Florin Niculescu - Plays Stéphane Grappelli

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:47
Size: 110,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Opportunity
(5:05)  2. Hésitation
(5:42)  3. La Chanson Des Rues
(5:21)  4. Automne
(3:26)  5. Light
(3:35)  6. Tournesol
(2:15)  7. Daphné
(3:26)  8. André
(2:28)  9. Eveline
(2:32) 10. Souvenir De Villingen
(5:28) 11. Old Man River
(5:19) 12. Blues For Stéphane

Sometimes, as far as music goes, one record can lead to another. One hearing of Florin Niculescu's homage to Stephane Grappelli sends the listener back to the old recordings of the Quintette du Hot Club de France, where Grappelli worked his magic with his most famous musical partner, guitar wizard Django Reinhardt. What a joy to listen to Grappelli. Not only could he make the violin sing and swing. He played with fire and passion. There are times that Grappelli seems to make a u-turn on his instrument that is so sharp that the strings are in danger of being broken or indeed are burning up. Now that's music that swings. It is no exaggeration to say that Grappelli's music is safe in the hands of Florin Niculescu. Like Grappelli, Niculescu has the ability to make the violin sing. He doesn't just show off with a lot of fast notes, he makes the music flow effortlessly with passion and commitment. Niculescu has a superb technique and his group consisting of Peter Beets on piano, Bruno Ziarelli on drums and Daryl Hall on bass plus guest guitarists Christian Escoudé; and Marc Fosset are doing a very good job of backing him. They swing comfortably and the record is a treat for the ears from start to finish. Highlights include a take on the classic Reinhardt/Grappelli composition "Daphné," where Niculescu really shows his chops. Elsewhere, he performs a stunning version of "Old Man River" that manages to be both wild and sentimental. It is downright impossible not to like music that swings as infectiously as this and Niculescu can play so even the alley cats of Paris must be dancing. An album like Florin Niculescu Plays Stephane Grappelli is proof that the music Grappelli treasured so much is still alive and not just a nostalgic thing of the past. ~ Jakob Baekgaard https://www.allaboutjazz.com/florin-niculescu-plays-stephane-grappelli-florin-niculescu-blujazz-productions-review-by-jakob-baekgaard.php

Personnel: Florin Niculescu: violin; Peter Beets: piano; Brune Ziarelli: drums; Daryl Hall: bass; Christian Escoud

Plays Stéphane Grappelli

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Yves Theiler Trio - Out of the Box

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:57
Size: 155,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:13)  1. Rasant
( 9:03)  2. Rise
(11:58)  3. Escape 01
( 8:55)  4. Square
( 8:27)  5. Yesterday, Tomorrow
( 6:02)  6. Ballad for Three
(13:15)  7. Eastern Back Yard

Yves Theiler (born December 23, 1987 in Zurich ) is a Swiss jazz musician ( piano , synthesizer , keyboard ), composer and arranger.  Theiler began his musical studies as a pianist in the main compartment and drummer minor in the age of 17 years at the Zurich University of the Arts , mainly with Chris Wiesendanger and Tony Renold (minor percussion ), followed by a study in Leipzig, where he studied with Richie Beirach had and earned the master's degree in education. He then completed the Master in Performance with Nat Su and Christoph Baumann at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences .  From the mid-2000s he worked and in the Swiss jazz scene. a. with Omri brick , Rätus Flisch, Luca Sisera and Matthias Tschopp . In recent years he played in the formations Yves Theiler Trio, Things to Sounds (with David Meier , Tobias Meier), Where's Africa (with Omri brick and Dario Sisera), Duo Omri brick and Yves Theiler, Theiler - Flisch - Renold, Duo Theiler - Flisch plays Wagner , Matthias Tschopp Quartet, Colliding Particles and Roofer . Yves Theiler also repeatedly worked on projects with musicians from various countries, including Terrence McManus ( USA ), Alexey Kruglov ( Russia ),Uli Kempendorff ( Germany ), Robert Lucaciu (Germany) and Philipp Scholz (Germany). With his trio with Lukas Mantel and Valentin Dietrich in 2012 his debut album Out of the Box ( Unit Records ) was created; in 2013, Theiler presented the album Inside Innocence ( Intakt Records ) in a duo with Omri Ziegele . 2016 presented Theiler with his trio the second album Dance in a Triangle (MGB Musiques Suisse), which appreciable reviews, inter alia, in the jazz magazines Jazz Thing and Salt Peanutsearned. In jazz, he was involved in seventeen sessions and CD productions between 2007 and 2017. His "dedicated and ambitious game, in which the pathos of the existential vibrates", evaluated the Neue Zürcher Zeitung , "is bursting with surprises and always mindful of energetic interaction." In 2017, Yves Theiler was awarded the Year of the City of Zurich and is a grant winner of the Friedl Wald Foundation. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yves_Theiler

Personnel: Piano, Composed By – Yves Theiler; Bass – Valentin Dietrich; Drums – Lukas Mantel. 

Out of the Box

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Urbie Green - A Cool Yuletide

Styles: Trombone Jazz, Christmas
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 23:31
Size: 55,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Jingle Bells
(2:53)  2. All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
(2:34)  3. White Christmas
(2:58)  4. Winter Wonderland
(2:36)  5. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
(3:11)  6. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
(2:49)  7. The Christmas Song
(3:05)  8. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer

A fine jazz player with a beautiful tone who has spent most of his career in the studios, Urbie Green is highly respected by his fellow trombonists. He started playing when he was 12; was with the big bands of Tommy Reynolds, Bob Strong, and Frankie Carle as a teenager; and worked with Gene Krupa during 1947-1950. Green had a stint with Woody Herman's Third Herd, appeared on some of the famous Buck Clayton jam sessions (1953-1954), and was with Benny Goodman off and on during 1955-1957. He played with Count Basie in 1963, and spent a period in the 1960s fronting the Tommy Dorsey ghost band (1966-1967), but has mostly stuck to studio work. Urbie Green recorded frequently as a leader in the 1950s up to 1963 (for Blue Note, Vanguard, Bethlehem, ABC-Paramount, and dance band-oriented records for RCA and Command). He has appeared much less often in jazz settings since then, but did make two albums for CTI in 1976-1977. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/urbie-green-mn0000300013/biography

Personnel: Trombone – Urbie Green; Bass – Milton Hinton; Drums – Don Lamond, Jimmie Crawford; Guitar – Mundell Lowe; Piano – Buddy Weed; Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn, Al Epstein; Trumpet – Joe Wilder

A Cool Yuletide

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John Bunch - It's Love in the Spring

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:21
Size: 114,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. It's Love in the Spring
(4:11)  2. Celia
(4:29)  3. Cincinnati Slick
(4:04)  4. Emily
(6:27)  5. Struttin' with Some Barbecue
(5:38)  6. Dream Dancing
(5:55)  7. Night Mist Blues
(3:43)  8. Jubilee
(4:55)  9. Cincinnati Slick - Alt-Take 2
(5:45) 10. It's Love in the Spring - Alt-Take 2

John Bunch (1921-2010) was already in his mid-thirties before he made his first recordings, but he lasted long enough to leave behind a strong musical legacy. A member of the Woody Herman Orchestra in 1957, he worked along the way with Maynard Ferguson, Eddie Condon, Tony Bennett (1966-72), Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, and Gene Krupa. In the 1970s when the rise of Scott Hamilton and Warren Vaché launched the comeback of small-group swing, Bunch was utilized on many sessions despite being twice as old as many of the movement’s pacesetters. He led over 20 record dates of his own during 1975-2009. A flexible swing pianist who had no difficulty playing with both Ruby Braff and Louie Bellson, Bunch was an asset to every group in which he appeared. It’s Love In The Spring, which was recorded March 1, 1977, teams Bunch in a drumless trio with guitarist Cal Collins and bassist George Mraz on eight songs plus two previously unreleased alternate takes. The repertoire covers a wide ground, from “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue” and Hoagy Carmichael’s “Jubilee” (both of which are taken as romps) to Bud Powell’s “Celia” and “Emily.” Bunch, who contributed two originals, works very well in this setting, guitarist Collins has many fine solos, and bassist Mraz holds everything together quite well. The variety of songs and tempos make It’s Love In The Spring a very satisfying listen and an excellent example of John Bunch’s tasteful and swinging piano. ~ Scott Yanow https://syncopatedtimes.com/john-bunch-its-love-in-the-spring/

Personnel: John Bunch (p); Cal Collins (g); George Mraz (b)

It's Love in the Spring

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Scott Hamilton - Street of Dreams

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:35
Size: 130,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:09)  1. If I Were a Bell
(5:17)  2. Pure Imagination
(6:43)  3. Sunny
(8:10)  4. Tin Tin Deo
(6:42)  5. The Nearness of You
(8:16)  6. Street of Dreams
(6:42)  7. Lucky to be Me
(6:32)  8. All I Do is Dream of You

Street Of Dreams is Scott Hamilton’s seventh recording for Blau Records and the fourth, in Benicàssim with the same band featuring the pianist Dena Derose. Her musical bond with Hamilton achieves almost perfect harmony on this album, while Ignasi González on bass and Jo Krause on drums build a rhythmic section that enables Hamilton to move lyrically as the sound unfolds impeccably. The repertoire is once again focused on the classic North American songbook of Leonard Bernstein, Frank Loesser, Nacio Herb Brown, Hoagy Carmichael, Chano Well ... https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/81082/scott-hamilton/street-of-dreams

Personnel: Scott Hamilton, sax; Dena Derose, piano; Ignasi Gonzalez, bass; Jo Krause, drums

Street of Dreams

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Bob Mintzer - Hymn

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:00
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Duo
(8:24)  2. Hymn
(5:46)  3. Re-Re
(4:34)  4. Modern Day Tuba
(6:19)  5. Children's Song
(4:47)  6. Little Motif
(5:32)  7. Weird Blues
(7:28)  8. Improvisation
(7:15)  9. The Dark Side

Better known as a big band and session player, tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist Bob Mintzer expanded his playing and his repertoire on this '92 quartet date. Working with guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Marc Johnson, and drummer Peter Erskine, Mintzer moved into more probing, unpredictable, and challenging areas and played with more fire and conviction. Abercrombie, Johnson, and Erskine each fulfilled their reputations; the results were both enlightening and surprising. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/hymn-mw0000081207

Personnel: Bob Mintzer - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, composer, liner notes; John Abercrombie - guitar; Marc Johnson - bass; Peter Erskine - drums

Hymn

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Beverly Kelly, Dolores Hawkins - Beverly Kelly Sings, Dolores

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:49
Size: 174,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:46)  1. Lover Come Back to Me
(2:58)  2. The Man I Love
(3:56)  3. You Don’t Know What Love Is
(2:12)  4. I Wish I Knew
(3:22)  5. I Get a Kick out of You
(4:27)  6. I’m Glad There Is You
(3:18)  7. Sometimes I’m Happy
(2:47)  8. This Love of Mine
(3:33)  9. But Not for Me
(4:52) 10. Embraceable You
(2:30) 11. You and the Night and the Music
(3:52) 12. Spring Is Here
(2:15) 13. I’ve Got My Eyes on You
(2:37) 14. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
(2:54) 15. Dream of You
(3:14) 16. I’m in the mood for Love
(2:16) 17. You’d Be so Nice to Come Home To
(2:19) 18. No Love, No Nothin’
(2:17) 19. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home
(3:36) 20. The Man I Love
(2:27) 21. Just Squeeze Me (But Don’t tease Me)
(2:48) 22. Good Lovin’
(3:41) 23. I Must Have That Man!
(3:41) 24. Goodnight My Love

Beverly Kelly Sings
The solid musicianship of Beverly Kelly results in excellent diction and unusual accuracy of pitch and rhythm. You will notice from the very first note her truly fine vocal quality and complete ease in any register. She’s backed splendidly by the swinging Pat Moran Trio, which introduced the youthful spirit and unlimited talent of bassist Scott LaFaro, in an exuberant mood.

Dolores
Miss Hawkins sings with a great deal of enthusiasm. On ballads, rhythm numbers or novelties, she invariably creates contact with her audience and mesmerizes them. She unleashes a finely spun vocal line that, along with her vibrant voice, leaves no area unexplored in these moody evocations of love. And along the way, Hank Jones’ quartet feeds Dolores with a warm, tasty and balanced base, sparked on some tracks by a trumpet and saxophone solos. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/beverly-kelly-dolores-hawkins-albums/46593-beverly-kelly-sings-dolores-2-lp-on-1-cd.html

Personnel: Beverly Kelly, Dolores Hawkins (vcl), Ruby Braff (tp), Pat Moran, Hank jones (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Scott LaFaro, Milt Hinton (b), Johnny Whited, Osie johnson (d)

Beverly Kelly Sings / Dolores

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Earl Klugh, Bob James - Two Of A Kind

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:52
Size: 87,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:52)  1. The Falcon
(5:28)  2. Whiplash
(5:39)  3. Sandstorm
(6:51)  4. Where I Wander
(3:07)  5. Ingenue
(7:52)  6. Wes

Keyboardist Bob James and acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh struck gold with this session, recently reissued on CD. The formula hasn't changed much in succeeding years. Both Klugh and James are capable musicians; they demonstrated on this collection of light, innocuous melodies and occasionally interesting backbeats a high degree of professionalism. 

Klugh is a first-rate guitarist whose solos are concise and nicely delivered, but frequently sound thin. James' piano and electric keyboard playing is a puzzling combination of flawlessness and lifelessness. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/two-of-a-kind-mw0000622797

Personnel: Earl Klugh – acoustic guitar;  Bob James – keyboards; Gary King – bass; Harvey Mason – drums

Two Of A Kind

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Dr. Lonnie Smith - Drives

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:20
Size: 83,8 MB
Art: Front

( 5:41)  1. Twenty-Five Miles
( 7:32)  2. Spinning Wheel
( 5:48)  3. Seven Steps To Heaven
( 6:29)  4. Psychedelic Pi
(10:49)  5. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolf?

Lonnie Smith had the raw skills, imagination, and versatility to play burning originals, bluesy covers of R&B and pop, or skillful adaptations of conventional jazz pieces and show tunes. Why he never established himself as a consistent performer remains a mystery, but this 1970 reissue shows why he excited so many people during his rise. Smith's solos on "Spinning Wheel" and his own composition, "Psychedelic PI," are fleet and furious, boosting the songs from interesting to arresting. He's also impressive on "Seven Steps to Heaven," while the array of phrases, rhythms, and voicings on "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" demonstrate a mastery of the organ's pedals and keys rivaling that of the instrument's king, Jimmy Smith. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/drives-mw0000112493

Personnel: Lonnie Smith - organ; Dave Hubbard - tenor saxophone; Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone; Larry McGee - guitar; Joe Dukes - drums

Drives

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Ken Peplowski & Diego Figueiredo - Amizade

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 139,5 MB
Art:

(5:08)  1. Caravan
(6:24)  2. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas Besame Mucho
(4:19)  3. A Little Journey
(4:45)  4. On Note Samba
(7:11)  5. Black Orpheus
(4:41)  6. Apelo
(7:04)  7. Retrato em Branco E Preto
(6:04)  8. Pro Paco
(6:38)  9. Stompin' At The Savoy
(2:22) 10. Amizade
(5:56) 11. So Danco Samba

Sublimely swinging sounds and Brazilia are created by warm toned clarinetist and tenor saxist Ken Peplowski as he teams with the gracious guitarist Diego Figueiredo on this sublime collection of songs. I saw this duo in concert, and the melodic chemistry was palpable; it’s calm and collected ambers that gently burn in the studio. 

Peplowski’s rich and woody clarinet flutters over Figueiredo’s dancing fingers on Ellington’s “Caravan” and the two deliver impressionistic moods on a pastoral “A Little Journey” On tenor, Peps’ breathy smoke rings are blown give impressions of Stan Getz on the smooth “One Note Samba,” a bouncy “So Danco Samba” and a sublimely swinging “Stompin’ At The Savoy” as they reflect on the title track. Figueiredo does a nice aria as he solos on “Apelo” and produces a rich tribute on the Debussy-isque “Por Paco.” A wonderful pax des deux of souls. https://www.jazzweekly.com/2019/08/ken-peplowski-diego-figueredo-amizade/

Amizade

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Lou Rawls, The Les McCann Trio - Stormy Monday

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:18
Size: 100,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:45)  1. (They Call It) Stormy Monday
(4:30)  2. God Bless the Child
(3:11)  3. See See Rider
(5:57)  4. Willow Weep for Me
(4:00)  5. I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town
(3:28)  6. In the Evening (When the Sun Goes Down)
(2:46)  7. 'Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness If I Do
(3:12)  8. Lost and Lookin'
(3:55)  9. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water
(3:08) 10. Sweet Lover
(2:58) 11. Blues Is a Woman
(2:23) 12. A Little Les of Lou's Blues

Lou Rawls has had a long and commercially successful career mostly singing soul, R&B, and pop music. Originally a gospel singer, Rawls' first album as a leader features him performing soulful standards backed by the Les McCann Trio. Few of the songs have been under-recorded through the years, but they sound fresh and lively when sung by Rawls; highlights include "Stormy Monday," "In the Evening," and "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water." Pianist McCann gets a generous amount of solo space, and the reissue has three bonus tracks. This is still Rawls' definitive recording in the jazz idiom, cut before he went on to more lucrative areas. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/stormy-monday-mw0000203592

Personnel: Lou Rawls - vocals; Les McCann - piano; Leroy Vinnegar - bass; Ron Jefferson - drums

Stormy Monday

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Kristin Chenoweth - Coming Home

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:25
Size: 180,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. I Could Have Danced All Night
(3:16)  2. Maybe This Time
(4:20)  3. My Coloring Book
(4:20)  4. Bring Him Home
(3:41)  5. Fathers And Daughters
(5:06)  6. Hard Times Come Again No More
(5:08)  7. Upon This Rock
(3:18)  8. Over The Rainbow
(3:41)  9. Popular
(5:13) 10. For Good
(6:23) 11. Little Sparrow
(3:16) 12. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
(2:19) 13. All The Things You Are
(5:23) 14. No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)
(5:20) 15. I Was Here
(4:04) 16. I Will Always Love You
(6:31) 17. Heart Of The Matter
(2:47) 18. I’ll Be Home For Christmas

Kristin Chenoweth is recognized across the full spectrum of entertainment as an Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress of stage ("You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown," "Wicked," & the upcoming "On the Twentieth Century"), television ("Pushing Daisies," "Glee," "West Wing") film (Disney's "Descendants," "The Boy Next Door") in addition to her career as an accomplished singer. With the recording of Coming Home, she returns to her Broken Arrow, OK, home to perform songs in the Performing Arts Center housing the aptly-named Kristin Chenoweth Theater. Kristin performs her most memorable songs of Broadway, television, film & American classics. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Home-Kristin-Chenoweth/dp/B00O50QY24

Personnel:  Lead Vocals- Kristin Chenoweth; Featured Vocals- Tyler Hanes, Chelsea Packard, Axyl Langford, Will Taylor, Mary-Mitchell Campbell; Additional Vocals- Broken Arrow High School Choir; Guitar- Eric Davis; Bass- Brian Hamm; Drums- Damien Bassman; Percussion- Steve Craft; Violin- Justin Smith, Michelle Sherman; Cello- Krassimira Figg; Woodwinds- Reid Bennett, Gary Linde; Trumpets- Dave Johnson, Steven Goforth

Coming Home

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Yves Theiler Trio - Dance in a Triangle

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:14
Size: 138,5 MB
Art: Front

( 8:29)  1. For Bass
( 6:26)  2. Day By Day
(10:25)  3. Book Of Peace
( 8:35)  4. Dance In A Triangle
( 4:03)  5. In A Way It's Nothing
( 9:52)  6. Caravan Change
(12:24)  7. Over There Is Another One

Although a piano trio has a leader, the better ones behave as an equilateral triangle. That is, they "go Dutch." In the case of the Yves Theiler Trio, we could say the music on Dance In A Triangle "goes Swiss." The pianist, Yves Theiler, composed all the music here, but it is improbable that it could be navigated by surrogate performers. At least, ones that were not well rehearsed. Theiler, who studied with Richie Beirach and has recorded with Omri Ziegele, collaborates here with drummer Lukas Mantel and bassist Luca Sisera (Tommy Meier Root Down, Michael Jaeger Kerouac). Theiler's previous trio recording was Out Of The Box (Unit Records, 2012). Their triad approach is evident from track one. "For Bass" opens with some hand drumming, and Theiler's percussive and repetitive metronome plunk of keys that paves Sisera's double bass solo. As the piece develops, it maintains that same repetitive pulse, but effectuates multiple complex changes of direction. Such is the overall modus operandi here. The obvious comparison to be made here is to The Bad Plus. 

Live Ethan Iverson, Theiler has taken the percussive piano approach of Ahmad Jamal and injected it with the repetitive sounds of modern composition, hip-hop, and what only can be described as folk/jazz. Thankfully, modern players feel no need to by labeled or pigeon-holed by tradition, with a capitol "T." They can add funky drumming to a piece like "Book Of Piece," yet sidestep simple pop music by charting a course with multiple changes. Theiler uses his Wurlitzer organ in tandem with piano on the title track, backed by the rhythms of Africa and even a soft ballad like "In A Way It's Nothing" delivers a varied approach, as the players rely on a chest throbbing percussive sound. It will be interesting to see what this trio comes up with next. ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dance-in-a-triangle-yves-theiler-trio-musiques-suisses-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel: Yves Theiler: piano, Wurlitzer; Luca Sisera: bass; Lukas Mantel: drums.

Dance in a Triangle

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Harold Mabern - The Iron Man: Live at Smoke

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 103:12
Size: 237,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:32)  1. A Few Miles From Memphis
( 8:07)  2. I Get a Kick Out of You
( 4:48)  3. I Know That You Know
( 4:44)  4. I Remember Clifford
( 9:28)  5. T-Bone Steak
( 8:48)  6. Almost Like Being In Love
( 5:48)  7. Dear Lord
( 9:44)  8. Nightlife in Tokyo
( 9:00)  9. She's Out of My Life
(10:31) 10. How Insensitive
( 5:06) 11. Mr. P.C.
( 6:34) 12. On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
( 7:14) 13. You Are Too Beautiful
( 5:41) 14. Rakin' and Scrapin'

Hard-bopping pianist Harold Mabern may have made his recording debut in 1959 with drummer Walter Perkins' quintet and led his first session in 1968 for Blue Note on the soulful A Few Miles From Memphis but here he is, at 82, playing with straight-ahead, youthful joie de vivre on the story telling, life affirming, two-disc set The Iron Man: Live at Smoke.  Working as hard as ever with his long standing trio of tenor saxophonist and former student Eric Alexander, bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth, Mabern, on this last night of an exhilarating three-week residency that saw his rep re-ascend, covers all the bases and revels in his song-filled autobiography. His signature "A Few Miles From Memphis" and "Rakin' and Scrapin,'" two full fledged, hot blooded boogies, bookend The Iron Man: Live at Smoke and the music in between never lets you down. John Coltrane gets a special nod with a sonorous, rolling read of "Dear Lord" and a robust, crowd pleasing "Mr. PC." Add to that Alexander's gifted, often biting Coltrane-inspired runs and Webber's swing-blues bass circa Jimmy Garrison and yes, as he often, if not always, is, Coltrane's in the room taking it all in. "Nightlife in Tokyo," another Mabern claim to fame, effortlessly sways to and fro from a deceptive Oriental tinge to a grand American boogie/swing. Farnsworth keeps a tight rein on things here while Mabern and Webber carry the day. Alexander gets his licks in too and shines on the quieter "You Are Too Beautiful" and "She's Out of My Life." No one goes home disappointed and The Iron Man: Live at Smoke proofs it. ~ Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-iron-man-live-at-smoke-harold-mabern-smoke-sessions-records-review-by-mike-jurkovic.php

Personnel: Harold Mabern: piano; Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone; John Webber: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

R.I.P.
Born: March 20, 1936, Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: September 19, 2019

The Iron Man: Live at Smoke

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Johnathan Blake, Chris Potter, Linda Oh - Trion

Styles: Saxophone, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 112:42
Size: 259,1 MB
Art: Front

( 1:59)  1. Calodendrum
(16:42)  2. Synchronicity 1
( 3:22)  3. Trope (Linda Intro)
( 8:03)  4. Trope
(10:57)  5. One for Honor
(10:07)  6. High School Daze
(10:19)  7. No Bebop Daddy
( 2:51)  8. Bedrum
(11:34)  9. Good Hope
(10:16) 10. Eagle
(11:02) 11. Relaxing at the Camarillo
( 7:54) 12. Blue Heart
( 7:31) 13. West Berkley St.

Johnathan Blake, in-demand drummer who has contributed to recordings by trumpeter Tom Harrell and guitarist Russell Malone, presents an ambitious two-CD set, Trion, a chordless trio affair with a pair of fellow first-callers, saxophonist Chris Potter and bassist Linda May Han Oh. The ground was broken for this particular format by saxophonist Sonny Rollins' A Night At The Village Vanguard (Blue Note, 1958), a freewheeling exploration of jazz standards and Great American Songbook tunes. Where A Night At The Village Vanguard sounds raw and unrehearsed a seat-of-the-pants recording if ever there was one (in a very good way) Trion is a slightly tighter presentation of music, with Potter displaying as much muscle as Rollins. A level of familiarity pervades as Potter played in the Mingus Big Band with Blake in the 1990s, and also on Blake's 2014 disc, Gone, But Not Forgotten (Criss Cross Records). Linda May Han Oh is newer to Blake's orbit; she has played with him in trios with saxophonists Mark Turner and Jaleel Shaw, and she steps into this situation with powerhouse flexibility and virtuosity. Blake opens both discs with brief drum solos, "Calodendrum" on Disc One the name of the African evergreen tree, a nod to the drum language's roots and "Bedrum," meaning "to drum about in celebration," on Disc Two. Following the drum opening on Disc One, Potter offers an intense-yet-ghostly tenor intro that gels into "Synchronicity 1," from the Police songbook, seventeen minutes of sustained intensity that set the tone for two CD's worth of inspired, no-hold-barred trio music. "Trope," an Oh composition, shifts from a moody bass intro into a melodically Near Eastern-sounding tune, with the heartbeat of the bass creating a disturbing EKG readout. Potter contributes two pieces, and Blake adds several of his own. All are delivered to create a cohesive whole, spanning both discs, featuring a consistently spirited threeway interplay and a crisp clarity of input all around, with Charlie Parker's "Relaxing At the Camarillo" serving as a touchstone to early bop, with the trio tearing it up in grand style. No relaxing at all. Chordless trio outings have become commonplace since Sonny Rollins introduced the idea. Few hit the level of excellence of Trion. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/trion-johnathan-blake-giant-step-arts-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Johnathan Blake: drums; Chris Potter: tenor saxophone; Linda May Han Oh: bass.

Trion

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Bill O'Connell - Triple Play

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:39
Size: 133,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Triple Play
(6:29)  2. Flying By
(5:54)  3. Machu Picchu
(6:02)  4. A Call for Sanity
(4:31)  5. Just in Time
(5:48)  6. Second Son
(6:32)  7. Cravo E Canela
(5:35)  8. You've Changed
(6:15)  9. Afro Blue
(6:10) 10. Dansette

Pianist/Composer Bill O'Connell has long been a vital part of the New York Jazz scene. It is refreshing to see that he is given a rare opportunity to lead an ensemble on Triple Play, an unusual trio setting for O'Connell along with flutist Dave Valentin and Latin percussionist Richie Flores. O'Connell has only been given this opportunity sporadically and his efforts are preserved on indie labels, Inner City, CTI and two sessions for Random Chance. The pianist has worked with a wide variety of musicians but has expressed a preference for a Latin jazz ambiance and was with Mongo Santamaria for more than two years beginning in 1977. O'Connell has been the musical director for Dave Valentin for more than two decades. The enjoyment of listening to Triple Play is to hear the cohesiveness of these three musicians as they convene on an inspired Latin jazz session. In his liner notes Felipe Luciano suggests the difference between Latin jazz and jazz Latino. In jazz Latino, the music is a result of the harmonies of big band jazz and bebop while Latin Jazz is a music form that plays for the dancer and requires that the listener must pay attention to hear the music without forgetting the "The tradition of the clave in one's inner ear." Not a bad suggestion at all for this album inasmuch as there is a lot of musical room and space in this ensemble that only employs piano/flute/congas. The music on this album is provided by five originals from O'Connell, one from Valentin, two standards, a Milton Nascimento tune and a jazz standard from Mongo Santamaria. It is indeed difficult to say which instrument contributes the most to this session which is probably the most positive sign of any finished album. Flores, an accomplished but little publicized Latin percussionist, shows his versatility throughout the album and plays the cajón on "Machu Picchu," enlivens on timbales on two tracks and on congas elsewhere. Flores appears in a duet with O'Connell on Santamaria's "Afro Blue" and lays out on "Dansette" which is an O'Connell/Valentin duet. Dave Valentin is probably one of the most popular jazz flutists today although many may categorize much of his music as stemming from a smooth jazz preference. Be that as it may, Valentin has done for Latin jazz what Herbie Mann accomplished for the genre during the 1950s and '60s and on his most recent efforts, Come Fly With Me (HighNote, 2006) and World on a String (HighNote, 2005) the vibe is strictly mainstream Latin jazz. Ultimately the above observations can be shelved while listening to Triple Play as O'Connell and company let the music speak for itself. ~ Michael P.Gladstone https://www.allaboutjazz.com/triple-play-bill-oconnell-highnote-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Bill O'Connell: piano; Dave Valentin: flute, alto flute; Richie Flores: congas, cajón (3), timbales (6, 10).

Triple Play

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Zee Avi - Zee Avi

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:24
Size: 86,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:36)  1. Bitter Heart
(3:07)  2. Poppy
(3:06)  3. Honey Bee
(2:56)  4. Just You And Me
(3:48)  5. Is This The End
(3:32)  6. Monte
(1:44)  7. Kantoi
(2:35)  8. I Am Me Once More
(3:56)  9. First Of The Gang
(2:42) 10. Darling
(2:52) 11. The Story
(4:24) 12. Let Me In

The story behind the release of Zee Avi's self-titled debut album is very much a 21st century tale. The Borneo-born, Kuala Lumpur-raised singer/songwriter began posting songs on YouTube at a friend's behest. Soon after she began to accumulate a fan base, eventually including the head of Monotone Records, who, in tandem with the people at Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records, signed her to a deal. The resulting record is very much in tune with the Brushfire aesthetic, with a warm and cozy sound, intimate vocals, and a general feeling of calm. While her songwriting is strong and she dishes out many fine melodies and perfectly fine lyrics, the real draw is Avi's vocals. Breathy, quiet, and sweet as spring, yet never wandering into cutesy territory, she hooks the listener in right away and never lets go. Songs like "Honey Bee," "Monte," and "First of the Gang to Die" are probably the most beguiling on the album, as they feature only Avi with guitar backing her vocals, but the instrumentation on the remainder never gets in the way (as you might expect from a Brushfire release). It's a very promising debut by an artist who already seems in total control of her gift; the trick now is to maintain the momentum and keep making records this good. ~ Tim Sendra https://www.allmusic.com/album/zee-avi-mw0000814914

Zee Avi

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Kevin Hays Quintet - Sweet Ear

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:16
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:26)  1. Neptune
(6:39)  2. Sweetear
(4:09)  3. Fun
(6:06)  4. Almost Always
(6:23)  5. You And The Nigth And The Music
(7:09)  6. Beatrice
(6:57)  7. Lonely Woman
(8:23)  8. Judgement

A talented pianist, Kevin Hays grew up in Connecticut and started lessons when he was seven. He made his recording debut with Nick Brignola; toured with the Harper Brothers (1989-1990); and worked with Joshua Redman, Benny Golson, Donald Harrison, Roy Haynes, and Joe Henderson, among others. Kevin Hays recorded three albums with Bob Belden, and in 1994 cut his first record as a leader, Seventh Sense (Blue Note). ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kevin-hays-mn0000082897/biography

Personnel: Piano – Kevin Hays; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Vincent Herring; Bass – James Genus; Drums – Joe Chambers; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson

Sweet Ear

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Shelly Manne - Li'l Abner

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 93,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:13)  1. Jubilation T Cornpone
(4:35)  2. The Country's In The Very Best of Hands
(2:48)  3. If I Had My Druthers
(5:01)  4. Unnecessary Town
(4:35)  5. Matrimonial Stomp
(3:30)  6. Progress Is the Root of All Evil
(4:25)  7. Oh Happy Day
(5:43)  8. Namely You
(6:29)  9. Past My Prime

Breaking stride with many of his jazz contemporaries, Shelly Manne always had an ear attuned toward popular entertainment. In the 1950s, Broadway musicals, film scores and television shows were the fodder of the day and the drummer regularly mined these sources for material. The Contemporary label was ready and willing to release the results of these jazz commercial music hybrids. Just reference the clutch of Manne-led dates that yielded albums such as My Fair Lady, Peter Gunn and the recently reissued Checkmate. The former session marked the first meeting of trio dubbed The Friends with Previn, an in-demand Hollywood composer, and Vinnegar, a first-string walking bassist, rounding out the ranks. For their sophomore musical effort The Friends chose the Mercer and Paul musical Li’l Abner, based loosely on the Al Capp comic strip of the same name. The album’s cover revels in the classic kitsch of the period, picturing Manne in Abneresque overalls and ill-fitting Izod shirt, awkwardly lugging his drums and being chased by an especially buxom Daisy Mae. The musical itself updated the simple story of bumpkin Abner and the other residents of Dogpatch, USA with ominous Atomic Age overtones. Manne affects a similar modernistic touch on the trite at times songbook. 

Funky syncopations infuse the opener “Jubilation T. Cornpone,” as Previn builds with near gospel-like block chords. Manne’s whispering brushes are a blur and Vinnegar speed walks right down the center creating a solid harmonic anchor. Forwarding the rustic feel further, “The Country’s in the Very Best of Hands” builds from a ballad tempo on the sparse cymbal play from of the leader. Conversely, the trio tackles “If I Had My Druthers” at a sprinter’s pace, lighting a fire from crackling rhythmic tinder. Manne’s brushes are again a wonder, but it’s really Vinnegar’s chance to show how fast his fingers can race across the strings. The bassist’s throbbing, sparsely voiced notes on the mellow “Unnecessary Town” contrast beautifully with his earlier enthusiasm. Previn turns to delicate celeste after a stately piano prelude, and it’s a move that adds music box color to the trio sound. Rolling funk returns for the robust “Matrimonial Stomp” with Previn leaping from the dark to light poles of his keyboard and in the process summoning a startling range of emotional hues. “Oh, Happy Day” offers the biggest surprise of the date as Manne and the pianist suddenly shift gears from chordal to free improvisation. Jockeying through the brisk theme advanced by the drummer’s Latin beat, the trio suddenly disperses and its sticks and ivories in a darkly-tinged matching of wits that sounds far more like modern-day Jarrett and DeJohnette than something from an obscure '50s musical soundtrack. Beat and theme return abruptly, and it’s as if the fleeting leap forward into the future was only a figment of the imagination. Tipping their hats in a farewell to Dogpatch, the Friends hit the trail out of town on the laidback lope of “Past My Prime.” Manne had an uncanny knack for wedding the modern to the popular and making it pleasing to the palate, in a manner akin to Sonny Rollins. His Contemporary albums are littered with these kinds of experiments and this one is no exception. Li’l Abner the musical may not have performed well at the box office, but in Manne’s capable hands its credentials as a vehicle for jazz improvisation are convincingly proven. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lil-abner-shelly-manne-contemporary-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel:  Shelly Manne - drums; André Previn - piano; Leroy Vinnegar - bass

Li'l Abner

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Tim Kliphuis - Counterpoint Swing

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:45
Size: 105,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:45)  1. Sheba's Tiger
(3:32)  2. Sugar Plum Blues
(3:26)  3. Counterpoint Swing
(3:56)  4. Django
(5:05)  5. The Moldau
(3:55)  6. Solveig's Song
(4:01)  7. Red Rose Calypso
(3:02)  8. Pent Up House
(2:41)  9. Waltzin' Mathilda
(3:14) 10. Erbarme Dich
(2:48) 11. Canon in D
(4:49) 12. You Are the Sunshine of My Life
(2:30) 13. Caprice No. 24

Dutchman Tim Kliphuis ranks among the world's finest jazz violinists. He takes Stéphane Grappelli's legacy into the 21st Century by infusing Gypsy Swing with Folk and Classical music.

"Stephane Grappelli's style is alive and well in the hands of Tim Kliphuis" ~  Nigel Kennedy

Think Stephane Grappelli, Frankie Gavin, Yehudi Menuhin, Slam Stewart, Django Reinhardt and Oscar Peterson all thrown together and you get an idea of Tim’s musical style. It's Jazz, Folk and Classical tunes in one"swingy, zingy mix" (Glasgow Herald) that is fresh and new but appeals to everyone.

"Ear-caressing" ~ Sir John Dankworth

After touring and recording with gypsy jazz guitarists Fapy Lafertin, Angelo Debarre and Stochelo Rosenberg, Tim moved on to create his own unique style which got him concerts all over the world in venues ranging from jazz clubs and concert halls to Swing and Classical festivals. He worked with Les Paul, Frankie Gavin, Martin Taylor, Bucky Pizzarelli, Martin Hayes and Jay Ungar.

"This was a charming, uplifting performance from a future great. Kliphuis’s music will take you back to a simpler point in time. He has the world at his feet ... check him out." ~ Scotsman

As a continental swing jazz educator, Kliphuis hosts Jazz Violin Workshops around the globe and was featured in several editions of Fiddler Magazine. His Tuition Book about Grappelli's style is scheduled to appear with Mel Bay Publications in 2008 and a first DVD is in the making.

“Kliphuis plays with an astonishingly fluid versatility, incorporating funky slurs, whooping hoedown flourishes" Time O. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/timkliphuis3

Personnel:  Tim Kliphuis: violin; Nigel Clark: premier Scots guitarist; Roy Percy: virtuoso bassist

Counterpoint Swing

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