Dinah Washington - The Good Old Days

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:25
Size: 76,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Record Ban Blues
(2:43)  2. What's The Matter With Baby
(2:42)  3. I'm Crying
(2:23)  4. Shuckin' And Jivin'
(2:19)  5. When The Sun Goes Down
(2:30)  6. Set Me Free
(3:09)  7. My Devotion
(3:10)  8. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(2:25)  9. Go Pretty Daddy
(2:39) 10. I Ain't Goin' To Cry No More
(2:36) 11. Old Man's Darlin'
(2:29) 12. One Arabian Night

Dinah Washington was at once one of the most beloved and controversial singers of the mid-20th century beloved to her fans, devotees, and fellow singers; controversial to critics who still accuse her of selling out her art to commerce and bad taste. Her principal sin, apparently, was to cultivate a distinctive vocal style that was at home in all kinds of music, be it R&B, blues, jazz, middle of the road pop and she probably would have made a fine gospel or country singer had she the time. Hers was a gritty, salty, high-pitched voice, marked by absolute clarity of diction and clipped, bluesy phrasing. Washington's personal life was turbulent, with seven marriages behind her, and her interpretations showed it, for she displayed a tough, totally unsentimental, yet still gripping hold on the universal subject of lost love. She has had a huge influence on R&B and jazz singers who have followed in her wake, notably Nancy Wilson, Esther Phillips, and Diane Schuur, and her music is abundantly available nowadays via the huge seven-volume series The Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury. Born Ruth Lee Jones, she moved to Chicago at age three and was raised in a world of gospel, playing the piano and directing her church choir. At 15, after winning an amateur contest at the Regal Theatre, she began performing in nightclubs as a pianist and singer, opening at the Garrick Bar in 1942. Talent manager Joe Glaser heard her there and recommended her to Lionel Hampton, who asked her to join his band. 

Hampton says that it was he who gave Ruth Jones the name Dinah Washington, although other sources claim it was Glaser or the manager of the Garrick Bar. In any case, she stayed with Hampton from 1943 to 1946 and made her recording debut for Keynote at the end of 1943 in a blues session organized by Leonard Feather with a sextet drawn from the Hampton band. With Feather's "Evil Gal Blues" as her first hit, the records took off, and by the time she left Hampton to go solo, Washington was already an R&B headliner. Signing with the young Mercury label, Washington produced an enviable string of Top Ten hits on the R&B charts from 1948 to 1955, singing blues, standards, novelties, pop covers, even Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." She also recorded many straight jazz sessions with big bands and small combos, most memorably with Clifford Brown on Dinah Jams but also with Cannonball Adderley, Clark Terry, Ben Webster, Wynton Kelly, and the young Joe Zawinul (who was her regular accompanist for a couple of years). In 1959, Washington made a sudden breakthrough into the mainstream pop market with "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," a revival of a Dorsey Brothers hit set to a Latin American bolero tune. For the rest of her career, she would concentrate on singing ballads backed by lush orchestrations for Mercury and Roulette, a formula similar to that of another R&B-based singer at that time, Ray Charles, and one that drew plenty of fire from critics even though her basic vocal approach had not changed one iota. Although her later records could be as banal as any easy listening dross of the period, there are gems to be found, like Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain," which has a beautiful, bluesy Ernie Wilkins chart conducted by Quincy Jones. Struggling with a weight problem, Washington died of an accidental overdose of diet pills mixed with alcohol at the tragically early age of 39, still in peak voice, still singing the blues in an L.A. club only two weeks before the end. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dinah-washington-mn0000260038/biography

The Good Old Days

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Junior Mance - That Lovin' Feelin'

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:43
Size: 76,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin
(3:58)  2. Mean Old Frisco Blues
(2:42)  3. Out South
(4:12)  4. The Good Life
(2:39)  5. Cubano Chant
(3:51)  6. Boss Blues
(2:39)  7. Blowin' In The Wind
(5:05)  8. When Sunny Gets Blue
(4:32)  9. Lee's Lament

That Lovin' Feelin' is an album by jazz pianist Junior Mance which was released on the Milestone label in 1972. The Allmusic site awarded the album 3 stars stating "That Lovin' Feelin' is essentially an album of acoustic-oriented jazz, but it is acoustic-oriented soul-jazz/hard bop that grooves in a funky, churchy, down-home fashion. Thankfully, That Lovin' Feelin' is not the sort of album that finds the artist playing note-for-note covers of rock and R&B hits and calling it "jazz" ...Although not quite essential, That Lovin' Feelin' is an enjoyable, swinging effort that deserves credit for having an interesting variety of material" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Lovin%27_Feelin%27

Personnel:  Junior Mance - piano; Bob Cranshaw - electric bass; Harold Wing - drums; Ralph MacDonald - percussion

That Lovin' Feelin'

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Donald Brown - Fast Forward to the Past

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:19
Size: 164,3 MB
Art: Front

(9:25)  1. Eminence
(6:39)  2. Skatterbrain
(7:09)  3. Carter Country
(7:13)  4. The Thing About George Coleman
(5:22)  5. Skain's Domain
(8:04)  6. Gazelle
(4:58)  7. Vera Cruz
(6:35)  8. Never In My Wildest Dream
(8:50)  9. Where Pelicans Fly
(6:59) 10. Don't Forget to Tell Her You Love Her

A fine pianist and educator, Donald Brown has also been a prolific composer. He grew up in Memphis and actually started out on drums and trumpet. By the time he attended Memphis State University (1972-1975), he was playing jazz piano. After years of local work, Brown replaced James Williams with the Jazz Messengers (1981-1982). He went on to teach at Berklee (1983-1985) and the University of Tennessee (starting in 1988), recorded albums as a leader for Sunnyside and Muse, and had his compositions performed and recorded by a wide variety of top modern jazz players. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/donald-brown-mn0000180014/biography

Personnel:  Piano – Donald Brown; Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Mark Bolling; Bass – Essiet Essiet, Robert Hurst; Drums – Eric Harland; Electric Guitar – Lionel Loueke; Flute, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Danny Walsh ; Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jean Toussaint; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bill Mobley; Vibraphone – Steve Nelson

Fast Forward to the Past

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Angelo DeBarre - Angelo Debarre: Live in Paris

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:57
Size: 138,6 MB
Art: Front

( 3:48)  1. Le vieux tsigane
( 4:02)  2. Swing chez Toto
( 3:41)  3. Stand by
( 3:25)  4. Manège
( 3:25)  5. Entre amis
( 2:40)  6. La Manouche
( 5:08)  7. Troublant boléro
( 3:38)  8. Hungaria
( 3:18)  9. Stompin’ At Decca
( 4:20) 10. R-Vingt-Six
( 3:02) 11. Django’s Tiger
( 3:34) 12. My Serenade
( 4:36) 13. Micro
(11:13) 14. Vamp

Debarre was born in Saint-Denis, Paris, and began playing at age eight. In 1984, he formed his first group, the Angelo Debarre Quintet. In 1985, the group was hired by Serge Camps to play at his Parisian café, La Roue Fleurie, where Debarre was discovered by producer and guitarist Jon Larsen. Debarre has performed in several Romani and jazz festivals, including Birdland's annual Django Reinhardt Festival. He recorded Mémoires: Memories of Django with Tchavolo Schmitt. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelo_Debarre

Personnel: Guitar – Angelo Debarre; Contrabass – Antonio Licusati; Rhythm Guitar – Tchavolo Hassan; Violin – Marius Apostol

Angelo Debarre: Live in Paris

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Randy Brecker & Michael Brecker - Some Skunk Funk

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:52
Size: 158,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:26)  1. Some Skunk Funk
( 6:46)  2. Sponge
( 6:26)  3. Shanghigh
( 4:56)  4. Wayne Out
( 6:07)  5. And Then She Wept
( 8:19)  6. Strap-Hangin
( 8:02)  7. Let it Go
( 6:17)  8. Freefall
( 4:58)  9. Levitate
(10:32) 10. Song for Barry

The 2003 performance documented on Some Skunk Funk may be credited to trumpeter Randy Brecker, but his brother, saxophonist Michael, joins in for a Brecker Brothers reunion with the added oomph of Germany's WDR Big Band. And if ever a band's repertoire was custom-made to be retrofitted with a larger horn section, it's that of the Brecker Brothers. Some of the material comes from Randy Brecker's solo career: "Shanghigh" and "Let It Go" from 34th N Lex (ESC, 2003), "Wayne Out" from Hanging in the City (ESC, 2001), and a new tune, "Let It Go." But what's remarkable is how comfortably these tunes fit in with Brecker Brothers material on Brecker Bros. (Arista, 1975) through Out of the Loop (GRP, 1994). The Brecker Brothers emerged as a distinct alternative to the muscular athletics of other fusion bands during the 1970s. As virtuosic as any such group, they played a swaggering downtown New York funk that differentiated them from the higher-octane Mahavishnu Orchestra, the progressive rock leanings of Return to Forever, and the increasingly world music-driven Weather Report. Even the band closest to the Breckers' brand of groove-driven music Herbie Hancock's Headhunters occupied a different space. 

Maybe it's because the brothers didn't feel it necessary to desert the more jazz-centric harmonies they'd learned playing with artists like Horace Silver. As electric and funky as the Brecker Brothers have always been, their jazz aesthetic has also distinguished them from peer fusion bands, making their best material truly timeless. Three of the ten tunes on this album the fiery title track, the greasier "Sponge" and the balladic "Levitate" are taken from their 1975 debut, and they sound as relevant today as they did then. Credit, of course, goes to Vince Mendoza who arranged and conducted the tracks for this expanded Brecker Brothers Big Band. The Breckers' writing has always been characterized by rich orchestration sometimes feeling much bigger than their small ensemble size would suggest. Mendoza's unique voice takes Michael's viscerally funky "Strap-hangin,'" for example, and layers more colors where appropriate, still twisting the arrangement into a new shape that feels like a logical extension, rather than an extensive rewrite. But with a crack core group featuring keyboardist Jim Beard, bassist Will Lee and drummer Peter Erskine, Mendoza also lets the ensemble collapse into smaller, more interactive units where appropriate during the solo sections. Solos from both brothers build on their own. Mendoza reintroduces the horn section at just the right time, pushing them to even greater extremes. And when the two brothers trade off during the song's outro, they remind us of just how powerful shared genetics can be. The rare blood disorder that has kept Michael Brecker on the sidelines for nearly two years makes Some Skunk Funk a bittersweet experience. It's a timely reminder of how important he is, and how critical it is that a stem cell donor be found. To learn more, visit Michael Brecker on the web. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/some-skunk-funk-randy-brecker-telarc-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Randy Brecker: trumpet; Michael Brecker: tenor saxophone; Jim Beard: piano, synthesizer; Will Lee: electric bass; Peter Erskine: drums; Marcio Doctor: percussion; the WDR Big Band: Heiner Wiberny, Harald Rosenstein: alto saxophones; Oliver Peters, Rolf Romer: tenor saxophones; Jens Neufang: baritone saxophone; Andy Hadere, Rob Bruynen, Klaus Osterloh, Rick Kiefer, John Marshall: trumpets; Dave Horler, Ludwig Nuss, Bernt Laukamp: trombones; Mattis Cederberg: bass trombone; Paul Shigihara: electric guitar.

Some Skunk Funk

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Lalah Hathaway - Lalah Hathaway Live!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:45
Size: 181,5 MB
Art: Front

( 3:45)  1. Little Ghetto Boy
( 3:21)  2. Baby Don't Cry
( 8:01)  3. I'm Coming Back
( 4:29)  4. You Were Meant For Me
( 5:42)  5. Angel
( 3:01)  6. These Are The Things
( 6:19)  7. Little Girl / Breathe
( 5:12)  8. This Is Your Life
( 7:03)  9. When Your Life Was Low
(11:14) 10. Forever, For Always, For Love
( 7:20) 11. Lean On Me
( 3:53) 12. Mirror
( 5:45) 13. Brand New (Bonus Track)
( 3:35) 14. Whatever (Bonus Track)

Following the release of Where It All Begins, her sixth album, as well as subsequent appearances on recordings by a few other artists, Lalah Hathaway received some long overdue recognition. A live recording with Snarky Puppy  a stupefying update of Brenda Russell's "It's Something," a song she previously covered on her 1990 debut won the 2014 Grammy for Best R&B Performance. The following year, due to her lead on Robert Glasper Experiment's interpretation of Stevie Wonder's "Jesus Children of America," she accepted a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. The second award could not have been too dusty on April 21, 2015, the night Hathaway and her band played West Hollywood's Troubadour, where her father Donny recorded his 1972-released set of the same title. (Clever touch: copies of the albums can be placed beside one another to make it appear as if two generations of soul royalty are singing to one another.) Like her father's album, Lalah's includes a performance of "Little Ghetto Boy," and the faithful version here opens a set that easily bounces from point to point in her discography. Among the standouts are the consecutive "Baby Don't Cry" and "I'm Coming Back," both originally recorded for Lalah Hathaway, and an 11-minute version of Luther Vandross' "Forever, for Always, for Love" that best displays the increased depth and richness of Hathaway's voice. The singer also does well by Anita Baker with a fine version of the Top Five R&B classic "Angel," a song she has performed both for and with Baker. Topped off with a pair of new, high-quality studio cuts that help fill the compact disc edition to capacity, this is essential for Hathaway fans. ~ Andy Kellman https://www.allmusic.com/album/lalah-hathaway-live-mw0002880847

Lalah Hathaway Live!

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Jim Hall & Joey Baron - Conversations

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:59
Size: 114,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:05)  1. Bag's Groove
(1:20)  2. Reinhardt
(1:01)  3. Pollock
(4:55)  4. Conversations
(5:14)  5. Ballad Painting
(6:10)  6. What If?
(1:19)  7. In Repose
(0:47)  8. Uncle Ed
(4:55)  9. Safari
(0:59) 10. Monet
(9:09) 11. Travelogue
(1:52) 12. At Sea
(2:44) 13. St.Thomas
(1:51) 14. Pocketful of Change
(5:32) 15. Time (Bonus Track)

The art of the duo is nothing new to guitar legend Jim Hall. His one-on-one encounters with bassist Ron Carter have been wowing jazz fans for decades. More recent mano a mano musical encounters with equally sublime artists, like pianist Geoffrey Keezer, and guitarist Bill Frisell, have produced works that challenge but, ultimately, remain largely listenable. Conversations Hall's studio encounter with drummer Joey Baron ultimately, falls into the same general category. The fifteen tracks here are an odd, yet endearing, mishmash of musical material. The album opens with a sensational, and woefully short, take on "Bag's Groove." A deep, irrepressible rhythmic core is present and suggest what Jim Hall might sound like in a jam band setting. While both men could have churned out a whole album of material in this vein, the discussions get deeper and the groove is cast aside for a while. "Reinhardt" doesn't have any genuine gypsy leanings and the music is free, but rhythmically centered. Splashes of sound as opposed to paint are everywhere during "Pollock" and both men remain confident with their clatter. Hall alternates between brittle, auto-harp allusions and Frisell-ian lines at the outset of the title track.

Baron's melodic cymbal sounds and toms end up coalescing into a groove-making entity that evolves through the remainder of the song. "Ballad Painting" is all about Hall's explorations over a wide open vista, but the real ballad painting comes later in the album, with Baron's "Pocketful Of Change." "What If" begins as a series of freely executed solo segments. Baron's inner Elvin Jones comes out during his first statement, but he tempers his tone after Hall has his way. Eventually, both men meet and a noisy ruckus ensues. Hall's alternations between gorgeously strummed chords and single notes is the focus of "In Repose," and Baron provides some dark cymbal hues beneath the guitarist's patient strumming on "Monet." A steady, chugging drum presence and some countrified guitar come to the fore during the forty-seven second life span of "Uncle Ed," and this track signals the return of the groove. The exotica of "Safari" is bolstered by Baron's terrific tom work and his sixteenth note-based hi-hat work on "Travelogue" is central to that song's success. A short trek through "St. Thomas" features more of Baron's slapping, tapping and thwacking on toms, and a different side of this duo comes to light on the bonus track ("Time") that ends the album. "Time" begins in a sparse, tense zone, and it would be easy to imagine this music as an alternate soundtrack to a pre-gunfight scene in a Sergio Leone film. Ultimately, time takes over and a more ordered sense of rhythm and melody comes into play. Both Baron and Hall are restless explorers and musically sensitive painters. Conversations easily attests to these facts. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/conversations-jim-hall-artistshare-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Jim Hall: guitar; Joey Baron: drums.

Conversations

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Fourplay - Heartfelt

Styles: Jazz, Crossover Jazz  
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:09
Size: 153,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:45)  1. Galaxia
(6:44)  2. That's the Time
(5:43)  3. Break it Out
(4:11)  4. Rollin'
(3:56)  5. Let's Make Love
(6:59)  6. Heartfelt
(5:55)  7. Tally Ho!
(5:18)  8. Café L'Amour
(5:28)  9. Ju-Ju
(5:58) 10. Goin' Back Home
(5:29) 11. Karma
(4:36) 12. Making Up

Breaking from their routine, Fourplay created most of the material on Heartfelt in the studio, through a process of free jamming followed by assembly of the best parts through Pro Tools editing. The differences in the results are subtle and, on balance, not necessarily positive. 

Though all four players are true virtuosos, the band's mellow feel encourages each to avoid excess, or its positive alter ego, adventurism, in their solos, while the improvisational core of the project tends to weaken the compositional foundations. The strongest cuts are those written by one member or two in combination; on these, from the Pat Metheny-inflected title track to Nathan East's velvety vocal showcase "Let's Make Love," the quartet's taste and fundamentally conservative aesthetic shine most brightly. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk https://www.allmusic.com/album/heartfelt-mw0000224952

Personnel:  Bob James – keyboards; Larry Carlton – guitar; Nathan East – bass guitar; Harvey Mason – drums

Heartfelt

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Victor Goines - A Dance at the Mardi Gras Ball

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:12
Size: 180,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:35)  1. Stoit
( 7:25)  2. A Dance at the Mardi Gras Ball
(10:12)  3. Soledad
( 8:20)  4. Her Eyes Smile
( 5:23)  5. Mississippi Mud Shuffle
( 6:58)  6. The Princess and the Troll
( 5:42)  7. The Swaggerer (Calypso Version)
( 7:18)  8. Departure
( 6:54)  9. Blues for the Cedarhurst
( 6:48) 10. You and Me
( 6:32) 11. The Swaggerer (Swinging Version)

A collections of 10 original Goines compositions featuring him on tenor and soprano saxophones. Performing with him is the Chicago based rhythm section of Ron Perrillo, Dennis Carroll and Greg Artry. This is a Swinging, Sultry and Spontaneous experiences! A Dance At The Mardi Gras Ball features the talents of Goines with his Chicago colleagues Ron Perrillo on piano, Dennis Carroll on bass and Gregory Artry, Jr on drums. The repertoire for this recording is a collection of Goines originals demonstrating his diversity as a composer and providing a broad platform of expression. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/victorgoines2

Personnel:  Victor Goines – Soprano and Tenor Saxophone; Ron Perrillo – Piano; Dennis Carroll – Bass; Gregory Artry Jr – Drums

A Dance at the Mardi Gras Ball

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Bill Barron - Modern Windows Suite

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:10
Size: 169,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Men At Work
(7:40)  2. Tone Colors
(4:09)  3. Dedication To Wanda
(6:25)  4. Keystone
(9:37)  5. Blast Off
(7:33)  6. Ode To An Earth Girl
(7:07)  7. Fox Hunt
(6:24)  8. Oriental Impressions
(5:47)  9. Back Lash
(6:18) 10. Nebulae
(5:22) 11. Desolation (Previously Unissued Take)

When Bill Barron recorded "Modern Windows Suite," his first Savoy recording, he and Ted Curson both were fresh from the uncharted waters of working with Cecil Taylor. It shows. "Modern Windows Suite," the album of 1961 consisting of Barron's extended and interconnected works, joins the other 1961 Barron album, "The Tenor Stylings Of Bill Barron," to fill out the CD. Both conjoined albums exhibit a creative composer and saxophonist interested in challenging conventional approaches to the music by insisting upon dissonance in his themes, by tampering with tempos, by allowing soloists to improvise free in an extended fashion, by creating impressionistic musical descriptions of scenes or moods, and by interweaving various thoughts throughout the albums into a whole, dense fabric. In many respects, Barron's work reflects some of Mingus' approaches, but with a stripped-down, ironically conventional, instrumentation. While Curson went on to fame with Mingus, and especially his extraordinary work with Eric Dolphy on "Jazz Festival/Antibes July 13, 1960" for which he'll forever be remembered, Bill Barron continued in his modest way to explore the intricacies of the music with occasion recordings and teaching gigs, most notably and finally at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. The contrast between the two albums comprising this re-release is notable. "Modern Windows Suite," the vinyl album, is a challenging tone poem of four movements building upon shifting styles and unconventional intervals, most particularly major sevenths. 

According to Kenny Barron, his brother chose the major sevenths so that the soloists "can't use their standard licks." The inclusion of Cameron on baritone sax creates a dense fabric of sometimes unison statements and sometimes free concomitant improvisation. Seventeen-year-old Kenny Barron for the most part vamps behind the soloists, surely a prodigy able to accompany the free-jazz masters but not giving a hint of his mastery to come. On the other hand, "The Tenor Stylings Of Bill Barron" somehow was engineered for sharper and more assertive sound reproduction, clarifying the roles of the instruments within each piece. Furthermore, the compositions on the album are based upon single themes for the most part, instead of thed inter-connectivity that prevails on the "Modern Windows Suite" album. "Oriental Impressions," as expected, is based upon Far East intervals and modes; "Fox Hunt" unblushingly starts with Curson's announcement of the hunt; "Blast Off," referring to the interest in space travel at the time, allows, at last, Barron and Curson to improvise over blues changes. A part of the creative Philadelphia jazz scene of his generation, along with many other better-known artists, Bill Barron for too long has been overlooked as an innovator and contributor to the music. The Savoy re-issues may allow a new generation to recognize Bill Barron as one of the quieter but nevertheless valued sounds from that pivotal time. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/modern-windows-suite-bill-barron-savoy-jazz-review-by-aaj-staff__14847.php

Personnel: Bill Barron, tenor saxophone; Ted Curson, trumpet; Jay Cameron, baritone saxophone; Kenny Barron, piano; Eddie Khan, Jimmy Garrison, bass; Pete (Sims) LaRoca, Frankie Dunlop, drums

Modern Windows Suite

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Sylvia Herold - A Bowl of Crystal Tears

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:54
Size: 101,3 MB
Art: Frontb

(4:24)  1. Katie Cruel
(5:37)  2. The Plains of Waterloo
(3:58)  3. The Merchant's Daughter
(6:53)  4. The Banks of Claudy
(4:58)  5. The Widow's Promise
(5:52)  6. As I Roved Out
(4:56)  7. Courtin' Is a Pleasure
(3:03)  8. Mount and Go
(4:08)  9. When I Was In My Prime

Sylvia Herold is a singer’s singer. At home in folk, swing and Celtic genres, her passion is discovering and sharing the tale a song can tell. Her gift is in presenting songs with a clarity that is both honest and uplifting and yet remains refreshingly unvarnished. Her work in researching, performing and recording compelling songs for more than 25 years has earned her accolades from fans and critics alike. In each of the recordings, Herold’s style is distinct and identifiable: unaffected vocals married with spare instrumentation that provides unobtrusive support to appealing melodies and the stories they carry. “Songs are intriguing packages to be learned and sung. I find endless pleasure in examining them from different angles searching for hidden treasures.” Traditional Irish/British music was Sylvia's first love, and "A Bowl of Crystal Tears" (her first solo album) reflects that affection. In the hotbed of San Francisco's music scene, she met and found work playing with many talented Irish musicians. Her most consistent companion on the Irish music scene has been mandolinist and singer Marla Fibish; the well-partnered duo performed at the landmark Plough and Stars pub for 13 years. "A Bowl of Crystal Tears" is, in turns, poignant, hopeful and hilarious, and its songs lay bare the emotions of the stories' protagonists. All songs are traditional Irish, English, Scottish and American, save "The Widow's Promise," an artful and amusing tale about female sexuality written by Mick Ryan. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/sylviaherold1

A Bowl of Crystal Tears

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Dave Scott - In Search of Hipness

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:06
Size: 163,5 MB
Art: Front

( 2:53)  1. Ludwig
(12:20)  2. Igor
(15:19)  3. Time Dilation
(12:56)  4. Cognitive Dissonance
(12:21)  5. In Search of Hipness
( 6:52)  6. Coalescence
( 8:22)  7. Black Hole

Trumpeter Dave Scott’s 5th SteepleChase release here finds him leading his other New York ensemble “The Dave Scott Violin Band” which features some of America’s finest instrumentalists including Sarah Bernstein on violin. Dave Scott’s compositions allow each musician to fully engage in individual expression and the band as a whole to create distinctive tapestry of interactive improvisation. The group performs regularly in the New York City area. https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/79768/dave-scott/in-search-of-hipness

Personnel: Trumpet, Composed By – Dave Scott;  Bass – Dave Ambrosio; Drums – Mark Ferber; Guitar – Nate Radley; Piano – Jacob Sacks; Violin – Sarah Bernstein

In Search of Hipness

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Jerry Bergonzi - Tenor of the Times

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:42
Size: 114,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:25)  1. Acookarache
(7:32)  2. You're My Everything
(8:39)  3. Bob Berg
(6:07)  4. Cadiz
(7:50)  5. Stumbelina
(7:01)  6. Skull Shining
(6:05)  7. The Tomb

This effort from tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi offers little in the way of new ideas or creativity. He seems mired in the world of John Coltrane, in many instances replicating the master's phrasing and sound. The instrumentation of the album is also the same as Coltrane's classic quartet (tenor, piano, bass, and drums). To compare the two groups would be silly, however, given that the latter unit cut its albums over four decades ago."You're My Everything," the only tune not composed by the leader, shows off Bergonzi's full-bodied tone, and his solo is full of rapidly executed arpeggios. The quirky-metered "Acookarache" displays Bergonzi incorporating elements of Sonny Rollins (in terms of rhythmic playfulness) and Joe Henderson (phrasing). Unfortunately, the aforementioned moments are the only real highlights to this disc. Bergonzi's rhythm section is largely uninspired, and several tunes plod along in lackluster fashion, eschewing any sense of swing. Pianist Renato Chicco delivers largely cliche-filled solos that meander and lack any sort of excitement. There are, however, a number of competent solos from the bass of Dave Santoro, most of which are crisp pizzicato affairs. Andrea Michelutti's drumming is unassertive; it lacks the fire that could inspire the group as a whole to better results. What I find particularly annoying is not the fact that Bergonzi is influenced by Coltrane (scores of saxophonists and jazz musicians are), but that he imitates him so closely, to the point of slavishness. If jazz is about developing one's own unique voice, Bergonzi has a long way to go, at least based on this recording. ~ Paul Ryan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tenor-of-the-times-jerry-bergonzi-savant-records-review-by-paul-ryan.php

Personnel: Jerry Bergonzi: tenor saxophone; Renato Chicco: piano; Dave Santoro: bass; Andrea Michelutti: drums.

Tenor of the Times

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Beverly Kelly - Essential Jazz Masters

Styles:  Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:03
Size: 95,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. I Get a Kick Out of You
(2:30)  2. You and the Night and the Music
(4:55)  3. Embraceable You
(2:47)  4. Lover, Come Back to Me
(3:01)  5. The Man I Love
(2:14)  6. I Wish I Knew
(4:31)  7. I'm Glad There Is You
(2:50)  8. This Love of Mine
(3:22)  9. Sometimes I'm Happy
(3:35) 10. But Not for Me
(3:53) 11. Spring Is Here
(4:00) 12. You Don't Know What Love Is

Bev Kelly made a strong impression in the 1950s as a jazz singer, and has made a few musical comebacks since then while pursuing other careers. Kelly started studying classical piano when she was five, continuing through high school. She also studied classical voice at 14 and four years later was awarded a vocal scholarship to Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music. During 1954-1957, she was part of a group billed as "The Pat Moran Trio featuring Bev Kelly." All four musicians (which included pianist Moran) sang in four-part harmony. They recorded two albums for Bethlehem and were part of an ambitious multi-artist recording of the music from Porgy and Bess. In late 1957, Kelly recorded her first album as a leader. She went out on her own, recording two albums for Riverside (Love Locked Out and Bev Kelly in Person) and working in San Francisco with pianist Flip Nunez and altoist Pony Poindexter. In 1961 when she was 27, Kelly decided to stop performing so as to raise her son. She settled in the Los Angeles area where she wrote music and poetry, worked as a professional photographer, did some session work, and was a vocal coach. In 1966, she returned to singing in clubs on a part-time basis, performing with local greats including trombonist Frank Rosolino and pianist Hampton Hawes. In 1972 she made three albums for Reader's Digest in London and a few years later she worked with Al Williams' quintet in Long Beach. During 1978-1980 she was an investor in the Jazz Safari, a club in Long Beach where she occasionally performed. Bev Kelly earned a Doctorate in Psychology in 1984, becoming a psychotherapist. She has mostly stayed retired from music since then, although in 2002 she recorded Portrait of Nine Dreams, a set of autobiographical poems. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bev-kelly-mn0000062718

Essential Jazz Masters

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Fourplay - Yes, Please!

Styles: Jazz, Crossover Jazz 
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:15
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. Free Range
(5:49)  2. Double Trouble
(4:33)  3. Once Upon a Love
(6:27)  4. Robo Bop
(6:59)  5. Blues Force
(5:33)  6. Save Some Love for Me
(8:11)  7. Fortress
(4:05)  8. Go with Your Heart
(5:15)  9. Poco a Poco
(4:20) 10. A Little Fourplay [feat. Sherree]
(5:33) 11. Lucky

There's no doubt that Fourplay is, collectively, one of the most talent-laden ensembles in contemporary jazz today. But their output to date, while always accessible to the masses, has alternated between interesting, worthwhile comtempo fare (their eponymous debut CD and their third release, Elixir ) and more watered-down, commercially-oriented "smooth jazz" ( Between the Sheets and 4 ). On their latest CD Yes, Please! , we get some of each. The disc gets off to a promising start with "Free Range," "Double Trouble," and "Robo Bop" the breezy melodies are supported with some interesting harmonies and creative background fills (Bob James trademarks) and some good group interplay. Larry Carlton's pensive, singing guitar caresses the lines of the ballad "Once Upon a Love." Carlton displays his bluesier side on "Blues Force," though James' solo seems stilted and awkward. The disc's radio offerings, however, reach new lows in sterile banality. Female background vocalists seductively coo "Save Some Love for Me (Tonight)" repeatedly over a plodding drum loop. The saccharine seduction resumes on "A Little Foreplay." Throughout this disc, mellow is the word. The tempos range from slow to medium, and the dynamics rarely reach above mezzoforte. While the musicianship is impeccable and there are interesting touches here and there, it's a very relaxed, placid outing. (Warner Bros. 47694) ~ Dave Hughes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/yes-please-fourplay-warner-bros-review-by-dave-hughes.php

Personnel: Bob James, keyboards; Larry Carlton, guitar; Nathan East, bass; Harvey Mason, drums; Sherree, vocal on "A Little Foreplay"

Yes, Please!

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Florin Niculescu - Django Tunes

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:16
Size: 109,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. Coquette
(2:44)  2. Brick Top
(3:11)  3. Lentement Mademoiselle
(3:56)  4. Sweet Chorus
(3:09)  5. Souvenirs
(3:21)  6. Dream of You
(4:24)  7. Impromptu
(4:39)  8. Vamp
(4:16)  9. Tears
(3:19) 10. Double Scotch
(2:12) 11. Nuit Saint-Germain-Des-Prés
(4:19) 12. Porto Cabello
(3:57) 13. Vipers Dream

Violinist Florin Nicolescu recorded this set of Django Reinhardt compositions in his native Romania and in Paris, accompanied by a shifting complement of sidemen that included various combinations of two guitarists, two pianists, a bassist, and a drummer. The arrangements are unusual; typically, a musician this enamored of Reinhardt will tend to duplicate the Quintet du Hot Club de France's traditional lineup: one lead guitar, two rhythm guitars, violin, and bass. But Nicolescu has opted for a more standard jazz rhythm section even as he plays in a style heavily influenced by (though not strictly imitative of) Reinhardt's famous partner Stéphane Grappelli. The result is quite effective, though it would have been even more so if the production style made the rhythm instruments a bit more audible and the echo on the violin less pronounced. But some listeners will find the arrangements themselves to be problematic; a large part of what made Reinhardt's music so thrillingly engaging was the relentless, driving beat generated by the twin rhythm guitars, and the more restrained comping of the piano coupled with a less insistent drum set often means a less viscerally powerful sound. But Nicolescu does a fine job of keeping the energy levels high, and his combination of taste and technique is especially impressive on "Sweet Chorus," the swaggering "Double Scotch," and the beautiful composition "Brick Top." "Tears" features a particularly elegant and lovely guitar solo, though unfortunately, the liner notes do not identify the soloists. This may not be the best introduction to the Reinhardt/Grappelli oeuvre, but Nicolescu's slightly different take on this venerable tradition is well worth hearing. ~ Rick Anderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/django-tunes-mw0002014679

Personnel: Violin – Florin Niculescu; Bass – Darryl Hall; Drums – Bruno Ziarelli; Guitar – David Reinhardt, Samson Schmitt; Piano – Florent Gac, Thüryn Mitchell

Django Tunes

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Ralph Peterson Jr - Back to Stay

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:57
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Back to Stay
(3:57)  2. From Within
(9:50)  3. Apple's Eye
(4:21)  4. Did You Notice
(4:59)  5. Miles' Mode
(5:55)  6. Surrender
(9:04)  7. Soul Eyes
(6:00)  8. Is That So?
(3:50)  9. Inner Evolution
(5:17) 10. Hidden Treasures

Drummer Ralph Peterson Jr.'s ninth recording as a leader, his first for Sirocco Jazz, and his fifth featuring his Fo'tet, is a energy filled session with former OTB bandmate Ralph Bowen replacing Steve Wilson on soprano sax, plus group regulars vibraphonist Bryan Carrott and bassist Beldon Bullock performing seven originals by the group members and three jazz classics. Peterson's aggressive drumming, consisting of his driving cymbal beat, well-placed snare and tom accents, and powerful cymbal crashes, is always a joy to hear and he sounds better than ever. Back to Stay is also Peterson's Fo'tet debut on trumpet, once his primary instrument, playing a surprisingly good solo on a beautiful version of Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes." Tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker guests on "Soul Eyes" and contributes a passionate solo on the burning title track, based on a 7/4 bass vamp. Other favorites include Bullock's "From Within," a medium tempo number that alternates between 7/4 and 4/4 swing; John Coltrane's "Miles Mode, complete with drum breaks; the Afro-Caribbean flavored "Surrender"; and Carrott's complex "Hidden Treasures, where Peterson also plays on djembe and cowbell. Back to Stay is a welcome return to recording for Peterson and one of 1999's best releases. ~ Greg Turner https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-to-stay-mw0000604524

Personnel: Drums, Percussion - Ralph Peterson Jr; Soprano Saxophone – Ralph Bowen; Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker; Vibraphone, Marimba – Bryan Carrott; Bass – Beldon Bullock;

Back to Stay

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Randy Brecker - Trumpet Summit Prague: The Mendoza Arrangements Live

Styles: Trumpet Jazz 
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:06
Size: 109,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:02)  1. Village Dawn
(6:31)  2. Rhumba Alias
(8:19)  3. Lost in the Stars
(6:47)  4. Caravan
(7:18)  5. Creature of Many Faces
(7:15)  6. Three and One
(3:52)  7. Caravan - Encore

“High-brass firepower is the theme of Trumpet Summit Prague, and there’s plenty of the good stuff to go around, thanks to the on-point playing and improvising of a trio of trumpeters. Here, American players Randy Brecker and Bobby Shew, and Jan Hasenöhrl, founder of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, join forces with the CSNO and St. Blaise’s Big Band in a 2012 concert at the celebrated Smetana Hall. But this project is less about a long-form cutting contest than it is about high-level sparring and appealing playfulness.  Take Thad Jones’ “Three and One”, where the trumpeters open with round robin volleys followed by unison lines and tangy three-part harmonies.  A short time later, Vince Mendoza’s arrangement has Hasenöhrl going baroque for a bracingly agile exchange with drummer Martijn Vink, followed by the big band’s return in full swing, underscored by the orchestra.  Brecker steps in for a similarly agile solo before the three recombine to restate the melody. Shew, a virtuoso player too often taken for granted, is center stage on a lush version of Kurt Weill’s “Lost in the Stars”; his flugelhorn, whether stating the melancholy melody or sailing in flights of improvisation, is a thing of beauty, expertly cushioned by the large ensemble.  Brecker is featured on two of his originals:  the album-opening “Village Dawn”, with its hopscotching melody and a bracing solo spiced with smears, high-speed runs and high-register forays; and the bluesy, hard-grooving “Creature of Many Faces”, which offers solo space for several other players.  The program, recorded for Czech television, also offers Mendoza’s own “Rhumba Alias” and a wild and wooly version of Ellington’s “Caravan”, with even more space for three part trumpet harmonies and round-robin soloing.  Three’s a crowd?  Not this time.” 

~ Philip Booth, JazzTimes

Personnel: Randy Brecker: trumpet; Bobby Shew: trumpet; Jan Hasenöhrl: trumpet; Czech National Symphony Orchestra; St. Blaise’s Big Band; Vince Mendoza: conductor

Trumpet Summit Prague: The Mendoza Arrangements Live

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Jim Hall - Jim Hall's Three

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:56
Size: 94,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Hide and Seek
(7:14)  2. Skylark
(4:37)  3. Bottlenose Blues
(5:06)  4. And I Do
(5:02)  5. All the Things You Are
(6:00)  6. Poor Butterfly
(8:46)  7. Three

The Jim Hall Trio, on this occasion, finds the guitarist joined by two veterans, bassist Steve LaSpina (a veteran of many of Hall's sessions) and drummer Akira Tana. Hall, as usual, solos in his unique economical style and leaves plenty of breathing room for the music. "Skylark" is initiated with a very sparse yet lyrical Hall solo before LaSpina and Tana eventually join him; he takes a similar approach to "Poor Butterfly," but he remains unaccompanied throughout this masterful performance. A time tested standard like "All the Things You Are" is given a facelift with the leader's roller coaster arrangement, which is full of sudden turns. But it is the leader's originals that demand the most attention; the lively "Bottlenose Blues" marks Hall's recording debut on a 12-string guitar, while the playful "Hide and Seek" darts in and out much like its title implies. "And I Do," which is based somewhat on the changes to "I Should Care," is yet another intricate chart, while "Three" is a captivating waltz. This is another gem from one of the deans of modern jazz guitar. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/jim-halls-three-mw0000191927

Personnel: Guitar – Jim Hall; Bass – Steve LaSpina; Drums – Akira Tana

Jim Hall's Three

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Heather Bambrick - Fine State

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:01
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. You've Got to Be Carefully Taught
(2:51)  2. Take the B Train
(4:10)  3. It's Beautiful
(4:15)  4. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:24)  5. Wave over Wave
(4:29)  6. Off My List
(3:57)  7. Homeland
(4:57)  8. Bridges
(4:15)  9. I Don't Care Anymore
(3:10) 10. The Right to Love
(2:42) 11. Walk Between the Raindrops
(5:20) 12. Pat Murphy's Meadow
(5:30) 13. Fine State of Afairs

Heather Bambrick follows up her last JUNO-nominated recording with a brand new release. Fine State is a personal look at the music and sounds that have shaped Heather’s own brand of music, as well as a commentary on the world around her. Produced by renown musician / arranger / producer Ben Wittman (Sting, Paula Cole, New York Voices, Laila Biali) and composer / producer / multi-instrumentalist Jono Grant (Shuffle Demons, Kim Stockwood, Tea Party, Richard Underhill), Fine State features Canadian-heavy compositions as well as Canadian musical heavy-hitters Chase Sanborn (flugelhorn), Kelly Jefferson (saxophones), Adrean Farrugia (piano), Michael Shand (piano), Eric St. Laurent (guitar), Ross MacIntyre (bass), Ben Wittman (drums and percussion), and guest Carlos del Junco (harmonica). Once again, the technical team working with Heather is second to none, including award-winning engineers John “Beetle” Bailey and Jono Grant. Where Heather’s last release was personal to her in a familial manner, Fine State is thematically personal in areas of emotion and consciousness. In her song selections and songwriting, Heather tackles subjects such as racism, homophobia, and the feelings of divisiveness happening in the world. “As an artist, it’s sometimes easier to express myself through what I make. There have been some incredible creations that I’ve been able to interpret in order to make certain statements. As I was putting these songs together, I realized there was a theme of stating certain negative elements, but then presenting positive sides to them. I think a sense of action and hopefulness is important to present to the world, right now.” Also evident is Heather’s strong ties to Newfoundland, with sophisticated interpretations of traditional folk songs, as well as a sort of “love song” she’s written to her Newfoundland home, co-written by fellow Newfoundlander, award-winning LA-based composer Keith Power. Canada shows strongly on Fine State with material from some of the country’s finest composers and lyricists, including Burton Cummings, Gene Lees, the Breithaupt Brothers, and others, including Heather, herself. Stylistically, Fine State takes on more of a pop/rock-influenced sound, moving away from the somewhat “traditional” tones of her previous recordings. “This album is more of a departure from the traditional sort of records I’ve made in the past. It brings together more of the things that inspire me overall, not just in jazz and not just in music. The arrangements show influences from rock, pop, and folk music, and the tunes we’ve chosen have a strong connection to the events of the world around me, and the roots of who I am as a musician and a person.” https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/heatherbambrick2

Fine State

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