbie Green - trombone; Joe Farrell - flute, soprano saxophone; Jeremy Steig - flute; Fred Gripper - electric piano; Barry Miles - piano, keyboards; Mike Abene - piano; Eric Gale - guitar; Anthony Jackson - electric bass; George Mraz - bass; Jimmy Madison, Andy Newmark - drums; Mike Mainieri - vibraphone; Toots Thielemans - harmonica, whistle; Sue Evans, Nicky Marrero - percussion; David Matthews - arranger, footsteps

The Fox

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Marc Copland, Dave Liebman Duo - Impressions

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:41
Size: 140,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:05)  1. Cry Want
(11:27)  2. Maiden Voyage
(12:18)  3. Impressions
( 8:33)  4. WTC
( 7:55)  5. Blue in Green
( 3:09)  6. Lester Leaps In
( 3:46)  7. When You're Smiling
( 6:24)  8. Blackboard

The subtle duo of pianist Marc Copland and saxophonist Dave Liebman in a set of great jazz compositions from luminaries including Jimmy Giuffre, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Lester Young, plus original work. "The two may have done little more than talk about the weather before they began playing the largely standards-focused Impressions, but from such mundane chitchat comes a performance that exemplifies the best of what each of these fine musicians does - but also, with the push-and-pull of two different musical personalities, demonstrates the ability and willingness of each to be drawn outside their normal predispositions, to create music that's the best of both, and something a little more, and plenty special."~John Kelman http://www.squidco.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=S&Product_Code=14832

Personnel:  David Liebman-soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Marc Copland-piano

Impressions

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Louis Smith - Once in a While

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:23
Size: 161,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:21)  1. Just Friends
(10:32)  2. Once in a While
( 9:22)  3. Over the Rainbow
( 5:36)  4. Tune Up
( 7:42)  5. Don't Blame Me
( 7:36)  6. Once I Had a Secret Love
( 9:47)  7. Sandu
(11:24)  8. There Is No Greater Love

Trumpeter Louis Smith’s only major claim to fame has been two late ‘50s dates he cut for Blue Note. Then his propensity for musical pedagogy led him to the University of Michigan, where he spent many years quietly teaching and inspiring youngsters. Back in 1978, a renewed career as a recording artist came in the guise of a contract with the Danish SteepleChase label, briefly interrupted in the ‘80s by a return to teaching. Now, Smith finds himself retired and that has given him more time to concentrate on his trumpet work once again. Cut in Denmark during Smith’s summer vacation in 1998, Once In a While is representative of the kind of bebop session that is part and parcel of Smith’s time-honored approach, although the line-up is a novel one not used previously by the trumpeter. Guitarist Doug Raney is the ringer in this piano-less group that also includes SteepleChase regular Keith Copeland on drums. The quartet hits a relaxed, but resolute groove on a set of eight golden standards, including a tip of the hat to Louis’ fellow trumpeters- namely through versions of Miles Davis’ "Tune Up" and Clifford Brown’s "Sandu." Never much of a technician, Smith still has the ability to construct intelligent solos that tell a story and his sound is marked by a round and softened timbre. Raney should have received equal billing here, because his rich and melodic lines are some of the best moments to be found among this generous offering of music. Cutting to the chase, this no-nonsense affair is a worthy addition to Smith’s burgeoning recorded career. And who says there ain't life after retirement? ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/once-in-a-while-louis-smith-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Louis Smith- trumpet, Doug Raney- guitar, Hugo Rasmussen- bass, Keith Copeland- drums

Once in a While

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