The Headhunters - Straight From The Gate

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:05
Size: 104,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:31)  1. Straight From The Gate
(5:32)  2. Mayonnaise
(6:49)  3. Ms. Wum Yum
(4:34)  4. Don't Kill Your Feelings
(4:01)  5. Descending Azzizziuh (The Beginning Of A Dream)
(5:23)  6. I Remember I Made You Crazy
(3:59)  7. Pork Soda
(3:19)  8. Dreams
(5:52)  9. Silhouette

The second album by this legendary 70s funk combo best known as Herbie Hancock's backing band, but sounding great here on their own. The album's much more of a solid soul effort than the first one which was great, but felt more like Herbie had stepped out of the studio for a minute or two. The vocals are better, with more of a feel for the lyrics and the songs themselves are a great mix of funk and smooth soul. There's still plenty of tight jamming and cool electronics and the group still includes Mike Clark, Bennie Maupin,and Paul Jackson. Includes the sample cut "I Remember I Made You Cry", plus "Pork Soda", "Dreams", "Straight From The Gate", and "Mayonnaise".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/1153/Headhunters:Straight-From-The-Gate

Straight From The Gate

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Malene Mortensen - At Elske Er At Leve

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:24
Size: 125,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:49)  1. Man bli'r så glad når solen skinner
(4:34)  2. At elske er at leve
(4:39)  3. Jeg har elsket dig så længe jeg kan mindes
(3:05)  4. Pige træd varsomt
(4:25)  5. I dit korte liv
(4:16)  6. Gå med i lunden
(4:44)  7. Man binder os på mund og hånd
(4:46)  8. Alle går rundt og forelsker sig
(3:38)  9. Som du
(4:42) 10. Glemmer du
(4:27) 11. Titte til hinanden
(4:11) 12. Den allersidste dans
(3:02) 13. Musens sang

Malene Mortensen is a danish jazz singer who has recorded 11 albums with some of the biggest names in modern jazz like Chris Potter, Mike Stern, Christian Sands, George Whitty og Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen.  he album ”Paradise” from 2003 is Malenes first solo album recorded and produced with the world renowned bassist Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen. She has played more than a thousand concerts all around the world during the last 15 years. She has toured all over Scandinavia, Europe, the States, Australia and Asia. In the last few years she has been a part of Kid Creole and the Coconut’s and toured with them in Australia, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy. In her homeland she plays concerts in churches and performs as a solo singer in big bands. Her album “Date With A Dream” from 2005 was released in 20 countries and has sold more than 30.000 units. This album became Malene’s international breakthrough after having represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002. The 2014 album ”Can't Help It” is Malene's 10th album and the first to be recorded outside Scandinavia. It was recorded in New York in march of 2014 with a renowned american jazz trio. The album grew out of a jamsession at the famous danish jazz club Montmartre in Copenhagen where Malene played with the young american pianist Christian Sands. The two of them had a special connection combining his virtuous playing and her great musicality and ability to improvise. Later the same year Malene visited New York to work on new material with Christian Sands playing with Christian McBride’s famous trio. The work with music and lyrics progressed and they continued the work on both sides of the Atlantic for choosing the right material and arrangements for the recording sessions. Malene is the embodiment of jazz and the the nordic sound. She strives for musical freedom, excels in improvising and refines the music with excellent taste and emotional depth. She holds a masters degree from the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen. http://www.malenemortensen.dk/

At Elske Er At Leve

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Sonny Stitt - Deuces Wild

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:50
Size: 78,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:23)  1. Deuces Wild
(4:42)  2. My Foolish Heart
(4:16)  3. Blues Ahead
(4:00)  4. Sittin' in with Sitt
(6:19)  5. In the Bag
(3:17)  6. Me 'n' You
(5:50)  7. Pipin' the Blues

Originally released on Atlantic in 1967, this welcome reissue of an above-average sax/organ date finds Sonny Stitt in a familiar setting with familiar company. The organist is listed as Wilmer Mosby, but one listen makes clear that it's the great Don Patterson working the B-3 with his customary drive, taste, and imagination. (The pseudonym may have been necessary for contractual reasons.) The core trio is rounded out by drummer Billy James, a longtime collaborator with Patterson and Stitt, who supports with a supple, active style. The performances are concise, blues-based blowing numbers. What they lack in compositional refinement they make up for in energetic execution. The one exception is the flaccid reading of the ballad standard "My Foolish Heart." Saxophonist Robin Kenyatta's serpentine facility brings a progressive dimension to the tracks "In the Bag" and "Me 'n You." Stitt, in turn, responds with a slightly more outward-bound approach on these two Kenyatta originals, the second of which is, unfortunately, flawed by an abrupt edit near the end of Patterson's solo. The final track, "Pipin' the Blues," includes a jazz rarity...bagpipes. Sounding like an electric organ (Farfisa not Hammond), piper Rufus Harley's single-note lines fit right in with Stitt's blues groove. A whole album of soul-jazz bagpipes might wear thin, but as a one-off, Harley's performance here is more than mere novelty. ~ Jim Todd https://www.allmusic.com/album/deuces-wild-mw0000011960

Personnel: Sonny Stitt - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Robin Kenyatta - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Wilmer Mosby - organ; Billy James - drums; Rufus Harley - bagpipes

Deuces Wild

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Marlena Shaw - Love Is In Flight

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:32
Size: 84,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. Before You Know It
(4:28)  2. I Want To Know
(4:27)  3. I'll Remember You
(4:18)  4. This Time
(4:04)  5. Love Is In Flight
(5:02)  6. Loving You
(5:46)  7. I Must Be In Love
(4:18)  8. With You

A charismatic and versatile jazz vocalist, Marlena Shaw's performances are marked by an artful blend of pop standards and straight-ahead jazz tunes. Her extroverted stage presence gives her an edge over other vocalists, and clearly, singing live before an audience is where she feels most comfortable. After her uncle Jimmy Burgess introduced her to the recordings of Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, she caught the jazz bug and purchased records by Al Hibbler, a vocalist who had a big influence on her singing style. When she was ten she performed at Harlem's Apollo Theater, and despite the enthusiastic reception she received in front of one of the world's toughest audiences, her mother refused to let her go on the road with her uncle, a trumpet player. Shaw attended the State Teachers' College in Potsdam, New York, but later dropped out. For some time in 1963 she worked around New England with a trio led by Howard McGhee. By the mid-'60s she was performing regularly for audiences in the Catskills, Playboy Clubs, and other New York area venues. In 1966, she recorded "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" for Cadet Records, and the single sold very well for an unknown singer. The success of the single, a rare vocal version of the tune, prompted executives at Cadet to encourage her to record a whole album for the label in 1967. 

The diversity of styles, including blues, jazz, and pop standards, was reflected in the album's title, Out of Different Bags. Through her accountant, she was brought to the attention of bandleader Count Basie, and she ended up singing with the Basie band for four years.  In 1972, after leaving the Basie Orchestra, Shaw was the first female vocalist signed to Blue Note Records, and she toured for a while with the Sammy Davis, Jr. She recorded five albums and several singles for Blue Note, and critics likened her singing style to Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. At her club shows, Shaw dazzled audiences with her intoxicating blend of straight-ahead jazz, soul, pop, and classic R&B, but her recordings also satisfied those fans of traditional jazz who had no prejudices about blues and R&B. In 2014, Blue Note Records (Europe) began reissuing her catalog titles, and in 2017 Akshin Alizadeh delivered two remixes of her signature "Woman of the Ghetto" track as a limited-edition single on Cold Busted. The recording was spun by Gilles Peterson and made club DJ playlists across Europe, Asia, and the United States. ~ Richard Skelly https://www.allmusic.com/artist/marlena-shaw-mn0000847756/biography

Love Is In Flight

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Larry Willis - How Do You Keep The Music Play

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:20
Size: 146,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Gloria's step
(7:33)  2. How do you keep the music playing
(6:23)  3. All of you
(7:33)  4. Northwest
(7:49)  5. Slick Rick
(7:29)  6. Missing you
(5:24)  7. Ezekial saw the wheel
(7:23)  8. Dance cadaverous
(8:36)  9. Alone together

Once identified with on-the-edge free music, keyboardist Larry Willis had a profitable flirtation with fusion in the '70s, then moved to hard bop in the '80s and '90s. Willis' playing has been frenetic, ambitious, and interesting, but during his jazz-rock and fusion days it was funky but greatly restrained and simplistic. A devotee of Herbie Hancock, Willis has found a good balance, with expertly constructed modal solos and also lyrical, relaxed statements. Willis graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in the early '60s, then played with Jackie McLean and Hugh Masekela. He recorded with Lee Morgan and McLean in the mid-'60s, and worked with Kai Winding and Stan Getz, as well as recording with Robin Kenyatta in 1969. Willis turned to synthesizer and electric piano in the '70s, doing sessions with Cannonball Adderley, Earl May, Joe Henderson, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and Masekela again. He joined Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1972, recorded with Alphonse Mouzon in both 1972 and 1973, and did dates as a leader and freelance session musician. Willis also recorded with Ryo Kawasaki and Sonny Fortune in the late '70s, and with David "Fathead" Newman and Carla Bley in the '80s. Willis toured and recorded with Nat Adderley in the '80s and joined Woody Shaw's quintet in 1986. He's done sessions as a leader for Groove Merchant, Steeplechase, Audioquest, Brunswick, and Mapleshade, among others, including Blue Fable and Offering on Highnote in 2007 and 2008, respectively. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/larry-willis-mn0000114935/biography

Personnel: Larry Willis – piano; David Williams – bass; Lewis Nash – drums

R.I.P.
Born: December 20, 1942

Died: September 29, 2019

How Do You Keep The Music Play

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Hal Singer - Blues and News

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:07
Size: 103,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:37)  1. It's My Thing
(4:38)  2. Lina
(8:38)  3. Malcolm X
(6:17)  4. Pour Stéphanie
(6:07)  5. Du Bois
(6:20)  6. Lina - Unissued
(5:27)  7. Blues For Hal

The other great Hal Singer album from his years on the French scene and a record that we'd say is even better than his legendary Paris Soul Food set! Although Singer is often most associated with an older style of swing-based jazz, he's working here in a loose, free mode that's got plenty of 70s soulful touches often funky at the best moments, but even more importantly openly rhythmic with a progressively soulful style that's really outta site! The group features Art Taylor on drums, plus an assortment of European players led by Siegried Kessler who plays some great piano and flute on the album, and also handled the arrangements. The album features Singer's wonderful tune "Malcolm X" the kind of a track that we'd rank right up there with some of the most righteous soul jazz groovers of the time. Other highlights include the modal "Pour Stephanie", the jagged "Blues For Hal", and the groovy "It's My Thing". CD also includes the bonus track "Lina".

Personnel: Hal Singer - tenor saxophone; Jacques Bolognesi - trombone;  Jean-Claude Andre - guitar; Siegfried Kessler - piano; Patrice Caratini - bass; Art Taylor - drums

Blues and News

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Sant Andreu Jazz Band, Joan Chamorro - Jazzing 9 Vol.1

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:52
Size: 181,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. The Good Life
(2:39)  2. No Moon at All
(5:20)  3. Where or Where
(2:33)  4. Take It Like You Give It
(5:21)  5. Round Midnight
(4:26)  6. Donna Lee
(5:03)  7. I Could Write a Book
(6:08)  8. Sophisticated Lady
(6:40)  9. Insensatez
(4:19) 10. Sugar
(5:36) 11. Blue Gardenia
(3:46) 12. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(5:30) 13. Le Coiffeur
(5:07) 14. So What
(4:23) 15. Blues After Dark
(5:28) 16. Brighter Day

This new work, although it includes many vocal themes, also contains so many instrumental themes in which the increasingly numerous soloists of the orchestra have their opportunity to share their creativity, their ability to generate their own discourse, in a continuous evolution. https://santandreujazzband.bandcamp.com/album/jazzing-9-vol-1

Jazzing 9 Vol.1

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Peter Anderson & Will Anderson - A Sax Supreme

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:54
Size: 101,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Let's
(6:36)  2. Walkin'
(5:23)  3. U.M.M.G.
(4:56)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(1:37)  5. More Than You Know
(2:03)  6. You Go to My Head
(1:45)  7. Love Locked Out
(2:39)  8. Some Other Spring
(4:55)  9. Love Letters
(7:40) 10. Whoops

Peter and Will Anderson (born 27 March 1987) are identical twin American jazz saxophonists and clarinetists, composers and arrangers, and leaders of their own trio and quintet. They have performed at venues including The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Blue Note Jazz. Peter and Will's music has been reviewed and featured in the New York Times, Seattle Times, Washington Post, Jazz Times. In addition, their music was used in HBO's Board Walk Empire. Peter and Will Anderson were born in Washington, DC and raised in Bethesda, MD. They attended Walt Whitman High School and were mentored by many musicians including saxophonist Paul Carr and drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd. At age 18, they moved to New York City to attend The Juilliard School from 2005-9 (Bachelor of Music) and 2009-11 (Master of Music). There they studied under many notable artists including Joe Temperley, Victor Goines, Frank Wess, Benny Golson, Kenny Washington, and Joe Wilder. From 2007-09, Peter and Will were both recipients of the Illinois Jacquet Scholarship in Jazz Studies from Juilliard. During their undergraduate studies, they were both selected from an international pool of applicants for the Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program, which included a residency of performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.More... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_and_Will_Anderson

Personnel: Peter Anderson, tenor sax; Will Anderson Anderson, alto sax; Grant Stewart, tenor sax; Ken Peplowski, tenor sax; Ehud Asherie, piano; Neal Minerm, bass; Aaron Kimmel, drums

A Sax Supreme

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Polly Bergen - Polly Bergen Sings Helen Morgan

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:56
Size: 94,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:34)  1. Don't Ever Leave Me
(4:44)  2. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
(3:24)  3. More Than You Know
(3:27)  4. The Little Things You Used To Do
(3:02)  5. Something To Remember You By
(3:58)  6. What Wouldn't I Do For That Man!
(3:27)  7. Broken Hearted
(4:04)  8. Sand In My Shoes
(3:45)  9. Mean To Me
(3:34) 10. Body And Soul
(4:54) 11. Medley: Why Was I Born?, Bill

Polly Bergen's first album for Columbia stems from her Emmy-winning appearance in The Helen Morgan Story for an episode in the CBS series Playhouse 90. Bergen runs through 11 songs associated with the Broadway torch singer and does excellent readings of Morgan standards like "Can't Help Lovin' That Man," "Don't Ever Leave Me," and "Body and Soul." She has the throaty voice, golden pipes, and wide range to best any star on Broadway, though her delivery is occasionally over-evocative and melodramatic  a common complaint against Broadway actors. Bergen Sings Morgan was reissued in 1999 as a Collectables two-fer also featuring her subsequent Columbia LP, The Party's Over. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/bergen-sings-morgan-mw0000888016

Polly Bergen Sings Helen Morgan

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messenger - Tough!

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:12
Size: 76,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:56)  1. Scotch Blues
(7:25)  2. Flight to Jordan
(5:11)  3. Transfiguration
(6:39)  4. Exhibit A
(5:59)  5. Gershwin Medley

Recorded in 1957 but not released until 1966, drummer Art Blakey's Tough! is a swinging hard bop date. Joining Blakey here is saxophone giant Jackie McLean, along with a stellar group of less-appreciated artists including trumpeter Bill Hardman, pianist Sam Dockery, and bassist Spanky DeBrest. While not as essential as some of Blakey's other Jazz Messengers releases, Tough! certainly holds its own. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/tough%21-mw0000874203

Personnel: Art Blakey - drums; Jackie McLean - alto saxophone;  Bill Hardman - trumpet;  Sam Dockery - piano;  Spanky DeBrest - bass

Tough!

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Paolo Birro Trio - Piano Kings

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:02
Size: 132,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:45)  1. Where Or When
(4:58)  2. In The Mood For A Classic
(3:35)  3. Solitude
(5:26)  4. Love Vibrations
(5:02)  5. Voyage
(5:18)  6. September In Rio
(2:18)  7. Tiffany
(6:22)  8. Margot
(3:36)  9. Pastel
(3:55) 10. Bye-Ya
(3:04) 11. King Porter Stomp
(6:38) 12. What Better Fits

Paolo Birro was born in Noventa Vicentina, Vicenza, Italy in 1962.  He completed his classical piano studies at the Vicenza Conservatory with a summa cum laude degree in 1987, afterwhich he devoted himself to the jazz language which had fascinated him from his childhood. In 1992, in trio with Sandro Gibellini e Mauro Negri, he won the first prize for the performing group section at the Barga Jazz International Contest.  In 1996, after the releasing of his first trio album “Fair Play”, he was nominated “Best New Talent” by the critics of  the  magazine “Musica Jazz."  His career has offered him the opportunity to perform with jazz legends such as Lee Konitz, Buddy De Franco, Art Farmer, Johnny Griffin and many other internationally-known artists including Scott Hamilton, Gianni Basso, Ruud Brink, Eliot Zigmund, Bobby Watson, Ronnie Cuber, Harry Allen, Tom Kirkpatrick, Charles Davis, Enrico Rava, Erwin Vann, Aldo Romano, Richard Galliano, Robert Bonisolo, Paolo Fresu, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Chuck Israels, Matt Renzi.  As a sideman he has contributed to the recording of over 50 albums by some of the most important jazzmen working in Italy; in particular the artistic relationship with saxophonists Pietro Tonolo, Emanuele Cisi, Claudio Fasoli and the american trumpet player (living in Italy) J Kyle Gregory has been more continuative, as documented in a series of works published by independent labels, including Egea, Splasc(h), Soulnote and Velut Luna. He is a regular member of the Lydian Sound Orchestra directed by Riccardo Brazzale, one of the most critically acclaimed Italian bands in the recent years. As a leader or co-leader  he has released several albums in solo, duo and trio: his last releases include “Sbàndio” (Almar Records), a solo piano performance based on the cultural traditions of his native region in Italy, and “Passion Flower” (Philology) an homage to the music of Billy Strayhorn recorded together with the saxophonist Lee Konitz and “Radiotrio” (Almar Records) with Federico Malaman (el. bass) and Mauro Beggio (drums).  As an educator he has taught Jazz piano, improvisation and ensemble at the ”Civici Corsi di Jazz” (Milan), International Jazz Master Classes at Siena, Jazz Department of the Bologna Conservatory, “Il Suono Improvviso” (Venice), Perugia Classico, Summer stages at Loano, and the Jazzinty Workshop in Novomesto (Slovenia).  He is currently Head of the Jazz Department at the Conservatory of Vicenza. http://www.lydiansoundorchestra.com/birro.html

Personnel:  Paolo Birro(p); Aldo Zunino(b); Alfred Kramer(ds)

Piano Kings

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Roy Ayers - Silver Vibrations

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:58
Size: 101,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:20)  1. Chicago
(7:58)  2. Lots of Love
(6:38)  3. Keep on Movin'
(5:37)  4. Silver Vibrations
(4:48)  5. Smiling With Our Eyes
(5:43)  6. D.C. City
(5:51)  7. Good Good Music

BBE save us from the hell of Discogs prices once again with the first ever reissue of vibes and jazz-funk legend Roy Ayer’s 1983 album ‘Silver Vibrations’. Cut on heavyweight vinyl and with the original artwork (new sleeve notes written by Sean P), the album retains that lush and full organic sound that Ayers championed in the late 70s before the 80s ‘shine’ took over. This is the music that Dr Dre absorbed as a young DJ, the production is big, warm and spacious with a tough punch inside a soft glove. Released in the UK only on Ayers’ own Uno Melodic Records, the album contains tracks from the US album 'Lots Of Love' also released in 1983 but ‘Silver Vibrations’ hosts four exclusive tracks plus extended cuts of three songs with one of the highlights being the evergreen ‘Chicago’, a spooky boogie tempo tune that’s never stopped bumping on knowing dancefloors round the globe. ‘Good, Good Music’ is a pure roller-skating jam, a proper dirty slap bass party-driver, reminiscent more of a late 70s ‘block party’ than a smooth 80s groove. This will still do damage in most places. ‘Lots Of Love’ is cheesy Roy. Loungey disco strings, alto sax, slap (again), but really takes off with Ayers’ abstract vibes playing in the middle section…I wouldn’t necessarily play this one out but could imagine finding myself giggling on a beach to it. Though also carbon-dated in that late 70s disco vibe, ‘Keep On Movin’ has a compelling simplicity and irresistible groove that is pure house music. The production is top notch, check those claps! Title track ‘Silver Vibrations’ heads into the 80s with a low slung rhythm, sparse chords, scratchy synths and smooth vocal refrains, setting the jazz-funk agenda for the coming years. ‘Smiling With Our Eyes’ is jazz in Stevie Wonder world, a yearning lead vocal, gently swinging but with restless chords punctuated by funky, syncopated female counter-voices. Quite lovely. ‘D.C.City’ can’t be compared to anyone else, this is the essence of the man. Roy Ayers as we imagine him, a song of unity, a deep mid-tempo groove, an acknowledged sibling of ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’. Listen to the keys and rhythm section on this then check Dre’s ‘The Chronic’ and there it is. Sublime and worth the record alone. http://www.truthandliesmusic.com/magazine/roy-ayers-silver-vibrations-bbe-records-a-review

Silver Vibrations

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Bob James - Morning, Noon And Night

Styles: Keyboards, Jazz Funk
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:41
Size: 133,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Street Smart
(5:03)  2. Just One Thing
(4:14)  3. Morning, Noon & Night
(5:50)  4. Hands On
(5:54)  5. Over & Over
(4:27)  6. Five O'Clock Chateau
(3:21)  7. When The Love Is Over
(5:41)  8. Nightbeat
(5:52)  9. Baby Cakes
(5:38) 10. Dai Dai Ya
(5:30) 11. Count On It

As one review once put it, James was putting the "smooth" into "jazz" long before the genre had its formal name, and it was fun to take stock of his lengthy quarter-century-plus recording career with 2001's double CD Restoration: The Best of Bob James. Hardly about to rest on his laurels, he's chugging ahead in 2002 with a new Fourplay album (Heartfelt) and this likeable, diverse effort. The idea seems to be to return to the spirit and groove of his classic albums of the '70s and early '80s, but play those licks in the company of latter-day top stars (Rick Braun, Dave Koz, Keiko Matsui, Paul Jackson, Jr., Chuck Loeb). And let's not forget the groovemeisters Vinnie Colaiuta (drums) and Will Lee (bass), so hip and sly on mood-swinging tunes like "Baby Cakes." Considering that the disc mostly focuses on sharply composed, tightly played, and slickly produced tracks by genre hitmakers like Loeb and Paul Brown, it seems curious that James would open with a somewhat alienating, experimental track ("Street Smart"). It opens with scratches, ambience, and darting piano runs that scream "avant-garde," before getting into a heavier groove, classical piano ideas, and finally moving into a brief big band swing section. 

It's interesting, but all over the place. Loeb's tune, "Just One Thing," is the complete opposite, a crisp, dreamy, light funk piece perfect for smooth jazz radio; Jamesand Loeb make good studio bedfellows with a smart, witty repartee and tandem energy. The title track is another excellent middle-of-the-road piece, with Dave Koz providing the genuine smiles and extra commercial melodic thrust. "Hands On" is a bouncy jam piece that evokes the loose energy of James' early albums. And labelmate Braun helps bring the romantic "Five O'Clock Chateau" to a deeper place full of soul and energy. Some of the other tunes seem more artsy and fusion-minded, but all of them have a singular focus. Maybe that's the point -- to provide in a new setting the kind of overview of James' multiple approaches that was captured on the best-of package. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/morning-noon-night-mw0000225224

Morning, Noon And Night

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Enrico Rava - Italian Ballads

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:15
Size: 170,8 MB
Art: Front

(1:54)  1. The Song Of Gelsomina
(5:07)  2. Giulietta Degli Spiriti
(5:23)  3. Un Bel Di, Vedremo
(8:30)  4. Il Cielo In Una Stanza
(4:20)  5. Margherita
(4:40)  6. Bella
(3:22)  7. Un Canto
(7:28)  8. Diva
(5:51)  9. Torna A Surriento
(6:07) 10. Senza Fine
(2:58) 11. E Se Domani
(4:52) 12. Due Note
(3:26) 13. Stringimi Forte I Polsi
(6:01) 14. More
(2:09) 15. O Mio Babbino Caro

He is twelve years old, but he shows even more, this record by Enrico Rava's Electric Five dedicated to the evergreens of our local music. Impressive is the fact that the musicians involved  then only partially established, but today great realities of Italian jazz and not only are so impalpable in this work, in which everyone (perhaps with the sole exception of the guests Richard Galliano and Barbara Casini) is limit to accompany the trumpet of the leader, engaged mostly to the mere exposition of the lyric theme from time to time on stage, without adding anything expressive to it. Indeed, sometimes even removing something from the originals, as in "Margherita" or in the unlistenable "Endless". 

What else to say? That these operations (some time too practiced by Rava, especially live) may have some market feedback, but should be avoided for the sake of jazz music. In fact, while banalities of this kind flood the newsstands as attachments to magazines, the clubs are becoming increasingly deserted and the reviews close their doors.On the contrary, it has even come to reprint its fruits ...Translate By Google ~ AAJ Italy Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/italian-ballads-enrico-rava-venus-records-review-by-aaji-staff.php

Personnel: Enrico Rava (trumpet), Domenico Caliri (guitar), Roberto Cecchetto (guitar), Giovanni Maier (double bass), UT Gandhi (drums, percussion), Barbara Casini (vocals), Richard Galliano (accordion).

Italian Ballads

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Duke Robillard - Exalted Lover

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:52
Size: 97,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:56)  1. Down Home Country Girl
(3:46)  2. I'll Never Be Free
(2:53)  3. Real Live Wire
(4:59)  4. Exalted Lover
(4:42)  5. Deep Inside
(3:56)  6. How Long Has It Been
(4:12)  7. Tore Up
(4:22)  8. Love Made A Liar Out Of Me
(4:35)  9. Double A Daddy
(3:24) 10. Travelin' Mood

Duke Robillard's second 2003 release could just as well have been titled Living With the Blues, Part 2, since it picks up where his 2002 album of that name left off. Returning to the Roomful of Blues horn sound (where he began his recording career in 1977), Robillard employs brass on the majority of these rocking blues tracks. In fact, both saxist Doug James and trombone player Carl Querfurth (who play on this album) are Roomful alumni, as is pianist Matt McCabe. The horns are used more for embellishment, though, in contrast to Roomful, where they often define the sound. The opening mid-tempo swamp rock of "Down Home Country Girl" kicks things off in tough form with Robillard's gutsy singing fronting the powerful brass, but a short guitar solo fades out just as it builds up a head of steam. Robillard then branches out into classic R&B territory when he duets with Pam Tillis on a sweet and sassy version of "I'll Never Be Free," a tune made popular by Tennessee Ernie Ford, Dinah Washington, Louis Jordan, and others. Rollicking tracks such as "Real Live Wire," "How Long Has It Been" (a crackling vocal and guitar duet with Debbie Davies, returning the favor of Robillard producing her Love the Game album), and a rockabilly-flavored "Love Made a Liar of Me" keep the mood upbeat. The lounge/jazz swing of the title track (with sensual French spoken-word from Aimee Hill along with Robillard playing a guitar synth that sounds like a trumpet) and "Double X Daddy" brings the disc back to the Roomful days with swanky horn solos. "Deep Inside" hearkens back to classic blues/R&B that Robillard does so well. He adds a stinging, staccato, Albert King-styled solo that stabs through the song and is one of the album's finest leads. A percussion-heavy, Bo Diddley-ized version of James Wayne's "Travelin' Mood" closes out an album that shows a few different sides of Robillard, but stays closer to his blues and swing roots. He seems to be having a blast throughout, and even though his voice isn't as polished as his guitar skills, he puts across these songs with exuberance and class. It's another excellent entry to an already strong catalog that continues to improve with age. ~ Hal Horowitz https://www.allmusic.com/album/exalted-lover-mw0000324658

Personnel: Acoustic Guitar – Duke Robillard; Acoustic Bass – Jesse Williams , Marty Ballou; Baritone Saxophone – Doug James; Bass Guitar – Duke Robillard, Jesse Williams; Drums – Mark Teixeira; Electric Guitar – Debbie Davies, Duke Robillard; Guitar [Dobro] – Duke Robillard; Guitar Synthesizer [Roland] – Duke Robillard; Organ – Steve Burk; Piano – Matt McCabe, Steve Burk); Tenor Saxophone – Doug James , Sax Gordon; Trombone – Carl Querfurth; Trumpet – Scott Aruda; Vocals – Debbie Davies, Duke Robillard, Pam Tillis  

Exalted Lover

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The Headhunters - On Top - Live In Europe Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: On Top - Live In Europe Disc 1

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:15
Size: 145,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:56)  1. 4 String Drive
(10:44)  2. Swamp Thing
( 9:56)  3. Sly
(11:51)  4. Watermelon Man
( 9:10)  5. Loft Funk
(13:35)  6. Butterfly

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Album: On Top - Live In Europe Disc 2

Time: 22:06

Size: 51,5 MB

(8:01)  1. Neckbones

(4:26)  2. 4 String Drive - Radio Edit

(1:22)  3. God Make Me Funky

(5:22)  4. Butterfly - Radio Mix

(2:53)  5. Shekere Elegua

It's been said that true funk can be imitated but never duplicated. But in the case of the Headhunters's 2 CD live recording On Top, the band named after Herbie Hancock's 1973 groundbreaking release, Head Hunters (Columbia) continues to uphold the groove. Master percussionist Bill Summers, one of the original members since the 1970s, has kept the essence of Hancock's music alive through various releases including 2003's Evolution Revolution (Basin Street Records). Recorded in Paris, France, this live document also includes another longtime band member Mike Clark (drums) and newer members TM Stevens (bass), Mark Shim (saxophone), Jerry Z (keyboards), and saxophonist Donald Harrison on one track. The unrelenting performance engages an enthusiastic European audience in a wild party atmosphere (in contrast to typical U.S. jazz concerts); the music is a throwback to the sounds of James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and other funk progenitors. Heavy beats, thumping electric bass, iced keyboards, and intense solos are all part of the flow on tracks that include "Swamp Thing" and a most serious cover of "Sly" from Hancock's 1973 recording. Clark's drumming is superlative and Stevens's impressive bass work rivals the playing of three more renowned power bassists Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, and Victor Wooten's Thunder (Heads Up International, 2008). Jerry Z's groovy keyboarding and Shim's deep toned saxophone echoes the voices of Hancock's dazzling keys and Maupin's sinewy bass clarinet on earlier collaborations. Shim is of particular note, bringing not only Maceo Parker soulfulness but also avant-groove chops on "Loft Funk." Summers is like an African jazz/funk griot performing, engaging, and teaching where one of the highlights includes his famous bottle-whistling on the classic "Watermelon Man" as he instructs the audience on the melody's introduction. Another is the ever-smooth "Butterfly" featuring Donald Harrison's splendid horn. The second disk retreads a couple of radio-edit tracks but makes up for them with more live music and an eight minute bonus video of a performance in Bobigny, France. Fusion or jam band, old school or new school, for anyone else who digs da funk, this is the real deal.  ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/on-top-live-in-europe-headhunters-bhm-productions-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Mike Clark: drums; Mark Shim: saxophone; T.M. Stevens: bass, vocals; Bill Summers: percussion; Jerry Z: keyboards; Donald Harrison: saxophone.

On Top - Live In Europe Disc 1, Disc 2

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Terence Blanchard - Choices

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:39
Size: 170,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:45)  1. Byus
( 0:54)  2. Beethoven
( 3:46)  3. D’s Choice
( 6:01)  4. Journey
( 7:11)  5. Hacia del Aire
( 0:40)  6. Jazz Man in the World of Ideas
( 4:20)  7. Him or Me
( 6:08)  8. Choices
( 6:30)  9. HUGS (Historically Underrepresented Groups)
(12:17) 10. Winding Roads
( 4:26) 11. When Will You Call
( 0:55) 12. A New Note
( 5:16) 13. A New World (Created Inside the Walls of Imagination)
( 6:04) 14. Touched By An Angel
( 2:19) 15. Robin’s Choice

Trumpeter/band leader/ film scorer Terence Blanchard is the epitome of an artist who's made good choices. One of the distinct voices in the post-Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis era, he has moved from being a young-lion with seminal players such as Donald Harrison in Black Pearl (Columbia, 1988), to delivering progressive projects such as Flow (Blue Note, 2005) and winning multiple Grammy awards for albums including 2007's A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina) (Blue Note).  Recorded at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Choices is, surprisingly, his first completed CD made in his hometown of New Orleans. The warmth, ambiance and acoustics of the venue pours through each track, channeled through modern compositions and inspired performances by a dynamic sextet which includes Fabian Almazan (piano), Derrick Hodge (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums), Lionel Loueke (guitar) and saxophonist Walter Smith III. Blanchard is a meticulous but selfless leader, allowing the younger artists to shine, exchange ideas and contribute to the open process. Imprinted with Blanchard's cinematic and swinging style the music is rooted but contemporary; advocating new ideas that include excerpts of a conversation between Blanchard and philosopher, author, and activist, Dr. Cornel West. The combination of eloquent intellectualism and stirring composition forms a thematic imprint. West's insightful words sprinkled throughout the music are like poetry uplifting, enlightening and provocative; expertly placed within the music as he articulates upon the ideas, questions and choices concerning music, humanity, and spirituality a jazz dialog for the mind and ear. The tracks showcase these young artists as distinguished players and scintillating writers, including Smith's sophisticated movements in "Byus," and Scott's Brazilian-tinged "Journey," with seductive vocals provided by singer Bilal Sayeed Oliver (aka Bilal), who in turn gives a riveting performance on his soulful Lament, "When Will You Call." Almazan's "Hugs" shows his adroit pianism with beauty and drama as it pushes the musicians to new heights. In contrast, Hodge's "A New World" takes it to the streets with a funky swagger, as Blanchard and Loueke shred some notes.  Still, Blanchard's consummate imprint and warm tone permeate the recording, and his mirrored tracks "D's Choice" and "Robin's Choice" are masterful full of emotion, spirit and humanity. Mixing jazz and philosophy within a vibrant setting, the aptly titled Choices, continues to bear the good fruits of his thoughtful decisions. ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/choices-terence-blanchard-concord-music-group-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Terence Blanchard: trumpet; Fabian Almazan: piano; Derrick Hodge: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums; Lionel Loueke: guitar; Walter Smith III: saxophone; Dr. Cornel West: spoken word (1-3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15); Bilal: vocals (3, 4, 10, 11, 14).

Choices

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André Previn - The Subterraneans

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 91,0 MB
Art: Front

(1:57)  1. Why Are We Afraid?
(3:07)  2. Guido's Blackhawk
(4:01)  3. Two By Two
(4:14)  4. Bread And Wine
(2:44)  5. Coffee Time
(3:27)  6. A Rose And The End
(2:28)  7. Should I
(1:32)  8. Look Ma, No Clothes
(5:37)  9. Things Are Looking Down
(4:20) 10. Analyst
(1:57) 11. Like Blue
(3:06) 12. Raising Caen

MGM director Ronald McDougall didn't do much right in adapting Jack Kerouac's novel The Subterraneans for the big screen first, the lead character of Mardou Fox (played by Leslie Caron) was transformed from black to white, and future A-Team star George Peppard was miscast as Kerouac's alter ego, Leo Percepied. And don't even mention Robert Thom's clumsy, lightweight screenplay. But at least composer André Previn had the good sense to recruit cool jazz giants including Gerry Mulligan, Russ Freeman, and Dave Bailey to perform his Subterraneans score: jazz not only fueled Kerouac's work, but his prose sought to evoke the rhythms and energy of bebop. Indeed, this music comes far closer to accurately capturing Kerouac's writing than any of the film's dialogue. Previn also deserves credit for articulating the sadness of the original novel, deftly combining horns and strings to create a score that is dark and emotive. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-subterraneans-original-soundtrack-mw0000906573

Personnel: André Previn – piano, arranger, conductor; Gerry Mulligan – baritone saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8–10);  Carmen McRae – vocals (track 5); Art Farmer (tracks 4 & 9), Jack Sheldon (1, 3, 6, 8 & 10 and 12) – trumpet; Bob Enevoldsen – valve trombone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 and 9); Art Pepper – alto saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 & 8–10 and 12); Bill Perkins – tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 and 9); Russ Freeman – piano (tracks 4, 9 and 12); Buddy Clark (tracks 4 & 9), Red Mitchell (tracks 1-3, 5–8, and 10–12) – bass; Dave Bailey (tracks 4 & 9), Shelly Manne (tracks 1–3, 5–8, and 10–12) – drums

The Subterraneans

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Warne Marsh & Kenny Drew - I Got A Good One For You

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:01
Size: 142,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. I Got A Good One For You
(7:46)  2. Sophisticated Lady
(4:31)  3. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:41)  4. Sippin' At Bells
(4:31)  5. Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye
(4:50)  6. Little Willie Leaps
(5:16)  7. Easy To Love
(4:05)  8. Body And Soul
(4:54)  9. Ornithology
(9:45) 10. Star Eyes
(4:44) 11. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise

Warne Marsh told writer Nat Hentoff "the big thing I got from Lennie Tristano was the feeling that if music was worth that much to him, it could mean that much to me to play only what I wanted to play”. The Storyville catalogue is rich in the recorded work of Warne Marsh but the highligt certainly is "Body And Soul", a tune with strong jazz tenor links. Here Marsh fashions a masterly improvisation over the harmonies, creating melodic statements of great richness for two choruses. Music such as this is the very essence of jazz; four men united in the creation of spontaneously creative music after what must have been only a short time available for rehearsal. The result speaks for itself. https://www.storyvillerecords.com/products/i-got-a-good-one-for-you-stcd8277

Personnel: Warne Marsh (tenorsax), Kenny Drew (piano), Bo Stief (bass) and aage Tanggaard (drums)

I Got A Good One For You

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Simon Spillett - Sienna Red

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:42
Size: 172,1 MB
Art: Front

(8:30)  1. Mini Minor
(9:02)  2. Lifeline
(6:52)  3. Souriya
(6:57)  4. Peace Pipe
(8:15)  5. Rumpus
(7:50)  6. Ricardo
(8:28)  7. Pint of Bitter
(8:43)  8. The Right to Love
(6:19)  9. Sienna Red
(3:42) 10. Oleo

After winning the 2007 Rising Star category in the BBC Jazz Awards, tenor saxophonist Simon Spillett now has this very disc up for public voting in the 2008 Best Album section. Fundamentally, it's a representation of what he does onstage, though the fact that this recording can't possibly scale the heights of an in-person experience is some testament to Spillett's blowing power. His ascension over the last few years has been swift, to the point where he's now a serious challenger to reedsman Alan Barnes for the British hard bop sceptre. Woodville is the latter's record label, so here's an endorsement from a fitting source. Of course, there's Peter King and Don Weller to consider too, but there's something about Spillett's approach that aligns him with Barnes. Spillett is already a veteran of all the prestigious London clubs, and is now throwing himself completely into the establishment of his own quartet's comet-like reputation, boasting the line-up of John Critchinson (piano), Andrew Cleyndert (bass) and Spike Wells (drums). It's impossible to avoid mention of the great Tubby Hayes as Spillett's guiding light in terms of style and attack, but this doesn't mean that he's forsaking the development of a personal vocabulary. This follow-up to 2007's debut album is as swift as Simon's soloing articulation. He absolutely doesn't dally. On the opening Mini Minor, barely is the theme shot out than the tenorman's skating off on a winding solo, the combo coping well with their own solos, the end result being an introductory portfolio of their wares. It's as if Spillett is attempting to cram life itself into each eight minute outburst. That's about the average tune-length, as extended time is needed to accommodate Simon's spillage. When the songs aren't hurtling at high velocity, they adopt a brash swaying motion, and a ballad spot tends to turn up after every third chaser, just to prove that Spillett is also a sensitive breather. Peace Pipe sounds anything but peaceful. In fact, it's rather more agitated than Rumpus, which has its own staccato flourishes. Spillett saves Oleo until last, and it's a rollercoaster that brooks no argument. https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/3rqv/

Personnel: Saxophone [Tenor], Producer – Simon Spillett; Double Bass – Andrew Cleyndert; Drums – Spike Wells; Piano – John Critchinson

Sienna Red

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