Ron Carter - When Skies Are Grey...

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:28
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:08)  1. Loose Change
(7:05)  2. Besame Mucho
(7:08)  3. Caminando
(5:30)  4. Que Pasa
(7:22)  5. Corcovado
(6:00)  6. Cubano Chant
(8:12)  7. Mi Tiempo

The album cover for Ron Carter's When Skies Are Grey shows the jazz bassist contemplatively looking up toward an overcast New York City sky. Perhaps the title is in reference to how Carter felt during the recording sessions because his wife had died the week before. He attended funeral services over that weekend and came to the studio the following Monday morning. But when you listen to the music that came from those sessions, you'll hear the consummate bassist implementing his amazing skills on seven Latin-tinged tunes. Perhaps the exquisite melodies lifted Carter's spirits. Joining Carter on When Skies Are Grey are Stephen Scott on piano, Harvey Mason on drums and Steve Kroon on percussion. Carter and arranger Bob Freedman have dipped into the Latin genre, using the straight 4/4 beat and auxiliary percussion, while seamlessly placing the syncopated elements of jazz into the songs. The way Carter solos on Consuelo Velazquez's "Besame Mucho," it's as if he's mimicking a trumpet or saxophone. You wouldn't expect a bassist to play fast sixteenth notes, but what else would you expect from the man who helped keep the pulse for Miles Davis' 1960s quintet. With the opening track, Carter's "Loose Change," the quartet jumps from a straight Latin 4/4 to a swing rhythm, then back to the Latin pattern before switching gears yet again to cut-time swing. Carter, Mason and Kroon never lose the beat, while Scott effortlessly tickles the ivories. On Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant," the group starts off in a medium-fast Latin feel, occasionally breaking into 7/4. Suddenly, the mood switches to swing, with Carter playing a walking bass line. They then return to the Latin beat, with Mason and Kroon having a drumming duel. Carter's "Mi Tiempo" also features smooth transitions in unexpected places, this time going from Latin to swing to cut-time swing and back to Latin. Scott is absent from the song, so Carter takes over the melody post, leaving Mason and Kroon to solo around the bass. In all, When Skies Are Grey is an impressive, unique mixture of two electrifying genres from one of jazz's most prolific bassists. 

~ Michael Fortuna https://www.allaboutjazz.com/when-skies-are-grey-ron-carter-blue-note-records-review-by-michael-fortuna.php

Personnel: Ron Carter: bass; Stephen Scott: piano; Harvey Mason: drums; Steve Kroon: percussion.

When Skies Are Grey...

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Melvin Sparks - This Is It!

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:51
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:05)  1. This Is It!
(7:59)  2. Bambu
(5:52)  3. Heavy Fallin' Out
(6:30)  4. My Girl
(8:19)  5. Give Your Life to G-d
(5:45)  6. Watch Yo' Step
(7:57)  7. Bounce
(6:39)  8. The Light Is On
(4:41)  9. Hot Barbeque

Guitarist Melvin Sparks' quintet date is a throwback to late-'60s funky soul-jazz. The pieces are bluesy and funky without being blues, and fall between jazz and R&B grooves. 

Sparks plays well if predictably and his obscure backup band (which has a background vocal from Nikki Armstrong on "Give Your Life to G-d") performs its parts well and with spirit. All of the music is danceable without being overly simplistic and the solos usually last the optimum length of time. The results are quite accessible if somewhat lacking in surprises, played in a style that is very easy to like. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-it%21-mw0000213533

Personnel:  Guitar – Melvin Sparks; Organ [Hammond] – Jerry Z ; Saxophone – Cochemea Gastelum; Trumpet – Jennifer Hartswick; Drums – Justin Tomsovic

This Is It!

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Dave Douglas - Parallel Worlds

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:57
Size: 145,4 MB
Art: Front

(1:29)  1. Sehr Bewegt
(9:14)  2. Parallel Worlds
(5:35)  3. In Progress
(7:04)  4. Remains
(6:51)  5. Piece For Strings
(6:00)  6. Ballad In Which Macheath Asks Everyone To Forgive Him
(5:51)  7. Loco Madi
(7:08)  8. On Your Leaving
(9:24)  9. For Every Action
(4:18) 10. Grand Choral

Trumpeter Dave Douglas is attracting attention among fans and critics on the underground and avant-garde/free music trail. He shows what the hype is all about on this session with some surging solos, high-note explosiveness and impressive playing. But Douglas doesn't merely spew unconnected lines or flashy solos; his playing is a vital part of several originals that feature an intriguing violin/cello/bass backing section. The compositions range from loose, spacy tunes to animated, fierce ones. This isn't another hard bop outing or a completely free-wheeling session; instead, it's got elements of both, and a departure as well. It requires close scrutiny and a completely open mind, because Dave Douglas is following no direction except his own. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/parallel-worlds-mw0000623085

Personnel:  Dave Douglas: trumpet; Mark Feldman: violin; Erik Friedlander: cello; Mark Dresser: bass; Michael Sarin: drums

Parallel Worlds

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Dave Miller Trio, Rebecca DuMaine - Deed I Do

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:16
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. Deed I Do
(3:15)  2. Moonlight Saving Time
(4:07)  3. I Love Being Here With You
(3:24)  4. I Like Men
(4:09)  5. Quiet Nights
(2:54)  6. Problem
(3:16)  7. Trolley Song
(3:12)  8. Isn't This a Lovely Day
(3:19)  9. Frim Fram Sauce
(2:49) 10. Rhode Island
(2:58) 11. All I Do Is Dream of You
(3:33) 12. The Boy Next Door

Dave Miller's first recording on Summit reached #12 on the JazzWeek radio chart, here he brings the vocals of Rebecca Dumaine and the 'great American songbook' for an absolute wonderfully performed, very enjoyable recording! Traditional standards from the Great American Songbook never grow old and are indeed given new life on this marvelous outing! ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Deed-Dave-Miller-Rebecca-Dumaine/dp/B006RY5EAY

Personnel: Rebecca DuMaine: vocals; Dave Miller: piano.

Deed I Do

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Arne Domnérus - Happy Together! Disc 1 And Disc 2

 Album: Happy Together! Disc 1

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:08
Size: 99,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. Fine and Dandy
(8:43)  2. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
(6:56)  3. That Old Black Magic
(6:39)  4. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(6:30)  5. I Have the Feeling That I Have Been Here Before
(8:32)  6. Moanin'

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Album: Happy Together! Disc 2

Time: 45:28

Size: 104,9 MB

(8:46)  1. Broadway

(8:37)  2. Topsy

(6:15)  3. Barney Goin' Easy

(5:00)  4. Move

(5:40)  5. Three and One

(5:22)  6. Don't You Know I Care

(5:45)  7. S.A.S.

A pair of major Swedish veterans (clarinetist Putte Wickman and altoist Arne Domnerus) join forces with the talented young pianist Jan Lundgren, guitarist Rune Gustafsson, bassist Jesper Lundgaard and drummer Aage Tanggaard to perform two CDs full of straight-ahead music. Although Wickman and Domnerus (who switches to clarinet on "Barney Goin' Easy") sound fine during these live performances (which have announcements in Swedish), the emphasis is generally on slower tempos, and the interpretations are not as fiery or competitive as one might hope. Pleasing but not essential music, with some of the brighter moments occurring on "Fine and Dandy," "Moanin'," "Broadway" and "Move." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-together%21-mw0001004133

Personnel: Putte Wickman - Clarinet; Arne Domnerus - Saxophone; Jan Lundgren - Piano; Rune Gustafsson - Guitar;  Jesper Lundgaard -Bass;  Aage Tanggaard - Drums.

Happy Together! Disc 1 And Disc 2

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Don Covay - See Saw

Styles: Vocal, R&B
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:29
Size: 74,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. See Saw
(2:03)  2. The Boomerang
(2:33)  3. Everything Gonna Be Everything
(2:35)  4. Fat Man
(2:43)  5. Precious You
(2:56)  6. Iron out the Rough Spots
(2:51)  7. Please Do Something
(2:46)  8. I Never Got Enough of Your Love
(2:08)  9. The Usual Place
(2:37) 10. A Woman's Love
(2:45) 11. Sookie, Sookie
(2:26) 12. Mercy, Mercy

Don Covay rides his most creative crest as a solo artist with this hearty collection of songs. The settings are simplistic for Atlantic Records, which recorded similar artists in lusher settings. But rawness is what makes these recordings arresting. A guitarist as well as a singer, Covay's pickings aren't buried in the mix, and you don't need a Geiger counter to detect the grooves. Most impressive are "See Saw," "Mercy Mercy," "Sookie, Sookie," and "Boomerang," a call to dance with the feeling of Major Lance singing a Curtis Mayfield song. On "Fat Man," you wonder if he's singing about his old Washington, D.C., buddy Billy Stewart. The two began their careers with the Rainbows. ~ Andrew Hamilton https://www.allmusic.com/album/see-saw-mw0000838700

Personnel: Don Covay (vocals).

See Saw

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Giovanni Hidalgo - Traveling Through Time

Styles: Latin Jazz, World Fusion 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:45
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

( 6:09)  1. La Maquinita
( 6:49)  2. Un Cha
( 4:28)  3. Timba y Bateria
( 6:23)  4. Timba y Bateria II
(10:39)  5. Enea
( 5:39)  6. Enea II
( 4:28)  7. Drum Solo
( 3:25)  8. Timba Solo
( 7:41)  9. Juntos

Giovanni Hidalgo is a renowned Puerto Rican conga player and Traveling Through Time is his 7th studio album as a leader.  This album was released late in 2014 under Incipit Records.  It features Giovanni Hidalgo and Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez on percussion and drums. With nothing but percussion on here, one might think that Traveling Through Time would become either boring or tiring.  That couldn’t be farther from the truth.  With two percussionists of this caliber, magic has happened here.  The album grooves and keeps things interesting, never remaining in one place for too, too long, yet retaining the drive and energy that is essential to anything Latin.  It’s an extraordinarily layered album as well.  There’s something to be discovered with every listen.  It sometimes is hard to believe that Traveling Through Time features just two people.  

The opening track, “La Maquinita,” sprints in roaring with a complex rhythmic melody (admittedly a weird word to be using without melodic instruments, but trust me there’s a melody) that sounds as though it could be a percussion ensemble of four or five people. In sum, then, Traveling Through Time is a gem.  For an album that relies entirely on percussion, Giovanni Hidalgo and Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez created something wonderfully energetic and interesting. https://elliottmusicreview.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/giovanni-hidalgo-traveling-through-time/

Traveling Through Time

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Christian Scott - Stretch Music

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:01
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Sunrise in Beijing
(4:15)  2. TWIN
(4:22)  3. Perspectives
(8:07)  4. West of the West
(4:09)  5. Liberation over Gangsterism
(1:34)  6. The Corner
(7:34)  7. Of a New Cool
(2:07)  8. Runnin 7's
(4:24)  9. Tantric
(7:11) 10. The Last Chieftain
(2:10) 11. The Horizon

Stretch music, according to New Orleans jazz musician Christian Scott, is an approach that engenders a more absorbent and sensitive kind of jazz. "We are attempting to stretch not replace jazz's rhythmic, melodic and harmonic conventions to encompass as many musical forms/languages/cultures as we can," he says on his website. He titled his fifth album after the concept, but this sensibility is visible even in his earliest work as a leader; the title track of 2007's Anthem is jazz in its instrumentation, but it also obeys the rhythms and structures of post-hardcore, a series of contrasting shapes which build an atomically tense and spectral space, like a cathedral at night. His description of "stretch music" somewhat resembles the omnivorous jazz approaches of bassist/singer Esperanza Spalding and pianist Robert Glasper. It's similarly collaborative and elastic. But Scott's genre splicing is not as mosaic as Glasper's. It’s doesn’t lock different genres together in unusual patterns as much as it melts them down into asymmetrical and indivisible sculpture. It's almost curious to call it "stretch music" when it feels as if jazz isn’t so much expanded here as collapsed into small, oblique jewels. Later in his mission statement, Scott describes his intention to draw unusual instruments through distortion. This is how Stretch Music begins: A piano, played by Lawrence Fields, struggles through noise, as if pressing and blurring against a force field. Instruments undergo a kind of metamorphosis in Scott’s aesthetic, which is reflected in the album cover: his trumpet bends and warps into elastic shapes. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21105-stretch-music/

Personnel:  Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – trumpet, sirenette and reverse flugelhorn; Elena Pinderhughes – flute; Braxton Cook – alto, straight alto; Corey King – trombone; Cliff Hines – guitar; Lawrence Fields – piano; Kris Funn – bass; Corey Fonville – drums, SPD-SX pad; Joe Dyson Jr. – pan-African drums, SPD-SX; Warren Wolf - Vibraphone

Stretch Music

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Trijntje Oosterhuis - Leven Van De Liefde

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:22
Size: 171,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Eenzaam Zonder Jou
(3:21)  2. Dat Zou Mooi Zijn
(4:58)  3. Mooi Verhaal
(3:51)  4. Als De Liefde Niet Bestond
(4:44)  5. Telkens Weer
(4:30)  6. Is Dit Alles
(5:53)  7. Liefde Van Later
(3:36)  8. Voor Haar
(4:59)  9. Kom Maar Bij Mij
(4:53) 10. Het Gaat Niet Beter Worden
(4:08) 11. Toen Ik Je Zag
(3:54) 12. Tot Jij Mijn Liefde Voelt
(4:21) 13. Omarm
(2:27) 14. Laat Ze Blijven
(9:01) 15. Vaderland
(3:52) 16. Jungle

Although the career of Trijntje Oosterhuis consists for the most part of English-language work, we must not forget that her definitive breakthrough as a solo singer was really due to a Dutch-language song. When Oosterhuis provided the opening anthem of the Amsterdam ArenA in a bright red dress in 1996, the whole of the Netherlands knew in one fell swoop who the singer (who at the time formed the band Total Touch with her brother Tjeerd). That song, entitled De Zee, made it to the Top 10 of the national charts and paved the way for multiple trips in our native language. Wereld Zonder Jou(a duet with Marco Borsato), Vlieg Met Me Mee (from the feature film Abeltje ) and Now That You Are There(which was an ode to the birth of Princess Amalia) are a number of examples. Despite the always positive reactions to the Dutch language, it took a long time before Oosterhuis dared to venture on a complete Dutch album. For her current theater tour (which will start this week), the singer decided to take a different approach and therefore only to sing songs that we can all understand and understand word for word. During the tour's rehearsals, the idea arose to record a selection of the songs for an album. "Songs that are dear to me, songs of all times, songs that need to be sung and heard, songs that remind me of important moments in my life, forgotten gems or rather big hits that I have wanted to sing in my own way for years" said Oosterhuis recently in a statement. During the playing time of one hour and fourteen minutes we hear new versions of classics from Dutch artists. BLØF, Herman van Veen, Willeke Alberti, André Hazes, Henny Vrienten, Marco Borsato, Paul de Leeuw, Frans Halsema and Toon Hermans are a number of examples. To combine singing with motherhood, Oosterhuis decided to record the entire album entitled Leven Van De Liefde at home. That wasn't the first time for the singer, because the English-language albums See You As I Do (2005), the Michael Jackson tribute album Never Can Say Goodbye (2009) and the Christmas album This Is The Season (2010) were also in recorded her own studios. This way of recording songs produces an atmospheric and intimate sound. The feeling of being at home with Eenzaam Zonder Jou(the first song from the album) immediately clear because a small role is set aside for Maël, the one and a half year old daughter of Oosterhuis. You will not get it any purer than this.

The guitar playing of Leonardo Amuedo plays an important role in the songs. In addition to him, we hear more fellow musicians on the album. For example, there are solos for Carel Kraayenhof (bandoneon), Candy Dulfer (saxophone), father-in-law Henrie Ronde (steel drums), mother Josefien Melief (viola) and Aram Kersbergen (bass). The singer has clearly opted for two camps during the recording. While one camp consists of fado-like songs such as Every Time Again , If The Love Did Not Exist and Love of Later, the other camp consists of the somewhat more uplifting pieces with a fine groove such as Beautiful Story, This Everything and It Doesn't Get Better To become. WithJungle , by the way, manages to deliver a funny version of the hit with which Broederl Liefde was successful last year. Her sons of ten and twelve constantly sing that song, so the decision to make it their own was quickly made. Because Leven Van De Liefde is the umpteenth album by Oosterhuis that she has recorded in an intimate setting, it becomes dangerous that she has performed this trick for the umpteenth time. Still, with the input of her fellow musicians, she knows how to distinguish this album from those other intimate albums and that is certainly worth a plus. A second Dutch-language album is also planned, but one with newly written songs. A project that we are looking forward to enormously and which will hopefully feature songs that are just that little bit more energetic, than the pure songs that this album carries with it. Leven Van De Liefde is certainly a nice snack as a project, but to be honest: a singer in the form of Trijntje Oosterhuis simply deserves a blast from an album with strong and original Nederpop songs.  Translate By Google https://www.nieuweplaat.nl/album/trijntje-oosterhuis-leven-liefde/

Leven Van De Liefde

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Charles Gayle - Jazz Solo Piano

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:12
Size: 128,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. 1939
(2:58)  2. I'll Remember April
(6:16)  3. Round Midnite
(5:21)  4. Countdown
(4:37)  5. Bucket Blues
(3:06)  6. Nadoshe
(4:12)  7. Afternoon In Paris
(4:39)  8. All The Things You Are
(2:32)  9. Cherokee
(4:13) 10. What's New
(2:38) 11. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(6:39) 12. Body & Soul
(3:29) 13. I'll Remember Aprill II
(0:57) 14. Chapter Green

Charles Gayle has gained fame as a very passionate avant-garde tenor saxophonist, but this CD is something much different. The set is dedicated to the music of his youth, the songs from the 1930s and '40s that he heard at home. Gayle is reborn, temporarily, as a surprisingly effective pianist. Most of the selections he performs are standards and, although his improvisations are abstract, he does pay respect to the melodies and keeps the themes in mind. Gayle does not strictly follow the chord structures and his soloing is often thoughtful and out of time, even including some atonal striding. This is about as accessible a recording as Charles Gayle will ever make and it is generally both surprising and successful in its own way. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-solo-piano-mw0000116122

Personnel: Charles Gayle - Piano.

Jazz Solo Piano

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Michael Wolff - Love and Destruction

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:58
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. Tell Me
(2:51)  2. Falling In Love
(1:27)  3. Almost Everything
(5:34)  4. Everything In It's Right Place
(5:08)  5. Underwater
(5:20)  6. Hallelujah
(3:47)  7. Ya Ya
(4:27)  8. Stop In The Name Of Love
(4:12)  9. Miss You
(4:03) 10. Mellow Yellow
(5:28) 11. Tango
(3:03) 12. Hostage O
(5:27) 13. Everytody's Got To Learn Sometime

Michael Wolff has a strong reputation as a versatile and swinging jazz pianist. Love and Destruction is a major change for him; on this set he is cast as a singer/songwriter, performing modern folk music and sounding a bit (tone-wise) like Michael Franks but with a weaker voice. His website claims that this set of music is a mixture of rock, pop and world music and it is true that his jazz piano and improvising are greatly de-emphasized. But the messages Wolff sings about (including on five of his originals) are not that compelling, the covers are not particularly memorable, the musicians have little to do, and Wolff's voice will not impress many listeners. Hopefully Love and Destruction is only a temporary departure from Michael Wolff's musical strengths. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-and-destruction-mw0000563341

Personnel:  Michael Wolff - Piano, Hammond B3, Rhodes, Vocals; John B. Williams -  Electric Upright Bass; Richie Goods - Electric Bass; Mike Clark -  Drums; Chuck Morris - Drums; Badal Roy - Tablas; Brad Dutz -  Percussion; John Guth - Guitar; The African Children's Choir - Vocals, Sloan Wainwright;- John Guth -  Background Vocals

Love and Destruction

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Chuck Sagle & His Orchestra - Ping Pong Percussion

Styles: Contemporary Jazz 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:33
Size: 73,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:34)  1. Who's Sorry Now
(3:15)  2. The Sheik of Araby
(2:41)  3. For Me and My Gal
(2:28)  4. How Come You Do Me Like You Do?
(2:58)  5. My Honey's Lovin' Arms
(2:35)  6. When the Saints Go Marching In
(2:55)  7. Make Love to Me
(1:47)  8. Cuddle Up a Little Closer
(3:08)  9. Stars Fell on Alabama
(2:04) 10. Muskrat Ramble
(2:43) 11. Someday Sweetheart
(2:19) 12. High Society

For all its star power, especially in the percussion section of course, Ping Pong Percussion should have packed more punch. Harry Breuer's influence and playing is very much in evidence, although the agedness of the tunes chosen ("Muskrat Ramble") could well be his doing too. "The Sheik of Araby" and "Make Love to Me" are the only cuts approaching hip. The rest, well, are just so much pong without ping. ~ Tony Wilds https://www.allmusic.com/album/ping-pong-percussion-mw0000922067

Personnel:  Clarinet – Phil Olivella; Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Piccolo Flute – Phil Bodner; Conductor – Chuck Sagle; Double Bass – George Duvivier; Guitar – Barry Galbraith;  Mundell Lowe Percussion – Archie Freedman, Bob Rosengarten, Harry Breuer, Jimmy Crawford, Joe Venuto , Marty Grupp, Phil Krause, Ted Sommers, Warren Hard, Willie Rodriguez;  Piano – Moe Wechsler; Saxophone [Tenor], Flute, Bass Clarinet – Al Klink ; Trumpet – Doc Severinson, Johnny Glasel; Trombone – Harry DaVito), Lou McGarity 

Ping Pong Percussion

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Don Friedman Trio - The Days Of Wine And Roses

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:50
Size: 154,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Days Of Wine And Roses
(6:23)  2. Hi Low Fast Low Hi
(9:26)  3. Body And Soul
(7:09)  4. I Don't Know Yet
(6:29)  5. You Got To My Head
(7:40)  6. Free At Last
(6:33)  7. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(9:48)  8. New Dawn
(7:02)  9. It Could Happen To You

One of the most difficult things about being a jazz musician is learning to accept the the sheer arbitrariness of fame (there is no fortune in jazz). Why is one player enormously famous and another obscure, when to the naked ear they sound equally as compelling? That's a subject for another day, but it's the first thing one may think of when picking up an album by a lesser-known yet enormously talented musician like Don Friedman. Friedman is a tremendously versatile and creative jazz pianist. Few jazz musicians of any stripe are as conversant with both the bop vocabulary and free music techniques. Friedman is utterly convincing in both genres. On this, Friedman and his rhythm section play standards and free improvisations on alternate tracks. The styles are markedly different: The standards swing gently if insistently within the framework of the tunes; the free improvs surge and subside, going in and out of time and touching on tonalities at random. The high degree of invention and sophistication of the players ties the tracks together. Friedman is a powerful pianist with the creamiest of touches; although he's as percussive as he needs to be, at times it seems as if there's a pillow underneath each key. And while he plays it straight on the standards, Friedman possesses a rhythmic elasticity on these tunes that could remind a younger jazz listener of Keith Jarrett. Friedman's free playing is considerably more elegant and polished than that of many full-time avant-garde pianists, but no less creative. The rhythm section and Friedman had never played together before this date; it says something about the nature of improvised music that the music suffers not a whit. In the hands of players as sensitive and gifted as these, a first encounter is just another opportunity for discovery. ~ Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-days-of-wine-and-roses-mw0000022303

Personnel:  Don Friedman ( Piano ); Giampiero Prina ( Drums ); Marco Ricci (Bass).

The Days Of Wine And Roses

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DeDe Wedekind - Dream of You

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:37
Size: 78,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Dream of You
(3:33)  2. Leaning on Heaven
(3:55)  3. Prime of Life
(3:41)  4. Sell Me Out
(3:56)  5. Stronger
(3:47)  6. Love Lives On
(3:19)  7. Recipe of Love
(3:15)  8. Today I'll Marry My Friend
(3:42)  9. My Unsung Hero

Houston-based singer/songwriter, DeDe Wedekind, with over 110,000 fans worldwide, was just named the 2016 Best New Female ARTIST of the YEAR, at the 5th Annual Indie Music Channel (IMC) Awards, held at the Clive Davis Theater at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles in April.  The Indie Music Channel was founded by Emmy-winning actor, writer, musician & producer, Christopher Ewing, as a one-of-a-kind platform to help talented Independent Artists get much needed recognition, while playing their music on the IMC’s internationally acclaimed internet radio stations & website.  Artists also receive unique worldwide exposure via The Indie Music Channel’s Website, FM & Internet Syndicated Radio Shows, the Indie CAFÉ TV Show, LIVE TV Show, & other IMC Shows & Tours. At the IMC Awards, DeDe was also honored with Best Americana Song, Best Americana Artist & Best Americana Recording for her original, “Dream of You”!  These awards were based on the release of DeDe’s much-anticipated 4th album, Dream of You, in Feb. 2016.  Also from this album, new Single “Stronger” already garnered Best Adult Contemporary Song of the Year-2015, at the 3rd Annual International Music and Entertainment (IMEA) Awards in Atlanta.  In 2014, DeDe also won TWO separate IMEA ALBUM of the YEAR Awards, for Album #2: Love & Fairy Tales, and for Album #3: World of Christmas! DeDe’s new album features her original single: “Love Lives On”, recorded with Multi-Platinum mega hit Songwriter and Producer, Andrew Fromm. Andrew Fromm’s the songwriter for ‘NSync’s “Millenium” album, the Backstreet Boys, Marc Anthony & many others. Andrew is featured playing the piano on this inspiring single from DeDe’s New album. https://dedewedekind.blogspot.com/2016/05/dede-wedekind-wins-best-new-female.html

Dream of You

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Giovanni Hidalgo - Hands Of Rhythm

Styles: Latin Jazz, World Fusion 
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:12
Size: 119,0 MB
Art:

(5:53)  1. And Sammy Walked In
(5:08)  2. Footprints
(4:22)  3. Amo Esta Isla
(4:16)  4. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(4:11)  5. My Soul Beat
(4:50)  6. Papa Boco
(3:47)  7. Blue Monk
(5:15)  8. If You Knew...
(4:05)  9. En Mi Viejo San Juan
(6:18) 10. Hello And Goodbye
(3:02) 11. Hands In Motion

Could a collaborative effort between Dominican piano virtuoso Michel Camilio and Giovanni Hidalgo, who is commonly known as the finest living conguero, possibly live up to the expectations? The answer Hands of Rhythm offers is nothing short of "All that and them some, baby." The beautiful thing about hearing both Camilo and Hidalgo in a rare duo format is that unlike larger band contexts, their genius does not compete for sonic space with anyone. Every note, every stroke is clearly audible, and crystal clear. Almost as fantastic as the instrumental performance was the repertoire chosen. In fact, the overall flavor is not what one might expect from two players known well for blistering speed. A haunting, sensitive rendition of "Footprints" and the reminiscent "En Mi Viejo San Juan" are welcome surprises from a percussion lead duo. "Softly as in the Morning" and "Blue Monk" are swinging from start to finish. With these jazzy selections, the bossa nova-at-its-best "If You Knew," and the merengue "Papa Boco," Hands of Rhythm shies away from the clave-driven music that made these two men famous. 

And yet, they prove themselves as adept in any one idiom as the other. Hidalgo and Camilo make up for their small numbers with both taste and sheer brilliance. Hands of Rhythm is required listening for both these musician's loyal fan bases, and the Latin jazz listening public alike. ~ Evam C. Guttierrez https://www.allmusic.com/album/hands-of-rhythm-mw0000081472

Personnel: Giovanni Hidalgo: Bongos, Chimes, Composer, Congas; Michel Camilo: Piano

Hands Of Rhythm

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Norm Kubrin - I Thought About You

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:52
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. I Thought About You
(5:45)  2. Isn't It A Pity'
(3:20)  3. It's A Wonderful World
(6:26)  4. My Ship
(4:54)  5. You Make Me Feel So Young
(5:01)  6. Summer Me, Winter Me
(4:18)  7. Let's Get Away From It All
(5:53)  8. Love Walked In
(3:51)  9. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(4:50) 10. The Shining Sea
(5:31) 11. It Could Happen To You
(5:24) 12. Where Do You Start

Vocalist-pianist Norm Kubrin fronts a trio on Thought About You with guitarist Bob Hanni and bassist Don Coffman. The piano-guitar-bass arrangement probably seems less familiar today than piano-bass-drum, and places the style and approach of Thought About You in the '50s. The songs by names like Gershwin & Gershwin, Kurt Weill, and Johnny Mercer reinforce this connection to mainstream jazz. The set sways between mellow ballads like "Isn't It a Pity" to happier, medium-tempo songs like "It's a Wonderful World." Kubrin's vocal approach and choices of material partly recall Mel Tormé, though his straightforward style lacks Tormé's flair and flourishes. Kubrin really enjoys slowing ballads down to a snail's pace, turning them into intimate late-night conversations between himself and one or two barflies. He's equally contented with easy rolling songs like "Nice Work if You Can Get It," though overall, Thought About You is a relaxed set. Kubrin, Hanni, and Coffman are quite comfortable together, which seems like a prerequisite for trio work, and all three know when to jump in and when to stay out of one another's way. The solo piano and guitar work are solid, though the sparks never really fly thanks to the mellow material and the trio's mellow approach. Kubrin and company have turned in a respectable effort, sure to please mainstream jazz fans. ~ Ronnie D.Lankford Jr. https://www.allmusic.com/album/thought-about-you-mw0000461969

Personnel:  Norm Kubrin, piano & vocals; Bob Hanni, guitar; Don Coffman, bass

I Thought About You

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Vincent Houdijk - 15

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:54
Size: 114,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:41)  1. Intimate Moments
(5:14)  2. Shanti
(6:01)  3. Mapa (Solo Version)
(8:48)  4. 40 Degrees
(5:52)  5. The Sfinx
(6:22)  6. Art of Living
(9:53)  7. 15

The debut album entitled '15' was released in 2013 and is is a musical monument of Vincent Houdijk (1981) for his three year older brother Ashley who was also a percussionist and sadly enough did not survive the impact of the traumatic Hercules disaster in Eindhoven on July 15, 1996. At that time Vincent was 15 years old and was driven to become a professional percussionist after this tragic accident. This album 15 is an inspiring 'audio biography' of the 15 crucial years of his life - from the first moment of the accident up until the studio recordings of this first CD - which is the sign of the musical journey of Vincent Houdijk, which began in fact on the day he decided to become a professional musician. Vincent Houdijk has been awarded as 'Most promising Jazz Talent of the Netherlands' (by the jazz programmers of the major venues; VIP Association). He composed his second album Vortex and released this live-recording during a nationwide tour starting in the famous Bimhuis, Amsterdam. The title composition 15 - the last and most intense work on the album - is obviously a tribute to his brother, Vincent sees him as the main inspiration for his musical career. 15 symbolizes energy, vitality and total passion for music. Furthermore the debut album 15 consists of seven compositions with musical contributions from renowned jazz musicians Eric Vloeimans (trumpet), Bert Boeren (trombone) and Tabla player Walid Nowrouzi. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/vincenthoudijk

Band line up: Vincent Houdijk - vibraphone and all compositions; Christof May - saxophones and bass clarinet; Aron Raams - guitar; Ludo van der Winkel - double bass; Mark Schilders - drums

Featuring: Eric Vloeimans (on Art of Living); Bert Boeren (on Intimate Moments)

" VinnieVibes is a clear example of how young musicians experience and especially perform jazz in this era. The concert of Vincent Houdijks' VinnieVibes was an energetic event, expertly put down, with fresh ideas, great craftsmanship, attention to detail and as far as the bandleader itself is concerned, a tremendous sense of harmony, melody and swing." Rinus van der Heijden, Jazzenzo Magazine  4 star review by Jazzism Magazine

"The compositions of Houdijk emenate power and are vigorously brought to life. Each piece of music stimulates the imagination." Hessel Fluitman, JazzFlits Magazine

"Vincent Houdijk showed himself the disciple of his teacher" He exceeded his tutor "Not only as a vibraphonist, but especially as a creative artist: since all the compositions of his hand, which the band played this evening, had a quality that you do not often encounter in contemporary music. Strong in terms of melodic character, exciting in the construction and embedded into fine grooves." Gerard Hoekmeijer, Jazz New and Deep Foundation

15

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Charles Lloyd - Voice In The Night

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:15
Size: 157,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:30)  1. Voice In The Night
( 4:42)  2. God Give Me Strength
( 7:45)  3. Dorotea's Studio
( 5:57)  4. Requiem
(11:41)  5. Pocket Full of Blues
( 9:26)   6. Homage
(15:22)  7. Forest Flower: Sunrise / Sunset
( 6:49)   8. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing

Voice in the Night is a welcome homecoming for reedman Charles Lloyd. He hasn't recorded in a guitar-based group since his two tremendously underrated (and rockish) albums for A&M in 1972-73. Here, he also pleasingly revisits a good deal of his earlier (and still his most personable) material: "Forest Flower," from the famed quartet days of the late 60s, "Voice in the Night" and in the "Pocket Full of Blues" medley, "Island Blues" and "Little Sister's Dance." With the advantage of hindsight, Lloyd seems to sound warmer, somewhat romantic and a touch more inspired than usual with a guitar. Pianists seem to bring out Lloyd's more aggressive Coltrane-ish side and often permit him to easily dabble in longer, spacier themes with exotic instrumentation. Even though he sticks to tenor throughout here (his exceptional flute playing is sorely missed coupled with John Abercrombie's sensistive accompaniment), Lloyd sounds just right here: swinging and having fun too. This all-star aggregate, featuring Abercrombie on guitar, Dave Holland on bass and Billy Higgins on drums, recalls the other supergroup Lloyd captured on 1965's superb Of Course, Of Course (Columbia, not on CD). The earlier date featured iconoclastic guitarist Gabor Szabo, an excellent foil for any of Lloyd's moods (Szabo came to the Chico Hamilton group Lloyd directed at Lloyd's insistence in the early 1960s), with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams. Lloyd, Abercrombie and Holland bring a far different, mellowed perspective to this music.

Voice in the Night suffers none of the austerity that rules much of ECM's recordings and a few of Lloyd's previous five ECM releases. Aside from toe-tapping interplay on the familiar songs, Lloyd and company offer lovely covers of Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing" and, surprisingly, last year's Burt Bachrach/Elvis Costello hit, "God Give Me Strength." Quite often, though, the most interesting moments come on Lloyd's newest material: the off-kilter calypso of "Dorotea's Studio," "Homage" (a sterling Abercrombie showpiece) and "Requiem." However, anyone familiar with Lloyd's magisterial "Forest Flower" from the Chico Hamilton days, or, more likely from the famed quartet days, will certainly want to hear the beautiful version Lloyd, Abercrombie, Holland and Higgins offer here. It's worth the price of admission. Here's hoping the somewhat reclusive Lloyd is planning a sequel to Voice in the Night. This is a quartet that offers much to explore. ~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/voice-in-the-night-charles-lloyd-ecm-records-review-by-douglas-payne.php?width=1920

Players:  Charles Lloyd: tenor sax; John Abercrombie: guitar; Dave Holland: double bass; Billy Higgins: drums, percussion.

Voice In The Night

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Joni James - Dream A Little Dream Of Me

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:20
Size: 146,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(3:21)  2. All Or Nothing At All
(3:04)  3. I Love You Much Too Much
(2:59)  4. There Will Never Be Another You
(1:43)  5. Can't Get Out Of This Mood
(3:09)  6. Manhattan
(2:53)  7. Heart And Soul
(1:59)  8. Lover
(2:20)  9. Just One Of Those Things
(3:46) 10. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(3:12) 11. Basin Street Blues
(3:48) 12. I Almost Lost My Mind
(2:14) 13. Baby, Won't You Say You Love Me
(2:31) 14. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
(3:33) 15. I'll Walk Alone
(4:07) 16. My Melancholy Baby
(3:53) 17. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
(4:57) 18. Imagination
(3:38) 19. But Beautiful
(3:31) 20. I Can Dream, Can't I?

Pop songstress Joni James was born Giovanna Carmella Babbo in Chicago on September 22, 1930. After studying drama and ballet throughout her adolescence, she joined a local dance troupe on a tour of Canada upon graduating high school, later working as a chorus girl at the Windy City's Edgewater Beach Hotel. A fill-in gig at an Indiana roadhouse convinced James to pursue a career as a singer, and while appearing in a TV commercial she was spotted by executives at MGM, signing to the label in 1952. Her single "Why Don't You Believe Me" sold over a million copies, topping the U.S. charts for six weeks and falling just shy of the Top Ten in Britain. An overnight sensation, James enjoyed an incredible run of hits over the next year, among them the double-sided "Have You Heard"/"Wishing Ring," "Purple Shades," Hank Williams' "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Is It Any Wonder," "Almost Always," "My Love, My Love," "You're Fooling Someone," "Nina-Non (A Christmas Lullaby)," and "You're My Everything." By 1954, however, James' early success seemed to dissipate entirely, and after returning to the Top Ten twice the following year with "How Important Can It Be?" and "You Are My Love" she never reached to the upper rungs of the charts again, although she continued cracking the Top 100 for the remainder of the decade. In 1964, she retired from music to tend to her ailing husband, musical director Anthony Acquaviva, and spent the next three decades essentially removed from the public eye; finally, during the mid-'90s she returned to touring while also supervising the re-release of her classic MGM recordings. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/joni-james-mn0000224113/biography

Dream A Little Dream Of Me

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Ivo Perelman - Man of the Forest

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:15
Size: 106,8 MB
Art: Front

(12:28)  1. Man of the Forest
( 5:47)   2. Cantiga Caicó
(11:05)  3. Valeiro
( 5:24)   4. Rasga o Coraçao
(11:29)  5. Prelude No. 1

Ivo Perelman, who has been thought of as a Brazilian Albert Ayler (although that is a simplification and a denial of his originality), fuses together Brazilian music (the playing of his percussionists) with creative jazz in this unusual tribute to the compositions of the Brazilian classical composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. Actually Perelman just uses Villa-Lobos's motifs as a point of departure but one could call the results world fusion since Perelman's mixture creates some startling jazz. Pianist Joanne Brackeen makes her presence felt during her three appearances (including the modal waltz "Veleiro" and the ballad "Rasga O Coracao") while the interaction between the tenor, the accordion of Dom Salvador and the percussionists on "Cantiga Caico" is delightful. Ivo Perelman has an intense sound, complete control of his instrument and an emotional style a little like Archie Shepp in his prime. His passionate music deserves close attention. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/man-of-the-forest-mw0000126576

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Arranged By, Adapted By – Ivo Perelman; Accordion – Dom Salvador; Bass – Mark Helias; Caxixi, Bells, Other [Shells], Voice – Nana Vasconcelos; Caxixi, Triangle, Wood Block [Wood Blocks] – Duduka Da Fonseca; Cuica, Drum [Timba], Congas, Pandeiro, Drum [Zabumba], Bells – Guilherme Franco; Drums – Billy Hart; Pandeiro, Cuica, Triangle [Triangulo], Gong [Gongs], Caxixi, Drum [Ceramic Drum], Bells – Cyro Baptista; Piano – Joanne Brackeen 

Man of the Forest

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