Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Ken McIntyre - 'Way,'Way Out

Styles: Saxophone, Flute Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:10
Size: 92,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:25)  1. Miss Ann
(7:31)  2. Lois Marie
(5:04)  3. Chittlin's And Cavyah
(6:15)  4. Permanentity
(4:50)  5. Tip Top
(3:23)  6. Kaijee
(5:39)  7. Reflections

A versatile player with a thoughtful style who can play quite freely, Ken McIntyre has never been a major name in jazz despite his talents. After serving in the military and graduating from the Boston Conservatory, he arrived in New York in 1960 and made a strong impression. He recorded two albums for New Jazz that year, including one on which he held his own against Eric Dolphy. McIntyre also led two now-scarce records for United Artists during 1962-1963 (including one titled Way Way Out) but became involved in education, teaching in public schools starting in 1961. He continued playing on a part-time basis (recording with Cecil Taylor in 1966). McIntyre led five albums for SteepleChase during 1974-1978, including his definitive set Hindsight (which finds him spotlighting each of his five horns in a quartet). He also recorded with Craig Harris in 1983 and put together an Eric Dolphy tribute set for Serene in 1991, but Ken McIntyre never gained the recognition he deserved. In the early '90s, he adopted the first name of Makanda and in June 2001, he released his first recording in years, entitled A New Beginning. Multi-instumentalist and music educator Dr. Makanda Ken McIntyre passed away at the age of 69 as a result of a heart attack on Wednesday, June 13, 2001, at his home in Harlem, NY. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ken-mcintyre-mn0000766122/biography

Personnel: Makanda Ken McIntyre: alto saxophone, flute, oboe; Bob Cunningham: bass; Edgar Bateman: drums; 13-piece string orchestra

'Way,'Way Out

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Phil Woods,Irio De Paula - Encontro (On Jobim)

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:57
Size: 129,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:04)  1. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
(4:50)  2. Samba do Aviao
(5:10)  3. O Grande Amor
(6:03)  4. Corcovado
(5:57)  5. A Felicidade
(3:57)  6. Brigas, Nunca Mais
(5:45)  7. Retrato em Branco e Preto
(7:11)  8. Ana Luiza
(5:05)  9. Days of Wine and Roses
(4:52) 10. Autumn Leaves

" Life - wrote Vinicius de Moraes - is the art of encounter ". Philology dedicates a good part of its rich and varied catalog to this art. The label of Piangiarelli has always offered meetings, more or less occasional, of unpublished ensembles: musical stories of a single day. On the other hand this poetic precariousness is one of the foundations of jazz and of all music based on improvisation ..Phil Woods , eponymous deity of the Italian label, was obviously the protagonist of many of these "meet and say goodbye". In May 2000 , in five days, he recorded seven of these discs. One of these is "Encontro (on Jobim)" recorded, in a single afternoon, with Irio De Paula .C hi looking for new musical paths in operations of this kind would obviously be disappointed. The two musicians could only work on popular and popular songs: Jobim songs , and among the most well-known, or standard, so to speak, very " busy " as " Autumn Leaves ". N Despite this, the final result is very good. De Paula's guitar and Woods's clarinet dialogue in the quiet and rarefied atmospheres of bossa nova. Softly, with melancholy elegance and poetic disenchantment. Come to mind, listening to the melodic digressions of the two, the verses of Vinicius (Ancora he) dedicated to the samba, which is a direct ancestor of the bossa " To make good samba we need a bit of melancholy (a bocado de tristezza), ... it is the sadness made dance, it is white with skin in the poem, but it is black at the bottom of the heart ". Spleen Anglo-Saxon, Brazilian saudade, subtle mal of Africa. There is all this in the brief meeting of these two musicians, whose extraordinary qualities do not even mention: there would only come out banality.A record that will not enter the jazz legend, but to be heard often. Especially when you want something that is beautiful without being demanding. A disc, like certain wines, for meditation.
Marco Buttafuoco for Jazzitalia Translate by Google http://www.jazzitalia.net/recensioni/encontroonjobim.asp#.XWstcC5KiUk

Personnel: Phil Woods - Clarinet; Irio De Paula - acoustic guitar

Encontro (On Jobim)

Lauren Kilgore - Today Is Mine

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:58
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. State of Grace
(4:25)  2. Carolina in my Mind
(3:40)  3. Sleeping Beauty
(3:31)  4. Let Me Dream Again
(4:00)  5. I'm Looking Through You
(4:35)  6. Today Is Mine
(3:01)  7. Three Times Seven
(2:30)  8. Just A Mockingbird
(4:39)  9. Moontown
(4:22) 10. George and His 88 Keys
(3:48) 11. Poor Wayfaring Stranger

"Today Is Mine" is a thoughtful collection of cover songs rich in folk, pop, and country influences from vocalist Lauren Kilgore. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Lauren was exposed to an interesting variety of music as a child.

"I grew up listening to the music of Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, the Beatles, and James Taylor, and this record is sort of a 'thank you' for bringing me those musical influences and great tunes," she says. While Lauren's stunning voice celebrates the work of those who've come before her, the 21-year-old singer definitely makes each song her own.

"I don't think you have to fit into a single category musically," Lauren says. "I don't agree with that philosophy. Mixing different styles together for me was like creating a tapestry. The different pieces and textures work beautifully together and bring more depth to the whole project."

The title track comes from songwriter, singer, and guitarist Jerry Reed. Lauren's father, Larry Kilgore, is a terrific fingerstyle guitarist and he's been playing this song with her since she was old enough to sing. Reed's lyrics convey a philosophy of life that is as valid today as it was when he wrote the song in the 1960s - living each day to the fullest, in the here and now. As Reed wrote, "today is the only garden we can tend." This "seize the day" attitude fits perfectly with Lauren's current musical hopes and ambitions.

"My father played the guitar as long as I can remember and was constantly letting us hear various types of musical styles that he grew up with," says Lauren. "I think I have a unique advantage in being exposed to so many types of talented musicians. I don't know anyone my age who listens to artists like Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, or Merle Travis."

Included on the CD are such well-known folk-pop classics as "Carolina In My Mind" (James Taylor) and "I'm Looking Through You" (Lennon/McCartney). Also featured are great songs by lesser-known writers such as Pierce Pettis ("State of Grace," "Moontown"), Tom Prasada Rao ("Sleeping Beauty"), Cosy Sheridan ("George And His 88 Keys"), and Leslie Braly ("Let Me Dream Again," "Just A Mockingbird"). In contrast to these recent songs is the Western swing classic "Three Times Seven" by Merle Travis, which features Larry Kilgore playing a Travis-inspired solo on his vintage Gibson Super 400 electric guitar. "Poor Wayfaring Stranger " dates back to the Civil War, although Lauren's reading of the song gives it an entirely new, jazzy flavor. The CD's producer and arranger, Jim O, selected the songs and played practically all of the guitar and percussion tracks on the album. Other Birmingham musicians lent their talents to the project, such as Greg Brown (bass guitar, electric guitar, mandolin and harmony vocals), Bobby Horton (trumpet and trombone on "George and His 88 Keys") and Jerry Ryan (harmonica). Also featured are drummer Jay Frederick, keyboardist Keith Knox, and upright bassist Roy Yarbrough ("Let Me Dream Again," "Moontown"). Robbi Podrug and Kathy Hinkle of the Herb Trotman Band, a popular Birmingham bluegrass band, sing harmony vocals on "Let Me Dream Again." The only non-Birmingham musician on the record is violin virtuoso Joe Ebel from Asheville, North Carolina, whose superb solos and multi-tracked string "quartets" grace many of the tracks.

"Today Is Mine" is a follow-up to Lauren's debut CD, "Before My Time," released in1999. Producer Jim O says, "when I produced her first recording three years ago I knew she was an artist with a bright future, and on this record she's hitting her stride with a beautiful, silky sound that brings a whole lot of warmth, feeling and great musicianship to the songs." https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/laurenkilgore

Today Is Mine

Matt Lavelle - Goodbye New York,Hello World

Styles: Cornet, Trumpet And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:59
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

( 5:09)  1. Rose
(19:02)  2. You're the Tonic
( 9:26)  3. Endings and Beginings
(10:13)  4. Wayne
( 3:19)  5. Mi Manchi
(11:32)  6. Choices
( 7:14)  7. Goodbye New York,Hello World

Multi-instrumentalist Matt Lavelle's CD is entitled Goodbye New York, Hello World and he means it. Since 1999, Lavelle has been a vital part of the New York City avant-garde jazz scene: in addition to electrifying live performances and impressive CD releases, he has also been a thoughtful commentator on the music world, including blogs, Facebook posts, and a memoir-in-progress that's creating a buzz both online and off. These days, Lavelle's music and life have been taking him increasingly to Europe including an upcoming trip to Sweden, his first European tour as a leader and Lavelle finds himself at a crossroads: is it still possible to make a life and a living as a jazz musician in New York City, or does the action now lie elsewhere?  Goodbye New York, Hello World ponders these questions and more. Lavelle is a great storyteller, and each song is an original composition that documents his journey. He covers an astonishing spectrum of emotions in these seven tunes, aided by his facility on a wide range of instruments: cornet, flugelhorn, alto clarinet, and bass clarinet. As J.R.R. Tolkein made clear with The Lord of the Rings, good traveling companions are essential, and Lavelle is accompanied every step of the way by three musical blood brothers: tenor saxophonist Ras Moshe; bassist Francois Grillot; and drummer Bob Hubbard. Tunes such as "Choices" and "Endings and Beginnings" address Lavelle's questions straight on, offering no-holds-barred access to a human heart in flux. But there's also the beautiful "Mi Manchi" ("I miss you" in Italian), an elegant meditation on longing that's subtle and private. 

The CD's ground zero is "Your the Tonic," an 18-minute song without a single wasted breath. Lavelle's previous recordings are uniformly excellent, but here he breaks new ground. The heart of the song is Lavelle's relationship with legendary saxophonist and musical pioneer Ornette Coleman, with whom Lavelle studied formally from 2005 to 2009. "Your the Tonic" possesses some of the most urgent, intimate music on record, with such intensely propulsive swing it feels like the CD is going to burst out of the boom box. Lavelle releases his soul with primal cries of ferocious passion, leaping fearlessly through the door opened for him by Coleman. The tune's honesty, humanity, and keen intelligence are truly breathtaking, and not to be missed. In recent decades, New York once such a welcoming haven for jazz musicians in terms of cost of living and range of venues has become a tough place to survive. And yet, by virtue of his tenacity and musical mission, Lavelle has done just that, receiving an education that has included priceless contact with luminaries such as Coleman, multi-instrumentalist Giuseppi Logan and bassist William Parker. Whatever Lavelle's next step might be, let's hope he continues his generous sharing, much to the benefit of jazz lovers in New York City and beyond. ~ FLORENCE WETZEL https://www.allaboutjazz.com/goodbye-new-york-hello-world-matt-lavelle-music-now-review-by-florence-wetzel.php

Personnel: Matt Lavelle: cornet, flugelhorn, alto clarinet, and bass clarinet; Ras Moshe: tenor saxophone (2,4, 6); Francois Grillot: bass; and Bob Hubbard: drums and gongs (2, 4, 6, 7).

Goodbye New York,Hello World

Oliver Nelson - Black, Brown and Beautiful

Styles: Piano, Saxophone , Big Band
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:23
Size: 86,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:31)  1. Aftermath
(7:08)  2. Requiem
(2:34)  3. Lamb of God
(4:15)  4. Martin Was a Man, a Real Man
(4:11)  5. Self-Help Is Needed
(2:38)  6. I Hope in Time a Change Will Come
(3:29)  7. 3, 2, 1, 0
(3:30)  8. Black, Brown and Beautiful
(4:04)  9. Requiem, Afterthoughts

One of Oliver Nelson's hippest albums a bold statement of righteous energy, and a fantastic summation of all the genius he'd created during the 60s as an arranger for other people's records! The record is almost at a Duke Ellington level a complex yet soulful suite of tracks for the post-60s years complete with some sound effects of rioting and urban strife at the beginning, and a mix of modern, modal, and compositional styles that bursts out with pride and power that we wouldn't have heard in Nelson's music a decade before! The soloists are great and the album features wonderful read work from John Klemmer, Frank Strozier, and Nelson himself on great original titles that include "Self Help Is Needed", "I Hope In Time A Change Will Come", "Requiem Afterthoughts", "Lamb Of God", and "Martin Was A Man A Real Man".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/856690/Oliver-Nelson:Black-Brown-Beautiful

Personnel: Oliver Nelson - piano, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, arranger, conductor;  Orchestra including the following soloists: Bobby Bryant - trumpet; Frank Strozier - alto saxophone;  John Gross, John Klemmer - tenor saxophone; Pearl Kaufman, Roger Kellaway - piano; Chuck Domanico - bass; John Guerin, Roy Haynes - drums

Black, Brown and Beautiful

Lalo Schifrin - Bossa Nova Groove

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:24
Size: 170,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:42)  1. Mima
(5:32)  2. Samba para Dos
(3:31)  3. Tel Eco Teco Nº 2
(4:57)  4. Lolita Marie
(8:32)  5. Céu e Mar
(5:45)  6. Whispering Bossa Nova
(2:26)  7. Boato
(2:39)  8. Chora Tua Tristeza
(3:16)  9. Poema do Adeus
(2:49) 10. O Apito no Samba
(5:15) 11. Chega de Saudade
(1:52) 12. Bossa em Nova York
(3:30) 13. O Amor e A Rosa
(2:26) 14. O Meniño Desce o Morro
(2:23) 15. Menina Feia
(3:58) 16. Ouça
(3:43) 17. Samba de Uma Nota So
(2:59) 18. Patinho Feio

An Oscar- and Emmy-nominated film and television composer, classical composer, and acclaimed jazz pianist, Lalo Schifrin emerged as a big-band leader in the mid-'50s, collaborating with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and Xavier Cugat before beginning to score films in the mid-'60s. His iconic theme to TV's Mission: Impossible was first broadcast in 1966. Following in the footsteps of John Barry and Monty Norman's "James Bond Theme," its orchestral jazz instrumentation (including prevalent flutes, brass, piano, bongos, and jazz drums) and adrenalized staccato, syncopated rhythms helped to define spy music for decades to follow. Much like contemporaries Michel Legrand, Henry Mancini, and André Previn, while he wrote in a variety of styles, Schifrin remained best known for his jazz-inflected scores. They also included crime films like 1968's Bullitt, which set an urban scene with a large jazz ensemble that included electric guitar and electric bass, and the Dirty Harry franchise (1971-1988). Though more varied, the Dirty Harry scores maintained an antsy jazz M.O. while updating the production palette over time to include more keyboards, strings, and rock-styled drums. After his Mission: Impossible theme was repurposed for a big-screen reboot in the mid-'90s, Schifrin combined jazz, rock, and lush orchestral tracks in his lively soundtracks for the Rush Hour action franchise in the late '90s and 2000s. Over 50 years after its introduction, his Mission: Impossible theme was still featured heavily in Lorne Balfe's music for the blockbuster sixth entry in the film series, 2018's Mission: Impossible - Fallout. Born Boris Claudio Schifrin in Buenos Aires in 1932, Schifrin grew up with a father who played violin with the Teatro Colón Orchestra. When Lalo was six years old, his dad arranged for him to begin studying piano with Enrique Barenboim, father of celebrated pianist/conductor Daniel Barenboim. As a teenager, he studied piano with the former head of the Kiev Conservatory, Andreas Karalis, and harmony with composer Juan Carlos Paz. After winning a scholarship to the Paris Conservatory in the early '50s, he studied with French composers Charles Koechlin and Olivier Messiaen. In his off hours, he played in Parisian jazz clubs, and in 1955, he represented Argentina in the Paris International Jazz Festival. After returning to Buenos Aires, he started his own 16-piece, Basie-style jazz band, the first of its kind in Argentina, and found work as a pianist and arranger. 

His status as a bandleader helped him meet Dizzy Gillespie in 1956, and Schifrin offered to write a suite for Gillespie. He completed the five-movement Gillespiana in 1958, the same year he became an arranger for Xavier Cugat. In 1960, Schifrin moved to New York City and joined Gillespie's quintet, which recorded Gillespiana to much acclaim. He became Gillespie's musical director until 1962, contributing another suite, The New Continent, before leaving the position to concentrate on his writing. Schifrin accepted his first film-scoring assignment in the U.S. in 1963 (Rhino!) and moved to Hollywood, soon finding a niche composing for both TV and the silver screen. In the meantime, he composed works marked by his jazz-classical fusion style, including the 1963 ballet Jazz Faust and 1965's Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts. After establishing himself on episodes of television series such as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Schifrin joined the music department of the spy series Mission: Impossible. It premiered on CBS in 1966 and featured his catchy 5/4 instrumental "Theme from Mission: Impossible," a track that would live on in TV-music collections for decades to come. He followed it a year later with his theme to Mannix, around the same time he was becoming known for his jazzy scores to high-profile crime films such as Cool Hand Luke (1967) and Bullitt (1968). He earned his first Academy Award nomination for Cool Hand Luke and his second a year later for the D.H. Lawrence drama The Fox. Schifrin composed the music for the Don Siegel-directed Coogan's Bluff, starring Clint Eastwood, in 1968. 

He reunited with the pair on 1971's Dirty Harry and went on to write music for four of the five remaining films in the series, which extended through the '80s (1976's The Enforcer was composed by Jerry Fielding). During that time span, he also wrote scores for films as diverse as the 1976 war film Voyage of the Damned (his third Oscar nomination), Disney's The Cat from Outer Space from 1978, and the 1979 horror classic The Amityville Horror (his fourth Oscar nomination). He received two more Academy Award nominations in the '80s, for The Competition (1980) and The Sting II (1983).  While he continued to write frequently for movies and TV, Schifrin returned some of his focus to classical works during the '90s, a decade that saw the release of the first three in a series of orchestral jazz albums called Jazz Meets the Symphony. He also arranged much of the music for the first three of the Three Tenors concerts. In 1996, his Mission: Impossible theme reached another generation when it was repurposed for a series of films starring Tom Cruise. U2's Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. produced a dance version of the theme that reached the Top Ten of the singles charts in the U.S. and U.K. Still writing original material for film, beginning in 1998, Schifrin provided playful orchestral scores for the first three entries in the Rush Hour series, starring Jackie Chan. Schifrin stayed active in Hollywood in his seventies, scoring films such as the crime film After the Sunset and the horror movie Abominable (directed by his son, Ryan Schifrin), in addition to Rush Hour 3 in the 2000s. The third, fourth, and fifth Mission: Impossible films saw release during the 2010s, as did the Schifrin-scored romantic comedy Love Story (2011) and basketball bio-pic Sweetwater (2016). ~ Marcy Donelson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lalo-schifrin-mn0000781932/biography

Personnel: Lalo Schifrin (piano), Leo Wright (alto sax), Eddie Harris (tenor sax), Jimmy Raney (guitar), Art Davis, Chris White (bass), Chuck Lampkin, Rudy Collins (drums), Osvaldo Cigno, Jack Del Rio (percussion).

Bossa Nova Groove

Monday, September 2, 2019

Joe Newman - The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions: I Love My Woman

Styles: Trumpet Jazz 
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:35
Size: 122,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. It's Only A Paper Moon
(9:14)  2. Summertime
(6:00)  3. Prelude To A Kiss
(5:21)  4. Fiddy's Mood
(8:18)  5. Softly As A Morning Sunrise
(8:42)  6. I Love My Woman
(5:47)  7. Fiddy's Mood (altern.)
(4:06)  8. Softly As A Morning Sunrise (altern.)

Also made available on the Italian budget label I Ganti Del Jazz, this little-known effort finds veteran trumpeter Joe Newman (55 at the time) stretching out quite effectively on four standards and two originals. In what was his first opportunity to lead a recording session since 1962, Newman and his top-notch rhythm section (pianist Hank Jones, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Alan Dawson) swing their way through such songs as "Softly As In a Morning Sunrise," "Paper Moon" and "Fiddy's Moods." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-love-my-woman-mw0000713220

The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions: I Love My Woman

Corinne Bailey Rae - The Heart Speaks In Whispers (Deluxe)

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:40
Size: 175,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. The Skies Will Break
(4:48)  2. Hey, I Won't Break Your Heart
(4:04)  3. Been To The Moon
(4:08)  4. Tell Me
(4:10)  5. Stop Where You Are
(5:51)  6. Green Aphrodisiac
(4:03)  7. Horse Print Dress
(5:26)  8. Do You Ever Think Of Me?
(5:15)  9. Caramel
(3:56) 10. Taken By Dreams
(4:26) 11. Walk On
(4:32) 12. Night
(4:49) 13. In The Dark
(3:15) 14. Ice Cream Colours
(5:46) 15. High
(6:11) 16. Push On For The Dawn

The Heart Speaks In Whispers is rich in fresh ideas and full of emotional energy which surges through its songs like electricity. Recorded both at her studio in Leeds, and in Los Angeles, the album is co-produced by Corinne with Steve Brown, her collaborator on her critically acclaimed previous album The Sea. The album features a number of notable musicians including Pino Palladino (D Angelo, Erykah Badu, The Who), James Gadson (Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers), Marcus Miller (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock), Esperanza Spalding and Moses Sumney (best known for his work with Beck). ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Speaks-Whispers-Deluxe/dp/B01C7PNOYE

The Heart Speaks In Whispers (Deluxe)

Harold Danko - The Feeling Of Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:06
Size: 163,5 MB
Art: Front

(10:58)  1. In a Sentimental Mood
(10:06)  2. Take the Coltrane
( 8:02)  3. Big Nick
( 9:51)  4. Stevie
(12:39)  5. My Little Brown Book
(10:44)  6. Angelica
( 8:43)  7. The Feeling of Jazz

This is an unusual CD. Pianist Harold Danko, tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Jeff Hirshfield perform the same seven songs (in the same order) as Duke Ellington and John Coltrane did during the famous recorded meeting in 1962. These renditions are lengthier than the originals, and there is no attempt to imitate Duke and 'Trane, although their interpretations are purposely hinted at in places. In addition to "In a Sentimental Mood" and "Take the Coltrane," there are revivals of several songs that deserve to become standards: "Big Nick," "Stevie," and the catchy "Angelica." A very enjoyable outing. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-feeling-of-jazz-mw0000095137

Personnel: Piano – Harold Danko; Bass – Scott Colley; Drums – Jeff Hirshfield; Tenor Saxophone – Rich Perry

The Feeling Of Jazz

Joe Henderson - Relaxin' At Camarillo

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:06
Size: 103,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:40)  1. Y Todavia La Quiero
(10:01)  2. My One And Only Love
( 5:23)  3. Crimson Lake
( 8:37)  4. Yes, My Dear
( 9:23)  5. Relaxin' At Camarillo

Henderson had been doing quality work for years on numerous independent and foreign labels, and 1979's Relaxin' at Camarillo, is just one among many examples of that. There are five selections, only one less than eight minutes long, with the usual Henderson attributes: full, deep tone, keen ideas, and an ability to sweep through registers and across octaves with ease. Chick Corea made an excellent partner, playing with none of the self-consciousness that crops up repeatedly in his fusion and electric fare. Bassists and drummers were interchangeable, although you can certainly tell Tony Williams from Peter Erskine (and that's no knock on Erskine). ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/relaxin-at-camarillo-mw0000619558

Personnel: Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone; Chick Corea – piano; Richard Davis;  Tony Dumas  – bass; Peter Erskine, Tony Williams  – drums

Relaxin' At Camarillo

John Hicks - Impressions of Mary Lou

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:08
Size: 121,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Lord Have Mercy - From "Music for Peace"
(3:21)  2. Ballad for Mary Lou
(4:08)  3. O.W.
(3:45)  4. Old Time Spiritual
(4:09)  5. Mary Lou's Interlude
(7:54)  6. Medi II
(4:31)  7. Not Just Your Blues
(4:58)  8. Intermission
(4:03)  9. Not Too Straight
(4:31) 10. Two for You
(2:16) 11. Zodiac Suite - Excerpt from "Aries"
(3:56) 12. The Lord Says - From "Music for Peace"

John Hicks' series of tributes to greats of the past for High Note continues with this fine CD honoring Mary Lou Williams, who passed away in 1981. What is so compelling about Hicks' salute to Williams is that he ignores her best known secular works; he sticks mostly to excerpts from her religious compositions, which, of course, still swing mightily. Joined by bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Cecil Brooks III, the pianist opens with a driving rendition of her "Lord Have Mercy" (from "Music for Peace"). "O.W." is a strut that alternates between a slow chant (anchored by Dwayne Burno's booming bass vamp) and some lively but brief up-tempo bop choruses. "Intermission" shows Williams' adventuresome nature as a composer; Hicks and company are up to the task. Hicks also wrote five originals that fit right in with Williams' songs. Hicks doesn't try to mimic her style of writing but succeeds in capturing her essence in his compositions. "Two for You" is a lively bop vehicle and solo piano feature that has shades of Mary Lou as well as Bud Powell. "Ballad for Mary Lou" is a beautiful melody that also reflects the complex nature of Williams' playing, as well as her personality. "Not Too Straight" is an up-tempo blues that has the angular quality of Thelonious Monk's works with the aggressiveness of Mary Lou Williams. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/impressions-of-mary-lou-mw0000098525

Personnel: John Hicks - piano; Dwayne Dolphin - bass; Cecil Brooks III - drums

Impressions of Mary Lou

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Freddie Hubbard - Ballads

Styles: Trumpet Jazz 
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:59
Size: 110,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Body And Soul
(6:26)  2. But Beautiful
(6:07)  3. Mirrors
(6:37)  4. Weaver Of Dreams
(7:47)  5. I Wished I Knew - Remastered
(4:48)  6. Cry Me Not
(9:42)  7. Lament For Booker

Freddie Hubbard's early years on Blue Note found him quickly developing from a Clifford Brown hard bopper to a more original stylist. This sampler (released as a 1997 CD) finds Hubbard emphasizing his warm sound on seven ballads including "Body and Soul," "But Beautiful" and his own "Lament for Booker." The material is drawn from seven of his excellent Blue Note sessions, all of which are also individually available in full. Nice music played with such sidemen as tenors Wayne Shorter, Tina Brooks, Hank Mobley and Jimmy Heath, altoist James Spaulding and pianists Cedar Walton, McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock, among others. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/ballads-mw0000024386

Ballads

Liv Stoveland - Close Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:34
Size: 99,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Close Your Eyes - 1
(4:54)  2. Remind Me
(2:15)  3. Four
(3:20)  4. Old Devil Moon
(4:37)  5. Angel Eyes
(3:46)  6. Come Rain or Come Shine
(3:32)  7. Daydreaming
(4:15)  8. Undecided
(6:03)  9. They All Laughed
(3:35) 10. Recordame
(2:52) 11. Close Your Eyes - 2

Liv Gudrun Stoveland Woie (born 12 March 1965 in Lillesand, Norway) is a Norwegian soprano and singing teacher. Stoveland was raised in a musical family. This brought her to a classical education as soprano at the Agder musikkonservatorium, and eventually a diploma from the Norwegian Academy of Music. She has participated in numerous productions in musical genres such as opera and church music, and has also taken up jazz. She has recited solo concerts and has performed as soloist in works such as Handel's "Messiah", Bach's "Christmas Oratorio" and "Requiem" by Brahms. She has a large repertoire in songs and lieder, and has sung Grieg, Sibelius, R. Strauss and Hugo Wolf numerous times. In recent years she has mostly sung classical baroque music and toured with "Stabat Mater" by Vivaldi on the Amalfi Coast in Italy in autumn 2013. Her debut album Close your eyes was released in 2009. A second album is on the way 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liv_Stoveland

Close Your Eyes

Herb Alpert - Beyond

Styles: Vocal, Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 93,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Kamali
(3:00)  2. The Continental
(4:49)  3. Reach For The Stars
(3:27)  4. Interlude (For Erica)
(3:38)  5. Red Hot
(6:01)  6. Beyond
(4:25)  7. That's The Way Of The World
(4:03)  8. Keep It Goin'
(5:43)  9. The Factory

Naturally, the wild success of "Rise" would lead anyone to the temptation of repeating oneself, and at first, this follow-up LP does plenty of that, grafting the same slow, hand-clapping beat onto several numbers. But Alpert won't sit still for long, and he comes through with some startling things that wake up the record midway through. The funky, percolating party beat of "Red Hot" starts the engine, which is pushed to an electrifying degree by the sequencer-driven, Echoplexed, hard-charging title track, where we hear Alpert's distinctive horn through a metallic electronic buffer. The most amazing track is the finale, "The Factory," a terrifying, relentlessly grinding depiction of a soulless foundry that must have shocked sedate former TJB fans who bought this album on a lark, expecting happy music from the past. Bold stuff indeed, and it did make some impact on the charts, though not nearly to the degree of Rise. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/beyond-mw0000854674

Personnel: Trumpet – Bob Findley , Herb Alpert; Vocals – Herb Alpert, Randy Badazz;  Flugelhorn – Herb Alpert ; Synthesizer – Herb Alpert ;  Bass – Abraham Laboriel, Robert Russell; Drums – Kevin Calhoun, Manolo Badrena, Steve Gadd, Steve Schaeffer; Guitar – Chris Pinnick , Dana Barry , Johnny Guitar Watson , Peter Frampton, Tim May, Tommy Tedesco; Keyboards – Andy Armer , Michael Boddicker, Mike Lang; Marimba – Julius Wechter; Percussion – Herb Alpert, Randy Badazz; Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts; Trombone – Bill Reichenbach 

Beyond

George Colligan - Small Room

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:52
Size: 163,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. I Love Music
(7:25)  2. Afterthought
(6:28)  3. Exile's Gate
(4:35)  4. Elves
(6:10)  5. The Dolphin
(6:02)  6. When Your Lover Has Gone
(4:49)  7. Small Room
(4:21)  8. Rule's End
(3:37)  9. Voyage
(5:29) 10. Quincy
(6:37) 11. Some Other Time
(5:22) 12. Caravan
(4:59) 13. Only Trust Your Heart

Time out for a personal pitch regarding one of the most imaginative up-and- coming pianists on the contemporary jazz scene. Thirty-year-old New Jersey native, George Colligan has compiled quite a resume, what with offers for sideman gigs from Gary Thomas, Lee Konitz, Freddy Cole, Billy Hart, and Steve Wilson, not to mention a magnificent spate of recording activity that includes two sessions as a leader for Fresh Sound and another baker's dozen for SteepleChase. Problem is that very few outside the immediate circle have any familiarity with Colligan at all, and that's a shame because he's such a stimulating player. While his past efforts for SteepleChase have put him in either trio (please check out Activism ) or large group settings (sample The Newcomer ), the recently-issued Small Room is a tour-de-force for Colligan's talents as a solo pianist. A virtual textbook on developing a set, the thirteen selections performed here bring out many sides of Colligan's personality and keep the attention level at peak performance. Along the way, you'll find everything from the mainstream swing of Kenny Barron's "Voyage" to more exploratory cuts such as "Afterthought" and Gary Thomas' "Exile's Gate." The lush romantic side also beams through with radiant takes of "Some Other Time" and "Only Trust Your Heart." Clocking in at a tad bit over seventy minutes, Small Room was recorded in Denmark by SteepleChase owner and producer Nils Winther in 1998 and the overall recording quality is absolutely grand- focused, yet not too dry. As someone who as a rule typically avoids solo discs, the highest compliment I can give this set is that I never once reached for the remote and that's saying a lot! ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/small-room-george-colligan-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: George Colligan – piano

Small Room

Ken McIntyre - The Complete United Artists Sessions (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

Album: The Complete United Artists Sessions  (Disc 1)

Styles: Flute, Oboe, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:16
Size: 159,7 MB
Art:

( 7:25)  1. Miss Ann
( 7:31)  2. Lois Marie
( 5:04)  3. Chittlin's And Cavyah
( 6:15)  4. Permanentity
( 4:50)  5. Tip Top
( 3:23)  6. Kaijee
( 5:39)  7. Reflections
( 5:07)  8. Say What
( 4:21)  9. 96.5
(10:09) 10. Arisin'
( 3:28) 11. Laura
( 5:59) 12. Speak Low


Album: The Complete United Artists Sessions  (Disc 2)

Time: 66:01
Size: 152,0 MB

( 5:26)  1. Cosmos
( 6:49)  2. Sendai
( 6:57)  3. Undulation
(10:36)  4. Turbospacey
( 7:08)  5. Bootsie
( 7:46)  6. New Time
( 7:22)  7. Naomi
( 8:49)  8. Someday
( 5:03)  9. Mercedes

Ken McIntyre, a very underrated multi-reedist, developed fairly original styles on alto, flute, bass clarinet, oboe and bassoon. He made two fairly well-known sessions for New Jazz in 1960 and recorded for SteepleChase from 1974-78. However, McIntyre's pair of United Artists records from 1962-63 (his only dates as a leader during 1961-73) have been long overlooked. This double CD from 1997 has all of the music from the original LPs, plus eight previously unreleased cuts. All of the selections except "Laura" and "Speak Low" are McIntyre compositions. The advanced hard bop originals (which show the influence of the avant-garde) tend to be complex, sometimes using tricky time signatures, and lack memorable melodies, but they swing.

The leader mostly plays his dry-toned alto, with a bit of flute and oboe, and with the exception of a few spots by pianist Jaki Byard, the backup musicians are mostly supportive and do not stand out. One set has McIntyre and a pianoless rhythm section joined by a dozen strings. His string writing is inventive and shows some otherwise unrealized potential. The other selections are either with a quartet or a quintet (the latter with trombonist John Mancebo Lewis). This obscure but stimulating set grows in interest with each listen. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-united-artists-sessions-mw0000024851

Personnel: MAKANDA KEN MCINTYRE (flute, alto saxophone, oboe); JOHN MANCEBO LEWIS (trombone); JAKI BYARD, ED STOUTE (piano); AHMED ABDUL-MALIK, RON CARTER, BOB CUNNINGHAM (bass); WARREN SMITH, LOUIS HAYES, BEN RILEY, EDGAR BATEMAN (drums); 13-piece string orchestra


Saturday, August 31, 2019

Jimmy Hamilton - In A Sentimental Mood

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:49
Size: 83,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. I've Got The World On A String
(2:49)  2. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
(2:17)  3. Tempo De Brazilia
(4:23)  4. The Nearness Of You
(5:11)  5. Blue Room
(2:32)  6. Ain't She Sweet
(2:55)  7. I Didn't Know About You
(3:35)  8. Taj Mahal
(5:15)  9. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:24) 10. After You've Gone

Jimmy Hamilton was for a quarter-century a mainstay of jazz's most important large ensemble, the Duke Ellington Orchestra. On clarinet, Hamilton was a model of polished, cool style and substance, while his less often featured work on tenor saxophone allowed him to reveal funkier inclinations. Hamilton was hired by Ellington as the replacement for Barney Brigard in 1943, and he stayed on with the Duke until 1968. Prior to joining Ellington, he had worked with Lucky Millinder, Jimmy Mundy, and most noticeably Teddy Wilson's sextet (1940-1942) and Eddie Heywood; Hamilton also recorded “Gloomy Sunday” with Billie Holiday. While he was featured primarily as a clarinetist, where he employed a cool smooth tone, he sometimes turned to the tenor on which he was a little rougher and raucous. When Jimmy took the job with Duke he actually had another offer on the table from Count Basie. Basie wanted him to perform only on tenor sax, however, and Jimmy wanted the chance to perform on clarinet, as well. Jimmy also commented that he was a great fan of Ellington's compositions and that Duke was sure to challenge him with new material. He was certainly right about that! Duke and Billy Strayhorn wrote many featured parts for Jimmy's clarinet and tenor sax improvisations (Air-conditioned Jungle, Deep Purple, and Bluebird of Delphi; to name a few). After leaving Ellington, Hamilton moved to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, where he taught music in public schools. Jimmy and his Quartet (with his wife, Vivian on piano) had a weekly radio show (WSTX AM radio station) from1971 to ‘77 which broadcast their Friday night gig, live from the Holger Danske Hotel in Christiansted, St. Croix. 

That broadcast made them fans all throughout the Caribbean. He did return to the U.S. to play with John Carter’s Clarinet Summit in 1981 and 1985, and gigged a bit in New York during 1989-1990, but was otherwise little heard from in his later years. Hamilton did not record much as a leader, but did put together some fine sessions as his two sessions recorded two weeks apart in 1961 for Swingville (Prestige's mainstream offshoot), they spotlight Hamilton on both clarinet and tenor. “It's About Time!” offers a host of tuneful, loose blues, some of whose titles indicate the participants' collective sense of humor (”Stupid But Not Crazy,” “Nits and Wits”), while “Can't Help Swinging” balances four bluesy originals with an equal number of top-notch standards. The sextet finds Hamilton joined on the front line by fellow distinguished Ellingtonians Clark Terry and Britt Woodman, and both dates are graced by Tommy Flanagan's piano. Hamilton went on to do a live recording in 1985 from the Virgin Islands. This date “Rediscovered at the Buccaneer,” finds Hamilton playing clarinet and alto in prime form with a quartet also including pianist Gary Mayone, bassist Joe Straws and drummer Delroy Thomas. Hamilton performs five lazy love songs and five tunes associated with Duke Ellington. These would be his last recordings. Jimmy Hamilton passed in Sept. 1994. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jimmyhamilton

Personnel:  Clarinet – Jimmy Hamilton; Bass – Aaron Bell; Drums – Sam Woodyard; Horns [Baritone] – Britt Woodman, Dave Wells, Mitchell Wood; Piano – Jimmy Rowles; Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves; Trumpet – John Anderson

In A Sentimental Mood

Jules Day - Jules Day

Styles: Vocal Jazz 
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:53
Size: 89,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. Hope Avenue & Despair
(3:23)  2. How Will I Ever Know
(4:43)  3. Days That End In Y
(3:38)  4. Get It Right
(3:14)  5. Only You
(4:14)  6. Don't Tell The Sun
(4:18)  7. Say You Will
(3:50)  8. Leave The Love To Me
(3:57)  9. Right On Time
(3:35) 10. Midnight Lullaby

Jules Day is creating quite a buzz as she bursts onto the L.A. jazz scene with a voice and stage presence that belie her 22 years of age. Jules’s young jazz career has experienced a meteoric rise with regular appearances at Southern California’s top jazz venues including Hollywood’s Catalina Bar & Grill and Culver City’s The Jazz Bakery. Jules recently found herself not only on the cover of the L.A. Jazz Scene monthly newspaper, but the subject of an in-depth article by publisher Myrna Daniels. Daniels, in the article, noted that she had seen several singers go on to find great success and predicted, “I think Jules Day will one day belong to that select circle of performers.” 

Don Heckman, jazz critic for the Los Angeles Times, reviewed Jules’s Hollywood performance as “having the vibe, the enthusiasm, and the sheer irresistibility of a star in the making.” Heckman wrote, “At 21, Day has the blond and slender look of a youthful Diana Krall, but the resemblance stops there. Unlike Krall, whose vocals have always worked best when they flow from her piano playing, Day is a stand-up singer, intimately immersed in her songs, digging into their inner meaning with a constantly surprising sense of emotive maturity.”Jules was honored to open the Temecula Smooth Jazz Festival with the enviable position as the only female vocalist on the roster.
When it comes to jazz, this Minneapolis native is the real deal with industry roots that include her grandfather, Kyle Peterson, founding the Twin Cities Jazz Society.

"I grew up with jazz musicians popping in and out of the house,\" remembers Jules, \"And the voices of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, June Christy to mention a few were a part of my early memories.\" Immediately upon graduating from an arts magnate high school in St. Paul, Jules relocated to Los Angeles upon being invited to be a member of an internationally renowned music ensemble. Less than a year later, an offer to record her debut CD was too much to resist and Jules spent the remaining teenage year hard at work inside a recording studio. As a complete package, Jules seems to have it all, but the ace up her sleeve is her extremely palatable and soulful voice with its flawless pitch, remarkable intonation, and subtle phrasing that can put the most inattentive crowd on the edge of their seats. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/dayjules

Jules Day

Eddie Palmieri - The History Of Eddie Palmieri

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:40
Size: 110,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Café
(5:43)  2. Bilongo
(5:42)  3. Cuídate Compay
(3:52)  4. Sujétate La Lengua
(2:45)  5. Conmigo
(4:10)  6. Tirándote Flores
(3:13)  7. Lázaro Y Su Micrófono
(5:59)  8. Justicia
(3:22)  9. Bomba Del Corazón
(6:09) 10. Viejo Socarrón

History is one of those great 1970s compilations that has just enough perspective to get it right. Material is drawn from both Tico and Alegre albums, and wide varieties of rhythm, tempos, and style are represented, but not too wide. Salsa fans will find much of interest. "Cuidate Compay" and "Conmigo" in particular are hot dance tracks which still sound fresh and infectious. It may not be correct to call the album a "history" of Eddie Palmieri, but it is a great slice of his best work from the 1960s. It is, at least, a history until Harlem River Drive. History serves well as an introduction to the "Sun of Latin Music, " but even longtime Palmieri fans may want it in addition to the originals or other compilations. ~ Tony Wilds https://www.allmusic.com/album/history-of-eddie-palmieri-mw0000727993

Personnel: Piano – Eddie Palmieri ; Vocals – Ismael Quintana

The History Of Eddie Palmieri

Dennis Coffey - Dennis Coffey

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:39
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. 7th Galaxy
(2:15)  2. Don't Knock My Love
(3:40)  3. All Your Goodies Are Gone
(5:26)  4. I Bet You
(3:15)  5. Miss Millie
(3:54)  6. Somebody's Been Sleeping
(2:08)  7. Plutonius
(3:59)  8. Knockabout
(2:28)  9. Only Good For Conversation
(4:17) 10. Space Traveller
(3:19) 11. Don't Knock My Love (part 2)

Too rarely, some small justice gets meted out in the music biz; in the 21st century, legendary Detroit guitarist and Motown Funk Brother Dennis Coffey is getting some. Hip-hop and electronic music fans have long sought his seminal recordings for Sussex and his voluminous session dates. His appearance in the 2002 film Standin' in the Shadows of Motown, his autobiography Guitars, Bars and Motown Superstars, and three different late-2000s compilations re-upped his profile. Dennis Coffey, the guitarist's debut for Strut, places his guitar front and center in a multi-generational group of musicians from Detroit and elsewhere. Coffey lays his trademark psychedelic soul wah-wah-and-fuzz guitar to 11 tracks. Some new; others being new versions of legendary jams he played on. The set opens with ultra-funky instrumental orgy "7th Galaxy" (with ex-Big Chief guitarist Phil Durr and Motor City session gods Rayse Biggs and David McMurray on horns, and a rhythm section of session masters bassist Tony “T-Money” Green, drummer Nate Winn, and percussionists Larry Fratangelo and Dennis Sheridan). Other instrumentals include the moody groover "Space Traveler" (with Deadstring Brothers' Jim Simonson on bass and Eric Hoegemeyer on drums), the big horn and guitar burner "Miss Millie" (with Milwaukee's Kings Go Forth), and the wah-wah bass and percussion blowout "Knockabout."These tracks are on a par with Coffey's legendary "Scorpio" and his Black Belt Jones soundtrack. The vocal tracks are no less spectacular. There is the Parliaments' "All Your Goodies Are Gone," with soulster Mayer Hawthorne, and Funkadelic's "I Bet You," featuring the Detroit Cobras' Rachel Nagy and the Dirtbombs' Mick Collins. Fanny Franklin of Orgone lends her voice to a sultry cover of Wilson Pickett's slow-burning "Don't Knock My Love." Rodriguez's venomous "Only Good for Conversation" features Paolo Nutini in a knockout performance, and the Bell Rays' Lisa Kekaula offers a boiling, raw read of Holland-Dozier-Holland's eternal, "Somebody's Been Sleeping" (Coffey played on the 100 Proof (Aged in Soul) original. "Plutonius," a cosmic funk jam, is another Coffey original sung by Herschel Boone and includes a ripping guitar solo by, Durr, and groove alicious B3 by Detroit keyboard master Luis Resto. 

The album is co-produced to maximum kinetic effect by Al Sutton and Hoegemeyer at Detroit's Rust Belt Studio. Dennis Coffey is overflowing with inspiration and the molten pathos, passion, humor, volume, grit, and nasty grooves that Detroit is famous for. As an artist, Coffey, at 70, is at the top of his game as a guitarist and composer; he proves that he can not only hold his own with the youngbloods, but push toward a new level. This self-titled offering is monster; a masterpiece of tough, psychedelic soul. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/dennis-coffey-mw0002110283

Dennis Coffey