Matt Dennis - Dennis, Anyone?

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:29
Size: 96,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. Where Do We Go From Here?
(2:56)  2. The Land Of Danger
(3:18)  3. Old Uncle Fud
(2:55)  4. Relax
(3:32)  5. I'm The Boy Who Takes Her Home
(3:27)  6. Devil Talk
(3:22)  7. That's How Close I Want To Be To You
(3:32)  8. Too Late For Love
(3:08)  9. Enchanted Memory
(3:15) 10. A Thousand Years Ago
(3:02) 11. Bless You, Little Sleepyhead
(5:15) 12. Show Me The Way To Get Out Of This World (Cause That's Where Everything Is)

Matt Dennis' first live LP, recorded in Hollywood in 1955 and also including a dozen Dennis compositions, doesn't have quite the songwriting firepower of Sings and Plays Matt Dennis. Instead of "Violets for Your Furs" and "Angel Eyes," listeners get "Old Uncle Fud" and "Bless You, Little Sleepyhead." Still, Dennis is just as suave and sentimental (though not as humorous), singing clever ballads like "I'm the Boy Who Takes Her Home" and the unexpectedly optimistic "Where Do We Go From Here?." A few do fall flat, including one ("That's How Close I Want to Be to You") whose references to then-current events and obscure personalities barely made it out of the '50s. Also, it's difficult to escape the fact that many of Dennis' performances are nearly identical. Undoubtedly an entertaining performance for a night out during the mid-'50s, Dennis, Anyone? exists for digital-age listeners as an interesting curio of lounge-act finesse. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/dennis-anyone-mw0000215634

Personnel:  Piano, Vocals – Matt Dennis; Bass – Ray Leatherwood; Drums – Alvin Stoller; Guitar – Bill Pitman

Dennis, Anyone?

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Billy Eckstine - Broadway Bongos and Mr. B

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:26
Size: 75,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:22)  1. From This Moment On
(2:06)  2. I Could Write a Book
(2:49)  3. If Ever I Would Leave You
(2:57)  4. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:06)  5. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'
(2:45)  6. Tonight
(2:24)  7. Stranger in Paradise
(2:17)  8. Get Out of Town
(2:56)  9. Old Devil Moon
(2:45) 10. On the Street Where You Live
(2:44) 11. There's a Small Hotel
(3:09) 12. Something I Dreamed Last Night

Broadway, Bongos and Mr. B is a 1961 studio album by the American singer Billy Eckstine. It was arranged by Hal Mooney, and marked Eckstine's return to Roulette Records. The album features Latin tinged arrangements of popular Broadway show tunes, with a percussion section of xylophones, marimbas and bongos. In their July 1961 review of Broadway, Bongos and Mr. B, Billboard magazine wrote that "This is one of the best albums made by Billy Eckstine in many years", and that he was "singing with confidence again in his own style". The review concluded that it was "A strong new album that could help win back many of Mr. B's fans". This was the third of Eckstine's Mercury Records albums to use the same photograph of him. It had previously graced the covers of Billy's Best! (1958) and Billy Eckstine's Imagination (1958). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway,_Bongos_and_Mr._B

Personnel:  Billy Eckstine - vocals; Hal Mooney - arranger, conductor

Broadway Bongos and Mr. B

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Mike LeDonne - Partners in Time

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:31
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. Lined with a Groove
(6:34)  2. My Funny Valentine
(8:33)  3. Saud
(6:46)  4. Lament
(7:30)  5. Recovery Blues
(4:36)  6. Here's That Rainy Day
(7:39)  7. N.P.S.
(5:46)  8. Bopsolete

Mike LeDonne is on piano this time around not his more-familiar Hammond organ and he's working in a really fantastic trio with Christian McBride on bass and Lewis Nash on drums! Both players have made lots of wonderful records over the years, but there's something really special about this one as if LeDonne's bold approach to the piano seems to unlock even more energy in their rhythms maybe in part because Mike's always partially tuned to the needs of a bassist, which he sometimes handles with his feet on the pedals of the Hammond. Obviously, that's not the case this time around but he does often play in these bold, blocky ways that are perfect for Nash and McBride to augment on titles that include "Saud", "Lined With A Groove", "Recovery Blues", "Here's That Rainy Day", "NPS", and "Bopsolete".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/921006/Mike-LeDonne:Partners-In-Time

Personnel: Piano – Mike LeDonne;  Acoustic Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Lewis Nash

Partners in Time

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Hank Jones - Piano Solo (a.k.a. Have You Met Hank Jones)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:10
Size: 92,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. It Had to Be You
(3:15)  2. Heart and Soul
(2:26)  3. Let's Fall in Love
(2:54)  4. But Not for Me
(3:14)  5. Kankee Shout
(3:41)  6. Body and Soul
(2:32)  7. How About You
(3:19)  8. Gone with the Wind
(3:08)  9. Teddy's Dream
(3:16) 10. Have You Met Miss Jones
(4:12) 11. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:52) 12. Solo Blues

Savoy jazz director, Ozzie Cadena, was the first a&r man to give Hank Jones the amount of record time he deserved. In addition to Joness steadying presence as a sideman on many sessions, Cadena saw to it that he was finally brought before a wider audience than at any previous point in his career. 

This time Cadena chose to present him as a solo performer, an inspired choice, since Jones is a complete jazz pianist in that he can be his own rhythm section if he has to. Underneath the flowing gentleness of his lines is a firm, two-handed beat that sometimes distils stride traces of his early influencesWaller, Tatum, Wilson, and Nat Cole. And because of the intelligence and emotional acumen of his musicianship, he can make even the venerable standards included here sound freshly minted and personal again. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/hank-jones-albums/4923-hank-jones-piano-solo.html

Personnel: Hank Jones - Piano.

Piano Solo  (a.k.a. Have You Met Hank Jones)

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Jane Morgan - The American Girl from Paris

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:16
Size: 91,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. It Might as Well Be Spring
(3:16)  2. I'll Be Seeing You
(3:35)  3. Better Luck Next Time
(2:51)  4. J'attendrai
(2:57)  5. It's Easy to Remember
(4:18)  6. Thanks for the Memory
(3:23)  7. If I Loved You
(3:34)  8. When the World Was Young
(2:55)  9. A Woman Needs to Be Told
(3:03) 10. I Can Dream Can't I
(3:04) 11. Insensiblement
(2:52) 12. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

Vocalist Jane Morgan is known best for her lone Top Ten hit, "Fascination," drawn from the 1957 Billy Wilder film Love in the Afternoon. Born in Boston (as Jane Currier) but raised in Florida, Morgan was an early success as a singer in France. She made the transition back to America as a nightclub act, and signed to Kapp in the mid '50s.  Jane Morgan made her chart debut late in 1956, appearing alongside Roger Williams on "Two Different Worlds." One year later she hit number seven with her theme "Fascination," based on the old French composition "Valse Tzigane." Both "The Day the Rains Came" and "With Open Arms" followed "Fascination" into the Top 40 during the late '50s, but Morgan had disappeared from the charts by the turn of the decade. (Her last hit was also a movie theme, for 1959's Happy Anniversary, directed by David Miller and featuring David Niven.) She continued recording for Kapp until 1962, and resurfaced four years later on Epic for Fresh Flavor, a rock-crossover LP that was only slightly embarrassing (her cover of "Good Lovin'" is a minor moment of kitsch). ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jane-morgan-mn0000181618/biography

The American Girl from Paris

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Sérgio Mendes - Encanto

Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:01
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. The Look Of Love
(4:00)  2. Funky Bahia
(3:58)  3. Waters Of March
(3:50)  4. Odo-Ya
(4:00)  5. Somewhere in the Hills (O Morro Nao Tem Vez)
(4:16)  6. Lugar Comum
(4:43)  7. Dreamer
(4:19)  8. Morning in Rio
(4:18)  9. Y Vamos Ya (...Let's Go)
(3:50) 10. Catavento (Catavento e Girassol)
(4:27) 11. Acode
(4:02) 12. Agua De Beber
(3:53) 13. Waters of March (Les Eaux de Mars) - French Version
(4:19) 14. E Vamos La (...Let's Go)

Though he's always been at the front of the show, Sergio Mendes has often gotten by with the help of his friends. As in 1965, so in 2008. The newest update of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 feel free to call it Brasil '08 has a varied cast, led by co-producer will.i.am, who adapts his style well to urban and Brazilian forms. It also includes will.i.am's Black Eyed Peas bandmate Fergie, doing "The Look of Love" in a version that may never reach the heights of the original, but never becomes as embarrassing as "My Humps." Surprisingly, it's a good performance from Fergie; although she never approaches the sultriness of Dusty Springfield's original, her quick-paced singing on the verses is some kind of career highlight. Elsewhere, Mendes deserves most of the credit, especially since will.i.am only bookends the album (he produces the first two tracks and the last two). Encanto makes room for a parade of excellent musicians, including Carlinhos Brown, Ledisi, Natalie Cole, and Herb Alpert. (Not to be left out is the rhythm section, anchored by bass veterans Alphonso Johnson or Liminha.) The material breezes over quite a few Brazilian classics of the bossa nova era, and gives them just enough freshness to sound new. "Waters of March," with Johnson's nimble bass, makes room for a fine Ledisi vocal (granted, it's difficult to fail on that song). Mendes takes several solos on acoustic piano or Rhodes, best on the Herb Alpert feature "Dreamer." Overall, Encanto is a difficult record to judge; from the cover and the first two tracks, it appears to be urban all the way. The bulk of the album, however, is modern Brazilian jazz-fusion with an array of excellent musicians. Hopefully, its two potential audiences dance or hip-hop fans and Latin jazz listeners aren't steered away from it by thinking it's only concerned with one or the other. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/encanto-mw0000788394

Encanto

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Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band - Body And Shadow

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:44
Size: 73,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. Within Everything
(3:09)  2. Body and Shadow - Noon
(4:32)  3. Traveling Mercies
(1:20)  4. Have Thine Own Way, Lord - Solo
(1:14)  5. Have Thine Own Way, Lord - Band
(1:43)  6. Body and Shadow - Morning
(8:21)  7. Duality
(2:57)  8. Body and Shadow - Night
(5:20)  9. Broken Leg Days

Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2017. Body and Shadow is only their fifth album: they have not recorded prolifically, but each one has been worth the wait. The group occupies a unique space: the sound of Americana (chiefly folk music) is dominant, but played with a jazz sensibility. Despite the considerable technical firepower in the band, it has always kept the focus on the ensemble sound rather than on soloists. For this outing drummer Brian Blade and keyboardist Jon Cowherd have nearly equal compositional input, and the group welcomes a new member in Denver-based guitarist Dave Devine. Blade gets the first word with "Within Everything," an elegiac slow tune with a haunting melody. The first of the "Body and Shadow" entries is next Noon, later followed by Morning and Night. These are gentle explorations of similar material, rather minimal until a theme finally appears in the last one. Cowherd's first contribution is "Traveling Mercies," another folksong-like tune which nonetheless includes a dramatic, contrasting bridge. The feeling of contrast is even stronger in the aptly-titled "Duality," which is made up of two contrasting sections. The longest selection by far, it also has the most pronounced jazz feel. The first half features a long, joyful piano solo by the composer; the second half spotlights alto saxophonist Myron Walden in an electrifying solo turn.  The group's previous album Landmarks (Blue Note, 2014) featured a rare cover, a hymn-like treatment of the traditional song "Shenandoah." This time they up the ante with an actual hymn: "Have Thine Own Way, Lord." Cowherd plays it solo on harmonium first, then the entire band continues the feeling with Blade's arrangement. That it fits in with the original music so well is a testament to the deep traditional roots of the Fellowship Band's music. They have never been a long-winded bunch, but this is an especially succinct collection: the nine tracks run only a little over half an hour. Not a minute is wasted. ~ Mark Sullivan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/body-and-shadow-brian-blade-blue-note-records-review-by-mark-sullivan.php

Personnel: Brian Blade: drums; Jon Cowherd: piano, harmonium, mellotron; Chris Thomas: bass; Melvin Butler: tenor saxophone; Myron Walden: alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Dave Devine: guitar.

Body And Shadow

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Rick Braun - Beat Street

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:32
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Groovis
(5:14)  2. Papa Dee
(5:06)  3. Club Harlem
(5:25)  4. I'll Be There For You
(5:51)  5. Philadelphia
(4:26)  6. Cadillac Slim
(4:49)  7. The Promises
(4:09)  8. Natalie
(4:28)  9. Ian's Blues
(4:57) 10. Walk The Walk
(4:26) 11. Marty's Party

This good-natured release is a very enjoyable compilation of funk-inflected light jazz that fits Rick Braun's trumpet and flugelhorn around some excellent guitar playing (with lots of wah-wahs on show), steady bass and drums, and supportive keyboards (Braun also contributes the keyboard beds, but this aspect of his production tends not to be showy). Braun and his assorted players (who include Boney James, Jeff Golub and Peter White) have crafted some entertaining melodies that are often built on swaying, sneaky rhythms "Cadillac Slim" for one, and the devious "Papa Dee" for another. Braun's liner notes mention War (the band) more than once, and you can certainly pick up that influence this time around. In terms of approach, Braun kept things loose and improvisational for the recording no charts, no formalities, just a few ideas and a collaborative impulse that's paid off in the way the album flows together. Nice warm work that sneaks in under the guards. ~ Steven McDonald https://www.allmusic.com/album/beat-street-mw0000173372

Personnel: Rick Braun - Flugelhorn, Keyboards; G. Chang (track: 3) - Organ [B3];  Matt Harris (track: 7,10), Curtis Brengle (track: 9,11) - Piano; Boney James (track: 1) - Featuring, Tenor Saxophone; Jimmy Roberts (track: 7) - Tenor Saxophone; David Woodford (track: 11) - Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone; Lee Thornburg (track: 11) - Trumpet;  Nick Lane (tracks: 4,11) - Trombone; Carl Verheyen (tracks: 1,4), Jeff Golub (tracks: 5,6,11) - Guitar; Peter White (track: 3) - Acoustic Guitar; Carl Verheyen (track: 3,6,9) - Guitar [Wah Wah]; Stan Sargeant (track: 1) - Bass [On End]; Dave Morotta (tracks: 1,4,9), Cliff Hugo (tracks: 2,5-7,10,11), Jack Daro (track: 3) - Bass; Brad Dutz - Percussion (tracks: 1,7,8), Bongos (track: 3); Dave Palmer (tracks: 1,4-7,9,10), Dave Karasony (tracks: 2,11) - Drums. Fred White (tracks: 4,7) - Vocals.

Beat Street

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Marlene VerPlanck - A Breath of Fresh Air

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:41
Size: 137,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Mr. Lucky
(2:47)  2. Growing Old Gracefully
(2:22)  3. Brasiliero
(2:19)  4. Where Is Love?
(2:44)  5. There Won't Be Trumpets
(2:28)  6. I Concentrate on You
(2:15)  7. Rainbow Hill
(3:15)  8. Baby Elephant Walk
(2:21)  9. Sunday
(3:41) 10. Show Me
(3:02) 11. This Happy Feeling
(3:35) 12. How Can I Be Sure?
(2:16) 13. Down Here on the Ground
(4:33) 14. I Have Dreamed
(2:26) 15. I'm All Smiles
(2:42) 16. The More I See You
(2:40) 17. Go Fly a Kite
(2:58) 18. Wave
(2:43) 19. Mission Impossible
(2:05) 20. A Little Love Should Rub off on Us
(2:11) 21. I Chase a Rainbow Dream

The jazz content of this CD reissue is pretty light as singer Marlene Ver Planck (who as usual displays a beautiful voice with a wide range) is backed by rather commercial arrangements on a repertoire dominated by then-current show and movie tunes that often sound quite dated today. She certainly does her best (as can be heard on wordless versions of "Baby Elephant Walk" and "Mission Impossible") but Ver Planck's later recordings are much more valuable from the jazz standpoint. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-breath-of-fresh-air-mw0000097157

A Breath of Fresh Air

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Courtney Pine - Devotion

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet And Flute Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:29
Size: 102,4 MB
Art: Front

(0:49)  1. Into: Release
(4:18)  2. Sister Soul
(6:18)  3. Devotion
(4:43)  4. Bless the Weather
(0:51)  5. Interlude: The Saxophone Song
(4:31)  6. Osibisa
(5:00)  7. Translusance
(4:36)  8. U.K.
(1:19)  9. Interlude: Karma
(4:58) 10. When the World Turns Blue
(4:36) 11. Everyday is Everyday
(2:26) 12. Outro: With All My Love

The management typically frowns on an initial discourse regarding the issuing record label when writing a review, but in the case of Courtney Pine's debut on Telarc Jazz, I feel it is warranted.  Compared with the majority of Telarc's releases (dead middle mainstream) Mr. Pine's new release can only be approached by those of Monty Alexander's with respect to pushing the genre envelope, and honestly, Mr. Alexander has nothing on Courtney Pine. Born March 18, 1964 in London, England, Courtney Pine was to emerge in the mid-1980s as the next John Coltrane at the same time Wynton Marsalis sounded like the heir to Miles Davis.  He grew up playing funk and reggae before migrating to the edge of jazz standards.  He is a master of several instruments, including the soprano and tenor saxophones and that most difficult mistress, the bass clarinet.  He released several fine recordings on Antilles/Island ( Journey to the Urge Within ) but lost direction in the mid-1990s. Devotion is Courtney Pine's first release since 1998's Another Story.  It is a loud, jazzy, funky, reggae, rocking affair bursting at the seams with cross influences and counter rhythms.  The recording is as highly produced as most contemporary and smooth jazz offerings...but contemporary or smooth jazz this is not.  In fact, if I were to have to describe this disc with one line it would be "Devotion is the reincarnation of Julian and Nate Adderley's Band in the 22nd Century."  After an electric introduction the disc blasts off with Pine's "Soul Sister," a transmogrified "Work Song" as a Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" taken to infinity.  The title cut has a reggae vibe with Pine weaving in and out like the ghost of Eddie Harris calling out the name of Les McCann. Pine extends his jazz-funk jones into his compositions "Osibisa," a big band Latin groove, and "Translusance," which contains some nifty off-beat drumming, a killer hook and a sitar (I hear early Rolling Stones and late Beatles here).  "UK" might be the best piece on the record, a cross between the Stax House and 1980s Saturday Night Live Bands.  The instrumental pieces are better than the vocal pieces and there is plenty of Pine for everyone.  Had Mr. Pine been wandering in the desert before, he has emerged into the oasis of his own making. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/devotion-courtney-pine-telarc-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel:  Courtney Pine--Soprano, Tenor Saxophones, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute, Pro Tools; Cameron Pierre--Guitars; Chris Jerome--Keyboards; Robert Fordjour--Drums; Thomas Dyani--Percussion; David Mcalmont, Carleen Anderson--Vocals; Robert Mitchell--Piano; Dennis Rollins--Trombone; Byron Wallin--Trumpet; Yousuf Ali Khan--Tabla; Sheema Mukherjee--Sitar.

Devotion

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Robert Farnon And His Orchestra - Pictures In The Fire

Styles: Jazz, Easy Listening 
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:58
Size: 88,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. Pictures In The Fire
(2:50)  2. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
(3:17)  3. To A Young Lady
(3:37)  4. Hey There
(2:48)  5. Secret Love
(3:14)  6. Lazy Day
(2:57)  7. Friendly Persuasion
(2:39)  8. Sophistication Waltz
(3:07)  9. When I Fall In Love
(3:33) 10. A Summer Love
(2:38) 11. The Story Of Tina
(3:36) 12. The Nearness Of You

'Pictures in the Fire' includes three original Farnon tracks apart from the title single, these are: 'Lazy Day and 'Sophistication Waltz' together with the sentimental 'Summer Love'. These contain the touch of the master but his interpretations of Young's, 'When I Fall in Love', Adler's 'Hey There' and the ubiquitous 'Story of Tina' are also as good as it gets. Dutton's remastering brings out the original colour and sweet string sound and David Ades' contribution is an entertaining read altogether. I cannot recommend this album too highly, especially if you enjoy the vintage 50's period which was such a success for light music re-incarnation. http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/d/dut04112a.php

Pictures In The Fire

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George Cables - I'm All Smiles

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year:  2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:24
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Young at Heart
(6:15)  2. I'm All Smiles - From "The Yearling"
(5:46)  3. Speak No Evil
(7:49)  4. Bésame Mucho
(5:59)  5. Ugly Beauty
(7:18)  6. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing
(5:41)  7. Celebration
(4:16)  8. Three Views of a Secret
(5:09)  9. Thermo
(3:40) 10. Monk's Mood

At a time when jazz is being pulled in every direction at once in search of a future some fear may not exist, musicians such as George Cables, Essiet Essiet and Victor Lewis are proving that, for those who listen, there is no place quite like the present. Essiet became the trio's bassist for its 2012 Highnote release My Muse, and has remained since. Cables has been fortunate with drummers throughout his career as a band leader. During the 1970s and 1980s he played with both Billy Higgins and Carl Burnette. In the 1990s future Cookers band-mate Billy Hart would join him for multiple albums, including the excellent Night And Day (DIW, 1991). Since 2001, Victor Lewis has been his drummer of choice; in fact both Lewis and Essiet have been the pianist's most frequent cohorts when taking the live stage as a trio in the 2010s. Though he was hardly gone for long, I'm All Smiles is something of a comeback album. Early in 2018, George Cables lost much of his left leg by way of amputation. It took a year of recovery, physical therapy and crutches to be well enough again to take the stage, both as a member of the Cookers and with this very trio. Cables dedicates I'm All Smiles to "all those people that sent gifts and messages of support and encouragement during the time [he] was dealing with serious medical issues and unable to play the piano or make gigs." Judging by the album's cover art, which features a dapper Cables leaning on a piano and smiling jauntily, he intends to convey that he is back in good spirits. Contrasting sharply with his previous effort, The George Cables Songbook (Highnote, 2016), all of the songs present on I'm All Smiles are covers of other artists' compositions, save for the newly penned "Celebration," which hurdles forward with an unbound energy befitting its self-explanatory title. 

The trio kicks things off with the widely covered "Young At Heart," which became known in the early 1950s as a Frank Sinatra ballad vehicle, before shifting into the title track. It's here that Cables really lets loose his trademark wit and passion. Written by Michael Leonard and Herbert Martin for the 1965 Broadway musical The Yearling, and subsequently covered by Hampton Hawes, Bill Evans and Barbra Streisand, "I'm All Smiles" is the most playful recording this trio has released yet. It's hard to be sure where the song is going until Cables decides to let his left hand draw out the four note lead-in to the chorus. In some ways this is his method of winking at his audience, knowing that at this point in his career they are wary enough to follow along with his amusements. The trio shifts into the album's second act with "Besame Mucho," a standard Cables hasn't recorded since he was part of Art Pepper's most consistent and comfortable group on the 1979 Galaxy album of the same name. Rather than the frantic, "by the seat of your pants" delivery of Pepper's version, Cables now sets his own pace, calmer and more sure-handed. While it's easy to wistfully recall the more wild, impassioned interpretations of that era now four decades past, the trio present here offers a more measured approach which works well within the context of this album. Cables once said "every time I play with somebody different I have to put on a different hat." To his avid listeners, the pianist doubtlessly wears his own cap, and his inimitable playing style now honed over a half-century, is immediately recognizable. That style permeates Thelonious Monk's "Ugly Beauty" and "Monk's Mood." The latter is a solo piano piece which provides a quiet, self-searching end to the album, allowing it to ebb away rather than suddenly break. One of the finer points of discovery during I'm All Smiles is the way the pianist cohabits other musician's works. He shrewdly keeps the soul of a composition such as Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil" and Freddie Hubbard's "Thermo" alive while subtly sprinkling his own ingredients into the pot. The result of his efforts are albums like this, wherein a keen-eared listener will find an exercise of intuitive musical expertise which has endured personal strife and tragedy and climbed ever closer to perfection. I'm All Smiles is a triumph the sort of jazz piano album which comes along just once in a while to remind genre fans why they started listening in the first place. ~ Peter Hoetjes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/im-all-smiles-george-cables-highnote-records-review-by-peter-hoetjes.php

Personnel: George Cables: piano; Essiet Essiet: bass (1-9); Victor Lewis: drums (1-9).

I'm All Smiles

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Marcus Printup - Song For The Beautiful Woman

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:38
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:41)  1. The Inquiry
(7:14)  2. I Remember April
(6:37)  3. Song For The Beautiful Woman
(6:23)  4. Trauma
(6:17)  5. Presentation
(6:12)  6. Lonely Heart
(6:50)  7. Minor Ordeal
(6:47)  8. Speak Low
(6:34)  9. Dahomey Dance

Trumpeter Marcus Printup's debut as a leader in 1994 followed recordings as a part of the University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Accompanied by four other promising musicians in the early days of their careers, including pianist Eric Reed, alto saxophonist Walter Blanding, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Brian Blade, Printup puts together a tantalizing mix of originals and standards on this hard bop session, Song for the Beautiful Woman. His compositions include a driving blues "The Inquiry," a sauntering ballad inspired by a brief encounter with a stranger on a plane "Song for the Beautiful Woman," and the infectious "Presentation," which best showcases his already well-developed chops. So many jazz artists tackle "I'll Remember April" at breakneck tempos that they overlook the beauty of the piece; Printup chooses the less-traveled path with great success. His muted solo in "Speak Low" is fueled by Rogers' tasty lines. Marcus Printup's initial recording on his own will appeal greatly to fans of hard bop. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/song-for-the-beautiful-woman-mw0000644448

Personnel: Trumpet – Marcus Printup; Bass – Reuben Rogers; Drums – Brian Blade; Piano – Eric Reed; Tenor Saxophone – Walter Blanding

Song For The Beautiful Woman

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Patti Page - Golden Hits

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:45
Size: 80,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. Tennessee Waltz
(2:55)  2. Changing Partners
(2:34)  3. Cross Over The Bridge
(2:38)  4. Old Cape Cod
(2:59)  5. Mockin' Bird Hill
(2:29)  6. (How Much Is That) Doggie In The Window
(2:48)  7. Detour
(2:47)  8. Why Don't You Believe Me?
(3:11)  9. Mister And Mississippi
(2:53) 10. Allegheny Moon
(3:11) 11. With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming
(3:14) 12. I Went To Your Wedding

Patti Page's first (and for many years her only) hits collection was this ten-track release, which contained nine of her Top Five singles, including the chart-toppers "Tennessee Waltz," "Mockin' Bird Hill," "(How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window," and "I Went To Your Wedding." In addition to being a short album, even for the LP era, it failed to contain Page's first number one, "All My Love," and such biggies as "Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)" and "And So to Sleep Again," but it did feature "With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming," a song Page had released twice without quite getting into the Top Ten with it. So, the selection was not perfect, but Mercury kept the album in print for decades, since it did feature Page's best-known material at a reasonable price. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/golden-hits-mw0000312367

Golden Hits

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Woody Shaw - Stepping Stones: Live At The Village Vanguard

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:35
Size: 162,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:12)  1. Stepping Stone
(11:16)  2. In a Capricornian Way
( 8:35)  3. Seventh Avenue
(12:04)  4. All Things Being Equal Are Not
(11:14)  5. Escape Velocity
(17:12)  6. Blues for Ball
( 1:00)  7. Theme for Maxine

It's one thing to play the right note, it's another to get it; one thing to play a phrase, another to get to its essence. With academic jazz education more accessible than ever, countless aspiring musicians are learning its vernacular. But music, like all art, is more than technique it's an indefinable truth that can only come from complete immersion and commitment. Learn the language, but without getting on the bandstand every night, playing with as many people in as many contexts as possible, and it's impossible to make the transition from aspiration to being. It's possible to tell almost immediately whether or not a group has managed to get inside the music, transcending mere method. That may not be something you can easily articulate, but it's something you know. From the opening notes of Columbia/Legacy's reissue of the late trumpeter Woody Shaw's 1978 live recording Stepping Stones: Live at the Village Vanguard, there's the instant ring of truth here is a group of players who don't just play notes, they mean them. Hot on the heels of his critically-acclaimed The Moontrane (Muse, 1975), Shaw found himself on a major label with the kind of promotional power that should have led to greater acclaim. Still, his uncompromising devotion to a chosen path contrary to the popular predominance of fusion at that time resulted in a reputation that was greater amongst his fellow musicians than the greater listening public. 

Sixteen years after his tragic death in 1989, the significance of his potent melodies, bright tone, and incisive improvisational style are finally being recognized, with his blend of change-based writing and open-ended modality resulting in flexible but eminently memorable songs. Shaw's band at the time saxophonist Carter Jefferson, pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs, bassist Clint Houston, and drummer Victor Lewis may be the best working group of his career. With everyone but Jefferson contributing songs to the set, it's clear that this is a cooperative, despite Shaw's name on the marquee. They come charging out of the gate for "Stepping Stone with transcendent intensity. Jefferson is especially notable, combining vivid themes with occasional Coltrane-esque sheets of sound. Shaw's "In a Capricornian Way is a modal waltz that's more slow burn than high heat, the perfect setup for Lewis' equally modal 7/4 workout, "Seventh Avenue. But with all the energy and pure engagement of songs like Houston's up-tempo swinger "Escape Velocity and Shaw's equally fast-moving "Blues for Ball, it's Gumbs' lyrical "All Things Being Equal Are Not one of two previously unissued tracks that's the gem of the set. Shaw who eschews trumpet on this date for cornet and, on this song, flugelhorn squeezes pure emotion out of Gumbs' deeply moving ballad. While capable of fleet-fingered runs, Shaw understood the potency of a simple phrase, a well-chosen note, and a perfectly timed trill. Something the entire band clearly understands, making Stepping Stones an album that's more than strong material and imaginative playing. Indeed, it's a deep musical truth that many seek, but few find. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/stepping-stones-live-at-the-village-vanguard-woody-shaw-sony-bmg-legacy-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Woody Shaw: cornet, flugelhorn; Carter Jefferson: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Onaje Allan Gumbs: piano; Clint Houston: bass; Victor Lewis: drums.

Stepping Stones: Live At The Village Vanguard

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The Johnny Varro Quartet - All That Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:48
Size: 164,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:22)  1. The Lady's In Love With You
(4:10)  2. The Touch Of Your Lips
(3:46)  3. Mama's Gone, Goodbye
(4:19)  4. Stars Fell On Alabama
(3:50)  5. Swinging Down To New Orleans
(6:42)  6. A Porter's Love Song To A Chambermaid
(3:25)  7. Was I To Blame For Falling In Love With You'
(4:07)  8. Be Careful, It's My Heart
(4:14)  9. A Monday Date
(4:00) 10. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(5:51) 11. Mandy, Make Up Your Mind
(5:18) 12. Darn That Dream
(4:22) 13. On A Slow Boat To China
(5:05) 14. How Deep Is The Ocean'
(6:09) 15. When Day Is Done

This fine swing-oriented set features the Teddy Wilson-influenced piano of Johnny Varro in a quartet with bassist Nicki Parrott, drummer Joe Ascione, and, most importantly, trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso (who is listed as playing a "puje," a hybrid of trumpet and cornet). Kellso often takes solo honors, with the highlights including such swing standards as "The Lady's in Love With You," "Stars Fell on Alabama," "A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid," "A Monday Date," and "On a Slow Boat to China." These melodic and swinging performances would be difficult not to enjoy. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-that-jazz-mw0000013354

Personnel: Piano – Johnny Varro;  Bass – Nicki Parrott; Drums – Joe Ascione; Trumpet – Jon-Erik Kellso

All That Jazz

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Kai Winding - Stay Around

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:48
Size: 174,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. Just for a Thrill
(2:28)  2. Hearse Ride
(1:55)  3. Python
(3:12)  4. This Could Be the Start of Something
(3:51)  5. Georgia on My Mind
(1:40)  6. Gravy Waltz
(2:08)  7. Warm
(3:35)  8. Alone Together
(2:21)  9. Hero
(3:08) 10. Going, Going, Gone
(1:53) 11. China Nights
(4:03) 12. Theme from "Picnic"
(2:22) 13. Now and Forever
(2:56) 14. Tube Wail
(4:01) 15. I Concentrate on You
(3:54) 16. Soul Surfin'
(3:05) 17. Side by Side
(2:25) 18. Pipeline
(2:15) 19. Comin' Home, Baby
(2:07) 20. Till (Priere Sans Espoir)
(2:20) 21. The Gospel Truth
(5:09) 22. Trixie
(2:30) 23. Sukiyaki Song
(2:08) 24. Spinner
(2:18) 25. Blue Star (Theme from "The Medic")
(2:25) 26. Surf Bird
(2:07) 27. The Struggle

One of the finest trombonists to emerge from the bebop era, Kai Winding was always to an extent overshadowed by J.J. Johnson, although they co-led one of the most popular jazz groups of the mid-'50s. Born in Denmark, Winding emigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 12. He had short stints with the orchestras of Alvino Rey and Sonny Dunham, and played in a service band in the Coast Guard for three years. Winding's first burst of fame occurred during his year with Stan Kenton's Orchestra (1946-1947), during which his phrasing influenced and was adopted by the other trombonists, leading to a permanent change in the Kenton sound. He also participated in some early bop sessions, played with Tadd Dameron (1948-1949), and was on one of the Miles Davis' nonet's famous recording sessions. After playing with the big bands of Charlie Ventura and Benny Goodman, he formed a quintet with J.J. Johnson (1954-1956); the two trombonists (who sounded nearly identical at the time) had occasional reunions after going their separate ways. Winding led a four-trombone septet off and on through the latter half of the 1950s and into the '60s, was music director for the Playboy clubs in New York, and during 1971-1972 worked with the Giants of Jazz (an all-star group with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, and Thelonious Monk).

Stay Around

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Chuck Redd - All This And Heaven Too

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:40
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. How About You'
(5:42)  2. More Than You KNow
(5:47)  3. They Say It's Wonderful
(7:10)  4. Indian Summer
(5:32)  5. Three In One
(5:51)  6. All This And Heaven Too
(5:13)  7. Speaking Of Sounds
(7:21)  8. Barbados
(4:39)  9. I Know Why
(4:51) 10. Bennie's Pennies
(5:59) 11. Once Is Not Enough

When one learns that vibraphonist Chuck Redd got his start as a drummer in the Charlie Byrd Trio, it's easy to understand where he began developing his taste. All This and Heaven Too, his second album as a leader, even resembles a particular Byrd album that he played on in 1998, Au Courant. Like that album, Redd has combined vibraphones with guitar and bass for an intimate but spunky sound. Four of the tracks are filled out a bit by Ken Peplowski on either tenor sax or clarinet. The album gets a bouncy start with "How About You?" before delving into the quieter "More Than You Know." Redd's solos are filled with melody and lovingly realized, while Gene Bertoncini, switching between the electric and acoustic guitar, injects his leads with rhythm and soul. George Mraz's bass holds it all together, offering a steady underpinning to the trio. While song choices like Irving Berlin's "They Say It's Wonderful" reveal the band's interest in traditional forms, the group also tackles Charlie Parker's "Barbados." It only made sense that once classic forms of jazz became established in the '80s and '90s, instruments assigned to the dustbin clarinets, acoustic guitars, and vibraphones would make a comeback. Chuck Redd and friends, however, accomplish much more than a rehashing of yesteryear on All This and Heaven Too. While fans of older jazz styles will enjoy the album, anyone interested in superbly executed music should give it a listen. ~ Ronnie D.Lankford Jr. https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-this-and-heaven-too-mw0000660148

Personnel: Chuck Redd - vibraphone;  Ken Peplowski - clarinet, tenor saxophone; Gene Bertoncini - guitar, acoustic guitar; George Mraz - bass

All This And Heaven Too

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Polly Bergen - My Heart Sings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:15
Size: 115,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. I'm In the Mood for Love
(2:46)  2. Come Rain or Come Shine
(2:41)  3. When I Fall In Love
(2:42)  4. You Better Go Now
(3:33)  5. Don't Blame Me
(2:52)  6. Sophisticated Lady
(1:42)  7. Lucky Day
(2:44)  8. Just One of Those Things
(3:21)  9. (All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings
(2:05) 10. The Lady Is a Tramp
(2:28) 11. I Cried for You
(1:46) 12. I Want to Be Happy
(2:25) 13. Come Prima (For the First Time) - Single Version
(2:57) 14. Au Revoir Again - Single Version
(2:17) 15. I Feel Sorry for the Boy (Who Hasn't Got a Girl) - Single Version
(2:19) 16. He Didn't Call - Single Version
(2:26) 17. Do It Yourself - Single Version
(2:42) 18. Bye Bye Blackbird - Single Version
(2:23) 19. The Happiest Girl In the World - Single Version

My Heart Sings pairs Polly Bergen with arranger Luther Henderson, who shakes up his signature orchestral approach via the addition of cool jazz horns and late-night accoutrements perfectly matched to Bergen's dusky vocals. It's a shame the material is so predictable standard "singer with strings" fare like "Sophisticated Lady," "When I Fall in Love," and "I'm in the Mood for Love" but the set's style and sophistication make up for covering such familiar ground; for that matter, Bergen is such a distinct performer that even the most well-tread lyrics seem refreshed, and the joy she brings to bubbly renditions of "Lucky Day" and "The Lady Is a Tramp" is infectious. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-heart-sings-mw0000093741

My Heart Sings

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Joe Chambers - The Outlaw

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:40
Size: 117,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:12)  1. The Outlaw
(4:22)  2. Tu-Way-Pock-E-Way
(5:42)  3. Come Back to Me
(5:33)  4. I Think It's Time to Say Goodbye
(6:36)  5. In a Sentimental Mood
(4:10)  6. Bembe
(6:45)  7. Escapade
(4:58)  8. Baha
(5:18)  9. Poinciana

Joe Chambers was one of the best percussionists during the Golden Age of Blue Note Records in the 1950s and '60s. The drummer played on Freddie Hubbard's Breaking Point, Bobby Hutcherson's Components, Wayne Shorter's Schizophrenia, Andrew Hill's Compulsion and McCoy Tyner's Tender Moments. Around the same time, Chambers began playing piano as well. He reached a turning point in 1970, when he was invited to join Max Roach's new all-percussive unit, M'Boom. He was encouraged to play all manner of percussion instruments. The Outlaw shows Chambers primarily as a vibraphonist, but he also plays drums, piano, synthesizer programs and marimba. When Chambers is too occupied on the vibes, New York bandleader Bobby Sanabria handles percussion on five of the nine tracks. Much of this album reflects a Latin jazz patina that reminds me of the Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers groove (and they are still a functional, recording unit). Chambers' combo makes less use of horns on this session than Pucho does, though saxophonist Logan Richardson does get an opportunity to shine on soprano for "Escapade." Two tracks seem to feature a somewhat annoying drum machine, but since none is listed, it must be a synth programming feature. Nicole Gutland appears on two tracks for vocal ("I Think It's Time To Say Goodbye") and vocalese ("Come Back to Me") performances. Chambers performs a mid-tempo version of "In A Sentimental Mood" and pays respects to Vernel Fournier, drummer with the Ahmad Jamal trio, with his own version of "Poinciana." "Bembe" utilizes a rhythm from a Yoruba Santeria ritual, while "Bahia" is a pulsing Brazilian street band peace with Chambers leading the way. All in all, with some exceptions noted, a most pleasant ride! ~ Michael P.Gladstone https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-outlaw-joe-chambers-savant-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Joe Chambers: drums, vibraphone, piano, marimba, synthesizer programs; Nicola Gulland: voice; Logan Richardson: soprano and alto saxophone; Misha Tsiganov: acoustic and electric piano; Dwayne Burno: bass; Bobby Sanabria: percussion.

The Outlaw

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