Ernesto Aurignac Trío - Plays Standards Vol. 1

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:29
Size: 93,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:22)  1. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:05)  2. Barbados
(4:46)  3. Body and Soul
(3:04)  4. Long Ago and Far Away
(4:14)  5. Struttin´ with Some Barbecue
(3:13)  6. You Don't Know What Love is
(2:59)  7. Night and Day
(5:32)  8. The Girl from Ipanema
(5:23)  9. I Want to Talk About You
(3:45) 10. Just Friends

It is surprising that a musician takes off with a work as complex and vibrant as the DVD concert Ernestro Aurignac Orchestra live in Malaga Jazz Festival (2014) or the galactic Anunnakis (2015), so surprising that, after such original works, we regale a humble homage (any homage must be humble) to the standards that have inspired him. We had already heard Ernesto Aurignac in his concert Charlie Parker with strings and it is true that the name of his orchestra (UNO) has gillespian reminiscences, but standards or not, what we expect from this saxophonist are surprises, originality, and with these expectations we have listened to their last album, Plays Standards Vol. 1 (Blue Asteroid Records, 2017). It is not surprising, of course, to find the same perfectionism, the same eagerness for the complex and the subtle in this Standards as in their own compositions but, as is natural, there is a leap from playing with an orchestra to becoming a trio. Despite this, Aurignac seems to feel comfortable playing without a harmonic instrument. Pedro Campos on contrabass and Santi Colomer on drums are his companions, a trio without a piano where the risk is silence. According to Aurignac, “a simple, easy to listen and dynamic disc” where nothing was thought, a matter of arriving at the studio and asking: What do we play? It’s that simple in the album’s script. The result is easy to hear and serves to confirm the versatility of this saxophonist, beyond his work as a composer. The ghost of Charlie Parker flies over the disc and it is noted that he is one of Aurignac’s idols, although in his style other influences are perceived because he, unlike Parker, has a later historical perspective. But what is interesting about these standards? Here, Parker does not sound just like Parker: he has something of the malagueño. more nuances … and less anger (if we except the fast-paced “On Green Dolphin Street”). Instead, the version of “Just Friends” sounds on the saxophone of Aurignac much more Bird than the one we heard by Parker himself recorded with strings. Reviewed all the setlist, we find in general a complex bebop but without useless shrillness, the bop that would have made (perhaps) Bird if it had evolved beyond the frenzy of youth and drugs: the “Night and Day” that appears in this album is maybe the most bop I’ve heard and I could continue to shred the album but I’m left with “Struttin ‘With Some Barbecue”, Louis Armstrong’s classic, which becomes an elegant melody here, closer to the West Coast than the bebop , almost dance, without losing its Neolibean reminiscences. https://getjazz.net/ernesto-aurignac-trio-ernesto-aurignac-trio-plays-standards-vol-1-2019/

Plays Standards Vol. 1

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The Fat Babies - Uptown

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:20
Size: 107,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Uptown
(2:42)  2. Edna
(3:59)  3. The Bathing Beauty Blues
(3:41)  4. Harmony Blues
(3:13)  5. Ruff Scufflin'
(4:27)  6. Out of a Clear Blue Sky
(3:27)  7. Sweet Is The Night
(3:00)  8. Thumpin' 'n' Bumpin'
(4:40)  9. The Spell of the Blues
(3:26) 10. That Gal of Mine
(3:13) 11. Traveling That Rocky Road
(2:59) 12. The Sophomore
(3:27) 13. Harlem Rhythm Dance

The Fat Babies are back for their fourth effort for Delmark Records, and this time the dance tunes are lathered with the butter of sophisticated, atmospheric textural arrangements. While the band continues to develop and make great music, this recording captures the band at what some listeners consider its apogee, as an 8-piece with Jonathan Doyle (Mighty Blue Kings, Four Charms, Tuba Skinny) jumpin’ around the skillet. This was the form of the band between 2016-2018, when they held court in Uptown on the north side every Tuesday and in Pilsen on the south side every Sunday. The band was always cookin’, the dance floor was always full, and every set seemed to build incessantly towards the ebullient chorus at the end of the show when everyone screamed as the horns stood up to take it all back home. Uptown scintillates with virtuoso execution, and I don’t mean show-off turns; I mean good, clean, clear execution of rhythmic and melodic passages. The ensemble playing as arranged by cornetist Andy Schumm is highly complex and nuanced, sashaying through a variety of intriguing textures. From the evocative dark atmosphere of “The Spell of the Blues”, to the stride party vibe of “The Sophomore”, the cool austerity of “Sweet is the Night”, and the heartening pretty melody of “Out of a Clear Blue Sky”, this record proves this ensemble can show you around America in the ’20s and ’30s like few others can. “Out of a Clear Blue Sky” in particular compels a great sense of comfort by taking this listener back to the golden age of Hollywood cinema; this recording evokes a nostalgia of the days of radio and nightclubs a few steps below ground level. https://delmark.com/product/258/

Uptown

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Jon Faddis - Legacy

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:22
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. West End Blues
(5:38)  2. Little Jazz
(6:03)  3. A Night In Tunisia
(4:45)  4. Instigator
(3:31)  5. Things To Come
(7:02)  6. A Child Is Born
(4:10)  7. Li'l Darlin'
(5:32)  8. Whisper Not

After too long a period in the studios, talented trumpeter Jon Faddis returned to jazz with this brilliant effort. Best known for his ability to closely emulate his idol, Dizzy Gillespie (far from an easy feat), Faddis pays tribute to Gillespie with "Night in Tunisia" and "Things to Come." However, he also does a close imitation of Roy Eldridge on "Little Jazz," pays homage to Louis Armstrong on "West End Blues," shows sensitivity on Thad Jones' "A Child Is Born," and performs three other numbers. 

With the assistance of tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Mel Lewis, Jon Faddis is in superb form throughout this outstanding release, his definitive recording. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/legacy-mw0000187987

Personnel: Jon Faddis - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Kenny Barron - piano; Ray Brown - bass; Harold Land - tenor saxophone;  Mel Lewis - drums

Legacy

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Jeff Steinberg - Romance In Tuscany

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:25
Size: 108,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Time To Say Goodbye
(3:14)  2. Innamorata
(3:53)  3. O Mio Babbino Caro From Gianni Schicchi
(3:58)  4. Love Theme - From Cinema Paradiso
(3:19)  5. Musetta’s Waltz - From La Boheme
(4:13)  6. Come Prima
(3:59)  7. Theme From Buongiorno Principessa
(4:08)  8. Theme From Il Postino
(3:10)  9. Nessun Dorma From Turandot
(4:29) 10. I Have But One Heart
(4:18) 11. Cavatina From The Deer Hunter
(3:55) 12. Intermezzo From Cavalleria Rusticana

After more than thirty-five years as a composer, arranger/orchestrator, pianist, producer and music educator, Jeff Steinberg's work continues to span the professional spectrum which includes spectacular Jazz, Big Band, and Orchestral recordings as well as original scores for advertising, television, and film. Upon graduating from the Berklee School in 1969, he joined The Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Buddy DeFranco and toured the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Japan. Since then, he has worked with such luminaries as Maynard Ferguson, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Perry Como, and Michel Legrand, and produced and arranged music for the advertising campaigns of General Motors, McDonald’s, ALCOA, The Monsanto Company, TimeLife and others. He has arranged, conducted, and performed with and for The London Symphony, Scottish National Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, the orchestras of Nashville, Detroit and Tampa, as well as Randy Newman, Anne Murray, Art Garfunkel, Roberta Flack, Michael Feinstein, Olivia Newton-John, and Paul Anka. His recent album of original material, Friends & Heroes, is a dedication to some of the jazz world's most influential musicians. His compositions are musical sketches of these icons Horace Silver, Thad Jones, Michel Legrand, Henry Mancini among them and feature some of the best players on the music scene today, most notably clarinet legend Buddy DeFranco, saxophonist Jeff Coffin (currently with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), and bassist Jim Ferguson. Recorded live in the studio, the fresh attitude and creative solos make this popular collection a must for every traditional jazz lover. His recent work with Village Square Music and Green Hill Productions has paired his arranging and orchestration prowess with jazz greats Beegie Adair, Lori Mechem, Jack Jezzro, and Denis Solee. As a featured pianist with his own ensemble on the Village Square label, his Jazz & Cocktails and Jazz Blends albums assemble a veritable who’s-who of Music City’s best players to present a collection of jazz standards which, like a smooth martini, are suitable for social gatherings and solitary enjoyment alike. Steinberg currently serves as a frequent POPS Conductor for The Nashville Symphony and other orchestras with whom his productions of “Jazz At The Symphony” featuring the talents of Jeff Coffin, Denis Solee, Mark Douthit (The Other Three Tenors), Beegie Adair, Lori Mechem, Rod McGaha, Jay Patten, George Tidwell, Annie Sellick, Sandra Dudley and others have drawn critical acclaim and sell-out crowds. As producer/arranger of the newly-released Brazilian Christmas album spotlighting pianist Lori Mechem and her sextet with orchestra, Jeff Steinberg continues to create high quality, listenable jazz for music lovers of all tastes and generations. https://jeffsteinberg.com/bio.html

Personnel: Jeff Steinberg - Piano; David Davidson - Violin, Concert Master; Jack Jezzro - Bass, Guitar; John Mock - Guitar, Mandolin; Jeff Taylor - Accordion; Roger Spencer - Bass

Romance In Tuscany

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Xavier Davis - Dance of Life

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:05
Size: 143,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. The Plan Unknown
(6:28)  2. The Nearness of You
(6:09)  3. Time After Time
(6:42)  4. You've Got a Friend
(7:07)  5. Jitterbug Waltz
(8:02)  6. Old Folks
(4:59)  7. Dance of Life
(8:06)  8. Where or When
(3:10)  9. Long Ago and Far Away
(5:51) 10. I Love You

An excellent modern jazz date, this session features pianist Xavier Davis and his quartet playing modernized versions of eight standards (including "The Nearness of You," "Jitterbug Waltz," "Where or When," and Carole King's "You've Got a Friend") plus two of Davis' originals. Along with the leader, the lead voice is frequently Don Braden on tenor and soprano, with fine support from bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Carl Allen. No new revelations occur, but the musicians make the vintage standards sound fairly new and fresh and there are many fine solos from Davis and Braden. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dance-of-life-mw0000667046

Personnel: Piano – Xavier Davis; Bass – Dwayne Burno; Drums – Carl Allen; Saxophone – Don Braden

Dance of Life

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Jack Walrath - In Montana

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:15
Size: 150,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Lodgelian Mode
(3:26)  2. Ron's Blues
(8:07)  3. A Wolf Gang of Arabia
(3:47)  4. What a Thing
(4:58)  5. Where Have I Been
(3:40)  6. Grey and Blue
(5:37)  7. Blues in the Guts
(2:21)  8. Montana
(9:51)  9. Remembrance
(5:02) 10. Seper B
(5:00) 11. A Nod or a Wink
(6:09) 12. At Home in Rome
(2:23) 13. Reverend Red

Trumpeter Jack Walrath went back to Montana in January of 1980 to accomplish three things: visit his parents, burn down his old high school, and do a recording with a local quartet called interestingly enough Montana. Walrath never got around to torching his alma mater, but he did develop a working relationship with four talented musicians who were just as dedicated to stretching the envelope as he was. The result was In Montana, just re-released by Labor Records. Montana wasn't your average "flyover country pickup group. Chuck Florence had played saxophone with organist Jack MacDuff, as well as the Detroit Symphony, while drummer Jim Honaker had done time at New England Conservatory with tenor saxophonist Ricky Ford, Walrath's partner-in-crime in Charles Mingus' band. Pianist Bob Nell and Kelly Roberty on bass didn't possess the national credits their cohorts had, but the writing and playing they contributed to In Montana show they learned their lessons well, even this far off the beaten path. In fact, this band was pretty formidable without Walrath, as "Remembrance demonstrates. Recorded live two months after the In Montana session, Florence's composition swirls and roars like an angry winged lion; Florence threatens to break glass with the notes he squeezes out of his tenor sax, and Nell anchors the piece with passionate piano reminiscent of Herbie Hancock. So by itself, Montana acquits itself well. 

When Walrath steps into the mix though, the combination is positively explosive. "Lodgelian Mode sails headlong into post-bop swing, with Walrath and Florence harmonizing on the head like they've been working together for years. Walrath's trumpet is frenetic and aggressive, as is Florence's tenor solo. The piece never stops swinging, but there is just enough chaos and dissonance in the arrangement to tell you this is not a mainstream piece. Walrath brought a lot of Mingus with him to this date, and Montana is definitely down with the program. The Nell tune "Ron's Blues acts as a natural follow-up, with unexpected time changes and arrangements played over a swinging framework; Florence releases his inner Trane on a piercing in-the-clear soprano solo that turns into a boisterous duet with Walrath. On "Seper B the harmonies are almost shocking, as Nells links up with Walrath and Florence to create a powerful one-two-three punch. "A Wolf Gang of Arabia has Florence going Eastern on soprano while the rest of the band plays weirder and weirder percussion breaks. Walrath's plaintive "Where Have I Been is the polar opposite of "Wolf Gang, though the band does heat up as Walrath's solo shifts shape. In Montana would be a terrific disc without the back story. However, remember when this was recorded: the musical gold standard was Weather Report, Miles Davis was inching towards an electric comeback, and Wynton Marsalis was just another Jazz Messenger. We embrace the music of In Montana now, but in 1980, these tunes were coming from a time that was headed for the collective memory hole. Fortunately, performer and songwriter Peter Allen was correct Everything old is new again. ~ J Hunter https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-montana-jack-walrath-labor-records-review-by-j-hunter.php

Personnel: Jack Walrath: trumpet, flugelhorn; Chuck Florence: tenor sax, soprano sax; Bob Nell: piano; Kelly Roberty: bass; Jim Honaker: drums.

In Montana

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Don Byron - A Fine Line: Arias And Lieder

Styles: Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:57
Size: 115,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. Check Up
(2:52)  2. Zwielicht (Twilight)
(8:06)  3. Glitter And Be Gay
(5:06)  4. Basquiat
(2:43)  5. It's Over
(4:55)  6. Creepin'
(4:02)  7. Nessun Dorma
(3:51)  8. Soldier In The Rain
(4:52)  9. Reach Out I'll Be There
(6:16) 10. The Ladies Who Lunch
(2:15) 11. Larghetto

Don Byron continues to fascinate and puzzle jazz listeners with his refusal to be pigeonholed. Even as he completes one project, he's working on the next one, which inevitably will be a departure from all of the CDs that precede it. Yet, each of Byron's CD's enlarge not only the body of his work, but also the fullness of his musical perspective. Possessing interests in jazz, classical works, pop, klezmer, country/western, funk, theatrical repertoire, rap and Latin music, Byron's background is such that his curiosity about various forms can take any direction in future productions. While many jazz artists remain consistent and predictable, Byron naturally and without pretense investigates approaches that few other jazz musicians would attempt. Plus, Byron's dedication to the revival of the jazz clarinet remains admirable, extending the tradition through an original aesthetic, or perhaps a through an imaginative synthesis, that positions a clarinetist as the creative leader of advances in music, and indeed African-American culture.Thus, no one except perhaps Byron' producer Hans Wendl knows where Byron will go next. This unpredictability leads to one inevitability: that Byron'CD's always will present a thematic concept, complete with detailed musical proof of his hypotheses. Byron recorded the music of Mickey Katz not because it would become the flavor of the month, but because he believes in the excellence of the klezmer music that had been overlooked. He brought together modern poetry and rap on Nu Blaxploitation because it asserts a statement about African-American culture that mainstream culture didn't hear as did Tuskegee Experiments. Music For Six Musicians threw out the common view of Afro-Caribbean music as consisting of a regular beat more akin to jazz and introduced the more authentic clavé that Byron heard in his Bronx boyhood neighborhood and in Boston where he played in Latin bands while attending Berklee. Romance With The Unseen assumed an intellectual basis for the notion of "romance" and associated with it anger, longing and unity. So where is Don Byron going with A Fine Line: Arias & Lieder?  Byron'contention this time is that, even though modern music has advanced to the point of non-singability, African-influenced musical concepts have tethered songs to the tradition of the more classical arias of opera and lieder of composers like Schumann. 

Once again, Byron has recorded a thematic album that posits an idea and then makes his point through example. The listener, then, may be taken aback by the proximity of Bernstein's operatic aria of "Glitter And Be Gay" two tracks away from Roy Orbison's "It's Over." In fact, Byron'choice of singers (who have collaborated in the past with pianist Uri Caine as well) is apt. Patricia O'Callaghan seems to be a student not of genre, but of voice, as she exhibits chameleonic versatility by sounding like two distinctively different singers on her extroverted rendition of "Glitter And Be Gay" and then her soft and subtle performance of Stevie Wonder's "Creepin." Singer Mark Ledford proves to be just as versatile, wordlessly singing the melodic lines of Ornette Coleman's "Check Up" in unison with Byron and then lowering his voice an octave in a range closer to Byron's bass clarinet on "It's Over."The one track involving Cassandra Wilson, Stephen Sondheim's "The Ladies Who Lunch," is notable for the fact that it leads the listener to realize the natural next step in her career: the Broadway theater. She is unexpectedly effective in presenting the story-telling nature of the tune, complete with narrative, rhetorical questions, humor and anecdotal descriptions. So where does all of this leave Byron, the intellectual center of the album? Giving Henry Mancini due respect for his unparalleled talent for tunesmithing, Byron is reduced to playing above the background singers on "Soldier In The Rain" after introducing the melody. And how do you work a clarinet into the overwrought tune, "It's Over"? Rather than taking center stage in the vocal numbers, Byron alternates the sung "arias und lieder" with compare-and-contrast clarineting of classical compositions like Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" or Chopin's "Larghetto." Byron has composed one minor-keyed étude, "Basquiat," that he performs in duo with Caine. As usual, Don Byron is uncompromising, thought-provoking and controversial on A Fine Line: Arias & Lieder. Some listeners, especially those who have followed Caine's just-as-challenging work, will endorse it. Some, with demands for consistency and most easily digestible musical consumption, will argue against it. But once again, no one will be neutral about Don Byron's music. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-fine-line-arias-and-lieder-don-byron-blue-note-records-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Don Byron: clarinet, bass clarinet; Uri Caine: piano; Jerome Harris: bass guitar, acoustic guitar; Paulo Braga: drums, percussion; Mark Ledford, Patricia O'Callaghan, Dean Bowman, Cassandra Wilson: vocals.

A Fine Line: Arias And Lieder

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Don Sebesky - A Jazz Portrait of Charlie Mariano

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:33
Size: 92,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. I Feel Pretty
(4:14)  2. The Wind
(7:30)  3. To Taiho
(4:29)  4. Goodbye
(2:52)  5. The Shout
(5:24)  6. Portrait of an Artist
(3:19)  7. Deep in a Dream
(5:37)  8. Pretty Little Nieda
(3:05)  9. The Song Is You

"There is so much taht could be said about this album, but until the record companies consider using larger jackets, I shall be obliged to hold my enthusiasm in check. I must mention Jim Hall's masterful playing is something we have all come to expect from him. Phil Bodner, whose complete mastery of all the redd instruments makes him a one man section, and as such, he is an invaluable asset. Mel Lewis' consistently fine musicianship and his fiery propulsion to the big band tracks is more thanworthy of comment Charlie's gospel-tinged THE SHOUT, the Sebesky title tune of the album, amd Rolf Ericson's delightful jazz waltz, Pretty Little Nieda, coupled with the standards, make for above average programming, something of a novelty in a business that has become mired in anonymity. Regiona Records should feel very proud of yhis contribution, and I repeat if this album doesn't scare a lot of people there is definitely something wrong with the music business." ~ Mort Fega, liner-notes from the original LP on Regina Records https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/charlie-mariano-albums/4076-a-jazz-portrait-of-charlie-mariano.html

Personnel: Charlie Mariano (as), Jim Hall (g), Mel Lewis (d), Bob Brookmeyer (v-tb), Marvin Stamm (tp), Roger Kellaway, Jaki Byard (p), Richard Davis, Art Davis (b), Albert 'Tootie' Heath (d)

A Jazz Portrait of Charlie Mariano

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Robin Eubanks and Mental Images - Get 2 It

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:30
Size: 169,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:02)  1. Metamorphos
(5:32)  2. Get 2 It
(5:23)  3. Essi
(2:16)  4. REM State
(6:38)  5. Blues for Jimi
(8:36)  6. Cross Currents
(5:57)  7. RNB-First Take
(6:26)  8. Sabanna
(8:53)  9. House of Jade
(5:13) 10. Reunion
(5:57) 11. Indo
(4:31) 12. AudioNotes

Robin Eubanks' electronic trombone is something else. Horn players have been trying for decades to create a vocal-like sound on their instruments. The plunger mute helped brass players when jazz was young. The electronic saxophone and EWI have allowed reed players to play harmony and create inspiring effects; yet, neither instrument has allowed sufficiently for vocal effects. Instead, flute players achieve their vocal effects through ' well ' vocalizing. Over the years, creative artists such as Lester Bowie have experimented with natural-sounding vocal sounds expressed through a horn. Eubanks' session comes a long way from early tailgate trombone and the timeless junior high school antics of creating kissing sounds or a horse's holiday neigh through the trumpet. Combining hard core electronic experimentation with down-to-earth trombone artistry, Eubanks brings his latest album to a wider audience. Singing the blues, he works the electronic trombone through "Blues for Jimi," resembling the wordless vocals of scat singing. The fascinating sounds, while somewhat eerie at times, are placed in a tasteful jazz environment. A blues organ trio supports Eubanks as it would any emotional singer. Only the title track contains actual vocal expression. The other vocal-like exhibitions are through the electronic trombone. Several selections place Eubanks' trombone in a sextet format with modern mainstream originals. His brother, Duane, joins on trumpet for some hard bop hitting. A propelling rhythm section drives both brothers forcefully. Samples of two of the album's tracks are available at the trombonist's mp3 site . Showing his true potential, Eubanks performs "Essie," a lovely trombone ballad, with Kevin Eubanks' acoustic guitar accompanying. Having recorded six CDs as a leader, Robin Eubanks has proven that he has an unyielding respect for jazz's traditions. Placed in this context, his highly individualized, singing, electronic trombone makes a warm addition to the jazz world and should encourage others to explore similar new avenues for expression. 

~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/get-2-it-robin-eubanks-rem-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Robin Eubanks (trombone & electric trombone); Duane Eubanks (trumpet); Kevin Eubanks (acoustic guitar); Maya Azucena (vocals); George Colligan, Michael Cain (keyboards); Lonnie Plaxico, Dave Holland (bass); Billy Kilson, Gene Jackson (drums); Mino Cinelu (percussion)

Get 2 It

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Kristen Lee Sergeant - Smolder

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:04
Size: 110,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. True
(5:17)  2. Balm / Burn
(5:50)  3. Afterglow
(4:16)  4. I'm Beginning to See the Light
(5:36)  5. Midnight Sun
(4:38)  6. It's All Right with Me
(3:58)  7. Show Me
(5:08)  8. Sconsolato
(4:59)  9. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (These Foolish Things)
(3:28) 10. The Best Is yet to Come

Sometimes it takes an entire album, or even a few, to appreciate an artist's depth. But in the case of vocalist Kristen Lee Sergeant, you can get there in a song. Her morphing take on '80s new wave outfit Spandau Ballet's "True," revealing a theatrical streak and some pure and pliable pipes, does the job and then some. As an arranger Sergeant paints with beauty and perspective there, matching Ted Nash's alto flute to Jeb Patton's piano and making artful use of Jody Redhage Ferber's cello; and as a singer she balances passion and poise in her uncovering of the song's hidden angles and inner truths. It's a real achievement, and the first of many smart performances on Smolder. Regardless of what material she's working with, Sergeant makes her mark by molding a song and owning its intentions with wisdom and clarity. On "Balm/Burn" she works a seam that soothes and seduces all at once. Through "Afterglow" she explores post-romance in ruminative fashion, with Nash's alto saxophone shadowing her mood and upping the ante. During "I'm Beginning To See The Light" she shows a lighter side and more flexible phrasing, connecting with bassist Cameron Brown's supportive lines. And during the reduced-gravity introduction of "Midnight Sun," her vocal certainty in the face of the unknown helps to light the way. With the exception of Jimmy Woode's bossa-ballad "Sconsolato," the second half of the album focuses on classics that should be largely familiar to jazz-loving ears. But familiarity breeds a stretch here, as Sergeant expertly toys with form and flow. "It's All Right With Me" changes tempos and makes some sharp turns, with drummer Jay Sawyer steering with style and Sergeant stopping and shifting on a dime. And "Show Me" is twisted and tweaked, too. A shifting of gears and a play on moods carries the song to unexpected places. The parting selections further illustrate Sergeant's vision of personalized narrative embedded within known quantities. Binding "These Foolish Things" and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," she creates an unbroken ideal laced with cello charms. And adding Afro-Cuban sway to "The Best Is Yet To Come," she raises a glass to optimism on her way out. With insightful offerings and stylish arrangements, Smolder truly stands apart. Kristen Lee Sergeant is most certainly deserving of greater recognition. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/smolder-kristen-lee-sergeant-plastic-sax-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Kristen Lee Sergeant: vocals, arrangements; Jeb Patton: piano; Cameron Brown: bass; Jay Sawyer: drums; Ted Nash: alto flute/alto saxophone; Jody Redhage Ferber: cello; Rogerio Boccato: percussion.

Smolder

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Harold Ashby Quartet - Harold Ashby Quartet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:34
Size: 126,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Candy
(4:26)  2. Quickie
(5:02)  3. There Is No Greater Love
(3:59)  4. Dainty
(5:08)  5. Over the Rainbow
(4:31)  6. Pleading
(4:00)  7. Days of Wine and Roses
(3:49)  8. Cous Cous
(5:00)  9. There Is No Greater Love - Alt-Take 9
(4:04) 10. Days of Wine and Roses - Alt-Take 3
(6:19) 11. Pleading - Alt-Take 1
(3:47) 12. Dainty - Alt-Take 1

An excellent Ben Webster-inspired tenor saxophonist, Harold Ashby fit right in during his period with Duke Ellington. He had played in Kansas City (starting in 1946) and, in the early '50s, in Chicago. While most of his previous work was in R&B and blues bands, he was always a fine swing-based improviser. In 1957, Ashby moved to New York, met Ben Webster, and through the elder tenor was introduced to Duke Ellington. During the next decade he was on the periphery of Duke's world, playing with Mercer Ellington's short-lived band, recording with Ellington stars, and appearing in Duke's My People show. Ashby was more than ready when he joined Ellington in 1968, and he was a major asset to the band up until the leader's death. Ashby continued with Mercer Ellington into 1975, gigged with Benny Goodman and Sy Oliver, and performed often in Europe and led occasional record dates, including 1991's What Am I Here For? and 1999's Just For You, thus keeping the Ellington swing tenor legacy alive. After suffering a heart attack in May of 2003, Harold Ashby was hospitalized in his adopted home of New York. He passed away June 13, 2003 at the age of 78. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/harold-ashby-mn0000667414/biography

Personnel: Harold Ashby (ts); Don Friedman (p); George Mraz (b); Ronnie Bedford (d)

Harold Ashby Quartet

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Marilena Paradisi - I'll Never Be the Same

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:08
Size: 124,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:29)  1. You're My Thrill
(4:14)  2. You Won't Forget Me
(4:02)  3. Slow Hot Wind
(4:07)  4. Too Late Now
(4:41)  5. Laura
(6:40)  6. Detour Ahead
(3:30)  7. If You Go
(5:42)  8. Where Are the Words
(6:34)  9. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
(6:15) 10. All Night Long
(2:51) 11. It's All Right With Me

This seems to be singer Marilena Paradisi's debut recording as a leader, though there are no liner notes to provide any background about her career. Accompanied by an excellent rhythm section, which includes pianist Paolo Tombolesi, bassist Piero Leveratto, and drummer Eliot Zigmund (a veteran of pianist Bill Evans' trio), Paradisi contributed all of the arrangements for her rather interesting program. She captures the sassy, self-confident mood of the girl unjustly abandoned in "You Won't Forget Me," while she shines in the bossa nova setting of "Laura." Her wordless introduction to "Detour Ahead" is beautifully mirrored by Tombolesi. But Paradisi especially excels in her two duets: the tasty "If You Go" with Leveratto and the strutting rendition of "It's All Right With Me" with Zigmund (though his drums are a bit too prominent in the mix). Paradisi's enunciation could use some work in a few places, but this delightful singer is well worth checking out. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/ill-never-be-the-same-mw0000595520

I'll Never Be the Same

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Regina Carter - Motor City Moments

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:48
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Don't Git Sassy
(6:17)  2. Don't Mess With Mr. T
(5:53)  3. For Someone I Love
(3:48)  4. Forever February
(6:56)  5. Higher Ground
(6:24)  6. Love Theme From Spartacus
(3:47)  7. Prey Loot
(4:56)  8. Fukai Aijo
(3:50)  9. Chattanooga Choo Choo
(3:36) 10. Up South

Two years after her stunning debut on Verve, violinist Regina Carter offers listeners her exceptional string virtuosity on ten great songs inspired by her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Motor City Moments features a stellar collection of songs written by some of the best musicians from Detroit including Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Thad Jones, and Milt Jackson. Regina Carter applies her pure skill, pizzicato, and arco passages to "Don't Mess With Mr. T" and "Higher Ground" with impeccable tuning and multiple approaches. Her string virtuosity on Milt Jackson's "For Someone I Love," is a masterful performance backed adeptly by Mayra Casales on percussion and spotlights a brilliant piano solo by Werner "Vana" Gierig. Two originals, "Forever February" and "Up South," which was co-written with guitarist Russell Malone, provide an interesting contrast of the artist's use of reflective temperament and folk-ornamented cadences. Each song also emphasizes Carter's adept techniques with melodic phrasing and song forms. Accompanied by her touring band of Darryl Hall on bass, Alvester Garnett on drums, percussionist Mayra Casales, Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and flugelhorn, James Carter on bass clarinet and tenor sax, Barry Harris on piano, Lewis Nash, as well as several special guests, Regina Carter has rapidly become one of the most exciting and original violinists to arrive on the jazz scene. ~ Paula Edelstein https://www.allmusic.com/album/motor-city-moments-mw0000672434

Personnel: Regina Carter - violin; Marcus Belgrave -trumpet; James Carter - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Werner "Vana" Gierig - piano; Darryl Hall - bass; Alvester Garnett - drums; Barry Harris - piano; Russell Malone - guitar; Lewis Nash - drums.

Motor City Moments

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Adam Birnbaum Trio - Ballade Pour Adeline

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:57
Size: 145,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:05)  1. Nostalgy
(6:39)  2. Ballade Pour Adeline
(6:03)  3. So in love
(6:50)  4. The Way We Were
(5:23)  5. Nocturne No. 2, Op. 9: II
(6:20)  6. Besame Mucho
(6:58)  7. Serenade de l'Etoile
(5:54)  8. Travels
(6:16)  9. Tara's Theme (Movie "Gone With The Wind")
(5:25) 10. Kitano Blues

Adam Birnbaum is emerging as one of the top young voices in jazz piano. Since receiving a graduate Artist’s Diploma in jazz studies from The Julliard School in 2003, he has become a presence on the New York City scene as a leader and sideman, performing in such venues as the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Birdland, the Jazz Standard and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. He has also performed on many national and world stages, including the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, the Kennedy Center, the Montreal Jazz Festival, The Spoleto Festival, The Red Sea Jazz Festival, The Rockport Chamber Festival, NPR Jazz Christmas, and the Capetown Jazz Festival. As a leader, Birnbaum has released four albums under his name in Japan and the U.S. His first release, Ballade Pour Adeline, received a Gold Disk award from As a leader, Birnbaum has released four albums under his name in Japan and the U.S. His first release, Ballade Pour Adeline, received a Gold Disk award from Swing Journal as one of the top albums of 2006. Adam’s U.S. debut Travels, released in 2009 under the Smalls record label, received enthusiastic reviews in Allmusic.com, All About Jazz and JazzTimes. Birnbaum’s recent release Three of A Mind, featuring bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Al Foster, was hailed as “an eloquent dispatch from the heart of the contemporary piano trio tradition” by the New York Times, and received an Editor’s Pick and four star review in Downbeat magazine. As a sideman, Birnbaum’s wide-ranging versatility and artistry have made him a first call for a wide variety of ensembles. He has performed or toured with established jazz artists such as Al Foster, Greg Osby, Regina Carter, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis, as well as with young artists such as Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and Cecile Mclorin Salvant. Birnbaum has appeared as a sideman more than 25 albums. Birnbaum is also recognized as a composer and arranger. Allmusic.com reviewer Ken Dryden said “Birnbaum’s compositions prove immediately infectious, each with a hook that draws the listener along for the ride. “A review of Travels in JazzTimes praised the album’s “stellar originals.” In 2009 Birnbaum premiered Dream Songs, a trio suite based on the poetry of John Berryman. The work was commissioned by Chamber Music America. Since 2012 Birnbaum has worked with Chelsea Music Festival each year to arrange Bach, Debussy, Beethoven, etc, for his own trio featuring strings and other guests musicians. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Birnbaum studied at the New England Conservatory of Music before moving to New York City in 2001, one of two pianists selected to participate in the Julliard School’s inaugural jazz studies program. In 2004 he won the American Jazz Piano Competition and became the American Pianists Association's Cole Porter fellow in Jazz. That same year, he became the first jazz pianist to present a recital at the prestigious Gilmore Rising Stars Recital Series. In 2006, he received the first-ever "special mention" prize at the Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition in Paris. He has toured West Africa and Asia sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. State Department. Adam has studied with Danilo Perez, Kenny Barron, and Fred Hersch. Adam Birnbaum is currently an Assistant Professor of Jazz at SUNY Purchase. He is also a Steinway Artist. http://www.adambirnbaum.com/bio

Ballade Pour Adeline

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Keiko Matsui - Echo

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:47
Size: 102,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. Unshakeable
(4:14)  2. Moon Over Gotham
(4:15)  3. Echo (feat. Marcus Miller)
(5:53)  4. Esprit (feat. Kirk Whallum)
(3:51)  5. Marlin Club Blues (feat. Robben Ford)
(4:17)  6. Invisible Rain
(4:57)  7. Spirit Dance (feat. Gretchen Parlato)
(3:11)  8. Now Is The Moment
(4:21)  9. Viva Life
(5:08) 10. Return To Eternity (feat. Kyle Eastwood)

If name-dropping were a crime, keyboardist Keiko Matsui would have a helluva time promoting Echo. The album features a string of well-known artists, including guitarist Robben Ford, saxophonist Kirk Whalum, vocalist Gretchen Parlato, bassists Marcus Miller and Kyle Eastwood, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and percussionist Luis Conte. Suffice to say, Matsui never wants for good company here, and not just the household-name variety. Trumpeter/flugelhornist Wayne Bergeron, for example, scores high marks on a series of horn charts that enhance the album’s brassy vitality and soulful allure. Which brings us to keyboardist Randy Waldman. The chief architect behind eight of the album’s 10 arrangements, Waldman makes the most of the assembled talent by avoiding tacked-on solos and routine cameos. Matsui shows a similar flair for arranging on the Brazilian-tinged “Spirit Dance,” a sensuous, multi-layered showcase for Parlato’s lithe voice and a reminder of Matsui’s often overlooked stylistic reach. Of course, Echo resonates with spiritual themes and interludes, a Matsui trademark, as the focus shifts between electric and acoustic textures. Yet she and Waldman keep things moving, sometimes pitting horns against percussion during funk excursions, sometimes exuberantly accenting Latin polyrhythms. Guitarist Ford’s input on “Marlin Club Blues” is typical of the guest turns concise and expressive and the same goes for Miller’s sinuous bass turn on the album’s title track. ~ Mike Joice https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/keiko-matsui-echo-shanachie/

Personnel: Piano – Keiko Matsui; Alto Saxophone – Brandon Fields; Bass – Jimmy Johnson; Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta; Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.; Keyboards, Programmed By [Programming] – Randy Waldman; Percussion – Luis Conte; Trombone – Nick Lane; Trumpet – Walt Fowler

Echo

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Lew Tabackin - L'archiduc (Round About Five)

Styles: Saxophone and Flute Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:17
Size: 157,7 MB
Art: Front

(12:20)  1. Night & Day
(10:19)  2. Wise One
(11:49)  3. I Don't Want to Be Kissed
(10:31)  4. In a Sentimental Mood
( 6:22)  5. L'archiduc - Round About Five
(10:25)  6. Delilah
( 6:27)  7. Oleo

Those who maintain that the elusive art of Jazz improvisation has fallen on hard times and point to Sonny Rollins as perhaps the last of the daring modern day voices on saxophone may be overlooking someone. In other words, it could be rewarding to listen, for example, to Lew Tabackin who, like Rollins, has devised a singular Jazz vocabulary and loves to dance across the high wire without a net. Tabackin’s mode of expression, although derived from and leaning heavily on Jazz tradition, is wholly modern in outlook and, like all memorable improvisation, is consistently creative and surprising. Such is certainly the case on L’Archiduc, recorded live in 1994 at the Belgian nightspot which bears that name. Tabackin is simply marvelous throughout, whether on tenor or flute (“Wise One,” “Delilah”), and it is altogether appropriate that he should end the concert with an impassioned reading of Rollins’ blazer, “Oleo.” Tabackin is accompanied by a “local” rhythm section Belgians Philippe Aerts on bass, Félix Simtaine on drums and while they are splendid in support, I kept wishing that L’Archiduc was spacious enough to house a piano. As it is, Tabackin must shoulder most of the melodic load himself, with Aerts soloing occasionally and Simtaine only once. It’s a good thing Lew has plenty to say. The first 1:37 of Cole Porter’s “Night & Day” are his alone before Aerts and Simtaine enter the fray. Trane’s meditative “Wise One” is followed by the playful “I Don’t Want to Be Kissed (By Anyone But You),” Ellington’s luminous “Sentimental Mood” and a sunny work written especially for the occasion by Tabackin, “L’Archiduc Round About Five.” Tabackin takes a well–earned breather of sorts, switching to flute on Victor Young’s soulful “Delilah,” before charging headlong into “Oleo.” This is crisp, persuasive saxophone work that would give even the indomitable Sonny a run for his money. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/larchiduc-round-about-five-lew-tabackin-igloo-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php
 

Personnel: Lew Tabackin, tenor saxophone, flute; Philippe Aerts, bass; Félix Simtaine, Drums

L'archiduc (Round About Five)

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Annekei - Annekei

Styles: Vocal, Guitar And Piano Jazz 
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:31
Size: 123,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. Taxi Driver
(3:51)  2. Baby You
(4:44)  3. N.Y.C.
(4:29)  4. Brother
(4:33)  5. With Open Arms
(4:00)  6. Diamond Shell
(3:26)  7. Bull Fight
(4:17)  8. The Voice Within
(3:56)  9. Paradise
(4:11) 10. Hold On
(4:41) 11. Keep On Going
(4:06) 12. Close Your Eyes
(2:44) 13. Shiki

First challenge I found myself in New York was auditioning for Showtimeat The Apollo, and after making my way to the finals of the show with astanding ovation in 2004, I knew that it would take more thanrejections, empty pockets, or years of hard work to bring me down. I'veworked with so many amazing artists and producers here through theyears, been blessed with the most supportive audiences and the mostkiller band members. For the past 3 years, I've also performedfrequently at hospitals all over New York through the organization"Musicians On Call", where I've met the sweetest people, patients andvolunteers. On Danish soil right now you can find me on 2 beautiful"Rasmus Noehr" albums, as well as "Soeren Sko"s "One For My Baby",produced by my dear friend, Chris Minh Doky, who also joined me on basson my latest Japan tour! In the UK you can find my single "More Of YourLove" that I wrote with Shan Boogie and MKL and released in 2004...I signed with the Japanese label "Being Records" in March 2006,recorded and produced my 1st album "Annekei" in Tokyo that was releasedin September 2006, and just finished the recordings for my 2nd album"Tsuki" that will be released this June. Arigatou gozaimasu to all ofthe hard working, talented and positive people I've met in Japan! https://www.behance.net/gallery/40089/Annekei-My-First-Album

Personnel: Vocals, Guitar – Annekei; Piano – Akira Onozuka , Annekei; Electric Piano – Annekei; Alto Saxophone – Kazuki Katsuta, Yota Miyazato; Backing Vocals – Takashi Matsuzaki; Baritone Saxophone – Satoru Takahashi;  Bass – Koichi Osamu; Electric Piano, Piano – Akira Onozuka; Guitar – Annekei, Takashi Matsuzaki; Saxophone – Generation Gap;  Soprano Saxophone – Kazuki Katsuta; Trumpet – Shiro Sasaki 

Annekei

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Tadd Dameron - The Magic Touch

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:37
Size: 85,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. On A Misty Night
(4:11)  2. Fontainebleau
(4:54)  3. Just Plain Talking
(3:18)  4. If You Could See Me Now
(2:51)  5. Our Delight
(3:01)  6. Dial B For Beauty
(4:56)  7. Look, Stop And Listen
(3:31)  8. Bevan's Birthday
(3:42)  9. You're A Joy
(3:12) 10. Swift As The Wind

Tadd Dameron is known to proclaim that he became an arranger rather than stay an exclusive instrumentalist because it was the only way he could get his music played. In retrospect, considering his best-known works are widely revered, few of them are frequently played by other bands, and only the finest musicians are able to properly interpret them. Dameron's charts had an ebb and flow that superseded the basic approach of Count Basie, yet were never as quite complicated as Duke Ellington. Coming up in the bop movement, Dameron's music had to have been by definition holding broader artistic harmonics, while allowing for the individuality of his bandmembers. The Magic Touch includes a handful of Dameron's most beloved compositions, as well as those that were more obscure, and have still never been covered. When you look at the sheer talent level of the players on this recording Clark Terry, Charlie Shavers, Joe Wilder, Jimmy Cleveland, Britt Woodman, Julius Watkins, Jerry Dodgion, Jerome Richardson, Johnny Griffin, Bill Evans, Ron Carter, George Duvivier, et al.one has to be in awe of them, and that only Dameron was able to convene such a band of extraordinary jazz performers in their prime. To effectively rein them all in was the trick, keeping solos at a bare minimum, and blending their personalized sounds together so harmoniously. "If You Could See Me Now" is the most famous, the immortal ballad of regret featuring the Sarah Vaughan styled vocal of Barbara Winfield. She also appears on the restrained and serene "You're a Joy." Dameron was known for his wonderfully piquant flute arrangements, with Dodgion, Richardson, and Leo Wright doing the honors, sounding chirpy during "If You Could See Me Now," in wonderfully supple Japanese style trills during "Dial B for Beauty," in staccato bop trim for "Swift as the Wind," or in heightened dramatic, evocative romantic nuances on the classic "Fontainebleau." The other classic standards include the definitive, spirited, cohesive rock 'em sock 'em horn punctuations and the great drumming of Philly Joe Jones for "On a Misty Night," and the direct, simple, hard swinging bop of "Our Delight" charts in most every big band's repertoire. The blues infused "Just Plain Talkin'" take the flutes and alto saxophonist Dodgion to a higher atmospheric level, "Look, Stop & Listen" is a quirky bop managed in choppy horn layers, while "Bevan's Birthday" is a Latin to easy swing and back inversion, triggered by the flutes to go back to the spicy beats. This CD version features several shorter alternate takes, thus increasing the value of the original sessions, not with longer solos, but different improvisational nuances. As close to a definitive recording as Dameron issued, and considering his very small discography, The Magic Touch is a recording that all modern jazz lovers need to own and take further lessons from. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-magic-touch-of-tadd-dameron-mw0000378367

Personnel: Tadd Dameron - Piano, Arranger, Conductor; Clark Terry - Trumpet; Ernie Royal - Trumpet; Charlie Shavers - Trumpet; Joe Wilder - Trumpet; Jimmy Cleveland - Trombone; Britt Woodman - Trombone; Julius Watkins - French Horn; Jerry Dodgion - Alto Sax, Flute; Leo Wright - Alto Sax, Flute; Jerome Richardson - Tenor Sax, Flute; Johnny Griffin - Tenor Sax; Tate Houston - Baritone Sax; Bill Evans - Piano; Ron Carter - Bass; George Duvivier - Bass; Philly Joe Jones - Drums; Barbara Winfield - Vocals

The Magic Touch

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Billy Strayhorn - The Peaceful Side Of Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:26
Size: 82,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. Lush Life
(2:51)  2. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
(3:42)  3. Passion Flower
(3:16)  4. Take The "A" Train
(3:40)  5. Strange Feeling
(4:03)  6. Day Dream
(3:17)  7. Chelsea Bridge
(3:21)  8. Multi-Colored Blue
(3:02)  9. Something To Live For
(4:43) 10. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing

During his twenty-five year tenure with the Duke Ellington Orchestra as composer, lyricist, arranger, and Duke's closest musical confidante, Billy Strayhorn rarely performed in front of a live audience and even less frequently entered a recording studio. Although his piano playing can be heard on a handful of records with the Ellington Orchestra as well as on some of its members' side projects, most notably several dates with Johnny Hodges, Strayhorn made just one album as a featured solo artist. That album, the Peaceful Side of Billy Strayhorn recorded during two overnight sessions in Paris in January 1961, has recently been reissued in the original mono version on Capitol Jazz. It offers a unique opportunity to hear this brilliant composer's own takes on some of his best-known songs, including "Lush Life," "Take the A Train," and "Chelsea Bridge." It was certainly not a lack of technique that kept Strayhorn from recording more often. A classically trained pianist, his playing here is exquisite, evoking the impressionism of Debussy almost as much as the driving jazz of Ellington. This is a quiet, spare recording featuring just Strayhorn's piano with occasional accompaniment by bass, string quartet, or vocal chorus. Strayhorn brings out all the passion and melancholy of his own compostions, which are performed in much more relaxed tempos than we are used to hearing. Even "'A' Train" is treated as a moody ballad. Other highlights include a gently swinging "Just A Sittin' and A Rockin,'" and an exquisite version of the haunting "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing." It is a shame that Strayhorn did not record more, since he brought the same extraordinary musical intelligence and sophistication to his piano playing that he did to his composing. ~ Joel Roberts https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-peaceful-side-of-billy-strayhorn-billy-strayhorn-capitol-records-review-by-joel-roberts.php

Personnel: Billy Strayhorn - piano; Michel Goudret - bass; Paris Blue Notes - vocal choir; Paris String Quartet - strings

The Peaceful Side Of Jazz

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Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox - Jazz Age Thirst Trap

Styles: Vocal, Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:49
Size: 104,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Old Town Road
(3:28)  2. Young Dumb & Broke
(4:03)  3. Misery Business
(4:38)  4. Chandelier
(3:43)  5. Bad Guy
(4:43)  6. Everybody Talks
(3:57)  7. Sucker
(4:00)  8. Teenage Dream
(4:48)  9. I Knew You Were Trouble
(4:20) 10. High Hopes
(3:11) 11. idontwannabeyouanymore

How did Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" become a '50s-style doo wop number? Since when was Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass" about an upright bass fiddle? At what point did Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" evolve into a '20s hot jazz tune? And whose idea was it to rework Lorde's "Royals" into a polished ballad sung by a sad clown? It's all part of the topsy-turvy world of Postmodern Jukebox, an ongoing musical project spearheaded by pianist and arranger Scott Bradlee, who takes contemporary pop and rock tunes and fashions new arrangements for them that cast them in an unpredictable variety of musical styles from the past. Born on Long Island, Bradlee relocated to New York City after studying jazz at the University of Hartford. While playing gigs at restaurants and nightclubs in New York City, Bradlee began experimenting with ragtime and jazz arrangements of pop tunes from the '80s, and he recorded several self-released digital albums of his offbeat versions of well-known melodies, as well as performances that interpolated seemingly dissimilar songs of different eras. Bradlee upped the ante on these experiments in 2012 with an album called A Motown Tribute to Nickelback, but as he began imagining a new platform for his experiments, he thought of YouTube, where he had been posting solo performance videos since 2009. In 2013, Bradlee began posting weekly videos in which he and a rotating cast of musicians and vocalists performed a new song each week, recorded live in a single take in Bradlee's living room. In September 2013, Bradlee posted his '50s-style reimagining of Cyrus' "We Can't Stop," and the clip soon went viral, racking up over four million views in less than two months and topping 14 million two years later. Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox channel was soon racking up Internet successes on a regular basis, and Bradlee continued to release both videos and albums based on his playful fun-house covers of popular songs. By 2015, Bradlee had made over 130 Postmodern Jukebox clips available online, and he and his crew were taking the show on the road, touring in North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Bradlee was quite prolific in 2016, with the release of several albums including PMJ and Chill and Swing the Vote! ~ Mark Dening https://www.allmusic.com/artist/scott-bradlees-postmodern-jukebox-mn0003405394/biography

Jazz Age Thirst Trap

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