Bill Charlap - Stardust: The Music Of Hoagy Carmichael

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:56
Size: 156,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Jubilee
(6:38)  2. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(7:19)  3. Rockin' Chair
(5:00)  4. I Walk With Music
(6:35)  5. Two Sleepy People
(7:27)  6. The Nearness Of You
(6:46)  7. One Morning In May
(5:54)  8. Blue Orchids
(5:41)  9. Georgia On My Mind
(9:24) 10. Stardust
(3:56) 11. Skylark

Although he had made a few records previously, by the time that pianist Bill Charlap cut All Through the Night in 1997, it was obvious that the connection established with trio mates Peter and Kenny Washington was a special one, capable of great finesse and intuitiveness. People in the upstairs offices at Blue Note also must have known a good thing when they heard it because it wasn’t long before Charlap was inking his first major label deal. Written in the Stars would be his initial Blue Note offering, and there was much to recommend, however Stardust strikes a sophisticated pose that ups the ante even further. The American Popular Song has always been Charlap’s fodder (no surprise there considering that his father composed for the Broadway stage), however there’s a new concept at play with Stardust in that the entire program consists of Hoagy Carmichael originals. “The Nearness of You,” “Georgia On My Mind,” “Skylark,” and the title track are the most widely known items, balanced very astutely by some equally beguiling, if lesser known, chestnuts. ”I Get Along Without You Very Well” is a masterpiece of invention and surely one of the greatest lines that Carmichael ever penned and guest Tony Bennett’s rendition is fine enough, even if the vocalist’s pipes are not quite what they used to be. 

Shirley Horn’s husky whisper envelops “Stardust” and again nothing much all that revelatory occurs. It’s with the instrumental numbers that things really begin to coalesce. Frank Wess gets that breathy swagger going and things start to swing as “Rockin’ Chair” reaches for that ‘adult tempo’ (as Kenny Washington calls it) that puts a smile on one’s face. Jim Hall’s appearance on “Two Sleepy People” helps to paint additional hues on an already panchromatic view of another obscure gem. Really only “Jubilee” and “I Walk With Music” get above a slow ballad tempo, but it’s that opportunity to luxuriate in the wide open spaces that helps Charlap get his point across in a way that’s deeply satisfying. Classy and accessible, Stardust is piano trio jazz that’s right up there with as good as it gets. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/stardust-bill-charlap-blue-note-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan__10339.php

Personnel: Bill Charlap (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)

Stardust: The Music Of Hoagy Carmichael

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Diana Trask - Memories Are Made of This

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:48
Size: 94,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:24)  1. Memories Are Made of This
(2:50)  2. Unforgettable
(2:15)  3. Alley Cat
(2:16)  4. Que Sera Sera
(3:00)  5. Heather on the Hill
(2:11)  6. Half as Much
(2:16)  7. All or Nothing at All
(2:43)  8. Auf Wiedersehen
(1:44)  9. Green Eyes
(3:08) 10. Blues in the Night
(3:06) 11. Hello Young Lovers
(2:21) 12. To the End of the Earth
(2:36) 13. Days of Wine and Roses
(2:29) 14. Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer
(3:23) 15. Goodnight Irene
(1:59) 16. Comes Love

Australian singer Diana Trask was a popular performer in the U.S. during the '60s and '70s. She was born in Warburton, a small logging town near Melbourne, to a musically talented family. She first gained attention in Australia at age 16 after winning a nationwide talent contest, and began playing on television. Later, she was a part of a pop group which opened for such American stars as Sammy Davis, Jr., who liked her music and suggested she come to the U.S. In 1959, Trask did, but didn't find much success until she spent a week guesting on Don McNeil's Breakfast Club, which led to a contract with Columbia and a regular spot on the TV show Sing Along with Mitch. Both of her initial albums were pop-oriented. After marrying in the early '60s, Trask returned to Australia, but by 1966, she and her family were living in New York, where she continued trying to further her pop career. After visiting the CMA DJ Convention in Nashville, she decided to focus on country music instead. She debuted on the country charts in 1968 with the low-ranked "Lock, Stock and Teardrops," but later that year she reached the Top 60 with "Hold What You've Got." In 1969, Trask released her debut album, Miss Country Soul, and toured with Hank Williams, Jr. Although she continued to have modest hits, her popularity didn't soar until 1972, when she had a Top 30 hit with "We've Got to Work It Out Between Us." In 1973, she made the Top 20 twice with "Say When" and "It's a Man's World (If You Had a Man Like Mine)." The following year, she had a Top 15 crossover hit with "Lean on Me." She returned to Australia during the mid-'70s and earned a few gold records there. Trask returned to the U.S. in 1981 to record a pair of singles, but then retired for the remainder of the decade. During the '90s she again resumed performing. ~ Sandra Brennan https://www.allmusic.com/artist/diana-trask-mn0000820857

Memories Are Made of This

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Rick Margitza - Work It

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:04
Size: 135,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:09)  1. Steppin' out
(7:53)  2. Work it
(9:47)  3. My foolish heart
(7:07)  4. Your lady
(8:02)  5. It could happen to you
(9:08)  6. Last season/Widows walk
(7:55)  7. A sour mystery of bird

One of the "young lions," Rick Margitza is an excellent tenor saxophonist most inspired by Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, and John Coltrane. He started on the violin when he was four (his grandfather was a cellist and his father a violinist with the Detroit Symphony), studied classical piano for a bit, and also played oboe before switching to tenor in high school. 

He attended Wayne State University, Berklee, the University of Miami, and finally Loyola University in New Orleans, where he lived and played for four years. Margitza toured with Maynard Ferguson and also Flora Purim and Airto before moving to New York in 1988. He spent part of 1988 in Miles Davis' group and then cut three sets as a leader for Blue Note during 1989-1991. His 1994 outing for Challenge found Margitza showing increasing individuality. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rick-margitza-mn0000855174/biography

Personnel:  Rick Margitza (Tenor sax); George Mraz (Bass); James Williams (Piano); Billy Hart (Drums).

Work It

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Hank Mobley - A Caddy For Daddy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:53
Size: 91,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:24)  1. A Caddy For Daddy
(9:45)  2. The Morning After
(7:13)  3. Venus Di Mildew
(7:15)  4. Ace Deuce Trey
(6:14)  5. Third Time Around

Hank Mobley was a perfect artist for Blue Note in the 1960s. A distinctive but not dominant soloist, Mobley was also a very talented writer whose compositions avoided the predictable yet could often be quite melodic and soulful; his tricky originals consistently inspired the young all-stars in Blue Note's stable. For this CD, which is a straight reissue of a 1965 session, Mobley is joined by trumpeter Lee Morgan, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Billy Higgins (a typically remarkable Blue Note lineup) for the infectious title cut, three other lesser-known but superior originals, plus Wayne Shorter's "Venus Di Mildew." Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-caddy-for-daddy-mw0000690250

Personnel:  Hank Mobley — tenor saxophone; Curtis Fuller — trombone; Lee Morgan — trumpet; McCoy Tyner — piano; Bob Cranshaw — bass; Billy Higgins — drums

A Caddy For Daddy

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Big John Patton - Understanding

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:13
Size: 90,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. Ding Dong
(9:12)  2. Congo Chant
(4:40)  3. Alfie's Theme
(6:12)  4. Soul Man
(6:56)  5. Understanding
(6:34)  6. Chitlins Con Carne

Organist John Patton is featured on this set in a stripped-down trio with Harold Alexander (on tenor and flute) and drummer Hugh Walker. 

Patton's one-chord funky vamps are fine in small doses, but the endless repetitions on these rather simplistic originals may drive alert listeners batty after awhile. ~ Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/album/understanding-mw0000627978

Personnel:  Organ – John Patton; Drums – Hugh Walker; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Harold Alexander

Understanding

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Dave Goldberg - Jazz Standard

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:48
Size: 158,9 MB
Art: Front

(11:27)  1. Miles' Mode
( 8:30)  2. Peri's Scope
( 8:28)  3. Body and Soul
( 8:22)  4. Serenity
( 5:34)  5. Lonely Woman
( 5:04)  6. Nefertiti
( 7:11)  7. Witch Hunt
( 8:06)  8. Two Distinguished Lovers
( 6:02)  9. Take the a Train

This is a group of South Florida- based musicians in their twenties. The leader, saxophonist Goldberg, displays a strong and assured tone and a maturity of style, rooted in swinging mainstream modern jazz coming out of the Miles mode. The piano-less group also features Duane Allen on guitar, who supplies rhythmic backing, as well as some sharp solos. Undergraduates Dan Feiszli and John Arcan are on bass and drums. The group does a decent job plowing through some jazz standards, including searching values on a coupling of “Lonely Woman” and “Nefertiti” with eastern sounding bent guitar notes and soprano sax, and more standard renditions ranging from Wayne Shorter to “Take the ‘A’ Train”. https://jazztimes.com/archives/david-goldberg-quartet-jazz-standard/

Jazz Standard

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Belinda Underwood - Underwood Uncurling

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:57
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Born To Be Blue
(5:00)  2. Uncurling
(6:34)  3. Trees
(3:00)  4. Later Baby
(4:04)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(4:17)  6. World Peace Blues
(4:07)  7. Say My Name
(4:04)  8. You're Everything
(5:19)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:38) 10. Unspoken Thought
(5:36) 11. Invitation
(3:28) 12. There Will Never Be Another You

Portland, Oregon-based vocalist/bassist Belinda Underwood opens her debut with Mel Torme's "Born To Be Blue," employing a vocal style that seems a curious mixture of coy guilelessness and sultry sensuality. Not bad for someone who started as an instrumentalist bass, violin, baritone ukulele, piano, harp and then started singing late in the game because she couldn't make her bass play the sounds she was thinking, forcing her resort to her voice. Underwood Uncurling features six of Underwood's own compositions, the highlight perhaps the title tune, which has a very Joni Mitchell vibe. She also tackles a couple of familiar standards Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is The Ocean," featuring some marvelous phrasing in front of a vibrant arrangement; and "You Don't Know What Love Is," a loving nod to Billie Holiday infused with Underwood's own style.  Underwood is a talented lady. The mix of standards and originals here, played with understated but tasteful accompaniment, makes for an engaging listen in the singer/songwriter category leaning toward jazz on the standards and looking in the pop/songstress direction (Joni Mitchell style) on her originals. "Invitation" (B.F. Kaper/P.F. Webster), featuring a backdrop of gently bubbling percussion, makes me think she'd sound wonderful with that touch of hush that creeps into her voice at times on a bossa nova set. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/underwood-uncurling-belinda-underwood-cosmik-muse-rekords-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Belinda Underwood--voice, bass, baritone ukulele;John Gross--tenor saxophone; Clay Giberson--piano; Phil Baker--bass; Martin Zarzar--drums and percussion; Dan Balmer--guitar; David Friesen--Hamage bass; Airto Moreira--drums and percussion; Chad Wagner--piano; Jason Levis--drums

Underwood Uncurling

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Dave Frishberg - Let's Eat Home

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:42
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Brenda Starr
(3:04)  2. Let's Eat Home
(6:40)  3. Al Cohn Medley
(3:04)  4. Matty
(4:30)  5. The Mooche
(3:22)  6. I Was Ready
(2:55)  7. Strange Music
(8:43)  8. Billy Strayhorn Medley
(4:41)  9. A Ship Without a Sail
(2:58) 10. Lookin' Good
(3:53) 11. The Underdog

This CD is most significant for having the original versions of Dave Frishberg's "Let's Eat Home," "I Was Ready" and "Lookin' Good." The pianist, who also takes several instrumentals (Al Cohn and Billy Strayhorn medleys, plus "The Mooche"), is assisted by valve trombonist Rob McConnell, trumpeter Snooky Young, bassist Jim Hughart and drummer Jeff Hamilton on most selections. Although not quite essential, this is an enjoyable outing by the pianist/singer/lyricist and ranks in his top five recordings. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/lets-eat-home-mw0000207408

Personnel: Piano, Lead Vocals – Dave Frishberg;  Acoustic Bass – Jim Hughart; Drums – Jeff Hamilton; Trumpet – Snooky Young; Valve Trombone – Rob McConnell

Let's Eat Home

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Dick Sisto, Kenny Werner - Engaging Compassion: A Musical Meditation

Styles: Vibraphone And Piano 
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:39
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. Save Tibet
(5:30)  2. Compensation
(4:50)  3. Endless
(6:17)  4. Shivaya
(5:11)  5. What We Have
(9:19)  6. Guru
(4:34)  7. Remembering the Rain

Dick Sisto has embraced Tibetan Buddhism as part of his life’s spiritual journey for more than four decades, and so was a natural to essentially be the Dalai Lama’s opening act when His Holiness appeared at the KFC Yum! Center on May 19.The Dalai Lama’s talk was also titled “Engaging Compassion,” and the jazz that vibraphonist Sisto and pianist Kenny Werner recorded that day reflects a sense of empathy, joy and hope. A wistful quality seeps into a few songs, but “Engaging Compassion” doesn’t dwell on what’s been lost but on, as one song is titled, “What We Have. Sisto, who has graced clubs and concert stages in Louisville for many years, trades songs with Werner, and the duo’s chemistry is palpable. 

Sisto brings out a talking drum for brief appearances, giving some songs an exotic flourish, but the record is largely a straight-ahead conversation between two old friends with a mutual interest in beautiful music and a better world. Proceeds from sales of “Engaging Compassion” will benefit Louisville’s Drepung Gomang Institute Tibetan Buddhist Center and Tibetan Refuge. ~  Jeffrey Lee Puckett, The Courier-Journal https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/music/2013/09/25/album-review-dick-sisto-and-kenny-werner-engaging-compassion-a-musical-meditation/2867727/

Engaging Compassion: A Musical Meditation

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Charlie Hunter, Leon Parker - Duo

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:28
Size: 102,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. Mean Streak
(4:54)  2. Belief
(5:41)  3. Do That Then
(3:53)  4. You Don't Know What Love Is
(3:17)  5. Recess
(3:04)  6. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
(3:05)  7. The Last Time
(5:26)  8. Dark Corner
(6:31)  9. The Spin Seekers
(3:42) 10. Calypso For Grandpa

Guitarist Charlie Hunter and percussionist Leon Parker have more going for them than two hands apiece. Hunter can produce several lines simultaneously and evoke organ, bass and guitar, while Parker runs the gamut of textures from his set. Hunter’s composition "The Last Time," for example, finds Parker with one hand on the drums and another with pulsating shaker, while his partner combines a bass line with melody via his 8-string guitar. Just about everyone has wanted to play guitar at one time or other, and Hunter brings that kind of daydream closer to the heart, if not reality. Six of the tracks on Duo are the guitarist’s compositions, one is Parker’s contribution, and several are old favorites. Background information about Charlie Hunter may be found at http://www.charliehunter.com . An informative article about Leon Parker may be found at http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/10.24.96/parker-9643.html .The duo’s performance offers a variety of rhythmic patterns, both familiar and on the edge. "Mean Streak" provides a gala Afro-Cuban storm, while "The Spin Seekers" drives to a New Orleans shuffle. Hunter’s dedication "Calypso for Grandpa" swirls happily like a "St. Thomas" cousin. There is blues in the picture as well. "Do That Then" is a clear example of the kind of guitar blues that appeals to fans of any age. Deep 1950s fuzz guitar with amp vibrato pours forth with standards "You Don’t Know What Love is" and "Put Your Head on my Shoulder." The walking bass and ride cymbal of Hunter’s "Dark Corner" is guaranteed to introduce more GenXers to the many facets of jazz. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/duo-charlie-hunter-blue-note-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Guitar [8-String], Producer – Charlie Hunter; Drums, Percussion – Leon Parker

Duo

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Donald Byrd - Street Lady

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:38
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:47)  1. Lansana's Priestess
(6:25)  2. Miss Kane
(6:12)  3. Sister Love
(5:40)  4. Street Lady
(9:42)  5. Witch Hunt
(6:51)  6. Woman Of The World

Not so much a fusion album as an attempt at mainstream soul and R&B, Street Lady plays like the soundtrack to a forgotten blaxploitation film. Producer/arranger/composer Larry Mizell conceived Street Lady as a concept album to a spirited, independent prostitute, and while the hooker with a heart of gold concept is a little trite, the music uncannily evokes an urban landscape circa the early '70s. Borrowing heavily from Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, and Sly Stone, Donald Byrd and Mizell have created an album that is overflowing with wah-wah guitars, stuttering electric pianos, percolating percussion, soaring flutes, and charmingly anemic, tuneless vocals. It's certainly not jazz, or even fusion, but it isn't really funk or R&B, either the rhythms aren't elastic enough, and all of the six songs are simply jazzy vamps without clear hooks. But the appeal of Street Lady is how its polished neo-funk and pseudo-fusion sound uncannily like a jive movie or television soundtrack from the early '70s you can picture the Street Lady, decked out in polyester, cruising the streets surrounded by pimps with wide-brimmed hats and platform shoes. And while that may not be ideal for jazz purists, it's perfect for kitsch and funk fanatics. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/street-lady-mw0000089538

Personnel:  Donald Byrd - trumpet; Roger Glenn - flute; Jerry Peters - piano, electric piano; Fonce Mizell - clavinet, trumpet, vocals; Fred Perren - synthesizer, vocals; David T. Walker - guitar; Chuck Rainey - electric bass; Harvey Mason - drums; King Errisson - congas and bongos; Stephanie Spruill - percussion; Larry Mizell - vocals, arranger, conductor

Street Lady

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Lyambiko - Out of This Mood

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:48
Size: 165,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:54)  1. Some Other Time
(5:18)  2. If I Were a Bell
(3:36)  3. Chega de Saudade
(6:59)  4. Afro Blue
(3:24)  5. Gone with the Wind
(4:00)  6. Can't Get out of This Mood
(4:25)  7. Our Love Is Here to Stay
(4:05)  8. I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues
(6:48)  9. Parakeet Prowl
(4:12) 10. Mean to Me
(6:40) 11. Work Song
(3:17) 12. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me
(2:19) 13. Miss Celie's Blues
(3:39) 14. You'd Be so Nice to Come Home To
(6:06) 15. Skylark

Not especially active in recording vocalists, German label Nagel Heyer has made a fortuitous exception by hosting vocalist Lyambiko's first album. Definitely out of the cool school, this young German performer sings this play list of mostly standards in slightly accented English which helps to make her delivery even more engaging. Possessing an especially soothing tone, good phrasing instincts, a slight vibrato used judiciously, she shows her obvious like of and respect for classics written by Duke Ellington, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank Loesser and Jimmy McHugh, among others. Peppered through are such strictly jazz tunes as John Coltrane's "Afro Blue" and a blues tune or two including a groovy "Miss Celie's Blues". One of the jazz tunes, Nat Adderley's "Work Song", gets A Capella treatment by the singer which showcases the purity and range of her awesome set of vocal chords and she ends this tune by reaching to the heavens with an astonishing high note which she seems to hold onto forever. Quite breathtaking. Lyambiko gets staunch support by an international flavored trio of American Marque Lowenthal on piano, Canadian bassist Robin Draganic and drummer/percussionist Torsten Zwingenberger from Hamburg. This album offers more than 70 minutes of choice vocal jazz combined with excellent jazz instrumental artists and is highly recommended. ~ Dave Natrhan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/out-of-this-mood-lyambiko-review-by-dave-nathan.php

Personnel: Lyambiko - Vocals; Marque Lowenthal - Piano; Torsten Zwingenberger - Drums/Percussion; Robin Draganic - Bass

Out of This Mood

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Alan Barnes & David Newton - Summertime

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone And Piano Jazz 
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:55
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Art's Oregano
(5:57)  2. Summertime
(3:45)  3. Freeman of London
(5:56)  4. Di's Waltz
(3:16)  5. The Bluebird of Delhi
(3:36)  6. Tico Tico
(4:35)  7. Street Of Dreams
(5:05)  8. Black and Tan Fantasy
(4:05)  9. Don't Be That Way
(4:40) 10. Early Autumn
(4:07) 11. The Hawk
(4:15) 12. Autumn Nocturne
(2:44) 13. Charlie the Chulo
(5:59) 14. The Haunted Melody
(4:26) 15. Zoot

Alan Barnes was born in Cheshire in 1959. He studied at Leeds College of Music and became proficient on alto and baritone saxophones and clarinet. Following graduation in 1980, Barnes led several groups, including Pizza Express Modern Jazz Sextet, and recorded with Dave Newton, Tony Coe, Ken Peplowski, and Warren Vache. He dominated the saxophone and clairnet section of the British jazz awards throughout the '90s and performs at major international jazz festivals. Barnes has also spent time teaching. ~ Al Campbell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alan-barnes-mn0000936422

Personnel:  Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Alan Barnes; Piano – David Newton

Summertime

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Rick Margitza - Hope

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 66:34
Size: 123,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:59)  1. The Journey
(6:00)  2. Song Of Hope
(8:50)  3. Steppin Stone
(5:08)  4. The Princess
(6:50)  5. Walls
(1:27)  6. Mothers Day
(4:46)  7. Recess
(5:28)  8. Heritage
(8:43)  9. The Old Country
(4:04) 10. We The People
(8:15) 11. Cornfed

Play any three-minute segment from this CD by tenor-saxophonist Rick Margitza and one would swear that this was a Wayne Shorter record from the mid-1970's. Only the superior recording quality and technology would betray the fact that these performances are of more recent vintage. Even though the original songs do not sound familiar, there is nothing on this moody date that stamps it as Rick Margitza's. The young saxophonist tries his best, often overdubbing his tenor and soprano, varying moods in his compositions and sometimes utilizing the voices of Phil Perry and Ed Calle as part of the ensemble, but in general the music is overly dry and Margitza's tones are a near duplicate of Shorter's, especially on tenor. Despite some good playing (especially from guitarist Steve Masakowski and pianist Joey Calderazzo), this was a premature effort from the young saxophonist who was not quite ready to be leading his own record session. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/hope-mw0000314464

Personnel: Rick Margitza - tenor saxophone, keyboards, composer; Jeff Kievit - trumpet; Danny Cahn - trumpet; Steve Masakowski - guitar, banjo; Joey Calderazzo - piano; Marc Johnson - bass; Peter Erskine - drums; Airto Moreira - percussion; Phil Perry - vocals; Ed Calle - vocals, EWI; Charles Pillow - oboe; Richard Margitza - violin; Olivia Koppell - viola; Jesse Levy - cello

Hope

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Biréli Lagrène, Sylvain Luc - Best Moments

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:51
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. Isn't She Lovely
(7:12)  2. Can't Take my Eyes off You
(4:07)  3. So What
(4:14)  4. Time After Time
(6:37)  5. Wave
(5:43)  6. Stompin' at the Savoy
(0:44)  7. Interlude
(4:12)  8. Zurezat
(3:18)  9. Made in France
(1:58) 10. Looking Up
(2:39) 11. Got a Match

An adept French guitarist, Biréli Lagrène has drawn praise for his fertile blend of swinging continental jazz, post-bop, and fusion. Emerging with Routes to Django: Live in 1980, the then 13-year-old guitarist was quickly praised as an heir to the legendary Django Reinhardt. Over time, however, he broadened his approach, exploring artists like Wes Montgomery, Larry Coryell, and Jimi Hendrix, influences he displayed on 1988's Inferno and 2008's Electric Side. Nonetheless, as evidenced by 1992's Standards, 2005's Move, and 2018's Storyteller, Lagrène remains a leading proponent of both the straight-ahead and gypsy jazz traditions. Lagrène was born into a Romani family on September 4, 1966, in Saverne, Alsace, France. Both his father and grandfather had been prominent guitarists, and Lagrène was first introduced to the instrument around age four. Under his father's influence, Lagrène was soon absorbing the music of guitarist Django Reinhardt, as well as recordings by violinist Stéphane Grappelli and the Hot Club of France. By age seven, he was already a gifted performer and garnered increasing attention throughout the 1970s, especially after he won a prize at a festival in Strasbourg in 1978 and performed on television as part of an appearance at a Gypsy festival broadcast. In 1981, he made his solo debut with Routes to Django: Live. The studio-album Fifteen followed a year later, featuring more Reinhardt songs and jazz standards. During his late teens, Lagrène's musical taste began to evolve as he started playing electric guitar and absorbing players like Wes Montgomery, John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, and Jimi Hendrix. In 1984, he appeared at the Django Reinhardt Tribute at Fat Tuesdays in New York, where he showcased his stylistically expansive sound. He signed to Blue Note and issued a handful of genre-crossing albums: 1988's Inferno, 1989's Foreign Affairs, and 1990's Acoustic Moments. All of these albums found the guitarist exploring a mix of post-bop, fusion, and Reinhardt-style pieces. The straight-ahead Standards, with bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Andre Ceccarelli, arrived in 1992. With 1995's My Favorite Django, Lagrène returned to his love of traditional gypsy swing. Over the next decade, he made occassional forays into fusion, while continuing to balance his love of Django Reinhardt, straight-ahead jazz and bop influences. 

He also kept a steady live schedule, appearing live at Marciac in 1994 and at New York's Blue Note in 1997 with Larry Coryell and Billy Cobham. In 1998, he issued the Frank Sinatra tribute Old Blues Eyes, with pianist Maurice Vander, bassist Chris Minh Doky, and drummer Ceccarelli. In 2002, he issued Gypsy Project, yet another album that found him returning to Reinhardt and the classic jazz songbook. Similar albums followed, including 2005's Move, 2006's Djangology, and 2007's Just the Way You Are. A year later, he issued the fusion-influenced Electric Side. He then paired with guitarist Hono Winterstein and bassist Diego Imbert for 2009's Gipsi Trio. That same year, he also released his own Summertime. In 2012, he recorded a straight-ahead jazz set for Universal entitled Mouvements with saxophonist Franck Wolf, drummer Jean-Marc Robin, and Hammond organist Jean-Yves Jung. Also in 2012, Lagrène was asked to participate in the 50th career anniversary celebration for violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, during which he appeared in a trio with Ponty and bassist Stanley Clarke. Inspired by their chemistry on stage that night, the trio stayed in touch, and in 2015 paired again for the studio album D-Stringz on Impulse! In 2018, the guitarist issued Storyteller, featuring bassist Larry Grenadier and percussionist Mino Cinélu. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bir%C3%A9li-lagr%C3%A8ne-mn0000082316/biography

French guitarist Sylvain Luc has honed his jazz improvisations since the 1980s, when he first discovered jazz as a teenager. He studied at the prestigious Academy de Bayonne as a child, mastering the guitar, cello, violin, and mandolin, but jazz shed a different light on Luc's musical ambitions. He spent time with the Bubble Quartet, discovering an appreciation for South African music in his twenties. Luc combined his love for jazz with worldbeat sounds and carved a career for himself. He issued his first album, Duet, in 2000. Sud followed shortly thereafter. A third album, Trio Sud, was issued in spring 2002 and featured collaborations with Jean-Marc Jafet and Andre Ceccarelli. ~ Mackenzie Wilson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sylvain-luc-mn0000756290/biography

Featuring :Bireli Lagrene (guitar), Sylvain Luc (guitar),

Best Moments

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Urbie Green - Thou Swell

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:55
Size: 62,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Thou Swell
(3:03)  2. Paradise
(2:48)  3. One For Dee
(2:50)  4. Warm Valley
(1:52)  5. Frankie And Johnny
(4:23)  6. You Are Too Beautiful
(2:07)  7. Limehouse Blues
(3:19)  8. Reminiscent Blues
(3:06)  9. Am I Blue

A fine jazz player with a beautiful tone who has spent most of his career in the studios, Urbie Green is highly respected by his fellow trombonists. He started playing when he was 12; was with the big bands of Tommy Reynolds, Bob Strong, and Frankie Carle as a teenager; and worked with Gene Krupa during 1947-1950. Green had a stint with Woody Herman's Third Herd, appeared on some of the famous Buck Clayton jam sessions (1953-1954), and was with Benny Goodman off and on during 1955-1957. He played with Count Basie in 1963, and spent a period in the 1960s fronting the Tommy Dorsey ghost band (1966-1967), but has mostly stuck to studio work. Urbie Green recorded frequently as a leader in the 1950s up to 1963 (for Blue Note, Vanguard, Bethlehem, ABC-Paramount, and dance band-oriented records for RCA and Command). He has appeared much less often in jazz settings since then, but did make two albums for CTI in 1976-1977. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/urbie-green-mn0000300013/biography

Thou Swell

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Eileen Farrell, Luther Henderson And His Orchestra - Here I Go Again

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:29
Size: 96,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. My Funny Valentine
(3:01)  2. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
(3:58)  3. I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good
(3:00)  4. Somebody Loves Me
(3:20)  5. Dreamy
(2:48)  6. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
(3:44)  7. The Man I Love
(3:22)  8. Solitaire (The Game Of Love)
(3:25)  9. To Be In Love
(3:15) 10. A Foggy Day
(3:31) 11. The Second Time Around
(2:52) 12. Taking A Chance On Love

While opera singers who dabble in popular music are common, those who do so successfully are rare, and those with large dramatic voices who do so are rarer still. Eileen Farrell was as authentic and natural a blues and jazz singer as she was an operatic soprano. She was in fact much more comfortable on the concert stage, on radio, and in the recording studio than in the opera house. She sang relatively few fully-staged performances and was ambivalent about opera and particularly opera house management throughout her entire career (when she taught at Indiana University, she hung a sign outside her office that read, "Help stamp out opera.") Her voice was huge, but capable of great nuances in volume and expressiveness as well as rapid and accurate coloratura, letting her sing bel canto roles such as Cherubini's Medea, the spinto-coloratura Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore, the verismo Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, and the great Wagner parts of Isolde and Brünnhilde (in concert). Her parents were both singers, The Singing O'Farrells, and recognizing her potential, sent her to study voice in New York. She auditioned for various radio shows and was hired by CBS for chorus and ensemble work. In 1941, she got her own program, Eileen Farrell Sings, where she performed songs and lighter classical music. She remained with them until 1947, when she began to explore other venues, including the Bach Aria Group. 

She also began studying with Eleanor McLellan, who helped her hone her vocal technique, particularly helping her develop a pianissimo. In 1955, she sang for the film dramatization of singer Marjorie Lawrence's life, Interrupted Melody (Eleanor Parker acted the role), and the music, ranging from folk to Brünnhilde's immolation scene, showed off her power, rich voice, and versatility. In 1957, she appeared for the first time on the opera stage, as Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana in Tampa, FL, and two years later, sang for the first time in London, in a recital. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1960 in the title role of Gluck's Alceste, and in 1962, won a Grammy for her recording of Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder and the "Immolation Scene" from Götterdämmerung, conducted by Leonard Bernstein. Her relationship with Met management was an uncomfortable one, partly due to differences of personalities and her finding the repertoire they offered unchallenging, and her contract was allowed to drop in 1965. Towards the end of the decade, her voice was beginning to show signs of wear at the very top, and Farrell moved back into jazz and blues recordings, and taught music at Indiana University. She made her last record in 1993, at the age of 72. Farrell died on March 23, 2002. ~ Anne Feeney https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eileen-farrell-mn0000179714/biography

Here I Go Again

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Kenny Barron Trio - Minor Blues

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:56
Size: 168,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:35)  1. Minor Blues
(6:57)  2. Beautiful Love
(6:54)  3. Emily
(9:03)  4. For Heaven's Sake
(8:20)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(8:37)  6. Too Late Now
(6:33)  7. Don't Explain
(6:25)  8. Hush - A - Bye
(6:51)  9. I've Never Been In Love Before
(6:37) 10. My Ideal

Kenny Barron was honored as an NEA Jazz Master on January 12, 2010, and it was a recognition that was due. Since entering the jazz scene in the early '60s, he has made his mark as a sideman (especially with Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz), solo pianist, leader, and composer. These 2009 sessions pair him with frequent collaborator Ben Riley and fellow veteran George Mraz on bass. While most of the focus is on familiar standards, the opener is Barron's slinky "Minor Blues," in which Barron and Mraz both shine backed by Riley's brushwork, though the drummer switches to sticks for his breaks. The leader's jaunty take of "Emily" and driving treatment of "How Deep Is the Ocean?" sizzle. His richly textured setting of "Too Late Now" doesn't require its lyrics to get across the mood of the song, while his breezy Latin arrangement of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" casts this ballad in a new light. This is yet another fine example of Kenny Barron's superb chops in a small-group setting. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/minor-blues-mw0001969830

Personnel:  Kenny Barron – piano; George Mraz – bass; Ben Riley – drums

Minor Blues

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Duke Ellington - The Pianist

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:17
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Don Juan
(3:58)  2. Slow Blues
(2:53)  3. Looking Glass
(5:47)  4. The Shepherd - Take 1
(6:32)  5. The Shepherd - Take 2
(2:50)  6. Tap Dancer's Blues
(6:35)  7. Sam Woodyard's Blues
(3:40)  8. Duck Amok
(4:26)  9. Never Stop Remembering Bill
(2:58) 10. Fat Mess

Duke Ellington had so many talents (composer, arranger, bandleader, personality) that his skills as a pianist could easily be overlooked. Fortunately he did record a fair amount of trio albums through the years so there is plenty of evidence as to his unique style which was both modern and traditional at the same time. The Pianist has trio performances from 1966 and 1970 and finds Ellington shifting smoothly between styles and moods while always remaining himself. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-pianist-mw0000201685

Personnel: Duke Ellington – piano; John Lamb (tracks 1-7), Paul Kondziela (tracks 8-10), Victor Gaskin (tracks 8-10) - bass; Sam Woodyard (tracks 1-7), Rufus Jones (tracks 8-10) - drums

The Pianist

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Didier Lockwood - The Kid

Styles: Violin, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:19
Size: 93,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Sunny Sonny
(3:08)  2. Sleight of Hands
(4:59)  3. Something Sweet
(3:37)  4. Bloody Mary
(4:01)  5. A Time to Touch
(3:28)  6. The Kid
(5:32)  7. La Ballade De Francis
(5:22)  8. Impressions
(5:39)  9. My Favorite Dream

Didier Lockwood (born February 11, 1956) is a French jazz violinist. He was born in Calais and studied classical violin and composition at the Calais Conservatory. However, his brother Francis made him receptive to forms of music other than the classical and he quit his studies in 1972. Didier was entranced by the improvisation of Jean-Luc Ponty on Frank Zappa's King Kong album and took up the amplified violin. He joined the progressive rock group Magma, touring and notable featured on their 1975 Live/Hhaï album. Lockwood was also influenced by Polish violinist Zbigniew Seifert and Stéphane Grappelli, whom he joined on tour. Didier Lockwood in concert (1992)He has also played with Quebecois fusion group Uzeb on their Absolutely Live album. He is famous for exploring new musical environments and for performing various sound imitations on his amplified violin, such as seagulls or trains. On July 23, 1982, in Montreux, Switzerland, he performed in concert with guitarist Allan Holdsworth, drummer Billy Cobham, bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, and keyboardist David Sancious. Didier Lockwood created a string instruments improvisation school, CMDL (Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood), in 2001. He is married to singer Caroline Casadesus. Throughout 2006 Didier has been touring with Martin Taylor the Jazz guitarist. In these performances it is noticeable to see that he is very involved in improvisation. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/didierlockwood

Personnel:  Didier Lockwood (Violin, Alto Saxophone, Violin [Violectra]); Barry Finnerty (Electric Guitar); Jean-Michel Kajdan (Acoustic Guitar); Alphonso Johnson (Bass); Richie Morales (Drums); David Sancious (Keyboards); Sydney Thiam (Percussion).

The Kid

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