Ron McClure - Never Forget

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:40
Size: 157,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Halfmoon Again
(7:28)  2. Hello Spring
(4:07)  3. Lament for Lost Heroes
(7:26)  4. Belle
(6:39)  5. Never Forget
(8:41)  6. Hey New Day
(6:12)  7. We'll Say Hello Again
(6:32)  8. Illusions Of ...
(6:23)  9. Stinky Fingers
(9:16) 10. Remember Me

A resourceful and flexible bassist, Ron McClure has thrived in hard bop, jazz-rock, and free and bebop sessions and bands. One of the finest upper register players on either acoustic or electric, his rhythmic skills are tremendous. McClure has also been an active educator since the early '70s, teaching at Berklee and Long Island University and doing workshops both nationally and internationally. He started on piano at age five, and later played accordion and bass. McClure studied privately with Joseph Iadone and attended the Hartt School of Music, graduating in 1963. He later studied composition with Hall Overton and Don Sebesky. McClure played with Buddy Rich in the mid-'60s, and worked and recorded with Marian McPartland, Herbie Mann, and Maynard Ferguson during that same period. McClure played in Wyton Kelly's band in 1966, then joined Charles Lloyd in 1967. The Lloyd group also included Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette, and enjoyed unusual popularity and publicity for a late-'60s jazz band. They were the first American group to play at a Soviet jazz festival, and also appeared at the Fillmore, one of the few jazz acts to play there. McClure was a founding member of the jazz-rock band the Fourth Way -- with Michael White, Mike Nock, and Eddie Marshall -- in 1968. They got a good response at the Newport and Montreux festivals in 1970, but disbanded in 1971 after a three-year stint. During the '70s, McClure played with Joe Henderson, Gary Burton, Mose Allison, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman, Thelonious Monk, Tony Bennett, and Jarrett. He recorded with Jerry Hahn, Julian Priester, Cal Tjader, and the Pointer Sisters, and spent three years with Blood, Sweat & Tears in the mid-'70s. McClure played and recorded with George Russell, Tom Harrell, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Mark Gray, Jimmy Madison, Adam Nussbaum, Richie Bierarch, Vincent Herring, Kevin Hayes, Bill Stewart, and Michel Petrucciani in the '80s and '90s. McClure has done sessions as a leader for Ode, Bellaphon, EPC, Steeplechase, and Ken Music. He has a few dates available on CD. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ron-mcclure-mn0000831201/biography 

Personnel: Bass – Ron McClure; Alto Saxophone – Vincent Herring; Drums – Bill Stewart; Piano – Kevin Hays; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson

Never Forget

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The Fat Babies - Chicago Hot

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:33
Size: 141,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. Snake Rag
(2:42)  2. London Cafe Blues
(4:58)  3. San
(3:41)  4. Alexander's Ragtime Band
(4:04)  5. I Surrender Dear
(4:04)  6. Dardanella
(2:54)  7. Black Snake Blues
(3:21)  8. Here Comes the Hot Tamale Man
(4:31)  9. Froggie Moore
(4:25) 10. Willow Tree
(2:55) 11. Weary Blues
(4:50) 12. Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)
(4:00) 13. Please
(2:43) 14. Susie
(3:43) 15. Tight Like This
(4:19) 16. Stomp Off, Let's Go

What 's old is new again or maybe it's more accurate to say, what used to be hip is hot again. The Fat Babies' Chicago Hot harkens back to the early jazz-blues amalgamation of King Oliver, and is as vibrantly interpreted by this seven-piece ensemble as it was when the music was originally pressed onto 78 RPMs. In the past decade, Hot Jazz has been steadily gaining fans as many contemporary musicians find new inspiration in these old forms. The Fat Babies is a very talented incarnation of this hep-cat renaissance. Borrowing mainly from the music of Chicago's famous South Side, the Fat Babies also incorporates the phrasing and feel of hot jazz extraordinaire, Bix Beiderbecke thanks to cornetist Andy Schumann. Coupled with the sly lines of clarinetist John Otto, Schumann's inventive and catchy improvisations radiate on tracks like Jelly Roll Morton's "Froggie Moore" and "Black Snake Blues," by blues singer Victoria Spivery. The music really comes to a boil when cornet and clarinet are joined with the propulsion of trombonist Dave Bock's melodic turns. In "Here Comes the Hot Tamale Man," all three wind instruments rise and fall in a torrent of Dixieland bliss trading eights while the others lay down a supportive bedrock. With Otto flying high, Schumann lets loose a swinging, raspy solo invention before giving ground to Bock's rhythmically exciting and melodically spot-on solo. Typical of Chicago style Hot Jazz, most tracks employ a swinging, upbeat style whose format lends itself to inventive, fast-paced soloing. A notable exception is Fats Waller's medium-paced classic "Willow Tree," its beautiful melody allowing the soloists time to intersperse quick melodic darts with glistening, held notes. 

The track is also a great opportunity for the rhythm section; throughout Chicago Hot, these three display remarkable timing as a unit, masterfully weaving together for the fast tempo and quick accent breaks of the Hot Jazz format. On this slower track, however, there's space and time to drink in their combined appeal. Pianist Paul Asaro impresses with his dramatically quiet intro to "Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)" before the tune takes off into a quick, trotting pace, matched beautifully by the pianist's crisp, accentual phrasing. There may not be many second acts in American history, as author F. Scott Fitzgerald claimed, but there is a long tradition of second looks especially in music which has always proven itself extraordinarily malleable and awaits only a young enough audience to appreciate the newness these old sounds can accommodate. 

~ Jack Huntley https://www.allaboutjazz.com/chicago-hot-the-fat-babies-delmark-records-review-by-jack-huntley.php

Personnel: Beau Sample: string bass; Andy Schumm: cornet; John Otto: clarinet, saxophones; Dave Block: trombone; Paul Asaro: piano; Jake Sanders: tenor banjo; Alex Hall: drums; Mike Walbridge: tuba.

Chicago Hot

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Bobby Hutcherson - Montara

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz 
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:39
Size: 82,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Camel Rise
(4:24)  2. Montara
(4:17)  3. (Se Acabo) La Malanga
(5:37)  4. Love Song
(3:54)  5. Little Angel
(6:42)  6. Yuyo
(5:08)  7. Oye Como Va

With the possible exception of Grover Washington's Feels So Good, no other album captured the spirit of jazz in 1975 like Bobby Hutcherson's Montara. Recorded in his hometown of L.A., Montara is the very sound of groove jazz coming out of fusion, and Latin jazz's tough salsa rhythms coming home to roost in something more warm and effluvial that would meet the populace where it was changing and mellowing out rather than making it sit up and take notice. That said, Montara is, like the Washington record, a masterpiece of the genre even though it isn't celebrated in the same way. Featuring a stellar cast of musicians among them Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Bobby Matos, Ernie Watts, Harvey Mason, Plas Johnson, Fred Jackson, Larry Nash, and Chuck Domanico Montara is a portrait of Hutcherson's complex gift of subtlety and virtuosity. Whether it's the funky Weather Report dance of "Camel Rise," with Nash's electric piano and the horns weaving around one another in a soulful samba melody, the sweet soulful groove of the title track, where Hutcherson's solo lilts to the point of actually singing, the killer Cuban salsa of "La Malanga," done in complete minor-key frenzy (all the while without losing the easy, slippery grace of soul-jazz), the shimmering echoplexed electric piano and vibes interplay on "Love Song," or the steaming, burning gasoline orgy of Hutcherson's read of Santana's "Oye Como Va," with a killer flute line by Watts winding its way through a knotty bassline and multi-part percussion, the effect is the same: blissed-out moving and grooving for a summer day. Hutcherson's chameleon-like ability to shape-shift is truly remarkable as a sideman and especially as a leader. He never overplays, his charts are tight, and he always creates a band vibe. Almost all of his solo recordings reflect the strengths of the ensemble rather than his strengths as a soloist. Montara is one of the great feel-good jazz albums of the 1970s, one of the great Latin jazz albums of the 1970s, and one of the great groove jazz records. Seek it out without hesitation. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/montara-mw0000036961

Personnel: Bobby Hutcherson - vibes, marimba; Oscar Brashear, Blue Mitchell - trumpet; Plas Johnson - flute; Ernie Watts, Fred Jackson, Jr. - tenor saxophone, flute; Eddie Cano - piano; Larry Nash - electric piano; Dennis Budimir - guitar; Chuck Domanico, Dave Troncoso - bass; Harvey Mason - drums

Montara

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Joy Bryan – Make The Man Love Me

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s 
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. My Romance.mp3
(4:57)  2. Make the Man Love Me.mp3
(3:30)  3. Almost Like Being in Love.mp3
(4:03)  4. It Never Entered My Mind.mp3
(3:40)  5. East of the Sun.mp3
(3:37)  6. Aren't You Glad You're You.mp3
(3:56)  7. My Funny Valentine.mp3
(4:07)  8. Old Devil Moon.mp3
(3:32)  9. These Foolish Things.mp3
(3:15) 10. Everything's Coming Up Roses.mp3

Pre-rock pop, ballads and standards vocalist who cut albums in late '50s, early 60s on West Coast. She was not hugely successful, nor attained widespread notoriety, but her 1961 release with Wynton Kelly and Leroy Vinnegar was good effort. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/joy-bryan-mn0001193072

Personnel: Vocal - Joy Bryan;  Bass – Leroy Vinnegar; Drums – Frank Butler; Guitar – Al Viola; Piano – Wynton Kelly

Make The Man Love Me

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Cannonball Adderley - 74 Miles Away / Walk Tall

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:11
Size: 80,9 MB
Art: Front

( 6:22)  1. Do Do Do (What Now Is Next?)
( 6:56)  2. I Remember Bird
( 2:36)  3. Walk Tall (Baby, That's What I Need)
(13:51)  4. 74 Miles Away
( 5:24)  5. Oh Babe

With the hit "Mercy Mercy Mercy" still reverberating on the sales charts, Capitol simply had the Quintet crank out one live club date after another at this point, hoping for another smash. They never really got one, but Cannonball and Nat Adderley, in league with pianist Joe Zawinul, bassist Victor Gaskin and drummer Roy McCurdy, left a strong legacy like this vigorous live Hollywood gig. One of Nat's best gospel-styled hip-shakers, "Do Do Do," opens the record, and Joe Zawinul comes up with another bluesy, catchy self-help tune in the vein of "Mercy" called "Walk Tall," prefaced by another of Cannonball's wryly inspirational talks. Indeed Cannonball was such an ingratiating speaker that he could even deliver a gracious ode to a critic, in this case Leonard Feather prior to his eloquent performance of Feather's "I Remember Bird." Yet the Adderleys and Zawinul could also take off and offer exploratory, nearly avant-garde solos on Zawinul's Middle-Eastern-flavored montuna in 7/4 time, "74 Miles Away" (which presages some of Joe's experiments with Weather Report). This was a rare thing, a group that could grab the public's attention and gently lead them into more difficult idioms without pandering or condescension. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/74-miles-away-walk-tall-mw0000869511  

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Cannonball Adderley; Bass – Victor Gaskin; Cornet – Nat Adderley; Drums – Roy McCurdy; Piano – Joe Zawinul

74 Miles Away/Walk Tall

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Craig Chaquico - Once In A Blue Universe

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:03
Size: 109,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Midnight Swim
(4:08)  2. Holding Back The Years
(5:49)  3. Dreamcatcher
(5:15)  4. Blue Universe
(4:54)  5. Trade Winds
(3:29)  6. Lights Out San Francisco
(5:03)  7. Dipsea Trail
(5:09)  8. Oceans Apart
(4:35)  9. Feelin' Alright
(3:34) 10. Indian Spring

Former Jefferson Starship guitarist Craig Chaquico is one of the most successful and reliable of the crop of rock musicians who have recently switched genres into contemporary jazz. His fourth CD, Once in a Blue Universe continues to broaden his jazz horizons while providing some very satisfying and distinctive music. Fans of Craig's first two albums ( Acoustic Planet and Acoustic Highway ) will find the same improvisational and eclectic guitar style prevalent on those albums. Those who welcomed Craig's turn toward more complex compositions and arrangements on A Thousand Pictures will enjoy the additional moods and extended saxophone presence. The first few notes of the first song ("Midnight Swim") set the beat with a funky bass line and readily identifies the artist with Craig's signature style on acoustic guitar. Dave Koz assists with a strong and funky sax line for an all-around finger-snapping tune. Craig's companion on the Guitars, Saxophones and More Tour, Richard Elliot, makes a strong guest appearance with his distinctive tenor saxophone on "Dreamcatcher," one of the first cuts to receive radio play. Another GS&M tour member, Peter White makes an appearance on "Lights Out San Francisco"; the guitar interplay between Craig and Peter makes this mellow track a winner. Other notable cuts include the romantic soft-tempo title song, subtitled "Kimberly's Eyes" featuring John Klemmer and Third Force, "Oceans Apart" and a mellow cover of pop tune "Holding Back the Years," one of the only non-original compositions on the disc. Those who saw Craig and Douglas Spotted Eagle together at the Catalina Island Jazz Festival in 1996 will recognize the diverse percussion and arrangement from Spotted Eagle on the end-cut "Indian Spring. "Produced by long-time keyboardist and producer Ozzie Ahlers, Once in a Blue Universe is a solid addition to any contemporary jazz or guitar collection, filled with tunes you will be humming days later. Highly recommended. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/once-in-a-blue-universe-craig-chaquico-higher-octave-music-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Musicians: Guitar-Craig Chaquico; Spanish Guitar-Peter White; Keyboards-Ozzie Ahlers, William Aura; Saxophone-Richard Elliot, John Klemmer, Dave Koz, Kevin Paladini; Drums & Percussion-Lenny Castro, Alain Eskinasi, Carlos Vega, G.G. Gonaway, Wade Olson, Douglas Spotted Eagle; Bass Guitar-Larry Kimpel, Jim Reitzel; Piano-Gregg Karukas

Once In A Blue Universe

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Rare Silk - New Weave

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:30
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. New York Afternoon
(5:42)  2. Red Clay
(3:42)  3. You Know It's Wrong
(5:56)  4. Lush Life
(3:53)  5. Joy
(4:52)  6. (I Can Recall) Spain
(5:22)  7. Sugar
(4:48)  8. Happying
(2:26)  9. D.C. Farewell

The Grammy nominated debut album of Rare Silk, turned out to be the best vocal jazz record of the eighties, still a pleasure to listen. With high-class musicians including Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker and Ronnie Cuber backing up their exceptional vocal performance, original lyrics written for instrumental pieces and fantastic vocal arrangements, Rare Silk created a collectible rare gem with “New Weave”. The interpretation of Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar” is probably the best version of this song. https://somehowjazz.com/rare-silk-new-weave/

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Lawrence Feldman; Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker; Trumpet – Randy Brecker; Baritone Saxophone – Ronnie Cuber; Percussion – Dave Charles; Guitar – Bruce Forman; Bass – Kim Stone; Drums – Michael Berry; Keyboards – Eric Gunnison; Vocals – Gaile Gillaspie, Marguerite Juenemann, MaryLynn Gillaspie, Todd Buffa

New Weave

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Guy Lafitte - Sax and Fantasy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:55
Size: 79,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:46)  1. Blueberry Hill
(4:05)  2. My Funny Valentine
(2:50)  3. But Not for Me
(2:41)  4. A Poem
(3:04)  5. How Deep Is the Ocean
(3:41)  6. Imagination
(3:03)  7. Dans Un Vieux Livre
(3:08)  8. Rough Riding
(3:00)  9. As Long as There's Music
(2:49) 10. A Mountain Sunset
(2:43) 11. Polka Dots and Moonbeams

A fine swing tenorman whose main inspiration was always Coleman Hawkins, Guy Lafitte appeared in many mainstream settings through the years. LaFitte started out paying clarinet including with swing-oriented gypsy bands. After switching to tenor in 1947 and moving to Paris, he worked with Big Bill Broonzy (1950), Mezz Mezzrow (1951), Bill Coleman (off and on starting in 1952), Dicky Wells and Buck Clayton. Through the years, Lafitte has frequently led his own mainstream combos and was also often utilized by veteran American players who were visiting France including Lionel Hampton (1956), Duke Ellington (for the 1961 film Paris Blues), Milt Buckner, Wallace Davenport, Arnett Cobb and Wild Bill Davis. As a leader, Guy Lafitte led many sessions during the 1954-93 period (particularly 1954-64) including for CFD, Duc-Thomson, Pathe, French Columbia, VSM, French RCA, Vega, Black & Blue and CTPL. ~ Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/artist/guy-lafitte-mn0000652078

Sax and Fantasy

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Steve Lacy Four - Morning Joy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:11
Size: 174,9 MB
Art: Front

( 9:21)  1. Epistrophy
( 7:42)  2. Prospectus
(16:10)  3. Wickets
(10:24)  4. Morning Joy
( 7:38)  5. Work
(11:41)  6. In Walked Bud
(13:11)  7. As Usual

This limited edition reissue adds one extra track to the original release, a poignant version of Thelonious Monk's "Work." Otherwise, it is the same glorious set of pieces (with remastered sound) performed live in the mid-'80s by one of Steve Lacy's sterling working groups. The quartet is hot, and the two-horn front line is in perfect synchronization. As Lee Jeske enthusiastically notes in his liners, the session "burns," with the extroverted Steve Potts easily distinguishable from his more exacting, precision-oriented alter ego. The choice of tunes is fairly typical for Lacy a few Monk compositions mixed with Lacy originals. Lacy is well-known for his interpretations of Monk, and it is not hard to hear why. He plays each piece deliberately, broadening its scope and infusing it with new meaning. There are near-perfect versions of several tunes, including the rousing Lacy original, "Prospectus." This recording may be a good antidote for those who think of Lacy's music as too reserved or intellectual: It swings with visceral energy. The selection of notes seems virtually perfect, too, and Oliver Johnson and Jean-Jacques Avenal, while overshadowed by the horns, are wonderful in support. Morning Joy may not break any new ground, but it should provide considerable listening pleasure, both for those already familiar with the miraculous world of Steve Lacy and for those who are entering it for the first time. ~ Steve Loewy https://www.allmusic.com/album/morning-joy-live-at-sunset-paris-mw0000571819

Personnel: Steve Lacy – soprano saxophone; Steve Potts – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Jean-Jacques Avenel – bass; Oliver Johnson - drums

Morning Joy

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Greg Murphy Trio - Bright Idea

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:14
Size: 174,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:24)  1. Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise (From "The New Moon")
(3:47)  2. Happy (From "Despicable Me 2")
(7:20)  3. Bright Idea
(6:27)  4. Earthlings
(2:42)  5. 24K Magic
(4:58)  6. Street Cats
(5:08)  7. Finer Things
(7:08)  8. For My Mom
(4:39)  9. Straight No Blues
(8:37) 10. Moving Violation
(6:09) 11. Well, of All Things
(6:36) 12. Untitled Original 11383
(4:13) 13. Juneteenth Notes

The truly bright idea on keyboardist Greg Murphy’s Bright Idea was to bring in drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. It isn’t just that Watts is a legendarily powerful player who, after making his name with the Marsalis brothers, went on to energize albums by Michael Brecker, Danilo Pérez, David Kikoski, and others; he also fits well with Eric Wheeler, Murphy’s regular bass player. Listen to the two work together on the album-opening “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” and the chemistry is obvious. The modal variation Murphy devised for the tune’s minor-key groove gets turbocharged by Watt’s churning, Blakey-style polyrhythms. What could have come off as just a pleasant, hard-bop take on an old chestnut is not only sparked into life but made to sizzle. The best bits of Bright Idea follow suit, with Murphy’s workmanlike solos given a jolt of energy that lifts everything a notch higher. There’s a lovely swagger to their take on Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic,” while their reading of the recently discovered John Coltrane tune “Untitled Original 11383” is strong and convincing. Even the Pharrell Williams earworm “Happy” takes on heft thanks to the grounding Watts and Wheeler provide. ~ J.D. Considine https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/greg-murphy-trio-bright-idea/

Personnel:  Piano, Keyboards – Greg Murphy; Bass – Eric Wheeler; Drums – Jeff "Tain" Watts

Bright Idea

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Eric Dolphy - Last Date

Styles: Flute, Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:42
Size: 105,3 MB
Art: Front

(11:16)  1. Epistrophy
( 7:14)  2. South Street Exit
( 4:46)  3. The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks
( 5:27)  4. Hypochristmutreefuzz
(11:21)  5. You Don't Know What Love Is
( 5:36)  6. Miss Ann

Apllegedly Eric Dolphy's final recorded performance a fact historians roundly dispute this session in Hilversum, Holland, teams the masterful bass clarinetist, flutist, and alto saxophonist with a Dutch trio of performers who understand the ways in which their hero and leader modified music in such a unique, passionate, and purposeful way far from convention. In pianist Misha Mengelberg, bassist Jacques Schols, and drummer Han Bennink, Dolphy was firmly entwined with a group who understood his off-kilter, pretzel logic concept in shaping melodies and harmonies that were prime extensions of Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and Cecil Taylor. These three Dolphy originals, one from Monk, one from Mengelberg, and a standard are played so convincingly and with the utmost courage that they created a final stand in the development of how the woodwindist conceived of jazz like no one else before, during, or after his life. Utterly masterful on his flute during "You Don't Know What Love Is," Dolphy's high-drama vibrato tones are simply out of this or any other world, perfectly emoting the bittersweet intent of this song. The ribald humor demonstrated during "Miss Ann" is a signature sound of Dolphy's alto sax, angular like Monk, jovial and more out of the box while he digs in. Where "Epistrophy" might seem standard fare to some, with Dolphy on bass clarinet it is based on voicings even more obtuse than the composer's concept, bouncing along the wings of Mengelberg's piano lines. The post-bop blues of "South Street Exit" is tuneful while also breaking off into tangents, with Bennink's crazy drumming acting like shooting, exploding stars. As the definitive track on this album, "The Madrig Speaks, the Panther Walks" demonstrates the inside-out concept, with mixed tempos changed at will and a 6/8 time insert with Dolphy's choppy alto merging into playful segments as the title suggests a most delightful track. The ridiculously titled "Hypochristmutreefuzz" might be the most understated fare in its more simple angularity, as Schols plays his bass in the upper register while the band dances around him. Last Date is one of those legendary albums whose reputation grows with every passing year, and deservedly so. While it reveals more about the genius rhythm section than Dolphy himself, it also marks the passing of one era and the beginning of what has become a most potent and enduring legacy of European creative improvised tradition, started by Mengelberg and Bennink at this mid-'60s juncture. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/last-date-mw0000191723

Personnel: Flute, Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy; Bass – Jacques Schols; Drums – Han Bennink; Piano – Misja Mengelberg

Last Date

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Lucy Ann Polk - Forgotten Starlet

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 97:55
Size: 226,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Don'cha Go 'Way Mad
(2:39)  2. Easy Living
(1:47)  3. How About You
(3:55)  4. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
(2:39)  5. Looking At You
(2:54)  6. Makin' Whoopee
(2:44)  7. Memphis In June
(3:25)  8. Sittin' And Rockin'
(2:54)  9. Sitting In The Sun
(2:52) 10. Squeeze Me
(2:19) 11. Time After Time
(3:07) 12. When The Sun Comes Out
(1:56) 13. What's Happened To Joe?
(3:00) 14. Back In Your Own Backyard
(3:26) 15. I've Got The World On A String
(3:03) 16. Sometimes I'm Happy
(3:26) 17. Them There Eyes
(3:02) 18. Rock Me To Sleep
(1:36) 19. It's Too Soon To Know
(2:10) 20. Honeysuckle Rose
(2:01) 21. Where Are You
(2:18) 22. Crazy He Calls Me
(2:11) 23. Pretty Baby
(2:36) 24. You're Different
(2:53) 25. Waitin' At The Station
(1:58) 26. September Song
(2:41) 27. Black Coffee
(2:01) 28. Again
(3:21) 29. Squeeze Me (Alt. Version)
(2:46) 30. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(2:19) 31. But Beautiful
(2:36) 32. Swingin' On A Star
(2:31) 33. It's Always You
(2:12) 34. Aren't You Glad You're You
(2:20) 35. It Could Happen To You
(2:49) 36. Darn That Dream
(2:42) 37. Imagination

Lucy Ann Polk (May 16, 1927 – October 10, 2011) was an American jazz singer who performed with Les Brown's orchestra in the 1950s. She also sang and recorded with Bob Crosby, Kay Kyser, Tommy Dorsey, and Dave Pell. Polk began her music career with her sister and brothers in a quartet named the Four Polks, which was eventually changed to the Town Criers. They performed with big bands led by Les Brown, Lionel Hampton, and Kay Kyser until they disbanded in 1948. Polk became the lead vocalist with the Les Brown Orchestra. From 1952–1954, she was named Best Girl Singer with Band by Down Beat magazine. She began her solo career with the album Lucy Ann Polk with the Dave Pell Octet (Trend, 1954), followed by Lucky Lucy Ann (Mode, 1957; reissued by Interlude under the name Easy Livin in 1959). The latter album featured arrangements by Marty Paich. On both albums, she sang jazz and traditional pop songs by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Hoagy Carmichael, Cole Porter, Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne, and Jimmy Van Heusen. She released no more albums and ended her career in 1960. In 1946, Polk married Dick Noel, who played trombone with Les Brown's orchestra. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Ann_Polk

Forgotten Starlet

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Candy Dulfer - Big Girl

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:37
Size: 158,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Wake Me When It's Over (Album Version)
(4:39)  2. I.L.U.
(3:16)  3. Tommygun
(4:38)  4. Jazz It's Me
(6:16)  5. 2 Miles
(5:13)  6. Funkyness
(4:46)  7. Capone
(4:46)  8. Get Funky
(5:05)  9. Chains
(5:59) 10. September
(5:08) 11. Upstairs
(4:47) 12. I'll Still Be Looking
(4:04) 13. Big Girl
(5:39) 14. Wake Me When It's Over - Don Cher Processor-Mix/Long Version

Big Girl is the third album by Dutch alto saxophonist Candy Dulfer. Before its release, she had been working mainly with Ulco Bed. But she was impressed by keyboard player Thomas Bank. This album marks the transition between the two producers and has a funkier style that that tries to incorporate rap and hip hop into contemporary jazz. The album includes a collaboration with Trijntje Oosterhuis on "Funkyness" before Oosterhuis became widely known as a singer. The album is mainly instrumental. According to her official biography, the title of the album was an inside joke, referring to her father Hans Dulfer's album Big Boy and indicating that she had grown up and was in charge of her career.[2] The album peaked at No. 28 on the Dutch album chart. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Girl_(album)

Big Girl

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Bill Watrous Quartet - Coronary Trombossa!

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:59
Size: 112,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:48)  1. Here's That Rainy Day
(7:30)  2. Blue and Sentimental
(6:13)  3. Charmaine
(8:01)  4. No More Blues
(5:38)  5. Pig Farm
(7:59)  6. Goodbye
(6:48)  7. Diane - Bonus Track

William Russell Watrous III (June 8, 1939  July 2, 2018) was an American jazz trombonist. He is perhaps best known by casual fans of jazz music for his rendition of Sammy Nestico's arrangement of the Johnny Mandel ballad "A Time for Love" which he recorded on a 1993 album of the same name. A self-described "bop-oriented" player, he was well known among fellow trombonists as a master technician and for his mellifluous sound. Watrous' father, also a trombonist, introduced him to the instrument at an early age. While serving in the U.S. Navy, Watrous studied with jazz pianist and composer Herbie Nichols. His first professional performances were in Billy Butterfield's band. Watrous' career blossomed in the 1960s. He played and recorded with many jazz luminaries, including Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Quincy Jones, Johnny Richards, and trombonist Kai Winding. He also played in the house band on the Merv Griffin Show from 1965 to 1968. In 1971, he played with the jazz fusion group Ten Wheel Drive. Also in the 1970s, Watrous formed his own band, The Manhattan Wildlife Refuge Big Band, which recorded two albums for Columbia Records. The band was later renamed Refuge West when Watrous moved to southern California. He continued to work as a bandleader, studio musician, and performer at jazz clubs. In 1983, Watrous collaborated with Alan Raph to publish Trombonisms, an instructional manual covering performance techniques for trombone. He has recorded as a solo artist, bandleader, and in small ensembles. These recordings include a Japanese Import album in 2001 containing material recorded in 1984 with Carl Fontana, whom Watrous has cited as his favorite trombonist. He traveled periodically to San Diego to play with his good friend and former student, Dave Scott, a noted jazz musician himself and TV broadcast host. Watrous taught for two decades at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, before retiring in 2015. He died in Los Angeles on July 2, 2018. He was survived by his wife, Maryann; their son, Jason; and two daughters from a previous marriage Melody Watrous Ide and Cheryl Schoolcraft. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Watrous

Personnel: Trombone – Bill Watrous; Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Jim Cox; Bass – Tom Child; Drums – Chad Wackerman; Percussion, Vibraphone – Dave Levine

Coronary Trombossa!

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Marc Jordan - Both Sides

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:05
Size: 115,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. Nearness Of You
(5:13)  2. Calling You
(5:08)  3. I Saw Your Smile
(5:50)  4. Walk On The Wild Side
(7:19)  5. Both Sides Now
(4:46)  6. What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life
(6:24)  7. Wild Horses
(4:14)  8. He's Going To Break Your Heart
(5:05)  9. People Get Ready

Listing all of Marc Jordan’s songwriting credits, awards and accolades would take up the whole word count of this review, so let me simply say that the man knows his way around a song. And since this album is mostly covers only two of the tracks are originals his mighty interpretative skills are a key component here. The other key component of Both Sides is Lou Pomanti, who produced, arranged and orchestrated all the tracks. These two men are at the top of their games and we are the beneficiaries. The album is rich with instrumentation courtesy of the Prague Symphony Orchestra and guest appearances by international heavies like Randy Brecker and Tommy Emmanuel, and local luminaries like Kevin Breit and Larnell Lewis. Although he covers a couple of standards from the Great American Songbook, it’s the reinterpretations of classic folk/rock songs that are standouts for me. In particular, Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side shines with its many layers and gorgeous woodwinds, courtesy of Toronto’s own, John Johnson. Although the soft, groovy treatment of the tune is antithetical to its subject matter, it works. Beautifully. Jordan’s thoughtful handling of the title tune also caused me to hear these familiar lyrics with fresh ears and I was struck by how mature Joni Mitchell’s writing was for one so young. (She was in her early 20s when she wrote Both Sides Now.) Overall, the album reflects a full-grown artist who has lived completely, and well. ~ Cathy Riches https://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/booksrecords2/jazzaimprovised/29043-both-sides-marc-jordan

Both Sides

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Alex Sipiagin - Images

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:02
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:03)  1. Tarde
( 7:44)  2. Freaker
(11:57)  3. Little Dancer
( 3:26)  4. Song - 1
(12:34)  5. Novgorod Bells
( 7:15)  6. Midwestern Night Dream

"Alex Sipiagin is an amazing musician truly a multifaceted composer, arranger, producer, a wonderful lead trumpet player, and most of all, a completely original trumpet and flugelhorn soloist. As an improviser, he blends his Russian American background into something unique which, quite frankly, astounds me every time I hear him" ~ Randy Brecker, trumpeter. http://www.alexsipiagin.com/

Personnel: Trumpet, Flute, Producer, Arranged By – Alex Sipiagin; Alto Saxophone – David Binney; Bass – Scott Colley; Drums – Jeff Hirshfield; Guitar – Adam Rogers ; Piano, Accordion – Gil Goldstein; Tenor Saxophone – Chris Potter ; Trombone – Joshua Roseman

Images

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Anna Wilson - Yule Swing!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:51
Size: 94,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Yule Swing
(3:01)  2. Christmas Is Coming to Town
(4:23)  3. Through Their Eyes
(3:49)  4. Holiday Lovin'
(3:31)  5. Light Me Up
(4:35)  6. Wish
(3:25)  7. One Day
(2:36)  8. Mrs. Claus
(4:34)  9. A House, a Home
(6:48) 10. Resolutions

If Christmas is a time for giving, vocalist Anna Wilson scores a two-base hit with Yule Swing. Not only does she offer listeners the gift of holiday music, but she also contributes to a charitable cause: Habitat for Humanity. Like many vocalists, this Pennsylvania product grew up with the Great American Songbook standards, including works by Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. However, rather than adopting them as her own, which many artists before her have done, Wilson has preferred to write her own music, with the goal of creating new jazz songs for younger listeners as well as offering something different for older fans who have heard the same classics over and over. In addition to her musical career, Wilson has been an avid supporter of Habitat for Humanity, making appearances on the organization's behalf and allowing it to use her song, "A House, A Home," in public service announcements on radio and television. The title song sets the stage. With a swinging horn section, Wilson rings in the holiday season. "Forget caroling / Everybody dance and sing," she sings. The double entendre is evident in the joyful sound. "Yule Swing" or "you'll swing," either way, it's a perfect stocking stuffer. "Through Their Eyes" is a tribute to children. This easygoing track, with muted trumpets softly in the background and elegant piano by Jeff Franzel, features Wilson's rich alto voice. With lyrics like, "And be young at heart for just a while," it's a call for adults to use the wonder of children to help overcome their troubles and enjoy life. Bassist Sean O'Bryan Smith sets a cool-jazz rhythm on "Light Me Up," a delightful duet with guest vocalist Chuck Wicks. Wilson enjoys some Janis Siegel-like inflections. The song includes a bluesy guitar solo. "One Day" quiets things down. Wilson reminds one of Doris Day as she sings about the gratitude of family during that special day. The background arrangement is minimal. Then, she kicks it into high gear again with "Mrs. Claus," a sassy, playful nod to the woman behind Santa. Rick Braun makes a guest appearance, playing muted trumpet on "A House, A Home." While Yule Swing is 10 all-new songs, the melodies and rhythms revisit a bygone era. Wilson and her co-writers capture the spirit of old-school swing. Some instrumental solos and the big horn section certainly add to the pleasure, but it's Wilson's voice that makes this collection a gift that will last. Everybody loves Christmas, and most artists have it in them to record Christmas music at some point in their careers. However, it is the rare singer who trims the tree with all-new material. Wilson does, and it's a beauty. ~ Woodrow Wilkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/yule-swing-anna-wilson-transfer-records-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php?width=1920

Personnel: Anna Wilson: vocals; Sean O'Bryan Smith: bass; Paul Gordon: Hammond B-3; Wayne Killius: drums; Mike Noble: guitar; Monty Powell: guitar; Justin Levinson: percussion; Jeff Franzel: piano; Max Abrams: saxophone; Roy Agee: trombone; Steve Patrick: trumpet (1-8, 10); Rick Braun: trumpet (9); Chuck Wicks: vocals (5); Sam Roberts: child's voice; Hayley Roberts: child's voice.

Yule Swing!

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Dave Stryker - Blue To The Bone II

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:13
Size: 143,3 MB
Art: Front

( 4:27)  1. Rockin' in rhythm
( 1:32)  2. Goin' to New Orleans - introduction
( 8:07)  3. Goin' to new Orleans
( 5:43)  4. Sittin' on top of the world
(11:22)  5. 24 for Elvin
( 6:40)  6. Mystery street
( 5:18)  7. The squeeze
( 8:28)  8. Mood
(10:33)  9. Mug shot

Considering that forty-something guitarist Dave Stryker has made over a dozen albums under his own name, leads a sharp quartet with Steve Slagle, and is in constant demand as a sideman working in the past with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, Javon Jackson, and Kevin Mahogany, you'd think he'd be practically a household name. Unfortunately that's not the case, but his first Blue to the Bone project from a few years back did seem to attract some critical plaudits and bring into the circle some added new fans. And now that the second offering in this series has just made its debut here in America, one can only hope that the good vibes just keep building. As great as the first set was, it's without hesitation that I deem this new one a valiant leap forward. For the neophyte, the concept is really quite simple- get together a modest-sized horn section, bring a B-3 along, and write some charts that accent a "blue" point of view. But while the prior record leaned a bit more on the classic 12-bar blues form, this set offers up a colorful diversity in terms of song structure. Of course, Stryker can get down with his bad self, as he more than adequately proves on a cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Sittin' On the Top of the World." Somehow the spicy gumbo of the Crescent City proves to be a perfect adjunct to the blues in Stryker's mind, with both originals "Mystery Street" and "Goin' To New Orleans" spurred on by Adam Nussbaum's "second line" drumming and the guitarist's processed tone, akin to a slide-steel at times. 

His solo spot on the former makes potent use of distortion and note bending. Balanced by an Ellington gem and a Steve Slagle original, a few tunes that have been previously recorded get a facelift too, including "Mood" and "24 For Elvin," an extended form with a modal quality to it that does indeed suggest Elvin Jones' work with the classic John Coltrane quartet. Sharing the solo honors with Stryker and equally beguiling in the long run are trumpeter Brian Lynch, alto saxophonist Steve Slagle, pianist Bruce Barth, and drummer Adam Nussbaum. They, along with the charts and an elation that the blues almost paradoxically provide, make for an end product that is indeed greater than the sum of the parts. Now, here's waiting with baited breath for the release of Stryker's latest project inspired by Miles Davis' Bitches Brew period. Bring it on SteepleChase! 

~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blue-to-the-bone-ii-dave-stryker-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Dave Stryker- guitar, Brian Lynch- trumpet, Steve Slagle- alto sax & flute, Clark Gayton- trombone, Bob Parsons- baritone saxophone, Bruce Barth- piano & organ, Jay Anderson- bass, Adam Nussbaum- drums

Blue To The Bone II

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Denny Zeitlin - Precipice

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
Time: 68:13
Size: 116,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:06)  1. Free Prelude/What Is This Thing Called Love?/Fifth House P1
( 6:18)  2. Free Prelude/What Is This Thing Called Love?/Fifth House P2
( 4:51)  3. Out Of My Dreams
(10:06)  4. On The March
( 8:49)  5. The We Of Us
( 7:00)  6. Deluge
( 2:46)  7. Oleo
( 6:55)  8. Love Theme From Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
( 6:36)  9. Pulsar
( 8:40) 10. Precipice

The recorded live format seems to suit pianist Denny Zeitlin, who is certainly the only top tier jazz pianist who is also a practicing psychiatrist. His In Concert (Sunnyside Records, 2009), with his trio featuring bassist Buster Williams and drummer Matt Wilson, was filled with beautiful moments of surrender and improvisational élan, and stunningly spontaneous displays of technical proficiency. His follow-up, Precipice, a solo piano outing, finds the pianist again live in concert, recorded at Ralston Hall in 2008, in Santa Barbara, California. The symbiotic three-way relationship with his band mates on In Concert was compelling, as good as it gets for fans of the piano trio sound brainy yet accessible, and immensely virtuosic, covering John Coltrane ("Mr. P.C.") and Cole Porter (a full of surprises "All of You"), along with Zeitlin's original tunes. Going solo for Precipice results in something even more mesmerizing. Zeitlin's original "Free Prelude" serves as a wandering improvisational foray that leads, with perfect logic, into the Cole Porter standard "What is This Thing Called Love?" Covered often and well, Zeitlin gives the melody a certain quirky reverence that eventually cranks into high gear as it evolves into a burning take on Coltrane's "Fifth House," gathering a percussive momentum to close out twelve-plus minutes of tightly focused yet highly spontaneous jazz. Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic, "Out of My Dreams" showcases Zeitlin's refined touch and gorgeously lush harmonies. 

"On the March" is the first of five Zeitlin originals on the set. It features some harp-like, inside-the-piano strumming. The mood is bright and whimsical at first, with injections of majesty. It is a composition containing complex twists and turns, with hard-driving moments interspersed with dreamy, drifting interludes. Cerebral, perhaps, but always approachable and always gorgeous. Zeitlin has a wonderful way with love songs. His "The We of Us," written for his wife Josephine, has an achingly tender, ethereal beauty, and "Love Theme from Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (Zeitlin did the soundtrack for 1978 remake of the sci-fi classic) has a luminous loveliness, a tune suffused with deep melancholy and tragic yearning. "Pulsar," a high-octane Zeitlin original, showcases Zeitlin's capacity for complexity and elegance married to percussive zest, leading into the title tune/set closer. The energy level is set even higher, with shifting sections of funk and free improvisation, and glistening, crystalline bursts of notes that make the unexpected expected, for a grand closing to an extraordinary set of solo piano music. 

~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/precipice-denny-zeitlin-sunnyside-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Denny Zeitlin: piano.

Precipice

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Marco Marzola - Bon Voyage

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:24
Size: 95,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Un jour
(4:15)  2. Bon voyage
(4:36)  3. Magic Finger
(6:07)  4. Visitors
(5:30)  5. Raboso Funk
(4:13)  6. Ready Steady Go
(3:33)  7. Sans toi
(4:53)  8. Od
(4:48)  9. Visitors - Alternative Take

Ongoing collaboration with Musicians of the International jazz scene across Europe at Jazz Festivals and Jazz Clubs. His artistic training began at the conservatory of Ferrara (Italy). Captured by Jazz at an early age, he moved to New York in 1982 where he studied with Barry Harris and Buster Williams. He became interested in Ethnic Music, Blues and Pop. Alongside his work as sideman, he started several projects as a band leader featuring International acclaimed guests such as Ed Cherry, Steve Turre, Sherman Irby, Akua Dixon, Darrell Green, Dion Parson. As a testimony to these collaborations, there are now a number of Albums available on line. He shared the stage and recorded with the most representative Musicians of the INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SCENE around Europe and United States such as: Betty Carter, Jimmy Lovelace, Tommy Tarantine, Jimmy Owens, Paul Jeffrey, Craig Handy, Harold Land, George Cables, Steve Turre, Tommy Campbell, John Hics, Tony Scott, Bruce Forman, Jimmy Cobb, Dion Parson, John Clark, Sherman Irby, Chuck McPherson, James Zollar, Darrell Green, Jesse Davis, Akua Dixon, James Hurt, Ed Cherry, Stacy Dillard, Bruce Williams, Jerome Jennings, Art Hirahara, Camille Thurman, Giulio Capiozzo, Flavio Boltro, Stefano Bollani, Fabrizio Bosso and many other. http://www.marcomarzola.com/bio/

Personnel:  Marco Marzola [bass]; Karin Mensah [vocal]; Federico Pellegrini [harmonica]; Marco Bovi [guitar]; Nico Menci [piano]; Bruno Marini [hammond]; Luca Donini [tenor saxophone]; Bruno Marini [baritone & alto saxophones]; Gianluca Carollo [trumpet]; Lele Barbieri [drums]

Bon Voyage

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