Sugarpie And The Candymen - Sweet Classics

Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:59
Size: 127,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:54)  1. Chattanooga Choo Choo
(4:12)  2. Cheek To Cheek
(4:53)  3. In a Sentimental Mood
(3:18)  4. Anything Goes
(3:54)  5. A-Tisket, A-Tasket
(3:30)  6. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(3:12)  7. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
(4:07)  8. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
(3:11)  9. Dedicated to You
(2:56) 10. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(4:57) 11. Shiny Stocking
(3:22) 12. Stompin' At The Savoy
(7:04) 13. Bewitched
(3:22) 14. How High The Moon

The style of Sugarpie and the Candymen is the "progressive swing": a mixture of original songs and evergreen rearrangements of rock, with different influences but where the common denominator is swing. And it is with a celebration of swing that the band celebrates its eleventh birthday: instead of immersing the songs of today in a mythical sound past, they have plunged into them to retrieve a handful of classics of that unrepeatable period that were the Thirties. They are the songs of Cole Porter and Irving Berlin's Great American Songbook and Duke Ellington's and Benny Goodman's Era of Swing, in the DNA of every American music lover, as well as every self-respecting jazz fan. The first impulse came from the great Renzo Arbore: collaborating with the famous showman on his album Arbore Plus, Sugarpie and the Candymen recorded for the first time two old swing songs and the experience spurred them to continue. "We especially love playing live and the feeling of risk and freshness of improvisation, and we often open the concerts with a handful of these standards," they say. "At one point we realized that these were also part of our sound, yet we had never recorded them!" The love of "Sugarpie" Lara Ferrari for Ella Fitzgerald was another catalyst for the project. A-Tisket, A-Tasket was his first hit, in 1938, and she is linked to practically all the other songs on the record. Listening to the amazing performance of Lara, the lightness and the contagious joy of making music that were typical of Ella can almost be touched. The only way to recreate the energy and immediacy of a concert is to record all together, in a short time, without the usual sophisticated arrangements and the many vocal harmonies. A two-day jam session at the now familiar Elfo Studio, nestled in the Piacenza hills. The recipe is simple: beautiful songs, minimal structures and open to surprise. In fact the swinga band like never before, has fun and allows itself more extended and more daring. On the other hand, it's what he's been doing in concert for ten years now! Cherry on the (sugar) pie, Mauro Negri, an outstanding Mantuan clarinetist and saxophonist already with Enrico Rava, special guest in the studio and more and more often also in their live adventures, which gives a precious touch, both traditional and very modern. Here is Sweet Classics, the sixth album by Sugarpie and the Candymen and their personal tribute to the great classics of jazz and American song, reinterpreted with the usual freshness and irony that have characterized this highly original Italian swing quintet for over ten years. https://www.traxsource.com/title/1175876/sweet-classics

Sweet Classics

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Katie Thiroux - Introducing Katie Thiroux

Styles: Vocal, Post Bop
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:34
Size: 106,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. There's A Small Hotel
(3:59)  2. Don't Be On The Outside
(3:43)  3. A Beautiful Friendship
(3:48)  4. Wives And Lovers
(4:16)  5. I'm Old Fashioned
(5:33)  6. Ray's Kicks
(4:17)  7. The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)
(4:09)  8. RoseBird
(4:25)  9. Can't We Just Pretend
(4:01) 10. Shiny Stockings
(4:00) 11. Oh What A Beautiful Morning

It seems that nearly every jazz album made today comes with ringing endorsements from jazz greats, PR-driven plaudits, and the participation of one or two (or more) heavy hitters. So how do you separate hype from reality? Simply open your ears and listen. That's how you separate the wheat from the chaff, and that's how you discover true talent like Katie Thiroux. This bassist-vocalist-composer is flat out phenomenal. On her Jeff Hamilton-produced debut, Thiroux walks the classy-and-swinging line favored by Ray Brown and his ilk. She provides in-the-pocket, full-bodied bass lines, warm and inviting vocals that demonstrate a real understanding of a lyricist's intent, and original compositions that place her firmly in the tradition. Across eleven tracks, Thiroux shows that she's the complete package. There's a winning solo bass-and-voice number to admire ("Wives And Lovers"), a smoky and attractive original ballad that operates with a "Mood Indigo"-esque demeanor ("Can't We Just Pretend?"), a bluesy ode to Brown ("Ray's Kicks"), and a swinging Frank Foster classic ("Shiny Stockings") that features Thiroux's sly yet direct vocals. Not enough for you? Then there's also a beautifully-shaped Rodgers and Hart classic ("There's A Small Hotel"), some burning double-time work ("The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)"), and a smile-inducing solo bass capper ("Oh What A Beautiful Morning"). Young guitar phenom Graham Dechter, Hamilton protégé Matt Witek, and veteran saxophonist Roger Neumann join Thiroux here, and all are fully engaged in the music at hand. Neumann cooks on the spry "Rosebird," Dechter burns on "The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)" and wafts along behind Neumann on "Can't We Just Pretend?," and Witek proves to be a model of taste, coating a song's underbelly with gentle brushwork and providing the requisite swing feel in numerous places. Thiroux couldn't have asked for a better set of band mates for a project like this.  Introducing Katie Thiroux may be a first step for this young triple-threat talent, but it plays like the work of a well-seasoned veteran. ~ Dan Bilaswky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/introducing-katie-thiroux-katie-thiroux-basskat-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Katie Thiroux: bass, vocals; Roger Neumann: tenor saxophone; Graham Dechter: guitar; Matt Witek: drums.

Introducing Katie Thiroux

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Brian Bromberg - A New Day

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:11
Size: 108,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Summertime
(6:23)  2. Sunrise
(7:09)  3. Take A Walk In The Park With Me
(5:25)  4. Shana
(6:02)  5. Mushy Tushy
(5:08)  6. It's A New Day
(6:03)  7. My Funny Valentine
(6:24)  8. Oriental Ho-Down

Bassist Brian Bromberg's debut as a leader finds him alternating between acoustic and electric and welcoming such guests as tenorman Ernie Watts, Joe Farrell (on his final recording date) and, during "Take a Walk in the Park With Me," flugelhornist Freddie Hubbard. This diverse LP (which has not yet been reissued on CD) ranges from fairly straight-ahead to some funk and fusion; Bromberg performs six originals, plus "Summertime" and "My Funny Valentine." An enjoyable set, although not essential. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-day-mw0000947779

Personnel: Brian Bromberg - keyboards, fretless bass, producer, executive producer; Ernie Watts - tenor saxophone; Greg Armstrong - soprano saxophone; Joe Farrell - flute; Freddie Hubbard - trumpet; Arthur Statman - keyboards;  Kei Akagi - keyboards; Guy Moon - keyboards; Carl Cherry - drums; Alex Acuña - percussion, drums.

A New Day

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Jimmy Cobb Italian Trio - With Respect to Bill Evans

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:31
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. Show Type Tune
(4:11)  2. We Will Meet Again
(4:53)  3. Time Remembered
(4:06)  4. Peri's Scope
(4:25)  5. Very Early
(5:12)  6. Funkallero
(4:02)  7. The Opener
(5:18)  8. Bill's Hit Tune
(6:44)  9. Theme for Basie
(2:31) 10. I Just Can't Stop Loving You
(3:29) 11. After the Love Has Gone

Legendary jazz drummer, Jimmy Cobb, was born in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 1929. A superb, mostly self-taught musician, Jimmy is the elder statesman of all of the incredible Miles Davis bands. Jimmy's inspirational work with Miles, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly and Co. spanned 1957 until 1963, and included the masterpiece “Kind of Blue”, the most popular jazz recording in history. He also played on “Sketches of Spain”, Someday My Prince will Come”, “Live at Carnegie Hall, “Live at the Blackhawk”, “Porgy and Bess”, and many, many other watermark Miles Davis recordings. The Miles recordings and live performances are not the only high points of Jimmy's quiet, but truly outstanding career. Jimmy did his first recording with Earl Bostic. Known from an early age as a great accompanist, Jimmy played extensively with Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Pearl Bailey, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, Cannonball Adderly, before joining Miles in 1957. Tony Williams took over the Miles drum chair in 1963 and Jimmy left Miles to continue to work with Miles' rhythm section, Winton Kelly and Paul Chambers behind Wes Montgomery. In addition to several Winton Kelly Trio Albums, the three did albums with Kenny Burrell, and J.J. Johnson, among others, before disbanding in the late 60's. Mr. Cobb then worked with Sarah Vaughn for 9 years. Jimmy then continued to freelance with several great groups throughout the 70's 80's and 90's including, Sonny Stitt, Nat Adderly, Ricky Ford, Hank Jones, Ron Carter, George Coleman, Fathead Newman, The Great Jazz Trio, Dave Holland and Warren Bernhardt, and many, many others worldwide. (see list on succeeding pages). 

Eleana Tee produced a Television Special “So that Nobody Else Can Hear”, which aired on AandE in the early 90's featuring Jimmy playing and hangin' with Freddie Hubbard, Gregory Hines, Bill Cosby, Dave Leibman, Pee Wee Ellis, and others. Jimmy has played around the world from Newport to Monte Carlo, from LA to Japan. He has performed for President Carter, the Shah of Iran and many other dignitaries in his storied career and is quoted extensively in “Kind of Blue”, the Documentary of those legendary recording sessions. Now: Currently, Jimmy is not slowing down even a little. He splits any downtime between his New York City “digs” and his home in Woodstock, NY with his two children, Jaime and Serena, and long time partner and collaborator, Eleana Tee. However, he still tours with his own band, “Cobb's Mob” and combines with many incredible artists both old and new. Jimmy has just completed a “Four Generations of Miles” album with guitarist, Mike Stern, Ron Carter (bass), and George Coleman (tenor) for Chesky records. Jimmy is about to release his newest and long awaited solo album, “Yesterdays”, produced by Eleana Tee for Rteesan Productions. It features Michael Brecker on tenor, Marion Meadows on soprano, Roy Hargrove, trumpet and flugelhorn, Jon Faddis, trumpet, Eric Lewis, electric piano, Peter Bernstein, guitar, Jerry Mall, percussion and John Weber on bass. This album was done in Jimmy's two adopted home towns; recorded and shot in New York, and mixed and edited in Woodstock, NY. It includes a wide variety of arrangements ranging from a unique interpretation of Jimi Hendrix “Purple Haze” to ballads “Yesterdays” and blues (All Blues, Faddis, Monk) and standards, “Without a Song” and “Love Walked Right In”. This major musical statement will include several music videos and a complete television documentary. And as usual with Jimmy Cobb, you won't believe what's up next! https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jimmycobb

Jimmy Cobb Italian Trio with Jimmy Cobb (drum), Massimo Faraò (piano) and Aldo Zunino (db) : a tribute to Bill Evans

With Respect to Bill Evans

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Herlin Riley - Perpetual Optimism

Styles: Vocal, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:23
Size: 137,0 MB
Art: ront

(6:54)  1. Rush Hour
(5:50)  2. Be There When I Get There
(4:49)  3. Borders Without Lines
(5:40)  4. You Don’t Know What Love Is
(7:06)  5. Perpetual Optimism
(7:20)  6. Touched
(6:23)  7. Wings and Roots
(6:34)  8. Wang Dang Doodle
(4:05)  9. Stella By Starlight
(4:38) 10. Twelve’s It

Herlin Riley, a drummer from New Orleans, is a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, led by Wynton Marsalis. Indeed, he played a large part in developing the drum parts for the Pulitzer Prize-winning album by Marsalis, Blood on the Fields (Columbia, 1997). On his own album, Riley leads a mainstream quintet playing five of his own numbers, Gene de Paul's lovely ballad "You Don't What Love Is," Victor Young's "Stella By Starlight," Ellis Marsalis' "Twelve's It" and Willie Dixon's knockabout "Wang Dang Doodle," on which he takes a joyous and highly competent vocal. It's a wonderfully relaxed mixture, a reminder of what mainstream jazz is all about, or should be having fun yet being creative. There's some great music here, notably Godwin Louis' alto on "Touched," the stand-out track, which also features fine bass by Russell Hall. Then there's Bruce Harris' trumpet on the choppy "Rush Hour." Throughout, Emmet Cohen's piano and the leader's drums hold everything together. The Latin-tinged title track is a light-as-air foot-tapper, with Godwin Louis doing a fine job on saxophone before Cohen takes over. Add some words and it could be a show tune. Riley's drumming propels the number along but without ever drowning out the others. "Wings and Roots" features more fine saxophone and some excellent ensemble passages. Louis gets down to it on "Wang Dang Doodle," where Riley's vocal is suitably low down and funky. He returns for an encore on "Twelve's It," in which he pays a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the song's author. If more albums like this were being made today, the world wouldn't be in the terrible state it's in. People would be far too happy to want to do the dirty on one another. ~ Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/perpetual-optimism-herlin-riley-mack-avenue-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php

Personnel: Herlin Riley: drums and vocals; Emmett Cohen: piano; Russell Hall: bass; Godwin Louis: alto saxophone; Bruce Harris: trumpet.

Perpetual Optimism

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Bill Charlap, Ted Rosenthal - Gerry Mulligan Songbook

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:31
Size: 162,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:19)  1. Line For Lyons
(5:40)  2. Walkin' Shoes
(7:47)  3. Song For Strayhorn
(2:52)  4. Bark For Barksdale
(7:16)  5. Curtains
(4:49)  6. Rocker
(5:44)  7. Lonesome Boulevard
(5:49)  8. Festive Minor
(7:48)  9. Noblesse
(6:02) 10. Wood On Wood
(9:24) 11. Jazzspeak

Although Gerry Mulligan was once famous for his celebrated "pianoless" quartets, the maestro in later years hired two exceptional, young pianists, Bill Charlap and Ted Rosenthal. The pianists, along with two other Mulligan alumni, bassist Dean Johnson and drummer Ron Vincent, celebrate the memory of their old boss in these bright, spirited, often-witty renditions of 10 of his jazz songs. Charlap and Rosenthal are most empathetic collaborators. Their overlapping voicings are often deliciously reminiscent of Bill Evans' overdubbing of himself on "Conversations with Myself" and "Further Conversations with Myself." The more overlapping, the more interactive and contrapuntal sounding it gets, the more exciting it gets. The music has a spontaneous edge, but never sinks into chaos or the clatter of keyboards colliding. These are high-quality, tasteful servings, certainly not some sort of Mulligan stew casually tossed on the listener's plate. The pianos come out roaring on Mulligan's "Line for Lyons," the opening tune for the session ranging from "Walkin' Shoes" to "Song for Strayhorn." Chiaroscuro's Hank O'Neal has long provided a haven for fine piano music, whether it's Dave McKenna's or Jess Stacy's. Charlap and Rosenthal, although from a much-younger generation, fit into O'Neal's piano pantheon. Anyone, in fact, who likes good piano music, whether jazz or classical, can derive much pleasure from this piano songbook. On the CD's last selection, Jazzspeak a regular feature on Chiaroscuro, in which musicians speak of art, life or whatever the four ex Mulliganites recall their boss/mentor rather fondly, even when acknowledging he was a demanding taskmaster who wanted things done right. Right, they agree, was Always his way. https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1997-07-31-9708010828-story.html

Personnel:  Bill Charlap, Ted Rosenthal, piano; Dean Johnson, bass; Ron Vincent, drums

Gerry Mulligan Songbook

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Kathie Lee Gifford - Born for You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:46
Size: 157,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Born for You,  Circle Game
(5:10)  2. It Goes Like It Goes, Sweet Dreams
(3:42)  3. Help Is On the Way
(6:31)  4. Moondance
(4:21)  5. Here's That Rainy Day
(3:15)  6. Before the Parade Passes By,  Don't Rain On My Parade
(5:17)  7. First Time,  Not Exactly Paris
(4:01)  8. I Got Lost in His Arms
(5:03)  9. Only My Pillow Knows
(3:33) 10. Child in Me
(4:57) 11. On My Way to You
(6:07) 12. Sunrise Sunset,  Try to Remember
(3:38) 13. The Journey
(5:21) 14. Born for You

Released in the spring of 2000 to capitalize on Kathie Lee's then-impending departure from the TV show Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, Born for You is a concept album, at least according to Gifford's liner notes. She says in the preface to the album that she wanted to record a soundtrack album, except that it would be a soundtrack to a life, presumably her own. So, she and musical director Christopher Marlowe and producer David Friedman designed an album that was supposed to have the sweep of a life. To use a rock equivalent, it could have sounded like Rod Stewart's Gasoline Alley, Every Picture Tells a Story, and Never a Dull Moment. But, since Gifford's background is show tunes, this is melodramatic and overblown instead of wryly observed. Well, Kathie Lee and her fans wouldn't have it any other way. Nevertheless, it's still a little strange to hear Joni Mitchell and Van Morrison in this context, especially since it doesn't seem to add to the theme very much. Still, it has to be said that Born for You, despite its lack of subtlety, is a better-constructed record than most of her albums, thanks to a solid choice of material, relatively less-mannered vocals, and a focus that must have helped its creators, even if it isn't evident to the audience. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/born-for-you-mw0000608869

Born for You

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Harold Betters - Out of Sight & Sound

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:16
Size: 71,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. You're a Sweetheart
(3:10)  2. On a Clear Day
(3:02)  3. One, Two, Three
(2:09)  4. You're Gonna Hear from Me
(2:49)  5. Watermelon Man
(1:39)  6. Cool Dr. D
(2:48)  7. Pretty Flamingo
(3:35)  8. The Shadow of Your Smile
(2:05)  9. Wha-Cha-Ma Call It
(3:11) 10. Unchained Melody
(3:05) 11. When a Man Loves a Woman

Louis Armstrong described his trombone sound as "rich and honest." He toured with Ray Charles. Harold Betters had a jazz career which spans over four decades. 

Enjoy this his 9th recording, “Out of Sight and Sound” (1966) produced by Reprise Records, recorded in the way jazz was supposed to be heard! ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/out-sight-sound-HAROLD-BETTERS/dp/B00413A8LS

Personnel: Trombone – Harold Betters; Bass – Chuck Ramsey

Out of Sight & Sound

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Camden Hughes - McCall

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:46
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. Happenin' You
(6:09)  2. Starting Fresh
(6:46)  3. McCall
(4:52)  4. Be
(6:30)  5. Song for Cara Ann
(5:58)  6. Christmas in July
(5:55)  7. Happenin' You Alt Take

Camden Hughes is a singer-songwriter, jazz multi-instrumentalist, and music educator from Boise, ID. Well-versed in several musical genres, Camden composes and performs in the jazz, funk, soul, and songwriter idioms. The son of two classical piano teachers, Camden grew up immersed in music, starting the piano at the age of 4 and the guitar at age 15.  With years of both jazz and classical training, Camden has a unique perspective on composition informed by a vast array of musical experiences..  In addition to being an in-demand performer in the Boise area, Camden is a passionate educator.  Camden started the website www.LearnJazzStandards.com in 2010, which has grown into a trusted jazz education resource all over the world with over 14 million views and 50,000+ subscribers on the Learn Jazz Standards YouTube page.

Camden teaches Band at Idaho Arts Charter School in Nampa, ID. He also serves as an adjunct music instructor at Northwest Nazarene University, where he received his B.A. in music education and music theory.  He has also served as an adjunct music teacher at NNU since 2007. Camden has played over 1,500 gigs in the past 15 years, working with many great musicians. 

In addition to being the Founder of www.LearnJazzStandards.com, Camden has shared the stage with Bruce Forman, Carl Saunders, John Clayton, Curtis Stigers, Brent Vaartstra, Scott Whitfield, Stanton Kessler, Bill Watrous, Pete Christlieb, Justin Nielsen, Paul Tillotson, Brent Jensen, the Frim Fram Four, Sandon Mayhew, Phil Garonzik, Thomas Hutchings,  Bill Courtial, Clay Moore, the Jazz Angels, and MANY more!  Camden's first album, "IntroSpective," an accessible modern jazz collaboration with New York saxophonist Thomas Hutchings, released August 8th, 2015, with overwhelming support from fans exceeding their goal by 121% on PledgeMusic. Camden's second album, "McCall," released in November, 2017.  It features Portland Guitarist Dan Balmer on guitar, Edwin Wallace Wheeler III on electric bass, Wayne Bliss on acoustic bass, and David Gluck on the drums.  "McCall" is the result of 10 hours of FREE studio time Camden won in a recording contest held by Blissman Studios in Tacoma, WA.  Sixteen different bands entered music in the contest, and Camden was chosen to receive first prize and 10 hours of free studio time! https://camdenhughesmusic.com/bio

Personnel: Dan Balmer on guitar, David Gluck on drums, and Edwin Wallace Wheeler III on bass

McCall

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Dennis Coffey - Down by the River

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:20
Size: 95,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(4:18)  2. Sunny
(3:00)  3. The Shadow of Your Smile
(3:47)  4. You Are the Sunshine of My Life
(3:27)  5. Kansas City
(3:56)  6. Little Sunflower
(3:57)  7. Just My Imagination
(3:40)  8. Baby, What You Want Me to Do?
(5:53)  9. Impressions
(4:15) 10. Cherokee

Dennis Coffey is an American original. Only in America (and specifically, only in Detroit) could one man play guitar with a group of legends as diverse as Del Shannon, The Temptations, and George Clinton and Funkadelic. However, the list of iconic artists, producers and writers Dennis has worked with the world over only scratches the surface of what the man has done and the contributions he’s made to the canon of popular music. Dennis Coffey first began to make his mark as a member of The Royaltones, a group which had hits in the late 50’s and early 60’s and who performed sessions with other artists, including Del Shannon. From there, Dennis moved on to a distinguished run as a session guitarist for various labels operating at the peak of Detroit’s influence as a hub of musical innovation and commercial success. He’s perhaps best known for his work as a member of the legendary Funk Brothers, backing a veritable trunk load of hits for Motown, specifically The Temptations’ classics “Cloud Nine,” “Ball Of Confusion,” and “Just My Imagination.” It is in those works that his introduction of the wah-wah guitar sound to Motown (and soul / R&B in general) first reared its head, and the resulting influence on all kinds of popular music continues to reverberate to this day. His work with The Temptations is just the tip of the iceberg, though… he’s on stuff like “War” by Edwin Starr… “Band Of Gold” by Freda Payne…on and on the list goes. In the early 70’s, Dennis struck out on his own as an artist, film scorer and producer. 

He scored the cult classic film Black Belt Jones. He recorded “Scorpio” in 1971 as part of his second solo record and first for Sussex (“Evolution”). “Scorpio” was a million selling single and was a key foundational track in the history and development of hip-hop, totally apart from its status as a funk classic. Dennis has recorded several other solo records, and he has co-produced a million seller in Gallery’s Nice To Be With You as well as cult record Cold Fact by Rodriguez, a release that has gained increasing notoriety over the decades since it initially appeared, and which is now regarded as a rediscovered gem. He also continued session guitar work through the 1970’s, appearing on such disco classics as “Boogie Fever” by the Sylvers. Dennis is also featured in the 2002 film Standing In The Shadows Of Motown, further cementing his legacy as a key contributor to the development of some of the most cherished and important popular music of the 20th Century. So, yeah… the man’s important. This isn’t just a history lesson, though. Dennis has continued to write and perform music. He’s a lifer. Now, it’s time for a new chapter. An opportunity to both remind music fans of what he’s done and show them what’s to come. Dennis is a cast member in the Sony film Searching for Sugarman. He is also co-producer and co-arranger along with Mike Theodore for some of the songs on the soundtrack. He also plays guitar and bass in some of those songs. https://getjazz.net/dennis-coffey-down-by-the-river-2019/

Down by the River

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Robert Walter's 20th Congress - Get Thy Bearings

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:14
Size: 90,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Hunk
(4:55)  2. Little Business
(2:55)  3. Get Thy Bearings
(5:01)  4. Foxhunting
(4:32)  5. Dog Party
(4:42)  6. Inversion Layer
(3:03)  7. Crux
(4:32)  8. Don't Chin the Dog
(5:30)  9. Up from the Skies

One of the unintended benefits that jazz-funk keyboard great Robert Walter received when moving back to California after a sojourn in New Orleans, was jumpstarting his 20th Congress, which had been dormant for a decade. Get Thy Bearings showcases this quintet in a series of seven originals and two covers. The title track, written by Donovan, is completely revisioned. Its spacey guitars lay down a foundation for Cochema Gastelum's alto saxophone, which blasts the lyric in the first verse with Walter's B-3 taking the second. In the codas and bridge are swelling, dramatic arcs of that border on prog with their complex rhythms and harmonies. "Hunk" (featuring guest Karl Denson on saxophone), is a hard groover with a Meters-esque rhythm via a tight backbeat by Aaron Redfield, and Elgin Park doubling on guitar and playing fat, dirty-assed bass. "Foxhunting" is even meaner. Gastelum double tracks alto and tenor in popping lines and fills as Park's bassline bumps and throbs under a rim-shot shuffle, while Walter soars over the top, filling every nook and cranny with piano and B-3. 

This is backbone-slipping jazz- funk at its best. "Dog Party" is more on the R&B tip. It sounds like a response to Quincy Jones' Sanford and Son theme song or Fat Albert's. Walter's piano solo in the middle register boxes the groove and then breaks it open with a gospel-like zeal. Speaking of gospel, check out "Crux." Its nasty bassline could have come from a blaxploitation film soundtrack scored by Johnny Pate. Walter's swirling, knotty B-3 vamps duel with Redfield's popping cymbals and snare, while Gastelum's baritone solo testifies. This jam may reach for the heavens, but it comes from the heart of the gutter. The set closer is a cosmic jazz workout on Jimi Hendrix's "Up from the Skies." Walter directly references the melody line on his organ, accenting its origins in soul. Park's strident bass counters even as it accents; it begins to break things down and carry them outside. The frenetic yet circular rhythm provided by Chuck Prada's congas are the only thing holding the tune to the floor as group improvisation grips the center. While the melody returns briefly, this one moves off the rails and into the gone. Get Thy Bearings reveals that the inherent grittiness and innovative funk laid down by the 20th Street Congress is not only present after all these years, it's braver and hungrier than ever before. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/get-thy-bearings-mw0002544966

Personnel:  Organ, Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Robert Walter; Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Cochemea Gastelum; Drums – Aaron Redfield; Guitar, Bass – Elgin Park

Get Thy Bearings

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Michela Lombardi, Piero Frassi Circles Trio - Shape Of My Heart (The Music Of Sting)

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:55
Size: 148,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Wrapped Around Your Finger
(4:54)  2. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
(4:34)  3. Sister Moon
(4:49)  4. It's Probably Me
(5:56)  5. Seven Days
(4:35)  6. Dienda
(4:44)  7. Message In A Bottle
(6:47)  8. The Windmills Of Your Mind
(3:41)  9. Consider Me Gone
(4:28) 10. Shape Of My Heart
(4:26) 11. Englishman In New York
(5:05) 12. Fragile / Frágil
(4:10) 13. Fields Of Gold

Thirteen brilliant unpublished arrangements of the Artist's greatest hits including "Sister Moon", "Message In a Bottle" and "Consider Me Gone" show the formidable interplay of the trio and the incredible versatility of the vocalist, able to range from bossanova of "Fragile", performed both in English and in Brazilian Portuguese, to the funky-blues of "It's Probably Me"; from the swing of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" to the ethereal ECM-style jazzwaltz perfectly exemplified in "Dienda"; from Dusty Springfield's echoes in "The Windmills Of Your Mind" to the soulful vocal performance of "Wrapped Around Your Finger"; again, from the scat of "Englishman In New York" to the most sophisticated 5/4 songs like "Seven Days" and the title-track "Shape Of My Heart"; to conclude with a touching version in duo piano and voice of "Fields Of Gold."Translate by Google http://bargajazz.it/michela-lombardi-piero-frassi-circles-trio/

Personnel: Michela Lombardi voice; Piero Frassi piano; Gabriele Evangelista double bass; Bernardo Guerra battery

Shape Of My Heart (The Music Of Sting)

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Vassar Clements - Back Porch Swing

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 103,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. King Porter's Stomp
(3:40)  2. Hillbilly Jazz
(4:02)  3. If That's Love
(3:16)  4. String Of Pearls
(3:26)  5. Four Brothers
(4:30)  6. Ezra's Holler
(4:17)  7. Bad Is Bad
(5:19)  8. Nur Shab Da
(2:56)  9. Old Black Magic
(4:38) 10. Clemency
(5:26) 11. Take It Easy On My Heart

Vassar Clements has always been one of the most recognizable fiddlers in bluegrass. When he steps to the mic to take a solo, the most foursquare traditional breakdown or reel takes on a jazzy, swinging flavor one that generally disappears as soon as his solo ends. On this album, he moves well away from the whole bluegrass genre, opting instead for the accompaniment of a jazz band and a program of undiluted swing, jazz, and R&B. Opening with a burning rendition of Jelly Roll Morton's "King Porter Stomp," Clements delivers one original (the thoroughly charming "Hillbilly Jazz"), several standards ("That Old Black Magic," "String of Pearls"), and a handful of numbers by his pianist, Fred Bogert. Bogert's "If That's Love" sounds like it came straight out of Muscle Shoals, with Clements' slinky fiddle weaving in, out, and around the sturdy drumming and funky bass. "Ezra's Holler" is a sort of modified bossa nova on which Clements plays the head in unison with sax player Paul Martin Zonn, to very fine effect. Just about everything on this album is both musically interesting and lots of fun. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-porch-swing-mw0000672609

Back Porch Swing

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Leigh Harris - Polychrome Junction

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:30
Size: 136,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Dog Days
(8:11)  2. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
(5:34)  3. Oh What a Beautiful Morning
(4:28)  4. Paralyzed
(6:56)  5. Poinciana
(4:56)  6. You Always Knew Me ( Better Than I Knew Myself)
(7:00)  7. Crazy Mirrors
(2:39)  8. Cloudburst
(7:17)  9. Candy
(5:36) 10. Make a Better World

Recorded in New Orleans in 2000 by the innovative keyboard/percussion/vocal quintet, Roy G Biv, led by vocalist Leigh "Little Queenie" Harris, Polychrome Junction opens with Harris's "Dog Days" (later tapped for re-release on Sony's Doctors, Professors, Kings, and Queens: The Big Ol' Box of New Orleans): a funk-drenched, witty paean to Crescent City weather ("Down here in the land of the dreamy dream/the air condition stay on past Halloween"), complete with authentic howling about the heat and a blistering tuba solo by "honorary Biv-ouac" Matt Perrine. Jazz standard "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most" receives a major groove overhaul with percussionist Michael Skinkus's multilayering of shekere, congas, djali, shakers and bells, and pianist Joshua Paxton & organist David Ellington's adroit, joyous cross-pollination of New Orleans and Afro-Carribean polyrhythms; kit drummer Karl Budo picks up his sticks and lays down a subtle but definite NOLA street beat on "Poinciana". Young tenor saxophonist Rebecca Barry guests on "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" to great effect in both her solo and interplay work with Harris .The dizzying rendition of "Cloudburst" is a standout, and Harris's take on "Candy" will send many listeners to the bedroom or the kitchen or both. Harris's two other compositions, "Crazy Mirrors" and "Paralyzed" (written with Subdude John Magnie and Bruce MacDonald),are vivid tales of unrequieted love and sexual obsession. "You Always Knew Me Better (Than I Knew Myself"), written for Harris by Dr John and Doc Pomus, is a soulful, heartwrenching ballad performed as a duet between Harris and Paxton. The final track, Earl King's "Make a Better World", provides ample forum for Paxton and Ellington's James Booker/Professor Longhair chops and Harris's undeniable take-no-prisoners way with an R&B classic. Polychrome Junction is a fine archive of an extremely creative group comprised of top-notch musicians living and working in contemporary New Orleans, in energetic, fertile flower, containing superb playing and vocalising throughout. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/lharris

Polychrome Junction

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Brad Mehldau - Finding Gabriel

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:38
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:18)  1. The Garden
(4:01)  2. Born to Trouble
(4:38)  3. Striving After Wind
(5:21)  4. O Ephraim
(6:20)  5. St. Mark Is Howling in the City of Night
(6:47)  6. The Prophet Is a Fool
(4:32)  7. Make It All Go Away
(5:13)  8. Deep Water
(4:17)  9. Proverb of Ashes
(7:06) 10. Finding Gabriel

Brad Mehldau fans should be used to his shapeshifting ways by now. Rightfully acclaimed for his jazz trio recordings, it is the balance of his catalog that delivers a rounded portrait of the musician, from Largo and The Highway Rider to Mehliana: Taming the Dragon, and more. But Finding Gabriel marks his most idiosyncratically expansive release yet. Its thematically linked compositions were inspired by a close reading of Old Testament sources  Daniel, Hosea, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and Job while considering our current sociopolitical era. He also experimented with the Oberheim OB-6 analog synth while composing, an instrument whose possibilities were new to him. It's used alongside acoustic and electric pianos, organ, xylophone, mores synths, and voice. His celebrated cast of guests includes trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, violinist Sara Caswell, saxophonist Joel Frahm, drummer Mark Guiliana, vocalists Becca Stevens, Kurt Elling, and Gabriel Kahane, and small string and horns sections. In addition to ensemble pieces, three tunes are performed by Mehldau as a one-man band. A repetitive melody on grand piano and analog synth introduces overture "The Garden," with Giuliana's kick drum offering an urgent pulse underneath. Next, Mehldau's, Stevens', and Kahane's voices sing wordlessly, like instruments, before Giuliana executes furious breakbeats and cymbal crashes. Akinmusire's smeared post-bop trumpet bleats are (like Gabriel's horn at the end of time) countered by contrapuntal reeds and winds. "Striving After Wind" is a fusion tune akin to something by Flying Lotus, with sweeping synths, electric pianos, and synthetic drums ballasted by entwined wordless vocals. 

On the solo "O Ephraim," synths, pianos, and Mehldau's (lovely) wordless singing juxtapose prog rock and jazz. Chiming keyboards introduce "St. Mark Is Howling in the City of Night" with Caswell's violin, funky breaks, and other strings ushering in a rockist frame that morphs into a minimalist piano theme accented by beats and classical strings. "The Prophet Is a Fool" is introduced by the crowd chanting "Build that wall!" in a jarring freeze frame of this historical moment; it's followed by a dialogue that underscores just who the subject is. Frahm delivers a fire-breathing tenor solo, followed by Akinmusire's as junglist rhythms underscore the tune's urgency. "Make It All Go Away" is a pillowy, near-pop melody with Stevens and Elling hovering alongside keys and drums. "Deep Water" is darker, a piece of neo-classical prog with violin and string trio and Mehldau's elliptical piano. Elling takes a killer sonically treated scat vocal on "Proverb of Ashes," with its backing track wedding EDM futurism to post-punk. Mehldau closes the set solo with the title track, a spoken prayer surrounded by angelic voices, shimmering pianism, mellotrons, synths, and percussion instruments concluding with a quote from the prophet Daniel. It will take several listens to appreciate all that takes place on Finding Gabriel, but that's as it should be. Mehldau is scratching an itch; whatever bothers him is provoking action that leads to a strange, ethereal space where the questions and answers of both history and mystery are not only provocative, but interchangeable. 

~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/finding-gabriel-mw0003269321

Personnel:  Brad Mehldau – synthesizers (1–10), piano (1, 2, 5–10), Fender Rhodes (3, 4), Hammond B-3 organ (10), Musser Ampli-Celeste (4), Morfbeats gamelan strips (4), xylophone (6), Mellotron (10), drums (2, 4, 10), percussion (10), vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10); Ambrose Akinmusire – trumpet (1, 6); Chris Cheek – baritone sax and tenor sax (1); Charles Pillow – baritone sax (6), alto sax and bass clarinet (1), soprano sax (1, 6); Joel Frahm – tenor sax (1, 6); Michael Thomas – alto sax and flute (1, 6); Sara Caswell – violin (5, 8); Lois Martin – viola (5, 8); Noah Hoffeld – cello (5, 8); Mark Guiliana – drums (1, 3, 5–9); Aaron Nevezie – effects (9); Kurt Elling – vocals (7, 9); Gabriel Kahane – vocals (1, 3, 5, 8); Becca Stevens – vocals (1, 3, 5, 7, 8); "Snorts" Malibu – vocals (9)

Finding Gabriel

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Andy Summers - Green Chimneys: The Music of Thelonius Monk

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:04
Size: 161,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Green Chimneys
(4:36)  2. Hackensack
(3:29)  3. Brilliant Corners
(3:55)  4. Monk's Dream
(5:41)  5. 'Round Midnight
(4:56)  6. Bemsha Swing
(5:31)  7. Shuffle Boil
(3:16)  8. Boo Boo's Birthday
(4:14)  9. Evidence
(5:15) 10. Ugly Beauty
(4:08) 11. Think of One
(3:17) 12. Light Blue
(2:50) 13. Ruby My Dear
(2:30) 14. Crepescule with Nellie
(4:36) 15. Locomotive
(3:10) 16. Off Minor
(2:37) 17. Ruby (Electric Version)

What an albatross to have the Police hanging round your neck. So when it's all over, the singer gets even more famous and corners the market in sophisticated JazzRock, the drummer gets on with spending the money and stretching into movies and session fun, and the guitarist gets to play whatever he wants. Which has varied from turn it up Progressive Rock to echo Summers' days in the Soft Machine to delicate Blues and Folk experiments. But Green Chimneys is another matter: it's a fine, accessible homage to the immortal Thelonius Monk from a British club jazzer who got very lucky in pop. Monk's mastery of compositional architecture - from the blues to the birth of bop - lifts good players toward the stars. On Green Chimneys, Summers even gets Sting in to schmooze his way through one classic, 'Round Midnight. Except that Sting gives an affecting, genuine performance, while Summers' bigger band strip down to etched-naked chords and sinister brushes waiting for Andy's "do I not like that?" solo. Add cello, trumpet, saxophones and organ to a guitar trio, and you never know what colour comes next. Evidence leads with a fat, tight horn trio stating a fast funk theme against Summer's stinging blues leads, dissolves into big band call and return, segues into a blues rock chorus or two and dances out of the room heading for where Jeff Beck plays Mingus. Then there's the Pat Metheny-on-that-peyote-he-got-from-Tom Waits of Bemsha Swing, or the New Orleans funeral band - on Hackensack - plugging directly into a mobile 240AC outlet while Joey DeFrancesco's B3 vamps its way through the crowd on a flatbed truck right behind the hearse. Or the way the band rhythmically collapse Three Blind Mice into the angular, stop-time Jazzfunk of Monk's Dream, and the outrageous blend of Metal and Jimmy Smith on Shuffle Boil, where Summer's tone and phrasing deliver the impact usually carried by distortion. This is a guitar fan's album, but if the straighter moments of Zappa's methodical madness and subtly-caged playing ever tickled your sweet spots, Green Chimneys will make you happy too. And if you saw Peter Erskine drum with the Yellowjackets in London recently, his endlessly inventive accents and effortless leaps from supportive to lyrical to driving to painterly will be a joy revisited. ~ Ian Nicolson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/green-chimneys-andy-summers-rca-victor-review-by-ian-nicolson.php

Personnel:  Guitar, Banjo, Guitar [Dobro] – Andy Summers; Cello – Hank Roberts; Double Bass, Bass – Dave Carpenter; Drums – Bernie Dresel, Peter Erskine; Organ [Hammond B-3] – Joey De Francesco; Saxophone [Soprano, Tenor], Clarinet – Steve Tavaglione; Trumpet – Walt Fowler

Green Chimneys: The Music of Thelonius Monk

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Sonny Rollins - On Impulse

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:31
Size: 79,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:07)  1. On Green Dolphin Street
(11:14)  2. Every Thing Happens To Me
( 5:29)  3. Hold'Em Joe
( 3:44)  4. Blue Room
( 6:56)  5. Three Little Words

In 1965 and 1966 tenor giant Sonny Rollins issued three albums for the Impulse label. They would be his last until 1972 when he re-emerged on the scene from a self-imposed retirement. This date is significant for the manner in which Rollins attacks five standards with a quartet that included pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Walter Booker and drummer Mickey Roker. Rollins, who's been recording for RCA and its Bluebird subsidiary, had spent the previous three years (after emerging from his first retirement) concentrating on standards and focusing deeply on intimate, intricate aspects of melody and harmony. He inverts the approach here, and digs deeply into pulse and rhythm and leaving melody to take care of itself. This is not a "new thing" date but instead focuses on playing according to the dictates of the rhythm section and on interchanging with Booker and Roker, leaving much of the melodic aspect of these tunes to Bryant. Rollins could never quite leave the melody out of anything he played because of his intense gift as a lyrical improviser; he nonetheless stripped his approach back and played tunes like "On Green Dolphin Street" by improvising according to theme rather than strict melody, where his interplay with the rhythm section becomes based on the dynamic and shifting times played by Roker. While things are more intimate and straight on "Everything Happens to Me," he nonetheless plays the edges, filling the space like a drummer. Melody happens throughout, the tune is recognizable, but it is stretched in his solo to a theme set by the shimmering cymbals and brushed snare work of Roker. The oddest cuts in the set are the last two; spaced out readings of "Blue Room," and "Three Little Words"; they sound as if he were preparing the listener for a true change in his approach. Melody gets inverted, with spaces and syncopation taking the place of notes. The swing is inherent in everything here, but it's clear that the saxophonist was hearing something else in his head, the way he squeezes notes tightly into some phrases where they might be placed elsewhere, and substitutes small, lithe lines inside Bryant's solos which dictate the harmonic intervals more conventionally with his singing approach. And speaking of rhythm, the album's hinge piece is the burning calypso "Hold "Em Joe." Here again, as Bryant's changes play it straight, Rollins shoves his horn inside them and draws out the beat on his horn over and over again. As strange and beautiful as this record sounds, it would have been wonderful if he had chosen to explore this track on his later records, but that restless spirit was already moving onto something else, as evidenced by his next offering, which were his original compositions for the film Alfie with arrangements by Oliver Nelson. If anything, Sonny Rollins on Impulse! feels as if it were a recording Rollins had to get out of his system. But thank goodness for us because it's a winner through and through. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/on-impulse-mw0000188710

Personnel: Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone; Ray Bryant – piano; Walter Booker – bass; Mickey Roker – drums

On Impulse

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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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