David Grisman Quintet - Dawgnation

Styles: Mandolin
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:17
Size: 154,1 MB
Art: Front

(0:23)  1. Citizens Of Dawgnation
(6:51)  2. Slade
(6:51)  3. Mellow Mang
(3:45)  4. Why Did The Mouse Marry The Elephant?
(6:19)  5. Cha Cha Chihauhua
(3:33)  6. Desert Dawg
(4:08)  7. Twin Town
(5:06)  8. Vivace
(4:28)  9. Mr. Coolberg
(5:41) 10. Dawgnation
(6:08) 11. Bluegrass At the Beach
(5:10) 12. Argentine Trio
(7:49) 13. Dawg After Dark

David Grisman returns in fine, if standard, form on Dawgnation, the first record of new material produced by his David Grisman Quintet since 1995's Dawganova. The material on Dawgnation doesn't break any new ground particularly, though Grisman's so-called "dawg" music a mix of bluegrass, hot jazz, Latin grooves, klezmer, and world rhythms can still be exhilarating, especially if one has never heard it before. The band manages to keep the energy high and the music fresh-sounding, making this as fine a starting point into the quintet as any. Each of the tracks is a tribute to one of Grisman's extended musical family such as "Slade" (for the late Charles Sawtelle), "Why Did the Mouse Marry the Elephant?" (for bassist Edgar Meyer), and the title track for "Spudboy" (aka Jerry Garcia). Still, the pastoral mix of Matt Eakle's flute, Enrique Coria's flamenco jazz guitar, and Joe Craven's fiddle and percussion with Grisman's mandolin melodies doesn't break any new boundaries. It is calming, pretty, well-executed music that is unlikely to offend anyone, but is ultimately (perhaps) slightly too lite to be considered ballsy and a touch too syncopated and strange to find acceptance among any mainstream audience. ~ Jesse Jarnow https://www.allmusic.com/album/dawgnation-mw0000219429

Personnel:  David Grisman – mandolin, mandola; Enrique Coria – guitar, whistle; Matt Eakle – flute, bass flute; Jim Kerwin – double bass; Joe Craven – percussion, violin, mandolin

Dawgnation

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Van Morrison - The Best Of Van Morrison

Styles: Vocal, Post Bop
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:46
Size: 189,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:45)  1. Bright Side Of The Road
(2:38)  2. Gloria
(4:32)  3. Moondance
(2:43)  4. Baby Please Don't Go
(4:20)  5. Have I Told You Lately
(3:04)  6. Brown Eyed Girl
(3:13)  7. Days Like This
(4:23)  8. Sweet Thing
(3:23)  9. Warm Love
(4:00) 10. Wonderful Remark
(2:57) 11. Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
(3:14) 12. Full Force Gale
(4:31) 13. And It Stoned Me
(2:46) 14. Here Comes The Night
(3:09) 15. Domino
(4:07) 16. Did Ye Get Healed
(3:32) 17. Wild Night
(4:42) 18. Cleaning Windows
(4:54) 19. Whenever God Shines His Light
(4:53) 20. Queen Of The Slipstream
(4:48) 21. Dweller On The Threshold

For an artist who's doggedly album-oriented, plus a songwriter who revels in subtlety, Van Morrison doesn't seem like a logical candidate for a successful greatest-hits compilation. Nevertheless, The Best of Van Morrison is a crackerjack compilation, tracing Van the Man from his days with Them, through his best-known tunes ("Brown-Eyed Girl," "Moondance," "Blue Money," "Wild Night"), to highlights from the '70s and '80s cult efforts, topped off by "Wonderful Remark," a song first heard on the King of Comedy soundtrack. 

This collection makes Morrison's work seem a little more immediate and accessible than it usually is, but that's a blessing, since it provides a great summary of his hits and a nice introduction for the curious. Yes, it could have dug deeper into the catalog, but as a sampler, it can't be faulted.~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-van-morrison-mercury-mw0000204352

The Best Of Van Morrison

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Cécile Verny Quartet - Of Moons and Dreams

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:07
Size: 163,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. I Heard an Angel Singing
(3:47)  2. Krakatoa Moon
(4:17)  3. The Garden of Love
(5:07)  4. Birds in Your Heart / Hear I Call
(3:38)  5. There is No Way Back
(4:12)  6. Mon avenir s'est envolé
(4:28)  7. This House
(5:21)  8. Top Shelf Life
(4:33)  9. The Dream
(3:55) 10. The Same Dream
(3:49) 11. Kissing the Moon
(3:33) 12. Witch
(4:20) 13. Talkin'
(4:23) 14. New Moon
(3:51) 15. The Power to Be
(4:09) 16. My Steps Their Beat
(3:09) 17. Je ferme les yeux

The album "Of Moons And Dreams" is an album with brilliant songs, an album on which ballads and straight groove numbers work together seamlessly, an album which you would rather not ever take out of the player, because you have become addicted to it. Admittedly, this is rare, but sometimes it just so happens to be true. When it comes down to the question of whether to call this jazz-pop or pop-jazz, well ultimately, that is irrelevant. https://www.in-akustik.de/en/music-media/album/verny-cecile-quartet-1/of-moons-and-dreams-0366171/

Of Moons and Dreams

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Donald Byrd - The Chant

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:15
Size: 103,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:39)  1. I'm An Old Cowhand
(7:25)  2. You're Next
(8:55)  3. Chant
(9:37)  4. That's All
(7:01)  5. Great God
(4:35)  6. Sophisticated Lady

Not released until 1979, this excellent quintet session features the always formidable team of trumpeter Donald Byrd and baritonist Pepper Adams. The accompanying rhythm section includes pianist Herbie Hancock shortly before he joined Miles Davis. The repertoire consists of six likable tunes including an uptempo "I'm an Old Cowhand," "That's All," "Sophisticated Lady," two Byrd originals and Duke Pearson's "Chant." This is superior hard bop from the early '60s. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/chant-mw0000898045

Personnel: Donald Byrd – trumpet; Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone; Herbie Hancock – piano; Doug Watkins – bass; Teddy Robinson – drums

The Chant

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Cleo Laine, James Galway - Sometimes When We Touch

Styles: Vocal And Flute Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:56
Size: 107,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:21)  1. Drifting, Dreaming (Gymnopédie No.1)
(5:45)  2. Sometimes When We Touch
(3:04)  3. Play It Again, Sam
(3:25)  4. Skylark
(3:44)  5. How, Where, When? (Canon in D Major, P. 37)
(2:26)  6. The Fluter's Ball
(5:08)  7. Consuelo's Love Theme
(3:44)  8. Keep Loving Me
(2:51)  9. Anyone Can Whistle
(4:21) 10. Still Was the Night
(2:51) 11. Lo! Hear the Gentle Lark
(4:11) 12. Like a Sad Song

With a multi-octave voice similar to Betty Carter's, incredible scatting ability, and ease of transition from a throaty whisper to high-pitched trills, Cleo Laine was born in 1927 in the Southall section of London, the daughter of a Jamaican father and English mother. Her parents sent her to vocal and dance lessons as a teenager, but she was 25 when she first sang professionally, after a successful audition with the big band led by Johnny Dankworth. Both Laine and the band recorded for Esquire, MGM and Pye during the late '50s, and by 1958, she was married to Dankworth. With Dankworth by her side, Laine began her solo career in earnest with a 1964 album of Shakespeare lyrics set to Dankworth's arrangements, Shakespeare: And All That Jazz. Laine also gained renown for the first of three concert albums recorded at New York's Carnegie Hall, 1973's Cleo Laine Live! At Carnegie Hall. She also recorded two follow-ups (Return to Carnegie and The 10th Anniversary Concert) the latter of which in 1983 won her the first Grammy award by a Briton. She has proved a rugged stage actress as well, winning a Theater World award for her role in the Broadway musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood, (in addition to Tony and Drama Desk nominations as well). In 1976 she recorded a jazz version of Porgy and Bess with Ray Charles, and also recorded duets with James Galway and guitarist John Williams. Laine and Dankworth continued to tour into the 1990s, and she received perhaps her greatest honor when she became the first jazz artist to receive the highest title available in the performing arts: Dame Commander. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cleo-laine-mn0000120273/biography

Rivaled in fame among contemporary flutists only by Jean-Pierre Rampal, James Galway has earned both runaway popularity and critical respect. He has embraced the flute repertoire of all eras, including contemporary music. Part of his popularity is due to his sparkling, lively stage personality, which occasionally leads observers to compare him to a leprechaun. In one interview, piqued by this recurrent comment on his Irishness, he pointed out that he came not from idyllic emerald green surroundings, but from the sooty industrial region of Belfast, within sight of the shipyard where the Titanic was built. He began to play the penny whistle when he was two years old, and he often uses the instrument in his encores. At least one of the concertos written for him also calls for him to substitute whistle for flute in several passages. When he started regular flute lessons, he developed quickly and won three top prizes in a local flute contest just two years later. At that point Galway decided to make flute playing a career. He studied at London's Royal College of Music and Guildhall School. His first professional job was with the wind band at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. He then spent 15 years as an orchestral player, most notably as first-chair flutist in the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan (1969-1975). Finally he decided to give up the security of an orchestral job to become a touring soloist and chamber player. In his first season he made 120 appearances. Soon his charm and the rich yet light tone of his gold-plated A.K. Cooper flute were familiar to concert audiences around the world. He also held a teaching position at the Eastman School of Music in the United States. Galway's success has been due partly to the wide range of his repertoire. He has performed traditional flute repertoire in both orchestral and chamber settings. 

He is committed to renewing that repertoire through the introduction of new music and has commissioned works from composers including Henri Lazarof, Thea Musgrave, John Corigliano, and Lowell Liebermann. And, though he once stated that he intended to avoid pops or crossover repertoire, he has often released top-selling recordings of this kind. His personality transmits well over television, and part of his unusually wide popularity for a classical musician has come through broadcasts on the BBC and elsewhere. He has participated in Irish music recordings, often with the famous Irish band The Chieftains (as on 2002's Celtic Spectacular, and in the 1980s he collaborated with the U.S. country singer Sylvia on The Wayward Wind. The late 1990s saw the release of such Galway albums as Unbreak My Heart, consisting of flute-and-orchestra settings of top cinematic hits, and Tango del Fuego, Galway's contribution to the growing tango craze. In 2001, Galway was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2003, his flute was heard on the soundtrack of the popular film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. His wife Jeanne Galway is also an accomplished flutist who has performed together with her husband and on her own. Galway has also contributed much to the cause of flute scholarship in editing old flute works for publication, for example Theobald Boehm's 1848 12 Grand Studies, Op. 15. ~ Rovi Staff https://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-galway-mn0000118056/biography

Personnel:  Flute – James Galway; Vocal - Cleo Laine 

Sometimes When We Touch

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Bill Snyder - Treasure Chest

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1900
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:38
Size: 92,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Amber Fire
(3:38)  2. Turquoise
(2:52)  3. Diamond Dust
(3:14)  4. Golden Earrings
(3:41)  5. Ruby
(3:19)  6. Jade
(6:08)  7. Sapphire
(3:22)  8. Topaz
(2:53)  9. Golden Sands And Silvery Seas
(3:00) 10. Pearls On Velvet
(2:46) 11. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
(2:10) 12. Ivory Lace

Bill Snyder also known as William P. Snyder (November 7, 1916  Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, May 11, 2011) was an American pianist, bandleader and songwriter of the 1950s. Snyder studied under Moriz Rosenthal in Paris and served in the Air Force during the Second World War. Snyder first had a massive hit with Lorenz Hart's "Bewitched" in 1950. The song reached the top position on the Cash Box list of "The Nation's Top Ten Juke Box Tunes." Through the 1950s Snyder was America's most recorded light music pianist with nine gold and one platinum awards for his singles and albums. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Snyder_(bandleader)

Treasure Chest

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James Moody - Sun Journey

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 49:03
Size: 78,7 MB
Art: Front

( 6:09)  1. This Masquerade
( 7:52)  2. Moody's Mood For Love
(10:53)  3. Clabber Biscuits
( 8:27)  4. Last Train From Overbrook
( 7:48)  5. Sun Journey
( 7:51)  6. Sun In Pisces

Not as funky as Moody's work for Perception, but definitely in a similar mode. The record's got James playing alto, tenor, and soprano in a group that includes Kenny Barron on electric piano, Roland Prince on guitar, and some guest trumpet by Randy Brecker. 

The tracks shift from warm and mellow to warm and funky  but still kind of mellowly funky and titles include a nice cover of "This Masquerade", plus "Sun Journey", "Sun In Pisces", "Clabber Biscuits", and "Last Train From Overbrook".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/62090/James-Moody:Sun-Journey

Personnel: James Moody - Alto, Tenor, Soprano; Clark Terry - Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Randy Brecker - Trumpet; Kenny Barron - Elec Piano; Roland Prince - Guitar;Bob Cranshaw - Bass; Eddie Gladden - Drums; Emanual Rahim - Percussion

Sun Journey

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Al Foster - Inspirations & Dedications

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:00
Size: 152,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:42)  1. Cantaloupe Island
(5:39)  2. Ooh, What You Do to Me
(5:01)  3. Simone's Dance
(5:54)  4. Samba de Michelle
(5:31)  5. Kierra
(4:48)  6. Douglas
(1:38)  7. Brandyn
(2:42)  8. Our Son
(4:21)  9. Song for Monique
(5:00) 10. Jazzon
(5:35) 11. Bonnie Rose
(7:25) 12. Aloysius
(5:40) 13. Jean-Pierre

On paper Al Foster's  resume as a supporting artist reads better than most other jazz drummers. He's recorded albums with Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Frank Morgan, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, among a plethora of others. Chances are, those who aren't familiar with his name have heard him somewhere, and for the first time since 2002, they can hear him on Inspirations And Dedications as a band leader. As its title suggests, the album is a somewhat autobiographical release. With its 66-minute runtime divided into 13 tracks, the disc is lengthy without becoming bloated. Foster's quintet is a top-tier group of musicians, including trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, saxophonist Dayna Stephens, pianist Adam Birnbaum, and bassist Doug Weiss. The group plays well together, offering a pleasant sound which pushes the lengthy album along at a quick pace, their consistency never allowing for a lull. Rather than featuring a standout single, each song on this crowded release contributes more to a whole. At its finish, Inspirations and Dedications seems not to be a somber reflection on a life lived, but a celebration of it.  Eight of the aforementioned dedications take the form of family. "Simone's Dance" and "Samba de Michelle" feature some of his heaviest drum work on this release, with the latter being a swinging cymbal-driven tune. 

"Kierra" offers a cool, mellow vibe, while "Song For Monique" is a new composition sounding as if it could have been lifted from the early 1960s. Dayna Stephens leads the group through a catchy melody, while Jeremy Pelt seizes an opportunity to solo. The drummer's now classic "Bonnie Rose," a tribute to his wife of over 40 years, receives a more mellow reimagining led by Birnbaum and Weiss, contrasting starkly with the more energetic treatment it received on Chris Potter's Pure (Concord, 1994). Foster and Birnbaum condense the drummer's 1997 composition "Brandyn" into a brief duet prelude to "Our Son," a grief-soaked elegy for the child he lost in 2017. 

Though these two songs comprise under four minutes of the album's runtime, they serve as an emotional counterbalance to the rest of Inspirations and Dedications. The quintet doesn't pull their punches here, and their sincerity lends authenticity to the entire production. Self-referential yet still humble, Foster also penned a composition in his own name, titled "Aloysius." The tune opens with an pensive drum solo before Stephens takes up the melody. Bookending the album are homages to the drummer's 1980s bandmates. Herbie Hancock's "Cantalope Island" opens things up, while he later revisits Miles Davis' "Jean-Pierre," which he played with Davis' quintet on the trumpeter's Grammy-winning We Want Miles (Columbia, 1982). The latter retains just enough of the original's attitude to be an upbeat finale. Al Foster doesn't use Inspirations and Dedications to solidify his position as one of jazz's legendary drummers. He doesn't have to. Instead, he utilizes the album to pay homage to his history within the genre. His friends, his family, and his colleagues all receive treatment, and now more than ever, it becomes apparent how great the breadth of his footprint has been. ~ Peter Hoetjes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/inspirations-and-dedications-al-foster-smoke-sessions-records-review-by-peter-hoetjes.php

Personnel: Al Foster: drums; Jeremy Pelt: piano; Dayna Stephens: saxophone; Adam Birnboum: trumpet; Doug Weiss: bass

Inspirations & Dedications

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Ike Quebec - Easy Living

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:54
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(9:01)  1. See See Rider
(6:51)  2. Congo Lament
(5:40)  3. Que's Pills
(6:15)  4. B.G.'s Groove Two
(9:48)  5. I.Q. Shuffle
(6:51)  6. I've Got A Crush On You
(7:24)  7. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
(5:01)  8. Easy Living

Ike Quebec is one of those funny figures in Blue Note Records' history. By the late fifties, after he'd been out of recording for a number of years, he was too old to really be at the hard-bop vanguard (he was born in 1918) but not old enough to be a senior statesman like Coleman Hawkins or Duke Ellington. Much of his involvement with the record label in those years was as an A&R man, scouting for new talent for the label's owner Alfred Lion. Considered in the context of musical fashion it might be fair to say that, at the dawn of the 1960s, his own musical style was a little dated, even passé. But to hell with fashion; Quebec was a terrific musician and wonderful, big blue tenor saxophone (and occasionally piano) player. His chops might have been rooted in the swing of the late 1930s and '40s but, as the saying goes, good taste never goes out of style. Music Matters has re-mastered Quebec's last outing for Blue Note, Easy Living, on two 45RPM vinyl records. Recorded in 1961 but released posthumously in 1987, the date features classic Rudy Van Gelder recording sound, recaptured from the original master tapes on state of the art equipment. As with all of the Music Matters Blue Note reissues, the goal is to create an all  analog record with the best possible sonics. The first disk adds Stanley Turrentine on a second tenor, and Bennie Green on trombone. These tracks are tight and well-written, with excellent solos from both Quebec and with a more 1960s modern playing style Turrentine. The opening "See See Rider" is a greasy slow chitlin circuit blues that sets the tone for the whole record. It's hard to go wrong with Mr. T on anything, and Sonny Clark's comping and occasional fills are shear perfection. But the real meat of the album is on the last three tunes. Turrentine and Green bow out, leaving Quebec in the sole spotlight. 

His tone is warm, smooth and full, and his balladeering is second to none. "Nancy" possesses the kind of playing that never grows old: tender and emotive, but powerful too. It doesn't hurt that the recording captures the saxophone with exceptional realism, even if the overall recording retains that period Blue Note sound. The title track closes the date with more brilliant slow play, with Quebec showing his period roots. It's clear that he came from the school that began with Coleman Hawkins and later begat Lester Young and, especially, Ben Webster. That's a favorable comparison and Quebec plays as well as any of them.  It's sad to note that within a year of recording Easy Living, both Quebec and Clark would be dead (Quebec from lung cancer and Clark from fast living). But the record is testament to the shear quality of their talent. Some recordings are timeless, and this is one of them. Easy Living is a record always worth hearing and appreciating. ~ Greg Simmons https://www.allaboutjazz.com/easy-living-ike-quebec-blue-note-records-review-by-greg-simmons.php

Personnel: Ike Quebec: tenor saxophone; Stanley Turrentine: tenor saxophone; Bennie Greene: trombone; Sonny Clark: piano; Milt Hinton: bass; Art Blakey: drums.

Easy Living

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Catherine Lima - Stories and Lies

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:51
Size: 115,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. The Waters of March
(3:29)  2. Lush Life
(4:06)  3. Gatsby
(4:23)  4. Bathsheba's Lament
(4:01)  5. Love Again
(4:59)  6. I Cover the Waterfront
(3:09)  7. Ode to Carolina
(4:35)  8. So Many Stars
(4:32)  9. Stories and Lies
(4:14) 10. I Can't Make You Love Me
(4:27) 11. A Taste of Honey
(4:00) 12. The Lies of Handsome Men

I woke very early this morning with a purpose in mind. I normally get woken most mornings by my pussy cat DeeLee howling for attention but this morning I was up before she could start the howling process. My reason for the early start was to listen to Stories and Lies the new CD from Catherine Lima. I had attended the CD Launch Concert the previous evening and to be perfectly honest I could not believe what I had heard. I needed to hear the CD to confirm I wasn’t all just a dream. I would have put the CD on as soon as I got home from the concert but it was past midnight and the journey home through torrential rain was so tiring. The launch was held at The Arts Cinema, Crouch End in North London the local Arts Centre and highly appreciated by local patrons and those beyond. The venue was fully booked with many celebrities from the music industry in attendance. Most were the devoted fans who follow Catherine from venue to venue. I was invited to review the launch concert but, I have to confess, that I class myself as Catherine's number one fan so there will be some bias to this review. The concert started with one of my favourite songs of all time A Taste of Honey and this was very apt because Catherine has a voice which is like listening to ….. honey. It’s so rich but smooth with a unique texture which is so enticing. I have heard Catherine perform at so many different venues, including outdoor concerts, and her voice can penetrate any environment because it is so very movingly soulful yet in Jazz style. This is the first time that I have heard her as a songwriter. Her efforts show all the signs of a fabulous career ahead. The first set included the songs Stories and Lies and Ode to Carolina - both written by Catherine. These are not so much songs but poetry put to music with such skill beyond any newcomer to song writing that I have ever encountered. The first set also included a song that always brings tears to my eyes. I Can't Make You Love Me was written for Bonny Raitt but made famous by the wonderful George Michael. Catherine exceeds any version I have heard and this song suits her voice perfectly. The Second Set include two more of Catherine's own songs Gatsby and Bathsheba's Lament.  

The inspiration for these songs are the works of literature The Great Gatsby and Far From The Madding Crowd. Once again not so much as songs but poetry put to music and anyone who can write lyrics like these has a very rare talent. Catherine also include a song Love Again written by another exceptionally skillful songwriter Brian Shaw who was in the audience to support Catherine and to hear his song performed. I have extolled the virtues of Catherine Lima but this concert could not have happened without the stellar band behind her which included Paul Higgs on Piano, Graham Pike on Trumpet, Flugelhorn and Chromatic Harmonica and Alex Field on Guitar. The Rhythm Section of Alex Keen on Double Bass and Marek Dorcik completed the band who were exceptional in their support for her. I am sure the reason for this is that they all enjoy working with Catherine. For them, it isn’t “just a job”. This was confirmed after talking with them after the concert. I think by now you must have it firmly in mind just how good Catherine Lima is in my opinion and I am alleged to be an ‘expert’ in the female jazz singer genre. Anyway, she excelled in every way. I am thrilled for her because I know just how much effort has been put in to the compilation of the material on this recording and the songwriting. The concept of Stories and Lies was to tell a story of the experiences of Catherine's life from personal experiences and from her love of literature and music. I have to give credit to Paul Higgs for his contribution to this CD as Musical Director and his skill as recording engineer. The recording quality could not in my view be exceeded even it had been recorded at Abbey Road. The atmosphere captured is like listening to a live performance in an intimate venue. I have a vast collection of Audiophile CD's and this compares with the best such as Cafe Blue by Patricia Barber; yes, it’s that good! My only advice to anyone reading this review is to go an buy Stories and Lies. You’ll be thrilled. I can almost guarantee it. ~ Tony Andrews https://www.hifianswers.com/2019/05/catherine-lima-stories-and-lies-cd-launch/

Stories and Lies

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Andy Summers - Retrospective

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:34
Size: 119,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:37)  1. A Piece Of Time
(6:30)  2. World Gone Strange
(5:14)  3. Charming Snakes
(4:54)  4. Mickey Goes To Africa
(5:12)  5. Passion Of The Shadow
(2:46)  6. Innocence Falls Prey
(5:19)  7. Oudu Kanjaira
(4:48)  8. The Blues Prior To Richard
(4:57)  9. Blues For Snake
(5:11) 10. Somewhere In The West

While Andy Summers is best known as the guitarist in the Police, he has since forged a successful and acclaimed solo career with new age-influenced contemporary instrumental music that, like his work with Sting and company, draws on his love for jazz and his fascination with creating instrumental textures. Born Andrew James Somers in Poulton-Fylde, Lancashire, England, on December 31, 1942, the young Somers (who later changed his surname to the more easily spelled Summers) moved to Bournemouth as a child and, upon taking up the guitar at 14, immersed himself in the local jazz scene. By 16, he was playing in local clubs and coffee houses, where he was noticed by Zoot Money. Somers was invited to join Money's Big Roll Band on the live album The All Happening Zoot Money's Big Roll Band at Klook's Kleek. Money eventually changed the band into a psychedelic outfit called Dantalian's Chariot, and when that project dissolved in early 1968, Somers briefly signed on with the Soft Machine before rejoining Money in a revamped Animals lineup for the LP Love Is. When that imploded in 1969, Somers studied classical guitar and composition at UCLA for four years, in the meantime giving guitar lessons, gigging with a local Latin rock band, and acting with various theater troupes. Upon his return to England in 1973, Summers became something of a journeyman, touring in the backing bands of Neil Sedaka, Kevin Coyne, Kevin Ayers, and David Essex. Summers met Sting and Stewart Copeland in 1977 while playing with a band called Strontium 90. The two asked Summers to join their full-time project, the Police; together, the trio gradually developed a style centered around jazz- and reggae-influenced pop/rock, and Sting's strong basslines allowed Summers to supply subtle sonic textures and colors on his guitar, and to experiment with various effects. 

Summers first stepped out on his own in 1982, teaming with King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp on the jazz- and Eastern-tinged I Advance Masked. It was followed in 1984 with Bewitched, another Summers/Fripp collaboration, around the same time the Police officially disbanded. Eager to establish himself in musical realms outside of rock & roll, Summers did a bit of movie soundtrack work (Down and Out in Beverly Hills, 2010, etc.) before returning to recording, this time on his own. His first solo effort, 1987's harmonically intricate yet pop-oriented XYZ, met with poor critical response. Its follow-up, 1988's Mysterious Barricades, was more successful, emphasizing Summers' textural sensibilities on its jazzy, new age-influenced compositions. A string of albums in this style followed through the '90s, notably The Golden Wire (1989), Charming Snakes (1991), World Gone Strange (1991), Invisible Thread (1993), and The Last Dance of Mr. X (1997). For 1998's Strings of Desire, he teamed with South American guitar virtuoso Victor Biglione; 1999's Green Chimneys: Music of Thelonious Monk found Summers working with a larger ensemble than usual for him, as well as his first collaboration with Sting since the Police (on a version of "'Round Midnight"). Following the success of his Monk-themed album, the guitarist put together an album of interpretations of compositions by Charles Mingus called Peggy's Blue Skylight, released in late 2000. Earth + Sky appeared four years later. Summers continued to record, releasing First You Build a Cloud in 2007. He also participated in the Police reunion tour that same year. Following the reunion, Summers formed the band Circa Zero with Rob Giles of the Rescues; they released Circus Hero in 2014 before disbanding. After Circa Zero, Summers returned to his solo career, releasing Metal Dog in 2015 and Triboluminescence in 2017. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/andy-summers-mn0000031173/biography

Retrospective

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Michael Civisca - Love Is Like a Breeze

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:56
Size: 119,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Love Is Like a Breeze
(4:36)  2. I Wish You Love
(3:24)  3. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
(4:26)  4. Stormy Weather
(4:01)  5. Desafinado
(3:56)  6. You Go to My Head
(3:16)  7. Just in Time
(4:11)  8. I May Love You More
(3:20)  9. I Feel Sorry for You
(4:24) 10. Just One of Those Things
(4:40) 11. The Very Thought of You
(3:23) 12. Wild Is Love
(3:50) 13. If I Ruled the World

Western New York denizen and vocalist, Michael Civisca, went to London, England for his fourth album. To say that this one is a departure from his previous release is an understatement. His last featured him in live performance with just a trio. This time out, he's accompanied by an orchestra of 80 musicians (!), replete with a large bevy of strings This album might be called the Musicians Relief Act of 2002. But there is lots of good news. The strings are not present on all tracks and when the group is unencumbered by violins, violas and celli, it and the singer swing up a storm. The best news is that Civisca is a fine singer with a great sense of timing and pace along with an intuitive, savior-faire feel for the music, making him a welcome addition to the male jazz/pop singers where fresh blood is desperately needed. From a mold similar to those that shaped the styles of Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin, Civisca manages to have some fun with the lyrics much like Sinatra used to do. On "Please Don't Talk about Me When I'm Gone", he tells his detractor to "shut your mouth" if he/she can't say anything nice. The British musicians present are no slouches. There's a Don Fagerquist like lyrical trumpet noodling underneath on "Love Is Like a Breeze", a pleasant refrain composed by Civisca, as well as a good trombone solo on "I Wish You Love". It's on romantic ballads such as this one and "If I Ruled the World", where the strings come in and they do so tastefully. A nod to Charles Calello who conducted the large assembly, but most of all for his fresh, contemporary arrangements of familiar material. Michael Civisca has a considerable set of chops making Love Is...Like a Breeze a welcome addition to the roster of highly listenable male vocalist albums. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/love-islike-a-breeze-michael-civisca-neptune-music-review-by-dave-nathan.php

Personnel: Michael Civisca - Vocal; Charles Calello - Arranger/Conductor; 80 piece orchestra

Love Is Like a Breeze

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Ari Hoenig - Conner's Days

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:25
Size: 126,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:57)  1. Conner's Days
(5:53)  2. All the Things You Are
(6:04)  3. Anymore
(5:02)  4. Prelude to a Kiss
(5:33)  5. For Tracy
(5:10)  6. Figuration
(4:04)  7. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
(5:07)  8. All of You
(6:28)  9. Guernsey St. Gooseneck
(4:22) 10. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
(2:25) 11. Up
(2:14) 12. Conner's Days Reprise

"As a kid, I used to take trips to the west coast with my parents, visiting family friends and camping at national parks etc… This trio met in 2017, began playing gigs together and soon we had our first “West Coast Tour” at the end of 2017. We repeated the experience in 2018 with fewer mistakes and a deeper musical repertoire. Conner was there from the first trio tour and for the following tour as well. As a kind soul who appreciated the music, he drove us around in Southern California from gig to gig and offered us nice accommodations. He will always be directly associated in my mind with our west coast touring tradition." ~ Ari Hoenig https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/ari-hoenig-albums/46955-conner-s-days-digifile.html

Personnel: Ari Hoenig (drums), Nitai Hershkovits (piano), Or Bareket (bass).

Conner's Days

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André Charlier, Benoit Sourisse - Hard Bop Jazz

Styles: Jazz Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:11
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. City Limits
(2:27)  2. Grand Prix
(3:11)  3. Time Square
(3:33)  4. Too Good to Be True
(3:33)  5. Nights of Jazz
(3:14)  6. Maio's Beach
(3:23)  7. The Things I Love
(2:59)  8. Little Giant
(3:28)  9. The Yacht Club
(2:41) 10. Congo Square
(3:10) 11. Springtime for Lovers
(2:14) 12. Shop 'Till You Drop
(3:29) 13. Free Wheeling
(3:23) 14. Cocktail Jazz
(3:07) 15. Set 'Em up Jim
(4:08) 16. The Street of Jazz
(3:19) 17. Manogs and Bananas
(3:17) 18. The Blue Note
(3:00) 19. At the Three Deuces
(3:34) 20. Cafe Chic

André Charlier born in VERVIERS (Belgium) in 1962. He started the drums in 1978. He studied at the conservatory of Liège in Jazz class and took classes with Vinnie Johnson and Bruno Castellucci. He studied at the Musician Institute in Los Angeles in 1985-1986. In 1988-1989, he began a series of tours with the singer Maurane. Winner of the Defense Competition in 1989, he was awarded the prize for best soloist at the international francophone jazz competition in 1991. With his alter-ego Benoît Sourisse, they create the Charlier-Sourisse tandem. (6 albums and close collaborations with Jerry Bergonzi, Kenny Garrett, Alex Kurt Rosenwinkel, Alex Sipiagin, Nick Smart ... Didier Lockwood's stage companion since 1993, with whom he recorded several albums, including the last "Apesantar" in 2016. Record many albums for various artists, movies music etc ...He also performs with numerous bands and artists such as Captain Mercier, Jean-Jacques Milteau, Michel Petrucianni, John Scofield, Scott Henderson, Toots Thielemans, Philip Catherine, Jean-Marie Ecay, Stephane Guillaume, Mighty Mo Rodgers, Dave Liebman, Laurence Allison ... Passionate about pedagogy he is co-founder and co-director of the CMDL, professor of rhythm and drums and involved in many courses and conservatories. With Benoît Sourisse, he creates a new jazz method called "Les Cahiers Charlier / Sourisse" (supported notably by François-René Duchâble, Jerry Bergonzi ...) by Leduc. The tandem "Charlier Sourisse" has just released its sixth album recently, a double album in big training called "  multiquarium Big band." Translate by Google http://www.charliersourisse.com/biographies

Born in Grenoble in 1964, Benoît Sourisse, pianist / organist, joined Paris in 1986. With his alter / ego André Charlier they create the tandem Charlier / Sourisse (7 albums and close collaborations with Jerry Bergonzi, Kenny Garrett, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Alex Sipiagin ...) Fellow and music director of the violinist Didier Lockwood between 1994 and 2004, he also shares the stage or the studio with many prestigious musicians such as Toots Thielemans, John Scofield, Philip Catherine, John McLaughlin, Mike Stern, Steve Gadd, Quincy Jones , Phil Collins, Gil Goldstein, Michel Petrucciani, Perico Sambeat ... Passionate about Blues and Rhythm'nBlues, he is the musical director of two albums by Jean-Jacques Milteau, as well as that of the American singer Demi Evans. He is also the co-founder of "Captain 'Mercier", an emblematic group of French Rythm'n Blues, who has given over 1300 concerts in 23 years, recorded 4 CDs, a DVD and won the Audience Award at the 2003 Victoires du Jazz. In 2009 Benoît, André and Chantal Charlier founded the jazz label "Gemini Records" which won two awards in 2010 for the last album of Stéphane Guillaume (Windmills Chronicles) After teaching improvisation for nearly 15 years at the National Conservatory of Music in Lyon, he is today co-head of the "CMDL" co-founded in 1999, of which he is a professor of piano and music. 'hear. Very attached to the transmission, he gives many Masterclasses in France and abroad (Hanoi, Nouméa, Liège, Lausanne, Lisbon, Sao Paulo ..). Translate by Google http://www.charliersourisse.com/biographies

Hard Bop Jazz

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Kim Fairchild - All of Me

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:04
Size: 117,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Cry Me a River
(3:03)  2. Me Myself and I
(4:26)  3. The Man I Love
(3:05)  4. Strange Fruit
(2:59)  5. No Regrets
(7:03)  6. Lady Sings the Blues
(4:46)  7. God Bless the Child
(5:04)  8. As Time Goes By
(3:02)  9. Ain't Misbehavin
(4:53) 10. Good Morning Heartace
(4:12) 11. Stormy Weather
(3:15) 12. All of Me

Kim Fairchild (born November 26, 1966 in New York ), is a Norwegian singer , actor and entertainer. The family moved to Bergen in 1968. Fairchild has participated in a number of Norwegian TV productions, such as Lollipop , Beat for beat , Good Morning, Norway! and TV2's Anniversary Show, as well as finishing second in the 1993 Melody Grand Prix with the song "Besides the Wind" with Stein Hauge . Together with her band "Kim Fairchild Band", now "Ruffmix", she has toured all over Norway and with her rough soul / jazz / rock has been compared to Aretha Franklinand Tina Turner . [ by whom? ] She has also participated in the Parodi Grand Prix three times, in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Fairchild is known for her deep singing voice and has for many years held many concerts both with her own band and various jazz ensembles . However, as a record artist, she first debuted in 2003, when she released the critically acclaimed record All of Me , which was a collection of 12 old Billie Holiday songs. In 2015, she released the album Spring Soon , with a collection of Billie Holiday songs in addition to her own. Translate By Google https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Fairchild

All of Me

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Bill Snyder - Music For Holding Hands

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:42
Size: 83,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. The Eleventh Hour
(3:07)  2. My Own True Love
(2:52)  3. The Girl Next Door
(2:53)  4. Younger Than Springtime
(2:47)  5. The Moon Of Manakoora
(2:57)  6. I'll Follow My Secret Heart
(2:53)  7. The High And The Mighty
(2:44)  8. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(3:08)  9. As Time Goes By
(2:57) 10. My Dearest
(2:59) 11. Falling In Love Again
(3:10) 12. I'll See You Again

The titles, as well as the melodies, are redolent with glamour; the songs are those to which lovers have always thrilled; there are tender heart beats in every bar. The spell of this music is accentuated by the subtle piano playing of Bill Snyder. Bill Snyder was born in Chicago, climbed on a piano stool at the age of three  and has been there ever since. He was six when he made his first recital appearance in Chicago’s Kimball Hall. A scholarship at De Paul University was followed by a degree of Bachelor of Music at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, after which he got his Master’s at the American Conservatory of Music. It was in Chicago that he met Moritz Rosenthal, then the last living pupil of Franz Liszt. Rosenthal heard him and “adopted” Bill as a protege. Snyder’s distinguishing technique thus has a long heritage. In 1940 he was on the staff of the Columbia Broadcasting System, served with the Air Force for several years and, after his discharge, formed a dance band. In 1952 he joined Brunswick; his records have been popular in Europe as well as in his own country. Besides his own arrangements, Bill Snyder has a long list of original compositions to his credit, ranging from novelty piano solos to serious concertos. https://coverheaven.co.uk/bill-snyder-music-holding-hands/

Music For Holding Hands

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Leigh Harris - House Of Secrets

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:01
Size: 113,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Like A Ghost
(4:45)  2. Incommunicado
(4:48)  3. Paint This Town
(4:43)  4. Devil Jumped A Rabbit
(4:53)  5. Backstreet Girl
(3:47)  6. Telephone Sleeping In My Bed
(5:42)  7. Evening In Paradise
(2:50)  8. Caroline No
(4:12)  9. Crazy Mirrors
(3:04) 10. Oklahoma Usa
(5:09) 11. Midnight Star

On House of Secrets, New Orleans native Leigh Harris brilliantly explores her hometown's love of melodic song and dramatic presentation, turning what might otherwise be a folk-oriented set of emotion-laden originals and cleverly chosen covers into a lights-down-low, saloon singer's delight. A prime example is her take on "Backstreet Girl" from the Rolling Stones' songbook, opening with only vocal and piano as the arrangement adds layers selectively, first form a pair of accordions, then a vocal chorus, finally building to a peak of full-bodied intensity briefly, before letting it all wash away. The effect is haunting, reminiscent of a French cabaret singer. Blessed with a powerful voice capable of evoking strong emotions even at its quietest, Harris caresses each literate, languid selection with an impressive range of supple vocal chops, from intimate whispers to plaintive bright shouts, while co-producer Mark Bingham, a key institution on the equally thoughtful Yockamo All-Stars project, concentrates on selective effects that emphasize the variety of distinctive voices available in contemporary New Orleans, from the rocketing eruptions of the Wild Magnolias June Yamagichi to the balladic embellishments of Gen-X trumpter Jeremy Davenport.  The repetoire includes a trio of declarations of longing written by Harris ("Telephone Sleeping in my Bed", "Crazy Mirrors", "Midnight Star"), a pair of compositions exploring absence("Like a Ghost", "Incommunicado") by longtime collaborator John Magnie,and two selections from other writers ("paint This Town", "Evening in Paradise")that color the overriding sense of longing with unmistakable melancholy.Adding unconventional cover choices (including The Beach Boys "Caroline No" and the Kinks' "Oklahoma USA")provides a wistful, ironic counterbalance of humor, while a Hammond B3-saturated composition by Doc Pomus, "Devil Jumped a Rabbit" early in the program and a final, undocumented track,"Working on a Building",complete with wailing gospel choir, help to connect the whole to the Southern tradition of blues and spirituals. ...Harris has re-invented herself and the American singer-songwriter tradition by incorporating a completely natural, European sensibility. Casting herself in the surprising, and wholly satisfying, role of a Delta version of Edith Piaf, Harris offers us one of the year's most inventive tributes to the power of song and a new appreciation for the richness of New Orleans' musical legacy. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/leighharris

House Of Secrets

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Al Haig - Al Haig Today!

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 34:39
Size: 55,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Bags' Groove
(3:01)  2. The Good Life
(2:47)  3. You Don't Know What Love Is
(3:50)  4. Satin Doll
(3:07)  5. Bluesette
(3:36)  6. Thrio
(2:36)  7. Brother, Where Are You
(4:16)  8. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(3:43)  9. Willow Weep for Me
(3:23) 10. Saudade

This difficult to find recording is worth the search; it contains some of the finest recorded work of Al Haig's enigmatic career. Haig was an important figure in the early development of bebop piano and can be heard as a sideman on many seminal recordings from the 1940s, including Salt Peanuts and Hot House. His refined classical technique was relatively unique at the time, and he was admired as a superb accompanist. Between the mid-'50s and the early 1970s there is a curiously large gap in his recorded output evidently due to personal problems. In fact, Al Haig Today! appears to be his only release as a leader during the '60s. The pianist is joined by Ed DeHaas on bass (who worked with Martial Solal, Kai Winding, Chet Baker, and Chris Conner among others) and the relatively unknown Jim Kappes on drums. (Kappes would later work with the Paul Winter Consort). This well-recorded date showcases a versatile selection of tunes including Haig's minor blues entitled "Thrio," Toots Thielemans' "Bluesette," and Oscar Brown's "Brother Where Are You." From his book of standards Haig pulls "Willow Weep For Me," "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," "You Don't Know What Love Is," and "Satin Doll." The pianist's rendering of "Bag's Groove" is harmonized in dark, folky tones. "The Good Life," an evocative melody by French guitarist/vocalist Sacha Distel, is given a Latin treatment. One can hear many influences in Haig's piano work from the early inspiration of Nat King Cole, Billy Kyle, and Teddy Wilson to the bebop syncopation of his contemporary Bud Powell. Haig's lyrical playing on Today! also invokes the more modern work of Hank Jones and Bill Evans. Although his keyboard technique is typically lighter, neater, and less fiery than Powell's, Haig's subtle harmonies often have an appealing edge. His playing though cool and calm is still rhythmically interesting and highly creative; the overall sound is authentic bebop! On Al Haig Today! this underrated musician demonstrates his complete mastery of jazz piano impeccable swing, rich chording, and inventive improvisation. ~ Lee Bloom https://www.allmusic.com/album/al-haig-today%21-mw0000364531

Personnel: Piano – Al Haig; Bass – Eddie DeHaas; Drums – Jimmy Kappes

Al Haig Today!

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Tete Montoliu - Tete Montoliu Interpreta a Serrat

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:20
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:12)  1. Con ho fa el Vent
(8:31)  2. Medley Marta: Marta, Una Guitarra, Cançó de Matinada, Me'n Vaig a Peu
(3:14)  3. Paraules d'amor
(4:36)  4. Els Vells Amants
(5:00)  5. Saps
(4:40)  6. Sota un Cirerer Florit
(3:51)  7. Quasi una Dona
(2:45)  8. Camí Avall
(2:56)  9. Manuel
(5:35) 10. El Meu Carrer
(2:28) 11. De Mica en Mica
(5:26) 12. No Hago Otra Cosa que Pensar en Tí
(3:00) 13. Conillet de Vellut

An outstanding veteran pianist from Spain, Tete Montoliu was born blind. He learned to read music in Braille when he was seven and developed impressive technique on piano. He recorded with Lionel Hampton in 1956, had his first session as a leader in 1958, and played with the touring Roland Kirk in 1963. Through the years, he also worked with such visiting Americans as Kenny Dorham, Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster, Lucky Thompson, and even Anthony Braxton. Tete Montoliu's visits to the U.S. were very infrequent, but his SteepleChase albums (starting in 1971) are generally available; he also cut one date for Contemporary (1979) and recorded for Enja and Soul Note. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tete-montoliu-mn0000024907/biography

Tete Montoliu Interpreta a Serrat

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Kitty Kallen - But Beautiful

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:22
Size: 132,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. But Beautiful
(2:44)  2. I'll Walk Along
(2:26)  3. Star Eyes
(3:26)  4. It's Been a Long, Long Time
(3:01)  5. Little Things Mean A Lot
(3:22)  6. My Colouring Book
(3:00)  7. It Could Happen To You
(3:06)  8. They're Either Too Young Or Too Old
(3:16)  9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(3:24) 10. I'll Buy That Dream
(2:41) 11. I'd Never Forgive Myself
(3:04) 12. When They Ask About You
(3:02) 13. Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much)
(2:55) 14. In The Chapel In The Moonlight
(3:35) 15. How Are Things In Glocca Morra?
(2:41) 16. Just Between Friends
(2:39) 17. Because You're Mine
(3:08) 18. I'm Old Fashioned
(2:46) 19. If I Give My Heart To You

Kitty Kallen was a band singer, and later a soloist, who lit up bandstands with a handful of top leaders during the '40s. She's remembered for three reasons: big-band fans know that she was the one who replaced Helen O'Connell in the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in 1943, also that she sang the vocal chorus on a pair of Harry James hits, "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and "It's Been a Long, Long Time," and virtually everyone with a radio in 1954 knew that she recorded the year's most popular song, "Little Things Mean a Lot." Her career lasted more than 20 years, but it was sporadic at best, with the major successes listed above virtually the only popularity she achieved. Born in Philadelphia in 1922, she was a gifted mimic who won talent shows and also appeared on children's radio shows by the mid-'30s. Kallen was still a teenager when she began singing with bands (including Jan Savitt and Artie Shaw), and she earned her first full-time role in 1940 with Jack Teagarden's Orchestra. Two years later, she joined Tommy Dorsey, and appeared on several hits, including "Besame Mucho" and "Star Eyes" (plus a 1943 film, I Dood It). One year later, she had jumped ship again, this time to the Harry James band, where she struck gold again with a pair of dreamy Hit Parade toppers, "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and "It's Been a Long, Long Time." Two additional hits followed "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" and "I'll Buy That Dream" both of which were in the same mold as her previous features. After the end of World War II, during the late '40s, Kallen sang on several radio programs, appeared as a solo act in clubs nationwide, and recorded for labels including Musicraft and Signature. Nothing clicked in a big way until 1953, when a contract with Decca paid dividends with a pair of million-sellers, "Little Things Mean a Lot" (her signature song) and "In the Chapel in the Moonlight." Kallen proved popular on television, although by the mid-'50s, she began to be swept aside by rock-oriented pop music. She made brief comebacks in 1959 with Columbia and 1962 with RCA, but 1963 was the last year for her on the pop charts, with "My Coloring Book."~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kitty-kallen-mn0000099198/biography 

But Beautiful

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